Shubham Agrawal, who clinched All India Rank 1 in the SSC CGL 2024 examination, recently interacted with aspirants through a live Ask Me Anything (AMA) session on Reddit. His candid responses and strategic insights have quickly gone viral within the SSC community, offering a goldmine of practical tips for those preparing for one of the most competitive government exams in India. The interaction has seen over 500 serious SSC CGL aspirants interact live with Shubham.
The SSC CGL Exam is conducted annually to recruit candidates for Group B and C posts in various central government departments, ministries, and offices. Posts filled through this exam include roles like Assistant Section Officer, Income Tax Inspector, Central Excise Inspector, Sub-Inspector in CBI, and Auditor, among many others. With lakhs of applicants each year, the SSC CGL exam demands a well-rounded preparation strategy, especially for Tier 1 and Tier 2 levels which test Quantitative Aptitude, General Intelligence, English Comprehension, and General Awareness.
Here’s a summary of the key takeaways from his widely discussed session:
Q&A with AIR 1 SSC CGL
In his AMA session, Shubham addressed questions related to preparation strategies for General Awareness, how to tackle Mathematics effectively, managing mock tests, sources for revision, and tips for staying motivated during the preparation journey. As a former UPSC aspirant and a seasoned Mathematics educator, Shubham emphasized the importance of discipline, conceptual clarity, and smart practice over merely covering large syllabi.
In the sections that follow, we’ve summarized the most helpful takeaways from Shubham Agrawal’s AMA, providing a roadmap for SSC CGL 2025 aspirants to plan their preparation strategically and stay focused in the months leading up to the exam.
Q1: How did you prepare for General Awareness (GA) including current affairs and static GK?
Shubham Agrawal:
“Current Affairs and Static GK can be overwhelming. I focused on limited, high-quality sources and revised them multiple times. My strategy was to follow one CA magazine religiously (e.g., AffairsCloud or any trusted source), revise monthly PDFs, and take sectional quizzes regularly. For static GK, I picked up Lucent and revised important topics (e.g., polity, geography, history). Don’t try to cover everything—focus on retention and smart revision.”
Q2: I’m stuck at 120-130 marks. How do I break through this plateau?
Shubham Agrawal:
“Yes, I had phases where I didn’t see much improvement. The key is analyzing mocks deeply, not just taking them. Understand why you got something wrong or why you took time. Fix your silly mistakes. Also, tweak your attempt strategy—start with your strongest section in the paper to boost confidence and pace.”
Q3: What’s the best strategy for the last 60 days before SSC CGL Tier 1?
Shubham Agrawal:
“Focus entirely on mocks, analysis, and revision. Stop adding new resources. Make a revision calendar for key topics, and solve 50–100 MCQs daily across subjects. Work on accuracy + speed, especially for Maths and Reasoning. Practice with a timer.”
Q4: I am weak in Maths. How do I improve?
Shubham Agrawal:
“I’ve taught Maths, so my basics were strong. But here’s my advice:
- Start with NCERTs (6th to 10th) for conceptual clarity.
- Practice minimum 50 questions per day.
- Solve PYQs of the last 3 years (2022, 2023, 2024) to spot patterns.
- Stick to basics and improve speed via practice.
Resources I used:
- Kiran’s SSC Maths PYQ Book
- Oliveboard mock tests
- NCERTs for foundation
Target Scores:
- Tier 1: 40+
- Tier 2: 75+”
Q5: Which platforms or resources helped you most during your preparation?
Shubham Agrawal:
“For practice and revision, Oliveboard was my go-to. Their mocks are close to the actual exam level. For concept-building, I recommend sticking to one platform (whether it’s Gagan Pratap, Bhutesh Sir, or Rakesh Yadav notes) instead of switching constantly. Consistency with one source is better than half-studying ten sources.”
Q6: How did you manage exam pressure and stay mentally calm?
Shubham Agrawal:
“Mental clarity comes from preparation. I took mock tests seriously, simulating real exam conditions. I also used meditation and light exercise to manage stress. Before the exam, I would avoid discussion with others and revise only my notes.”
Q7: What was your daily routine during CGL preparation?
Shubham Agrawal:
“I followed a simple, consistent schedule:
- Morning: Mock + Analysis
- Afternoon: Topic-wise revision
- Evening: Maths/Reasoning practice + GA MCQs
Avoid overloading. Focus on deep work, not long hours.”
Q8: How can I stay motivated for daily study?
Shubham Agrawal:
“Motivation fades, but discipline sustains. I kept visual reminders of my goals and surrounded myself with like-minded aspirants (Telegram/Reddit). Celebrating small wins (e.g., improvement in mocks) helped a lot. Avoid toxic comparison—run your own race.”
Q9: What makes a topper different from an average candidate?
Shubham Agrawal:
“Three things:
- Consistency
- Smart Strategy (not just hard work)
- Self-awareness (knowing your strengths/weaknesses)
Most people study hard. Toppers optimize.”
Q10: Which live mock platform is best?
Shubham Agrawal:
“I preferred Oliveboard because their mocks are closest to the real exam level. But the best mock is the one you analyze deeply. Take one platform and stick to it.”
Q11: What was your percentile in mocks?
Shubham Agrawal:
I usually scored above 95 percentile consistently on Oliveboard. But don’t obsess over rank—focus on accuracy and improvement.
Q12: What’s your academic background?
Shubham Agrawal:
I’m an engineering graduate. I had a UPSC background before attempting SSC, which helped in GS. But English was my weak area—so I focused extra on that.
Q13: How can CHSL 2026 aspirants begin now?
Shubham Agrawal:
Start with basics—NCERTs for GK, Kiran for Maths, and a grammar book for English. Take one sectional mock every week, and build concepts. You have time, so focus on building a strong base.
Conclusion:
Shubham Agrawal’s answers reflect one thing—clarity and consistency are more important than overloading yourself with resources. Stick to a strategy, work smart, and believe in yourself.
You can visit the Actual Reddit Threads here:
Thread 1 | Thread 2
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I’m Mahima Khurana, a writer with a strong passion for creating meaningful, learner-focused content especially in the field of competitive exam preparation. From authoring books and developing thousands of practice questions to crafting articles and study material, I specialize in transforming complex exam-related topics into clear, engaging, and accessible content. Writing, for me, is not just a skill but a way to support and guide aspirants through their preparation journey one well-written explanation at a time.