What the early reviews say
Shift reviews published by several coaching institutes rated the 30 September shifts as moderate overall. They estimated 'good attempts' (questions a well-prepared candidate answered with confidence) at roughly 80–85 out of 100. The first shift on 1 October was described as easy to moderate, at around 79–83. These are informal estimates from candidate feedback, not official figures, and they vary between institutes.
Why 'good attempts' isn't your target
Good-attempt figures assume good accuracy. Attempting 85 questions with 10 wrong scores the same as attempting 75 with none wrong: at +2 and −0.50, each wrong answer cancels a quarter of a correct one, and the 10 extra attempts were mostly guesses. Your target is a net score, not a count of attempts. Use your mock history to set it: aim for the attempts you can make at your usual accuracy.
Normalisation evens out tough shifts
With the exam spread across many shifts, SSC normalises raw scores so that candidates in a harder shift are not at a disadvantage. If your shift feels tough, it probably feels tough for everyone in it. Don't panic halfway through the paper and start guessing.
What to change in your last mocks
- The early papers leaned on previous-year concepts, so spend one session a day on CGL previous-year questions from the last three years.
- General Awareness had the lowest estimated good attempts. Revise static GK (history, polity, science) and current affairs from the last six months.
- Keep practising with the 15-minute sectional timer. The lock on each section remains the biggest change from older CGL papers.
- After your shift, write down the topics you saw. It helps with Tier 2 planning and when you check the answer key later.
Key takeaways
- SSC CGL 2026 Tier 1 runs from 30 September to 30 October 2026, in three shifts a day.
- Coaching reviews rated the first shifts easy to moderate, with about 79–85 good attempts. These are informal estimates.
- Aim for a net score at your usual accuracy, not a number of attempts. Normalisation evens out harder shifts.
Sources
Dates and patterns change — always confirm on the official website before applying.
