Clerks Grade Exam is conducted by the Staff Selection Commission for recruitment to the posts of clerks for the following groups of services/offices:
Group 'X'
Group 'Y'
Age limits: 18 to 25 years on the 1st August of the year of examination. Upper age limit relaxable for scheduled castes/scheduled tribes, etc.
Educational Qualification: Matriculation or equivalent.
The Staff Selection Commission conducts the Clerks Grade examination once in a year, generally in the month of September. Blank application forms and other particulars are published in the Employment News in the month of April. The last date for the submission of application is usually the third week of May every year.
Plan of Examination: The examination shall consist of two parts. Part I- Written Examination and Part II- Typewriting Test for those candidates who attain such minimum standards in the written test as may be fixed by the commission in their discretion.
Written Examination: The subjects of written examination, the time allowed and the maximum marks for each subject will be as follows:
| S. No. | Test | Max. Marks |
Duration |
| 1 2 3 4 |
General Intelligence and Clerical Aptitude English Language Numerical Aptitude General Awareness |
50 50 50 50 |
2 hrs |
Note: (i) The questions in all the four tests will be Objective -Multiple Choice Type
(ii) Candidates will be required to qualify in each of the tests separately.
Type Writing Test: Only those candidates who qualify in the written examination will be eligible for type writing test. It shall consist of one paper of 'Running Matter' of 10 minutes duration.
General Intelligence and Clerical Aptitude: It would include questions of both verbal and non-verbal type. The test will include questions on analogies, similarities and differences, space visualisation, problem-solving, analysis, judgement, decision-making, visual memory, discrimination, observation, relationship concepts, arithmetical reasoning, verbal and figure classification, arithmetical number series, non-verbal series etc. The test will also include questions designed to test the candidate's ability to deal with abstract ideas and symbols and their relationships, arithmetical computations and other analytical functions.
Clerical Aptitude is designed to test candidates perceptual accuracy and aptitude. This is the ability to notice similarities and differences between pairs of names and numbers. Questions in clerical aptitude will also assess in addition to perceptual accuracy and aptitude, ability to handle office routine work, like filing, abbreviating, indexing etc.
English Language: Questions in this test will be set to assess the knowledge of English Language, its vocabulary, grammar, sentence structure, synonyms, antonyms etc. There will also be questions on comprehension of a passage.
Numerical Aptitude: Questions will be designed to test the ability of arithmetical computation of whole numbers, decimals and fractions and relationship between numbers. The questions would be based on arithmetical concepts and relationship between numbers and not on complicated arithmetical computation.
General Awareness: Questions will be designed to test the ability of the candidates general awareness of the environment around him and its application to society. Questions will also be designed to test the knowledge of current affairs and of such matters of everyday observation and experience in their scientific aspect as may be expected of an educated person. An elementary knowledge of computers will also be ascertained. The test will also include questions relating to India and its neighbouring countries, especially those information which are related to history, geography, culture, economic scenario, polity and scientific research.
Note: Only those candidates who qualify in all the four tests would be eligible to be considered for being called for the 'type-writing tests'. The commission will have full discretion to fix the minimum qualifying marks in each of the four tests.
Type Writing Test: It shall consist of one paper of 'Running Matter' of 10 minutes duration. The type-writing test will be a qualifying test only.
Only such candidates as qualify in the type writing test with a speed of not less than 30 words per minute in English or not less than 25 words per minute in Hindi will be eligible for being recommended for appointment as Lower Division Clerks in the Central Secretariat and its attached/subordinate offices etc
