SSC CPO Paper I 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024 PYQs

Concept: Replace each sign by its meaning and apply BODMAS.

1. + → −, − → ×, × → ÷, ÷ → +.
2. $300-12\times 120÷9+32$ becomes $300\times 12÷120+9-32$.
3. $300\times 12=3600$, $3600÷120=30$.
4. $30+9-32=7$.

Trick: Simplify the × and ÷ block first: $\frac{300\times 12}{120}=30$.

Answer: (A) 7

Concept: Terms are of the form $n(n+1)$.

1. $1\times 2=2$, $2\times 3=6$, $3\times 4=12$, $4\times 5=20$.
2. $5\times 6=30$, $6\times 7=42$.
3. Check: $7\times 8=56$, $8\times 9=72$ ✓.

Trick: Differences 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 also give 30 and 42.

Answer: (C) 30, 42

Concept: The differences are descending perfect cubes.

1. $1024-899=125=5^3$, $899-835=64=4^3$.
2. $835-808=27=3^3$, $808-800=8=2^3$.
3. The next subtraction is the smallest non-zero cube, $1^3=1$: $800-1=799$.

Trick: Spot cubes 125, 64, 27, 8 in the differences.

Answer: (D) 799

Concept: The face common to both positions is adjacent to all faces seen with it.

1. 11 appears in both positions.
2. With 11 we see 12, 16 (first) and 15, 13 (second).
3. So 11 touches 12, 13, 15, 16; the remaining face 14 is opposite 11.

Trick: Common face + four different neighbours → the sixth face is opposite.

Answer: (D) 11

Concept: All + All gives an All conclusion.

1. Notebooks ⊂ Erasers ⊂ Pens.
2. So All notebooks are pens – I follows.
3. Conversion of I gives Some pens are notebooks – II follows.

Yaad rakhein: All A are B + All B are C ⇒ All A are C, and also Some C are A.

Answer: (D) Both conclusions I and II follow

Concept: A vertical mirror MN on the right swaps left and right; the top-to-bottom order stays the same.

1. Lines now start from the right edge and arrowheads point left.
2. Order from top remains P, Z, D, S; each letter is laterally inverted (Z, P, D, S all appear reversed).
3. Option (D) has reversed P, Z, D, S with left-pointing arrows; (C) keeps Z unreversed, (B) is upside down, (A) has the arrowheads pointing the wrong way.

Trick: In a side mirror, letters like Z also flip – check the non-symmetric letters first.

Answer: (D) the fourth figure

Concept: Common words share common codes.

1. 'the' and 'lesson' are in both sentences; common codes are rx and cd.
2. So 'the', 'lesson' → {rx, cd}.
3. The remaining word of the first sentence, 'revise', gets the remaining code st.

Trick: Eliminate the common words and codes; what is left pairs up.

Answer: (A) st

Concept: The word common to both sentences has the code common to both.

1. 'cards' is the only common word in 'print the cards' and 'cards for sale'.
2. The only common code in 'cd fm px' and 'nt px ym' is px.
3. So cards = px.

Trick: One common word ↔ one common code.

Answer: (A) px

Concept: Use the common face to find one opposite pair, then the others.

1. 5 is on top in all three positions and is seen with 2, 3, 4, 6 → 5 is opposite 1.
2. 3 is seen with 2 and 4 (and with 5, hence also adjacent to 1).
3. The only face left for 3 to be opposite is 6. (Then 2 is opposite 4.)

Trick: Once one pair is fixed, a face's opposite is the one not among its neighbours.

Answer: (C) 3

Concept: Check the gaps between consecutive letters of each cluster.

1. PUR: P(16) +5 → U(21), −3 → R(18).
2. RWT: R(18) +5 → W(23), −3 → T(20). NSP: N(14) +5 → S(19), −3 → P(16).
3. TYU: T(20) +5 → Y(25), but −4 → U(21). So TYU breaks the +5, −3 pattern.

Trick: The third letter is always 2 ahead of the first in the group (P→R, R→T, N→P); T→U is only 1.

Answer: (D) TYU

Concept: Plaque is a sticky layer that forms on the teeth when bacteria and food remains collect on them.

