SSC MTS | 2024
SSC MTS Paper I 2024: topic weightage and difficulty analysis
90 questions across 4 sections. Overall difficulty: easy.
The MTS Computer Based Examination is held in two mandatory sessions on the same day, over many shifts with normalisation applied across them. The structure below is from the official notice: Session I has Numerical and Mathematical Ability and Reasoning Ability and Problem Solving (20 questions each, 45 minutes, no negative marking); Session II has General Awareness and English Language and Comprehension (25 questions each, 45 minutes, one mark deducted per wrong answer). Each question carries three marks. The topic counts below are our own compilation from candidate reports across shifts, not official data, and no question text is reproduced anywhere on this page.
Where the questions came from
Sorted by weightage, so the topics worth the most preparation time are at the top of each section.
Numerical and Mathematical Ability (Session I)
Mathematics
A realistic target for a strong candidate: 16 to 19 attempts. This is our own guidance, not an official figure.
| Topic | Questions | Share of the section |
|---|---|---|
| Number system, LCM and HCF, simplification | 20%4 Easy | |
| Percentage, ratio and average | 20%4 Easy | |
| Profit, loss and discount | 15%3 Easy | |
| Time and work, time, speed and distance | 15%3 Moderate | |
| Simple interest | 10%2 Easy | |
| Mensuration and geometry basics | 10%2 Moderate | |
| Data interpretation: simple graphs | 10%2 Easy |
Reasoning Ability and Problem Solving (Session I)
General Intelligence & Reasoning
A realistic target for a strong candidate: 17 to 20 attempts. This is our own guidance, not an official figure.
| Topic | Questions | Share of the section |
|---|---|---|
| Analogy | 15%3 Easy | |
| Classification: similarities and differences | 15%3 Easy | |
| Coding and decoding | 15%3 Easy | |
| Alpha-numeric series | 15%3 Easy | |
| Non-verbal figure reasoning | 15%3 Moderate | |
| Problem solving: calendar, clock and ages | 15%3 Moderate | |
| Directions | 10%2 Easy |
General Awareness (Session II)
General Awareness
A realistic target for a strong candidate: 14 to 18 attempts. This is our own guidance, not an official figure.
| Topic | Questions | Share of the section |
|---|---|---|
| General science The largest block, at class ten level across physics, chemistry and biology. | 24%6 Moderate | |
| Current affairs | 16%4 Moderate | |
| History and freedom struggle | 16%4 Moderate | |
| Geography | 12%3 Moderate | |
| Polity and Constitution | 12%3 Moderate | |
| Static general knowledge, sports and awards | 12%3 Moderate | |
| Economy | 8%2 Moderate |
English Language and Comprehension (Session II)
English Language
A realistic target for a strong candidate: 18 to 22 attempts. This is our own guidance, not an official figure.
| Topic | Questions | Share of the section |
|---|---|---|
| Reading comprehension | 16%4 Easy | |
| Spot the error | 16%4 Moderate | |
| Synonyms and antonyms | 16%4 Easy | |
| Fill in the blanks | 12%3 Easy | |
| Spelling and misspelt words | 12%3 Easy | |
| Idioms and phrases | 12%3 Moderate | |
| One-word substitution | 8%2 Moderate | |
| Sentence improvement | 8%2 Moderate |
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What this means for your preparation
The two sessions are marked differently, and this is the single most important thing to internalise. Session I has no negative marking, so attempt all forty questions; Session II deducts a full mark per wrong answer, so guess there only after eliminating options.
Both sessions are mandatory. Skipping either disqualifies the candidate, regardless of how strong the other session was.
Session I is the safe scoring ground. With no penalty and matriculation-level numerical and reasoning, the aim is to leave nothing blank there.
General Awareness carries the most risk in Session II because it cannot be worked out on the spot and it is where wrong guesses cost a full mark. Revised static GK and general science are worth more than last-minute current affairs.
Each question is worth three marks, so the paper is coarser than a bank paper: a single Session II error costs the equivalent of a third of a correct answer plus the mark lost. Accuracy discipline matters more than raw speed.
Marks are normalised across shifts, so the raw score is not the final score. There is no advantage in guessing which shift is easier.
See the real paper, officially
- SSC official website
SSC releases the tentative answer key after the examination with a link to your response sheet and question paper, and an objection window on payment of a per-question fee refunded if the objection is upheld.
- SSC regional websites
Region-wise results and cut-off marks are published by the regional SSC offices. Use the region you applied to.
Common questions
- Can I download the SSC MTS Paper I (Computer Based Examination) 2024 question paper?
- Not from this site. In India an exam question paper is a copyright work owned by the conducting body, and reproducing it commercially is infringement. What you can do is view your own paper and responses through the official portal during the objection window after the exam, and the links to do that are on this page.
- Are these topic counts exact?
- No, and we would rather say so. The exam runs across multiple shifts with a different paper in each, and the conducting body does not publish a topic-wise breakdown. The section structure, marks and timing are official. The topic counts are our compilation from candidate reports and describe the typical shape of the paper.
- How should I use a weightage analysis?
- To decide what to study next and what to skip. If one block is a third of a section, practising it has several times the payoff of a topic that carries two questions. It also tells you which questions to leave in the exam itself, which matters more than most candidates think.