Most SSC MTS aspirants prepare as if all four sections count equally. They do not. Under the scheme in the official notice, the merit list for MTS is prepared on Session-II alone, while Session-I acts as a gate you must clear. That single fact should change how you spend your next 60 days.
This guide goes beyond the general pattern. It explains how the two sessions are linked, what the qualifying rules really mean for your target, how to handle each section, which topics deserve the most time, and how to run a 60-day plan with a mock schedule. For the basic eligibility and syllabus overview, see the earlier MTS and Havaldar guides on Pareeksha. Here the focus is strategy.
A note on sources: the figures below are taken from the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) MTS and Havaldar notice that was available to us (the 2024 notice, with 2025 coverage matching it). SSC can change the scheme, so always read the latest notification before you finalise your plan.
The Exam Structure at a Glance
The Computer Based Examination (CBE) has two sessions held on the same day. Both are mandatory. Questions are objective, multiple choice.
| Session | Section | Questions | Max marks | Time | Negative marking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Session-I | Numerical and Mathematical Ability | 20 | 60 | 45 minutes for the whole session | None |
| Session-I | Reasoning Ability and Problem Solving | 20 | 60 | ||
| Session-II | General Awareness | 25 | 75 | 45 minutes for the whole session | 1 mark per wrong answer |
| Session-II | English Language and Comprehension | 25 | 75 |
That makes 90 questions and 270 marks. Each question carries 3 marks, which you can work out from the table (60 marks for 20 questions, 75 marks for 25 questions). Candidates eligible for a scribe get 60 minutes per session instead of 45.
Session-I closes automatically after 45 minutes, and Session-II starts immediately after it. There is no long break in between, so your stamina and your pacing both matter.
Questions in Session-I and the General Awareness section are set in English, Hindi and 13 regional languages. The English section is naturally in English. If there is ever a dispute between the English version and your chosen language, the English version prevails, as per the notice.
How the Two Sessions Connect: The Rule Most People Miss
The notice lays out the selection logic in clear steps:
- Your Session-I performance is evaluated first.
- Session-II is evaluated only if you qualify in Session-I.
- There are minimum qualifying marks in Session-I and also in Session-II.
- For MTS, candidates are shortlisted and the merit list is prepared solely on Session-II performance (normalised scores where the exam runs in multiple shifts).
- For Havaldar, the shortlist for the physical test is also based on Session-II performance, in the ratio of 1:7 (vacancies to candidates) as per the notice, followed by PET and PST.
Read that again. Marks you score in Maths and Reasoning do not add to your merit score. They only decide whether your Session-II paper gets checked at all. The marks that rank you against thousands of others come from General Awareness and English.
This does not mean you can ignore Session-I. A weak Maths and Reasoning performance can end your attempt before Session-II is even looked at. The correct way to think about it is this: Session-I is a pass-or-fail gate; Session-II is the race.
Please check the latest notification to confirm this rule has not changed for your year. SSC has changed parts of its schemes in the past, and the notice itself says the schedule and details may be revised through the website of the Commission.
Qualifying Marks and What They Mean in Numbers
The minimum qualifying percentages in the notice apply to Session-I and Session-II separately:
| Category | Minimum percentage | Session-I (out of 120) | Session-II (out of 150) |
|---|---|---|---|
| UR | 30% | 36 marks | 45 marks |
| OBC / EWS | 25% | 30 marks | 37.5 marks |
| All other categories | 20% | 24 marks | 30 marks |
The marks columns are our own arithmetic from the percentages and the section totals. In plain terms, a UR candidate needs 12 correct answers out of 40 in Session-I (12 x 3 = 36), since there is no negative marking there.
These are only the minimum qualifying marks. The actual cut-off used for shortlisting in Session-II is category-wise and, for MTS, can be State or UT-wise and age-group-wise as per the notice. These cut-offs have been far above the qualifying minimum in the past. We have not quoted any cut-off figures here because they differ by year, post, category and region. Check the official result and cut-off notices of the most recent cycle to see where the bar sat.
The practical lesson: set your own target well above the minimum. Qualifying is not selection.
Negative Marking: The 25 Percent Rule
There is no negative marking in Session-I. In Session-II, 1 mark is deducted for each wrong answer. A correct answer earns 3 marks.
That gives a simple decision rule. If you are fairly confident of your answer with probability p, the expected gain from attempting is 3p minus (1 - p), which equals 4p - 1. This is positive whenever p is above 0.25.
- If you can honestly eliminate two of four options, you have about a 50 percent chance. Attempt it.
