The Assistants' Grade Examination is conducted by the Staff Selection Commission of India for recruitment of deserving candidates for the different Indian Government Establishments and Offices, which are mentioned hereunder:

GradeIV -Assistant of the General Cadre of the Indian Foreign Services B
GradeII -Cypher Assistant of Cypher Cadre of Indian Foreign Service Branch B
Assistants' Grade of the Railway Board Secretariat Service
Assistants' Grade of the Central Secretariat Service

Eligibility Criteria :
Age: A candidate must have attained the age of 20 years
Educational Qualifications: Degree from a recognised University or equivalent


Examination pattern :

a) Preliminary Examination (objective type):

The preliminary examination will be of a test for selection of candidates for the main examination and would comprise the following subjects:

S.No. Test No. of questions Marks Duration
1 Reasoning Ability 75 75 3 hrs
2 General Awareness 75 75
3 Arithmetic 75 75
4 Language Paper English or Hindi 75 75

Total 300 300

(b) Main Examination (Conventional Type): The Main Examination will consist of the following papers:

Paper Marks Duration
Language Comprehension
(a) General English 50
(b) Communication/Writing Skill 150 3 hrs

Arithmetic 100 2 hr

Total 300

Syllabus :

Preliminary Examination (objective type)

Reasoning Ability: Questions in the Test of Reasoning Ability will be Non-

Verbal and Verbal both. Of the 75 items, 25 items will be of Non-Verbal
based on Classification, Analogy and Series, etc. The remaining 50 items will
be of Verbal Type based on Letter/Number series, Letter/Number/Word
Analogy, Number/Letter/Word Classification, Coding and Decoding, Problem
Solving/Finding the Rule, Spatial Orientation/Special Visualisation, Statement
Conclusion/Syllogistic Reasoning.

General Awareness: Questions in this test will aim at measuring knowledge
of current events besides knowledge of General Science/Social Science and
their application to the society. This test will also include questions on
Sports, Culture, History, Geography, General Polity, etc. These questions will
be such that they do not require a special study of any discipline.

Arithmetic: This test will include questions on problems relating to Number
Systems, Percentages, Ratio and Proportion, Averages, Estimation, Use of
Tables and Graphs, Mensuration, Time and Distance, Ratio and Time etc.

Language Test: Questions in this test will be based on error recognition, fill
in the blanks (using Verbs, Prepositions, Articles, etc.), vocabulary, spellings,
sequence of sentences in a paragraph, sequence of words in a sentence,
cloze passage and comprehension passages, etc. Synonyms and antonyms
will be asked in the context of the given passage.

Main Examination (Conventional Type)

Paper I: Language Comprehension

(a) General English: In addition to the testing of candidates understanding of
the English Language and its correct usage, his writing ability would also be
tested. A question on paragraph writing/report writing. etc. may also be
included.

(b) Communication/Writing Skill: In addition to the testing of candidates
ability to understand correct English/Hindi Language, his comprehension and
writing ability would also be tested. Questions on Precise, Short Essay, Letter
Writing etc., would also be included.

Paper II: Arithmetic

Simplifications involving Decimal Fractions, Ratio and Proportion,
Percentages, Average, Profit and Loss, Discount, Simple and Compound
Interest, Graphical Representation of Data, Reading of Linear Graphs and
Tabulation of Data.