✅ Best Books for SSC CGL Tier 1 and Tier 2 – Subject Wise Guide (2025)

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Includes expert recommendations, updated syllabus focus, tier-wise separation, and latest patterns.

📘 Best Books for SSC CGL Tier 1 and Tier 2 (Subject Wise List)

The SSC CGL (Staff Selection Commission – Combined Graduate Level) exam is one of the most competitive government exams in India. With lakhs of aspirants and limited vacancies, choosing the right books is critical for success in both Tier 1 and Tier 2.

This post gives you the most trusted, expert-recommended, and updated subject-wise booklist for SSC CGL 2025 preparation.

📚 SSC CGL Tier 1 & Tier 2 – Exam Overview

TierModeSubjectsNature
Tier 1OnlineGeneral Intelligence, General Awareness, Quantitative Aptitude, EnglishQualifying
Tier 2OnlinePaper 1 (Compulsory), Paper 2 (Statistics), Paper 3 (General Studies – Finance & Economics)Merit Based

🧠 General Intelligence & Reasoning (Tier 1)

Book TitleAuthor/PublisherNotes
A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal ReasoningR.S. AggarwalBest for beginners, basic to advanced
Analytical ReasoningM.K. PandeyGood for practice & logical reasoning
Lucent ReasoningLucent PublicationQuick revision and question bank

🌍 General Awareness (Tier 1)

Book TitleAuthor/PublisherFocus Area
Lucent’s General KnowledgeLucent PublicationOne-stop GK book for static + current
Manorama YearbookMalayala ManoramaCurrent Affairs & Govt Schemes
NCERT Books (Class 6–10)–For Science, History, Polity basics

Pro Tip: Follow monthly current affairs PDFs or magazines like Drishti or Vision IAS for updates.

➗ Quantitative Aptitude (Tier 1 & Tier 2 – Paper 1)

Book TitleAuthor/PublisherUse For
Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive ExamsR.S. AggarwalAll topics, good concept builder
Advance MathsRakesh YadavFocus on Tier 2 topics
SSC Mathematics ChapterwiseKiran PublicationPYQs and chapter tests
Fast Track Objective ArithmeticRajesh VermaShortcuts and speed building

📝 English Comprehension (Tier 1 & Tier 2 – Paper 1)

Book TitleAuthor/PublisherUse For
Objective General EnglishS.P. Bakshi (Arihant)Grammar, vocabulary, usage
Plinth to ParamountNeetu Singh (KD Campus)Very popular for SSC English
Mirror of Common ErrorsAshok Kumar SinghError spotting practice
Word Power Made EasyNorman LewisVocab builder

📊 Statistics – Tier 2 (Paper 2)

Book TitleAuthor/PublisherNotes
SSC CGL Statistics Paper BookKiran or RPH PublicationsFull syllabus-based
Fundamentals of StatisticsS.C. GuptaFor deeper understanding
NCERT Statistics (Class 11 & 12)NCERTFor conceptual clarity

💸 General Studies (Finance & Economics) – Tier 2 (Paper 3)

Book TitleAuthor/PublisherNotes
Indian EconomyRamesh SinghConceptual clarity on economy
Public FinanceH.L. BhatiaFor finance and taxation-related topics
SSC CGL Finance & Eco GuideKiran or ArihantExam-targeted summaries and MCQs

🔁 Previous Year Papers & Practice Sets

BookPublisherUse
SSC CGL Tier 1 & 2 Previous Year PapersKiran or DishaReal exam practice
Mock Tests + Solved SetsAdda247 / Testbook / GradeupOnline test series support

🎯 Strategy Tips

  • 📅 Make a 3-month plan focusing on Tier 1 first.
  • 📚 Do topic-wise PYQs after every concept.
  • 📝 Revise weekly.
  • 📈 For Tier 2, strengthen advanced maths and comprehension early.
  • 🔗 Combine books + online mocks (Testbook, Adda247, Oliveboard) for best results.

🔗 Recommended Online Study Platforms

PlatformFeatures
Adda247Live classes, books, PDFs, mock tests
TestbookAffordable test series with analytics
UnacademyStructured SSC courses with top educators

🏁 Final Words

A well-chosen booklist, combined with consistent practice, can significantly improve your SSC CGL score. Use this guide to curate your booklist and pair it with mocks and PYQs.

If you’re serious about cracking SSC CGL 2025, start with the basics, revise weekly, and stay disciplined.

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SSC CGL vs SSC CHSL

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