- If you can eliminate one option, you have about a 33 percent chance. Attempting is still slightly positive on average.
- If you have no idea and cannot eliminate anything, you sit at 25 percent. The expected gain is zero. You are neither gaining nor losing on average, but you add risk.
The rule is a planning guide, not a licence to guess. Random guessing on questions you have never studied is a habit that costs marks over a full paper. Educated guessing, after eliminating options, is a skill you build in mocks.
In Session-I the rule is simpler: never leave a question blank. There is no penalty, so mark an answer for every one of the 40 questions before time runs out.
Time Management Across the Two Sessions
The notice gives one timer of 45 minutes per session. It does not publish a time limit per section. Whether you can move freely between the two parts of a session depends on the exam interface, so read the instructions on the day and practise on a platform that mimics it. The splits below are our planning suggestion, not an official rule.
Session-I: 40 questions in 45 minutes
- Numerical and Mathematical Ability: about 20 to 22 minutes.
- Reasoning: about 18 to 20 minutes.
- Last 3 to 4 minutes: go back to skipped questions and fill every blank.
Session-II: 50 questions in 45 minutes
- General Awareness: about 12 to 14 minutes. These are fast, recall-based questions. If you do not know it, you will not know it after two minutes either.
- English: about 24 to 26 minutes. Comprehension takes the most time, so read the questions before the passage.
- Last 4 to 5 minutes: review marked questions and decide which risky ones to leave.
That works out to under a minute a question in Session-II. Speed comes from recognising patterns, which only practice can give you.
Target Scores: A Planning Framework
These targets are suggestions for planning, not predictions of any cut-off. Adjust them after checking recent cut-offs for your category and State.
| Level | Session-I goal (out of 40 questions) | Session-II goal |
|---|---|---|
| Safe qualifying (UR) | 20 or more correct, so about 60 marks, well above 36 | Net 60 or more, comfortably above 45 |
| Competitive | 25 or more correct | Net 90 or more, for example 33 correct and 9 wrong from 42 attempts |
| Strong | 30 or more correct | Net 110 or more, for example 40 correct and 10 wrong |
Check the arithmetic: 33 correct and 9 wrong gives 99 minus 9, which is 90. And 40 correct and 10 wrong gives 120 minus 10, which is 110. Notice how each wrong answer costs a net of 4 marks against a correct one, because you lose the 3 you could have earned and also lose 1.
Since merit depends on Session-II, the best use of an extra hour of study is nearly always General Awareness or English, once your Session-I score is safely above the line.
Numerical and Mathematical Ability: Strategy
The notice lists the areas: integers and whole numbers, LCM and HCF, decimals and fractions, relationship between numbers, fundamental operations and BODMAS, percentage, ratio and proportion, work and time, direct and inverse proportion, averages, simple interest, profit and loss, discount, area and perimeter of basic figures, distance and time, lines and angles, simple graphs and data, squares and square roots. The level is class 10 and below. Nothing here needs advanced algebra or trigonometry.
How to approach it
- Build calculation speed first. Learn tables to 20, squares to 30, cubes to 15, and common fraction-percentage pairs (1/2 = 50%, 1/3 = 33.33%, 1/4 = 25%, 1/5 = 20%, 1/6 = 16.67%, 1/8 = 12.5%). Many questions become one-line mental calculations.
- Cover the whole list in order of ease. Percentage, ratio, average, profit and loss, simple interest and time and work are the usual scoring areas. Do these first.
- Do not chase hard questions. With 20 questions and no penalty, an 8 to 10 question easy set done accurately beats a stalled attempt at a hard one.
- Keep a formula notebook. One page per chapter, with the formula and one solved example.
Three quick worked examples
Percentage: A price rises from 400 to 500. The increase is 100 on 400, which is 25 percent.
Profit and loss: An article bought for 800 is sold at 1,000. Profit is 200, and profit percentage is 200 divided by 800, which is 25 percent.
Time and work: A can finish a job in 10 days and B in 15 days. In one day they do 1/10 + 1/15 = 3/30 + 2/30 = 5/30 = 1/6 of the job together. So together they need 6 days.
Common traps
- Percentage change is calculated on the original value, not the new one.
- Discount applies on the marked price, profit on the cost price.
- Simple interest uses the original principal each year. Do not confuse it with compound interest.
- In speed and distance problems, convert km/h to m/s by multiplying by 5/18, and m/s to km/h by multiplying by 18/5.
