SSC MTS Reasoning Ability & Problem Solving Syllabus
Reasoning is the fastest section in SSC MTS to improve at. The question types are few, they repeat almost exactly across years, and there is no penalty for a wrong answer.
Where it sits in the exam
Detail | Value |
Session | Session 1 |
Questions | 20 |
Marks | 60 |
Marks per question | 3 |
Negative marking | None |
Session duration | 45 minutes, shared with numerical ability |
SSC MTS Reasoning syllabus, topic wise
Series
Alphanumeric series covering letters, numbers and mixed patterns.
Coding and decoding
Letter coding, number coding and substitution coding.
Analogy
Relationships between pairs of words, letters or numbers.
Following directions
Direction sense and distance, worked from a sequence of turns.
Similarities and differences
Odd one out and classification.
Jumbling
Rearranging words, letters or steps into a logical order.
Problem solving and analysis
Simple logical puzzles, ordering and elimination questions.
Non-verbal reasoning
Questions based on diagrams, including figure series, figure classification and pattern completion.
Age calculations, calendars and clocks
Ages before and after a given period, day of the week from a date, plus angles between clock hands.
What makes this section different from CGL reasoning
The topic list is shorter and the questions are simpler. There is no syllogism, no seating arrangement, no Venn diagram work and none of the abstract reasoning that graduate level papers use.
Calendars and clocks are the exception. They appear explicitly in the MTS syllabus and they are the topic candidates most often skip, because a small block of rules covers almost every question that gets asked. Learning them properly is a few hours of work for a reliable set of marks.
How to prepare
Work type by type until each is automatic. There are perhaps nine question forms in this whole section and the same forms come back every year.
Practise non-verbal questions on paper rather than in your head. Figure series and pattern completion improve quickly once you start sketching the transformation instead of trying to see it.
With no negative marking, attempt all twenty. Even a question you cannot follow is worth a marked answer.
Frequently asked questions
How many reasoning questions are asked in SSC MTS?
20 questions for 60 marks, in Session 1.
Is there negative marking in the reasoning section?
No. Session 1 carries no penalty for wrong answers.
Is non-verbal reasoning asked in SSC MTS?
Yes. The syllabus includes non-verbal reasoning based on diagrams.
Are calendars and clocks in the SSC MTS syllabus?
Yes. Both appear explicitly, along with age calculations.
Is SSC MTS reasoning easier than SSC CGL reasoning?
The topic list is shorter and set at matriculation standard, with none of the syllogism or seating arrangement work that appears at graduate level.
Topics, marks and marking scheme on this page follow the scheme of examination in the latest SSC MTS and Havaldar notification published on ssc.gov.in.