The toughest part of government exam preparation isn’t always studying. Sometimes, it’s recovering after coming painfully close.
For Projjal Mishra from Murshidabad, West Bengal, that reality hit hard when he missed SSC CGL selection by less than 0.3 marks due to normalization. Instead of letting one setback define his journey, he stayed in the game and eventually cracked SSC CHSL with an impressive rank.
Why He Chose Government Exams
Projjal completed his B.Tech in Electrical Engineering from Government College of Engineering & Textile Technology, West Bengal.
During the COVID years, he saw how uncertain the private job market had become. Growing up in a family where several members worked in government service, he realized he wanted a career with long-term stability and security.
Like many engineering graduates, he initially believed clearing competitive exams would take just one year. Reality taught him otherwise.
The Strategy That Changed Everything
Instead of preparing for only one exam, Projjal built his preparation around subjects common across multiple exams.
His approach was simple:
- Focus on the 80% common syllabus across SSC, RRB NTPC, IB ACIO, and similar exams.
- Prepare the remaining exam-specific topics closer to the actual exam.
This strategy helped him stay exam-ready throughout the year.
Watch his full interview:
Subject-Wise Preparation
Projjal treated every subject differently based on his strengths.
Quant
Being from an engineering background, Quant was naturally stronger. He completed the entire syllabus through concept classes and Previous Year Questions (PYQs) before shifting heavily towards practice.
Reasoning
Instead of collecting endless material, he relied primarily on PYQs and practiced new concepts through mock tests.
English
Rather than memorizing random newspaper vocabulary, he focused on exam-relevant words, grammar rules, and regular reading. He believes reading simple authors like Ruskin Bond helped improve comprehension and sentence arrangement skills.
General Knowledge
One lesson he strongly recommends is sticking with one trusted teacher instead of constantly switching sources.
The Mock Test Habit That Improved His Scores
Initially, Projjal made the mistake many aspirants make.
He would attempt a mock test, check the score, close the laptop, and move on.
His scores remained stuck.
The breakthrough came when he started analyzing every mock in detail.
He reviewed:
- Time spent on each question
- Silly mistakes
- New shortcuts
- Vocabulary and GK facts he missed
During preparation, he regularly used Oliveboard’s SSC Mock Tests, especially because they felt closer to the actual exam’s difficulty level. Instead of easy confidence-boosting mocks, he preferred challenging practice that prepared him for real exam pressure.
Improve your score with exam-level practice
The Setback That Almost Broke Him
The biggest emotional moment came after SSC CGL Mains, where he narrowly missed selection.
He admits he couldn’t study properly for almost a month.
Ironically, during that phase, SSC CHSL Mains arrived.
Instead of chasing perfection, he entered the exam with a calmer mindset and trusted the preparation he had already built over months.
That became his breakthrough.
Oliveboard’s Role in His Preparation
Beyond mock tests, Projjal credits Oliveboard’s Typing Test Interface as one of the most useful parts of his preparation.
He practiced multiple typing tests daily after Mains, and the exam-like interface helped him become comfortable with the actual typing test environment, a crucial stage for SSC aspirants.
His Advice for SSC Aspirants
Projjal’s biggest message is simple:
“You never know which exam will become your breakthrough. Keep preparing consistently.”
Failures, demotivation, and missed cutoffs are part of the journey. What matters is continuing the preparation without losing momentum.
Sometimes, your next success is much closer than you think.
Ready to start your SSC journey?
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