Reasoning Ability and Problem Solving: Strategy
The notice lists alpha-numeric series, coding and decoding, analogy, following directions, similarities and differences, jumbling, problem solving and analysis, non-verbal reasoning based on diagrams, age calculations, calendar and clock.
Reasoning is the most trainable section in this paper, since the question types repeat. Aspirants who struggle with Maths often score well here.
How to approach it
- Learn the alphabet positions cold. A=1 to Z=26, and the opposite-letter pairs (A-Z, B-Y, and so on, summing to 27). Series and coding questions depend on this.
- Directions: draw a small sketch every time. Never solve it in your head.
- Calendar and clock: learn the odd-days method and the clock angle formula. These give quick, reliable marks.
- Non-verbal and diagram questions: practise mirror images, paper folding and counting figures. They take longer, so attempt them after the quick verbal items.
- Analogy and odd-one-out: identify the exact relationship in words before you check the options.
Worked example: calendar
If 1 January is a Monday in a non-leap year, which day is 1 March of the same year? From 1 January to 1 March is 31 + 28 = 59 days. 59 divided by 7 leaves a remainder of 3. Monday plus 3 days is Thursday. So 1 March is a Thursday.
Worked example: clock
Angle between the hands at 3:00 is 90 degrees. The hour hand moves 30 degrees per hour and the minute hand 6 degrees per minute, so at 3:00 the gap is 3 x 30 = 90 degrees.
Common traps
- In coding questions, check whether the shift is the same for every letter before applying it to the next word.
- In blood relation and direction questions, a rushed reading of one word such as "son-in-law" changes the whole answer.
- Do not spend more than 70 to 80 seconds on a diagram question. Mark it and move on.
General Awareness: Strategy for the Section That Decides Your Rank
The notice describes this section as social studies (history, geography, art and culture, civics, economics), general science and environmental studies up to 10th standard. That phrase is useful. It tells you the questions come from school-level content, not from current-affairs magazines or advanced reference books.
With 25 questions and 75 marks, and since Session-II alone decides merit, this is a high-value section. The good news is that a school-level syllabus is finite.
Subject-wise approach
- History: ancient, medieval and modern in broad strokes. Focus on freedom movement events, leaders, and major reforms. Make a one-page timeline.
- Geography: physical features of India, rivers, mountains, soils, climate, crops, and basics of the solar system and the earth.
- Civics and polity: Constitution basics, fundamental rights and duties, Parliament, President and Prime Minister, the judiciary, local government.
- Economics: basic concepts such as needs and wants, sectors of the economy, banking, money, and common government schemes at a general level.
- Art and culture: dance forms, festivals, famous monuments and traditional crafts.
- General science: class 6 to 10 NCERT-level physics, chemistry and biology. Human body, diseases, vitamins, basic reactions, light, sound, force and motion, and electricity.
- Environment: ecosystem, pollution, conservation, and biodiversity basics.
How to study it
- Read the NCERT books for classes 6 to 10 in social science and science, at least once, making short notes.
- Revise with flashcards or a notebook of one-line facts. Revisit every week.
- Practise MCQs on every subject and note down every fact you got wrong. Revise that list.
- Keep a small current-affairs routine for the last 30 days, but do not let it take over. The notice describes the syllabus as school-level, so static topics come first.
Avoid guessing in this section unless you can eliminate options. If you have never seen a fact, a wrong answer costs you a mark and gains nothing.
English Language and Comprehension: Strategy
The notice lists basics of English: vocabulary, grammar, sentence structure, synonyms and antonyms, correct usage, and a simple paragraph with questions on it. This is a basic level, but it is also where many candidates from regional-language backgrounds lose marks. It carries as many marks as General Awareness, so it deserves equal attention.
How to approach it
- Grammar rules first: subject-verb agreement, tenses, articles, prepositions, common errors. Learn one rule, then solve ten questions on it.
- Vocabulary daily: learn 10 new words a day with synonym, antonym and a sentence. Revise the old ones every weekend. Over 60 days this adds up.
- Idioms, one-word substitutions and spelling: keep a separate list and revise it often.
- Comprehension: read a short passage every day. Practise reading the questions first, then scanning the passage for answers.
- Sentence improvement and error spotting: read the sentence aloud in your head. A wrong sentence usually sounds wrong once you know the common rules.
Common traps
- Choosing an answer that is true in general but not stated in the passage.
- Mixing up synonym and antonym questions when under time pressure. Underline the word "opposite" or "similar" in your mind first.
- Spending three minutes on one grammar question. It is a one-mark-risk, three-mark-gain item; if you cannot decide in 40 seconds, eliminate and move.