1. Bacteria in the mouth, together with tiny food particles, stick to the teeth and form a layer called plaque.
2. These bacteria then break down sugars and make acids, which slowly damage the enamel and cause tooth decay.
3. So option (D) describes what plaque does (acid formation), not how plaque forms.

Yaad rakhein: Plaque = bacteria + food particles stuck on teeth; acid comes later and causes decay.

Answer: (B) Masses of bacterial cells together with food particles stick to the teeth

Concept: Rabindranath Tagore wrote many prose works besides poetry, including lectures on politics and society.

1. Nationalism (1917) is a collection of Tagore's lectures delivered in Japan and the USA, criticising aggressive nationalism.
2. The Essential Writings, The Way to God and Non-Violent Resistance are compilations of Mahatma Gandhi's writings.

Yaad rakhein: Tagore – Gitanjali, Gora, Nationalism; Gandhi – Non-Violent Resistance, The Way to God.

Answer: (C) Nationalism

Concept: Shubha Mudgal is a noted Hindustani classical, khayal and Indi-pop singer.

1. She received the Padma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian award, in 2000.
2. She has not been given the Padma Bhushan or Padma Vibhushan; the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award is not a Padma award and was not her 2000 honour.

Yaad rakhein: Shubha Mudgal – 'Ab Ke Sawan' singer – Padma Shri 2000.

Answer: (D) Padma Shri

Concept: Privatisation transfers ownership or management of public enterprises to private hands; it has both advantages and risks.

1. Improved efficiency and performance is a main advantage – (A) is true.
2. Disinvestment increased sharply after the 1991 New Economic Policy – (C) is true; Maruti Udyog was a PSU before 1991 – (D) is true.
3. Private firms that replace a public monopoly can exploit monopoly power, which is why regulators are needed – so (B) is FALSE.

Yaad rakhein: Words like 'no possibility' / 'never' usually mark the false statement.

Answer: (B) There is no possibility of exploitation of monopoly power by private companies after privatisation.

Concept: The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas publishes the number of operational refineries in India.

1. As of 2022 India had 23 refineries – 18 in the public sector, 3 in the private sector and 2 joint ventures.
2. Their combined capacity was about 250 million tonnes per year; Jamnagar (Reliance) is the largest refinery complex.

Yaad rakhein: 23 refineries = 18 PSU + 3 private + 2 JV.

Answer: (B) 23

Concept: Alluvial soil is deposited by rivers, so it is found mostly in river plains.

1. The North Indian (Northern) Plain is formed by the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra and their tributaries, which deposit huge amounts of alluvium.
2. The Himalayas have mountain soils, the Great Indian Desert has sandy (arid) soil, and the islands have coral/varied soils.

Yaad rakhein: River plain = alluvium; Ganga plain is the most fertile belt of India.

Answer: (B) The North Indian Plain

Concept: The eyeball is a three-dimensional organ, so its shape is described as a solid, not a flat figure.

1. The human eyeball is nearly spherical, with a diameter of about 2.3–2.5 cm.
2. 'Circular' describes a flat 2-D shape, so it is not correct for the eyeball; it is not oval or cylindrical.

Yaad rakhein: Eyeball – sphere of about 2.5 cm.

Answer: (A) Spherical

Concept: Pipelines in India mainly carry crude oil, petroleum products and natural gas.

1. Since they move petroleum and gas, pipeline transport is looked after by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
2. Companies such as GAIL, IOCL and Oil India operate them, regulated by the PNGRB under this ministry.

Yaad rakhein: Pipeline = oil & gas → Petroleum ministry.

Answer: (A) Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas

Concept: The 12th IHAI National Ice Hockey Championship (Men) was held in 2023 in Ladakh.

1. The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) team won the men's title.
2. ITBP, which guards the high-altitude Indo-China border, has a strong ice-hockey team built from Himalayan players.

Yaad rakhein: 12th National Ice Hockey (Men) 2023 – ITBP champions.

Answer: (C) Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP)

Concept: The Swaran Singh Committee (1976) was set up to recommend Fundamental Duties for citizens.

1. It recommended 8 fundamental duties.
2. The 42nd Amendment, 1976 added Article 51A with 10 duties (more than the committee suggested); the 86th Amendment, 2002 added the 11th.

Yaad rakhein: Committee 8 → 42nd Amendment 10 → 86th Amendment 11.

Answer: (D) 8