SSC CHSL is conducted for candidates who are willing to work in government departments after completing their 12th standard education. The SSC CHSL exam consists of three stages. Tier I is an online test consisting of four sections- General Intelligence (Reasoning), Quantitative aptitude, English and General Awareness. Tier II is a descriptive paper consisting of two questions – Essay and Letter, and finally, Tier III is a skill test/typing test which is qualifying in nature.
The descriptive paper is conducted only for those candidates who qualify tier 1 of the SSC CHSL exam, i.e. score the minimum cut off marks. It comprises of two questions:-
Essay writing – 50 marks
Letter Writing- 50 marks
About the exam:
The exam is conducted in pen and paper mode.
The medium of the test can be chosen between English and Hindi.
The minimum qualifying marks for the test will be 33%.
The marks secured in this test will be included while preparing the final merit list.
Essay Writing Tips
An essay checks a candidate's ability to put their thoughts into words. The only way to conquer the essay question is to ‘Practice consistently'! The following tips will help you improve your writing skills:
- Read the newspaper daily. This will help you understand, how sentences are framed and how to express yourself clearly through words.
- Reading the editorial section of the newspaper will help you develop an opinion on relevant topics featuring in the news and will also help you in writing in your own words.
- Work on your vocabulary. Note down new words that you read in the newspaper and find their meanings. Do not use a very flowery language.
- Write more! Only regular practice can improve your writing skills. There are no shortcuts to this.
Letter Writing Tips
Letter writing tests your ability to effectively communicate with a person or a group of people within an organization. While writing a letter keep the following points in mind:
- Be well informed about the format of both- Formal and Informal Letters
- Make sure you are grammatically correct in your expression.
- Understand the question and address the issue precisely.
- Maintain a structure of the letter- Begin with the introductory paragraph followed by the body then the conclusion.
You can also download samples for Essay and Letter: Download PDF
The SSC CHSL Descriptive paper is counted in your final scores. So if you prepare well for this exam it can help you better your rank in the final selection list.
Happy Reading!