Top Topics to Prioritise
The notice gives an indicative syllabus, not a weightage chart, so we have not quoted any official topic-wise question counts. The ranking below is our planning suggestion based on how the syllabus is written and on how easy each topic is to score in. Check your own mock-test analysis to adjust it.
| Section | High-priority topics | Second priority |
|---|---|---|
| Maths | Percentage, ratio and proportion, average, profit and loss and discount, simple interest, time and work | Time-speed-distance, LCM and HCF, area and perimeter, data interpretation, squares and roots, lines and angles |
| Reasoning | Series, coding-decoding, analogy, odd one out, directions, calendar and clock, age problems | Jumbling, similarities and differences, non-verbal and diagram questions, problem solving |
| General Awareness | Indian polity basics, Indian geography, modern history, general science (human body, physics and chemistry basics) | Art and culture, economics basics, environment, ancient and medieval history |
| English | Grammar and error spotting, vocabulary (synonyms, antonyms), comprehension | Idioms, one-word substitution, sentence improvement, spelling |
The 60-Day Study Plan
This plan assumes 3 to 4 hours of study a day on weekdays and a longer block on weekends. If you work or study full time, stretch it to 90 days by doubling each phase. The plan is built around three ideas: learn the concepts, practise in timed blocks, and then simulate the real two-session exam.
Phase 1: Days 1 to 20 (foundation)
- Maths: tables, squares, cubes, fractions and percentage pairs (days 1 to 3). Then percentage, ratio, average, and profit and loss (days 4 to 12). Then simple interest, time and work, and time-speed-distance (days 13 to 20).
- Reasoning: alphabet positions and series (days 1 to 5), coding-decoding and analogy (days 6 to 12), directions, blood relations, age problems (days 13 to 20).
- General Awareness: NCERT history and civics (days 1 to 10), geography (days 11 to 20). Make one-page notes per chapter.
- English: parts of speech, tenses and subject-verb agreement. Learn 10 words a day. Read one passage a day.
- Weekly: one sectional test on Sunday for whichever subject you studied most.
Phase 2: Days 21 to 40 (completion and speed)
- Maths: LCM and HCF, area and perimeter, lines and angles, squares and roots, data interpretation, and a mixed practice set every day.
- Reasoning: calendar, clock, jumbling, similarities and differences, then non-verbal reasoning for 4 to 5 days.
- General Awareness: general science (physics, chemistry, biology), economics and environment, art and culture.
- English: error spotting, sentence improvement, idioms and one-word substitutions, comprehension practice with a timer.
- Weekly: two sectional tests plus one revision day. Start keeping an error log from day 21.
- From day 30: begin full-length mocks, one every four days. Take them in the exam format: Session-I, then straight into Session-II.
Phase 3: Days 41 to 55 (mock-heavy revision)
- Take a full mock every second day. Spend at least as long analysing it as you spent writing it.
- On the other days, revise your formula notebook, GA notes and vocabulary list, and attempt sectional tests on weak areas.
- Prioritise Session-II topics. Revise static GA daily for 60 to 90 minutes.
- Do one 30-day current-affairs sweep if you want to, but cap it at 30 minutes a day.
Phase 4: Days 56 to 60 (polish)
- Take two full mocks, on day 56 and day 58. Do not take any heavy new topic.
- Revise your error log, formula notebook and short notes.
- Sleep properly, practise the exam-day routine, and keep the last day for light revision only.
A sample day in Phase 2
| Time block | Task |
|---|---|
| 60 minutes | New Maths topic, concept plus 20 questions |
| 45 minutes | Reasoning practice set, timed |
| 60 minutes | General Awareness reading and notes |
| 45 minutes | English grammar plus 10 new words |
| 30 minutes | Revise yesterday's notes and error log |
The Mock Test Schedule
| Days | Test type | Frequency | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 20 | Sectional or topic tests | 1 a week | Check concept understanding |
| 21 to 29 | Sectional tests | 2 a week | Build speed |
| 30 to 40 | Full-length mock (both sessions) | 1 every 4 days | Learn the exam rhythm |
| 41 to 55 | Full-length mock | Every second day | Stamina, accuracy, strategy |
| 56 to 60 | Full-length mock | 2 in total | Final check, confidence |
How to take a mock
- Sit in one block, with Session-I for 45 minutes and Session-II for 45 minutes straight after. Do not pause.
- Mark answers in Session-I for every question, even guesses.
- In Session-II, decide before the test how many questions you will attempt at minimum, and stick to the 25 percent rule.
