SSC CHSL General Intelligence Syllabus

In a circular arrangement where people face OUTWARD, how do left/right directions work?

When people face outward, each person's left/right matches the observer's view — i.e., it is the opposite of the facing-center case.

In Mathematical Operations problems, what does the BODMAS rule stand for and why is it used?

BODMAS = Brackets, Orders (powers/roots), Division, Multiplication, Addition, Subtraction. It gives the correct order of operations to simplify expressions, including those with substituted symbols.

In symbol-substitution Mathematical Operations, what must you do first before solving?

Replace each given symbol with the actual arithmetic operation it represents, then solve the expression following the BODMAS rule.

What is a Syllogism in logical reasoning?

A syllogism is a form of deductive reasoning consisting of given premises (statements) from which you must determine which conclusion(s) logically and necessarily follow.

What are the four standard categorical statements used in Syllogism?

A: Universal Affirmative (All A are B); E: Universal Negative (No A is B); I: Particular Affirmative (Some A are B); O: Particular Negative (Some A are not B).

In Syllogism, what is the rule about a conclusion being 'definite' versus a 'possibility'?

A definite conclusion must necessarily follow from the premises in every case; a possibility conclusion follows only if there exists at least one valid arrangement of the premises in which it can be true.

In Syllogism, what is the complementary pair (either-or) rule?

When two conclusions individually do not follow but together exhaust all possibilities (one is positive, one is negative, with the same subject and predicate), an 'either-or' conclusion is valid.

What is the task in 'Statement and Assumptions' questions?

To determine whether a given assumption (something taken for granted or implied) is necessarily implicit in making the given statement.

What is an 'assumption' as defined in Statement and Assumptions reasoning?

An assumption is something that is supposed or taken for granted; it is implied or presupposed by the statement rather than directly stated.

In Statement and Assumptions, when is an assumption considered NOT implicit?

An assumption is not implicit if it is too obvious, restates the statement, is unrelated, or is not necessary for the statement to make sense.

What is the task in 'Statement and Conclusions' questions?

To decide whether a given conclusion can be logically and definitely drawn from the information contained in the statement alone.

In Statement and Conclusions, can you use outside knowledge to judge whether a conclusion follows?

No. The conclusion must follow strictly from the information given in the statement, without relying on external/real-world knowledge.

What is Arithmetical Reasoning in the General Intelligence section?

Word problems that require applying basic arithmetic concepts (ages, ratios, averages, percentages, fractions, calendars, etc.) using logical interpretation to reach the answer.

In age-based Arithmetical Reasoning, if a person's present age is x, how do you express their age 5 years ago and 5 years hence?

Age 5 years ago = x − 5; age 5 years hence (later) = x + 5.

What is the rule for forming a Mirror Image of an object or text?

In a mirror image, left and right are interchanged (laterally inverted) while top and bottom remain the same; the image appears reversed horizontally as seen in a vertical mirror.

Which capital letters look the SAME in their mirror image (vertical mirror)?

Letters symmetric about the vertical axis: A, H, I, M, O, T, U, V, W, X, Y look the same in a vertical mirror image.

What is the rule for forming a Water Image of an object or text?

In a water image, top and bottom are interchanged (vertically inverted) while left and right remain the same; the image appears flipped upside-down as a reflection in water.

Which capital letters look the SAME in their water image?

Letters symmetric about the horizontal axis: B, C, D, E, H, I, K, O, X look (approximately) the same in a water image.

What is an Embedded Figure problem?

A problem where you must find a given simple figure hidden (embedded) within a larger, more complex figure, keeping the same size, shape, and orientation.

What is the key constraint when locating an embedded figure inside a complex figure?

The target figure must appear in the complex figure without rotation or change in proportions — same orientation and size — though it may be partly disguised by extra lines.

What is a Pattern Completion problem?

A problem where part of a figure/pattern is missing and you must select the option that correctly completes the pattern so the design remains symmetric and consistent.

What principle guides solving Pattern Completion questions?

Maintaining the symmetry, continuity, and regularity of the original design — the missing piece must continue the existing lines, shapes, and shading correctly.

What is a Figure Matrix problem?

A problem presenting a grid (e.g., 3x3) of figures following a pattern across rows and/or columns, where you must find the missing figure that fits the established rule.

How do you approach a Figure Matrix question?

Identify how figures change across each row and down each column (rotation, addition/removal of elements, shading, size), then apply the same transformation to find the missing figure.

What is Paper Folding and Cutting (paper cutting) in non-verbal reasoning?

A problem where a sheet of paper is folded one or more times and then cut/punched; you must determine how the paper looks (the pattern of holes/cuts) when it is unfolded.

What is the key principle when predicting the unfolded result of a punched/folded paper?

Each fold creates symmetry, so a single punch is mirrored across every fold line — the number of resulting holes doubles with each fold and they appear symmetrically about the fold lines.

If a paper is folded once and a single hole is punched, how many holes appear when unfolded?

Two holes — the punch passes through both layers, producing one hole on each side, symmetric about the fold line.

If a paper is folded twice (into four layers) and one hole is punched, how many holes appear when unfolded?

Four holes, because the punch passes through all four layers, with the holes arranged symmetrically about both fold lines.

In a 3x3 number/letter Figure Matrix where each row's third element is derived from the first two, what is the general solving strategy?

Find the arithmetic or logical relationship between the first two elements that yields the third in completed rows, then apply that same relation to the incomplete row to find the missing element.

What distinguishes a 'definitely true' conclusion in Syllogism from one based on a wrongly converted premise?

A definitely true conclusion respects valid conversion rules: 'All A are B' can be converted only to 'Some B are A' (not 'All B are A'), and 'Some A are B' converts to 'Some B are A'; conclusions violating these are invalid.