SSC CGL Exam Analysis 5 October 2026 — All Shifts
SSC CGL 2026 Tier 1 · Updated 5 Oct, 7:45 pm IST
SSC CGL 2026 Tier 1 ran in three slots on 5 October: 10:00 AM, 1:30 PM and 5:00 PM. The morning and afternoon papers were mostly reported as easy to moderate or moderate, with Quant (circles, geometry, long time and work questions) and the 15-minute locked timer the main talking points. The evening paper was reported as moderate to difficult by the reviewers we found, although a small candidate survey leaned the other way. Reasoning stayed easy to moderate in all three shifts, and English was dominated by voice and narration. These reviews come from candidate interviews on YouTube and a candidate survey, and all figures are unofficial. The evening reports were gathered shortly after the shift ended, so treat them as early.
| Shift | Timing | Overall | Good attempts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shift 1 | 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM IST | Easy to Moderate | 72–91 (individual candidate claims) | Full analysis → |
| Shift 2 | 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM IST | Moderate | Not reliably reported (candidates claimed 70–97) | Full analysis → |
| Shift 3 | 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM IST | Moderate to Difficult | 77–85 | Full analysis → |
Shift 1 — Easy to Moderate
Most candidates called the morning paper easy to moderate or moderate, though a few said it felt moderate to hard because of the 15-minute lock on each section. Quant was the section where time ran short. Reasoning was lengthy for some candidates, English leaned on voice and narration, and General Awareness was easy to moderate with mostly one-line questions. A few candidates reported mouse or system lag at their centre.
Shift 2 — Moderate
The afternoon paper was reported as easy to moderate by most candidate interviews and as moderate by others, while the survey leaned difficult. Quant was heavy on Advanced Maths, with several circle questions, and the sectional timer cut into attempts. Reasoning had some confusing statement-based questions. General Awareness was easy to moderate with very little current affairs, and English had a long reading passage early on. One centre reported a system shutdown, with the timer resuming afterwards.
Shift 3 — Moderate to Difficult
The reviewers we found called the evening paper moderate to difficult, with Reasoning and English easy to moderate, General Awareness moderate and Quant moderate to tough. The Quant section had Data Interpretation (pie chart, bar graph and histogram), mensuration and geometry. Good attempts were put at about 77–85, though one candidate survey with a small sample points to an easier paper. These reviews were gathered soon after the shift and may change.
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FAQs
What was the difficulty level of SSC CGL 2026 Tier 1 on 5 October?
Shift 1 was reported as easy to moderate or moderate. Shift 2 was reported as easy to moderate or moderate, though a survey leaned difficult. Shift 3 was reported as moderate to difficult by the reviewers we found, but a small survey disagreed. All of this is unofficial.
How many good attempts were there on 5 October 2026?
For Shift 3 reviewers put it at about 77–85 out of 100. For Shifts 1 and 2 there is no reliable estimate, because individual candidates claimed anything from about 70 to 97 attempts. These are unofficial.
Which Quant topics were asked on 5 October?
Circles and other geometry, trigonometry, mensuration (prism, cone, pyramid, sphere, hemisphere), algebra, time and work and percentage-based arithmetic were reported. Data Interpretation was reported in Shift 3 but not in Shift 2.
Is the 15-minute sectional timer still in force?
Yes. Each section locks after 15 minutes and you cannot return to it, so skipping long questions early is important, especially in Quant.
Will a tougher shift lower my final score?
No. SSC normalises scores across shifts, so candidates in a harder shift are not penalised compared with those in an easier one.