- Note your Session-I score and Session-II net score separately. Compare Session-II with your target.
How to analyse a mock
- Sort your errors into three kinds: did not know, knew but made a silly mistake, ran out of time.
- Write every GA fact you missed into a revision list. This list is your highest-value study material.
- Check your accuracy in Session-II. If more than a quarter of your attempts are wrong, you are guessing too much.
- Track which section ate the most time.
For Havaldar Aspirants: Add the Physical Test to Your Plan
If you are also applying for Havaldar, the notice states a Physical Efficiency Test (PET) and Physical Standard Test (PST) after the written exam. The PET listed is a walk: 1600 metres in 15 minutes for males and 1 km in 20 minutes for females. The PST standards in the notice include a minimum height and chest for males and height and weight for females, with relaxations for certain groups. Read the exact figures and the exemptions in the latest notification before you start training.
Walking practice three or four times a week, 20 to 30 minutes each, fits easily beside the study plan. Candidates who fail the PET or PST are not considered for Havaldar, but as per the notice they may remain valid for MTS based on their merit in the written exam.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Spending most time on Maths. It is Session-I, a qualifying gate. Reach a safe score and move on to the sections that decide merit.
- Ignoring the English section. Equal marks to General Awareness. Daily grammar and vocabulary habits beat a last-minute rush.
- Treating GA as current affairs only. The notice describes school-level content. Read NCERT first.
- Leaving Session-I questions blank. There is no negative marking there.
- Guessing wildly in Session-II. Each wrong answer costs a net of 4 marks relative to a correct one.
- Skipping full-length mocks. The two-session format with no break feels very different from sectional practice.
- Not analysing mocks. Taking ten mocks and reviewing none is worse than taking five and reviewing all.
- Changing resources every week. Pick one book or source per subject and revise it multiple times.
- Not checking the latest notification. Pattern, dates and rules can change, so confirm on the official website.
- Studying only the day before. General Awareness needs repeated revision over weeks, not a single reading.
Exam-Day Checklist
- Reach the centre early with your admit card and valid ID as specified in your admission certificate.
- In Session-I, answer all 40 questions. Use the last few minutes to fill blanks.
- As soon as Session-II starts, go to General Awareness first if that is your strength, then English. Keep a quick eye on the clock.
- Do not argue with yourself over doubtful answers. Pick, mark for review if needed, and move on.
- Remember answer key challenges are possible after the exam, but each challenge carries a fee as per the notice, so use it only when you are sure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there negative marking in SSC MTS? According to the official notice, there is no negative marking in Session-I. In Session-II, one mark is deducted for each wrong answer. Check the latest notification for any change.
Do Session-I marks count towards the final merit for MTS? Per the notice, Session-I is a qualifying session, and the merit list for MTS is prepared solely on Session-II performance. Session-II is evaluated only if you qualify in Session-I.
What are the minimum qualifying marks? The notice gives 30 percent for UR, 25 percent for OBC and EWS, and 20 percent for all other categories, in each of Session-I and Session-II.
How many questions and marks are in the exam? There are 90 questions and 270 marks: 20 each in Maths and Reasoning (60 marks each), and 25 each in General Awareness and English (75 marks each). Each question carries 3 marks.
How much time do I get? 45 minutes for Session-I and 45 minutes for Session-II. Candidates eligible for a scribe get 60 minutes per session.
Should I attempt all questions in Session-II? Not blindly. Mathematically, a question is worth attempting if your chance of being right is above 25 percent. Eliminate options first and attempt when you can narrow it down.
Which section should I prepare first? Start all four in parallel, but give extra time to General Awareness and English because Session-II decides merit. Keep Maths and Reasoning at a level that clears Session-I with a margin.
What level is the General Awareness syllabus? The notice mentions social studies, general science and environmental studies up to the 10th standard. NCERT books for classes 6 to 10 are the base.
Is 60 days enough for SSC MTS? For a candidate who is already comfortable with school-level content and can give three to four hours daily, it is workable. If your basics are weak, plan for 90 days. The structure above scales either way.
Does the physical test apply to MTS? No. Per the notice, PET and PST apply to the Havaldar post. Check the latest notification for the details of your post.
Final Word
The most useful insight about this exam is structural: clear Session-I with a margin, then put your best effort into General Awareness and English, where your rank is made. Build the habit of reading the notice, tracking your own scores, and fixing your weak spots one at a time.
When you are ready to test yourself, practise with full-length mocks and sectional tests on Pareeksha, in the same two-session format you will face on exam day, and review each one carefully.
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