SSC CGL Tier 2 Paper 3 General Studies Syllabus

Paper 3 covers General Studies in Finance and Economics and applies only to candidates shortlisted for Assistant Audit Officer and Assistant Accounts Officer. It returned to the Tier 2 structure after being absent from some earlier cycles, which is why older preparation material often leaves it out.

These are the highest paid posts in the SSC CGL list, and the paper is the price of entry. It counts towards merit for those posts, so it is not something to leave until after the Paper 1 result.

SSC CGL Tier 2 Paper 3 pattern

Part	Subject	Marks
Part A	Finance and Accounts	80
Part B	Economics and Governance	120
	Total across 100 questions	200

Two hours, objective multiple choice, 0.50 deducted per wrong answer. Questions are set in English and Hindi.

Note the split. Economics and Governance carries half again as much weight as Finance and Accounts, and candidates from a commerce background often plan the paper the other way round.

Part A, Finance and Accounts

Fundamental principles and basic concepts of accounting

Financial accounting covering its nature and scope, limitations of financial accounting, basic concepts and conventions and the generally accepted accounting principles.

Basic concepts of accounting covering single and double entry, books of original entry, bank reconciliation, journal, ledgers, trial balance, rectification of errors, manufacturing, trading and profit and loss appropriation accounts, balance sheet, distinction between capital and revenue expenditure, depreciation accounting, valuation of inventories, non-profit organisations accounts, receipts and payments and income and expenditure accounts, plus bills of exchange and self balancing ledgers.

Part B, Economics and Governance

Comptroller and Auditor General of India

Constitutional provisions, role and responsibility.

Finance Commission

Role and functions.

Basic concepts of economics and introduction to microeconomics

The definition, scope and nature of economics, methods of economic study and the central problems of an economy, including production possibilities curves.

Theory of demand and supply

The meaning and determinants of demand, the law of demand and elasticity of demand covering price, income and cross elasticity. Theory of consumer behaviour covering the Marshallian approach and the indifference curve approach. The meaning and determinants of supply, the law of supply and elasticity of supply.

Theory of production and cost

The meaning and factors of production, and the laws of production covering the law of variable proportions and the laws of returns to scale.

Forms of market and price determination in different markets

The various forms of market covering perfect competition, monopoly, monopolistic competition and oligopoly, together with price determination in these markets.

Indian economy

The nature of the Indian economy, the role of the different sectors and of agriculture, industry and services, their problems and growth. National income of India covering concepts and the different methods of measuring it. Population covering the Census, the different methods of measuring unemployment, poverty and anti-poverty measures. Infrastructure covering energy, transportation and communication.

Economic reforms in India

Economic reforms since 1991, liberalisation, privatisation, globalisation and disinvestment.

Money and banking

Monetary and fiscal policy, the role and functions of the Reserve Bank of India, the functions of commercial banks and regional rural banks, and the role of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development and other financial institutions.

Role of information technology in governance

Applications of information technology in public administration and service delivery.

How to plan Paper 3 preparation

Start it early. Candidates who wait for the Tier 1 result before opening an accounting textbook are compressing a genuine subject syllabus into a few weeks, and it shows in the AAO cut-offs.

Part B is the bigger half and the more predictable one. Indian economy, money and banking, and the constitutional bodies come up reliably, and much of the material overlaps with the General Awareness you are already preparing for Paper 1.

Part A rewards a commerce background but does not require one. The accounting covered is introductory, and a non-commerce graduate working from a standard first year textbook can cover it in a few months.