SSC CGL 2025 PYQs

Concept: Saving a life comes before any formality.

1. An unconscious child needs immediate medical attention.
2. Calling for medical help is the first and most urgent step.
3. Waiting for permission, doing paperwork or ignoring wastes critical time.

Trick: In emergency questions, choose the action that protects life fastest.

Answer: (C) Call medical help immediately

Concept: Swap symbols as per the rule, then solve with BODMAS.

1. New form: $190-80÷4+16\times 3$
2. $80÷4=20$; $16\times 3=48$
3. $190-20+48=218$

Trick: Net change = $-20+48=+28$, so $190+28=218$ in one line.

Answer: (C) 218

Concept: Convert each option with the given meanings and check which one balances.

1. (a) 18 × 8 ÷ 4 → $18+8-4=22$ ✓
2. (b) 12 + 3 − 6 → $12\times 3÷6=6\ne 8$
3. (c) 15 ÷ 3 × 5 → $15-3+5=17\ne 10$; (d) 8 − 4 × 2 → $8÷4+2=4\ne 6$

Trick: Start with the option that has only + and − after conversion – quickest to check.

Answer: (A) 18 × 8 ÷ 4 = 22

Concept: Rewrite with real signs, then BODMAS.

1. 17 + 2 − 8 × 5 → $17\times 2+8-5$
2. $17\times 2=34$
3. $34+8-5=37$

Trick: Unit-digit check: $4+8-5$ ends in 7 – only 37 ends in 7.

Answer: (D) 37

Concept: Public service values: compassion and priority for elderly/disabled.

1. The man is unable to stand for long.
2. Helping him and giving him priority solves the problem kindly.
3. Laughing, removing him or stopping work is insensitive.

Trick: Choose the option that solves the problem with sensitivity.

Answer: (A) Give him help and priority

Concept: Check successive differences.

1. Differences: 21, 19, 17, 15 (odd numbers falling by 2).
2. Next difference = 13.
3. $58-13=45$

Trick: Terms = $n^2+9$ pattern: $121+9$, $100+9$, $81+9$, $64+9$, $49+9$ ⇒ next $36+9=45$.

Answer: (B) 45

Concept: If no table is a chair, every chair is outside 'table'.

1. All chairs are non-table ⇒ some chairs are not table: II follows.
2. The wooden chairs, being chairs, also lie outside 'table'.
3. Hence some wood is not table: I follows.

Trick: Rule: 'Some A are B' + 'No A is C' ⇒ 'Some B are not C'. Here A = chair, B = wood, C = table.

Answer: (D) Both I and II follow

Concept: Each letter is replaced by its position number (A = 1 … Z = 26).

1. H = 8, J = 10, T = 20, L = 12 – matches the code.
2. R = 18, T = 20, M = 13, D = 4.
3. Code = 18-20-13-4

Trick: Remember EJOTY = 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 to find any position fast (R = T − 2 = 18).

Answer: (A) 18-20-13-4

Concept: Each letter of the word moves one step forward.

1. U→V, V→W, Q→R, P→Q, G→H (+1 each).
2. S→T, T→U, O→P, N→O, E→F.
3. Code = TUPOF

Trick: Order matters: (a) TUPFO and (b) TUPOF differ only in the last two letters – N→O comes before E→F.

Answer: (B) TUPOF

Concept: Each term is multiplied by 2.

1. 15 → 30 → 60 → 120 → 240 (×2 each).
2. Next = $240\times 2$
3. = 480

Trick: All terms are $15\times 2^n$: $15\times 2^5=15\times 32=480$.

Answer: (D) 480

Concept: The five English vowels in alphabetical order are A, E, I, O, U.

1. List the vowels left to right: A (1st), E (2nd), I (3rd), O (4th), U (5th).
2. So the 3rd vowel from the left is I.

Trick: Middle vowel of A-E-I-O-U is I – 3rd from either end.

Answer: (C) I

Concept: Compare every part – plot, locality, city, PIN – letter by letter.

1. (A) is missing the word 'No.'
2. (B) has PIN 110022 instead of 110020.
3. (C) has an extra word 'Extn'.
4. (D) is identical in every part.

Trick: Check the PIN code first – it removes the most options in one glance.

Answer: (D) Plot No. 8, Hauz Khas, South Delhi, Delhi - 110020

Concept: The reason (cause) happens first; the result (effect) follows from it.

1. Statement II describes a feature: flexible timing and low cost of online platforms.
2. Statement I describes a trend: more students joining online courses.
3. The features attract students, so II leads to I.

Trick: Ask 'why?' about each statement – 'Why are students enrolling?' is answered by II.

Answer: (B) II is the cause and I is the effect

Concept: The series is a 4-letter block repeated: l m n o.

1. Split into groups of 4: l_no | _mn_ | lm_o.
2. Group 1 needs m (lmno), group 2 needs l at start and o at end (lmno).
3. Group 3 needs n (lmno).
4. Blanks in order: m, l, o, n.

Trick: Spot the block length from the first full letters (l ? n o) and fill each group the same way.

Answer: (A) m, l, o, n

Concept: Terms are squares of even numbers that double each time: 2, 4, 8, …

1. $4=2^2$, $16=4^2$, $64=8^2$.
2. Next should be ${16}^2=256$.
3. $361={19}^2$ – 19 is odd and does not fit.

Trick: Write each term as a square; the odd base (19) is the culprit. Also each term = previous × 4, and $64\times 4=256$, not 361.

Answer: (D) 361

Concept: Replace each symbol by its real meaning, then solve with BODMAS.

1. × → +, ÷ → −, − → ÷, + → ×.
2. Expression: $15+8-2÷2\times 5$.
3. $2÷2=1$; $1\times 5=5$.
4. $15+8-5=18$.

Trick: Rewrite the whole expression first, then do ÷ and × before + and −.

Answer: (B) 18

Concept: Try each pair of swaps and test with BODMAS.

1. Swap + and −: $20+5\times 3÷3-6$.
2. $5\times 3=15$; $15÷3=5$.
3. $20+5-6=19=\text{RHS}$ ✓.

Trick: Here × 3 ÷ 3 cancel, so only ±5 and ±6 matter: $20+5-6=19$ instantly points to swapping + and −.

Answer: (D) + and −

Concept: The roll number starts with the two-letter State code, as RJ = Rajasthan.

1. Maharashtra's standard code is MH.
2. UP = Uttar Pradesh, GJ = Gujarat, CH = Chandigarh.
3. Only MH21987 begins with MH.

Yaad rakhein: These are the same codes used on vehicle number plates (MH, UP, GJ, CH).

Answer: (A) MH21987

Concept: Find the common category; the word outside it is the answer.

1. Banana, litchi and orange are fruits we eat.
2. Rose is a flower, not a fruit.

Trick: Group by 'what is it?' – fruit, fruit, fruit, flower.

Answer: (D) Rose

Concept: Mother's daughter = sister (or self, if the speaker is female).

1. Raj is male, so he cannot be his mother's daughter.
2. Mother's only daughter = Raj's sister.
3. So Sheetal is Raj's sister.

Trick: Read from the end: 'mother's daughter' → sibling who is female → sister.

Answer: (B) Sister