The student guide
Built from the questions students ask most on Reddit and Quora — with clear, original answers and links to official sources.
Read the Reddit & Quora FAQ — with source threads →Salary & job profile
Pay levels are from the 7th Pay Commission / bank wage settlements. In-hand pay varies with city and DA, so check the latest notification.
SSC CGL
- Posts
- Assistant Section Officer, Income Tax / GST / Excise Inspector, Auditor, Accountant, Tax Assistant and more
- Pay
- 7th Pay Commission Level 4 to Level 8, depending on the post
- Daily work
- Office and field work in central ministries — files, audits, inspections and tax assessment
- Posting
- Inspector posts are zone-based; ASO posts are mostly in Delhi
- Growth
- Departmental promotions over the years; Group B posts can rise to senior officer grades
IBPS PO
- Posts
- Probationary Officer (Scale I) in public sector banks
- Pay
- Starting basic pay of Scale I officer, plus DA, HRA/lease and bank allowances
- Daily work
- Branch banking, loans, customer service and targets; long hours are common
- Posting
- Anywhere the bank operates, including rural branches; transfers every few years
- Growth
- Internal promotion exams to Scale II, III and beyond; fast growth for strong performers
SBI Clerk
- Posts
- Junior Associate (Customer Support & Sales)
- Pay
- Clerical pay scale with DA and allowances
- Daily work
- Cash, deposits, account opening and counter work
- Posting
- Usually within the state you applied for
- Growth
- Can move to officer cadre through internal exams
UPSC CSE
- Posts
- IAS, IPS, IFS, IRS and other All India / Central services
- Pay
- Level 10 at entry
- Daily work
- Administration, policing, diplomacy or revenue depending on the service
- Posting
- Cadre allotment by rank and preference
- Growth
- Structured promotions up to the highest posts in government
RRB NTPC
- Posts
- Clerk, Commercial cum Ticket Clerk, Goods Guard, Station Master and more
- Pay
- Level 2 to Level 6, depending on the post
- Daily work
- Station, ticketing, train operations or office work in Railways
- Posting
- Within the chosen railway zone
- Growth
- Departmental promotions; railway pass and quarter benefits
NDA
- Posts
- Officer in Army, Navy or Air Force after training
- Pay
- Stipend during training; Lieutenant pay (Level 10) after commission plus MSP
- Daily work
- Military leadership and service duties
- Posting
- Anywhere in India, including field areas
- Growth
- Time-based and selection promotions
CTET
- Posts
- CTET is an eligibility test, not a job. It qualifies you for teacher jobs in KVS, NVS and central schools
- Pay
- Depends on the job you get (e.g. PRT / TGT pay levels)
- Daily work
- Classroom teaching
- Posting
- Depends on the recruiting school body
- Growth
- Depends on the employer
Cut-offs & results
We don't copy cut-off numbers from unofficial sites. Open the exam body's own page — cut-offs are published with each result.
- upsc cse official site ↗
- nda official site ↗
- cds official site ↗
- ssc cgl official site ↗
- ssc chsl official site ↗
- ssc mts official site ↗
- ssc gd official site ↗
- rrb ntpc official site ↗
- rrb group d official site ↗
- jee main official site ↗
- neet ug official site ↗
- cuet ug official site ↗
- ctet official site ↗
- ibps po official site ↗
- ibps clerk official site ↗
- sbi po official site ↗
- sbi clerk official site ↗
Exam comparisons
SSC CGL vs IBPS PO
| SSC CGL | IBPS PO | |
|---|---|---|
| Work pressure | Usually lower, fixed hours | Higher, targets and long hours |
| Transfers | Fewer, zone-based | Frequent, can include rural branches |
| Growth | Slower, steady | Faster through promotion exams |
| Exam stages | Tier 1 + Tier 2 (computer based) | Prelims + Mains + Interview |
Our take: Pick SSC CGL for work-life balance and a stable office life. Pick IBPS PO if you want faster growth and don't mind pressure and transfers.
UPSC CSE vs SSC CGL
| UPSC CSE | SSC CGL | |
|---|---|---|
| Time to prepare | Usually 1–2 years | Usually 6–12 months |
| Seats | Around a thousand | Many thousands |
| Job level | Group A officer | Group B/C |
| Risk | High — have a backup | Moderate |
Our take: Many students prepare for SSC CGL as a backup while preparing for UPSC — the Quant, English and GK overlap helps.
Bank Clerk vs Bank PO
| Bank Clerk | Bank PO | |
|---|---|---|
| Role | Counter and customer support | Officer, manages branch work |
| Transfers | Usually within state | Across India |
| Exam | Prelims + Mains | Prelims + Mains + Interview |
Our take: Clerk suits those who want to stay near home; PO suits those aiming for a management career.
Preparation strategy
Preparing while working a full-time job
Most asked on r/ssc and r/SSCCGL
- Study 2–3 hours on weekdays (early morning works best for most) and 6–8 hours on weekends.
- Use travel and lunch breaks for vocabulary, GK and formula revision on your phone.
- Pick one exam and one set of books; don't switch resources every week.
- Take one full mock every weekend and spend more time analysing it than taking it.
- Don't quit your job until you clear at least a prelims-level stage — keep income stable.
Absolute beginner: first 6 months
Common question on r/UPSC and Quora
- Month 1: read the official syllabus and solve one past paper to see your level.
- Months 1–3: build basics — school-level maths, grammar, NCERTs for GK.
- Months 3–5: topic-wise practice and sectional tests.
- Month 6: full mocks 2–3 times a week, revise mistakes notebook.
- Read the daily newspaper or a monthly current affairs PDF from the start.
Coaching or self-study?
Repeated on every exam forum
- Self-study works for most SSC, banking and railway exams with free notes, past papers and mocks.
- Coaching helps if you can't keep a routine on your own or are weak in maths basics.
- Online test series matter more than classes — exams are won on speed and accuracy.
Handling failure and burnout
Frequent topic in r/SSCCGL and r/bankingexam
- Set a deadline (for example 2–3 attempts) and a backup plan before you start.
- Apply for several exams with the same syllabus (SSC CGL, CHSL, banking) to raise your chances.
- Sleep 7 hours and take one half-day off a week — tired study is wasted study.
Quick answers
Where can I find official cut-off marks?
Every exam body publishes cut-offs with the result notice. Use the Past Papers page to reach each body's official site, then open the Results section for your year.
Are cut-offs the same every year?
No. They change with vacancies, difficulty and number of candidates, and differ by category (UR, OBC, SC, ST, EWS). Use past years only as a rough target.
What is 'in-hand' salary?
Basic pay plus allowances (DA, HRA, TA) minus deductions (NPS, tax). It depends on your city and changes when DA is revised, so different people quote different numbers.
Can I prepare for SSC and banking together?
Yes. Quant, Reasoning and English overlap a lot. Banking adds Computer and Banking Awareness; SSC adds static GK.
How many mock tests should I take?
Most toppers take 40–60 full mocks for one exam, plus sectional tests. Analysis of each mock is what improves the score.
Ready to test yourself?
Free notes, past papers and full mock tests.