SSC MTS, or Staff Selection Commission-Multi Tasking (Non-Technical) Staff Examination, is a national level exam held by the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) to recruit candidates for non-gazetted, non-ministerial General Central Service Group-C positions in various departments, and offices under the Government of India.
The exam is conducted in two stages i.e., Paper-I (Objective type test) and Paper-II (Descriptive test). Reasoning Ability, Numerical Aptitude, English Language, and General Awareness are the four sections of the SSC MTS Syllabus.
| Topics | No. Of Questions |
| Boat and Stream | 1 |
| Mixture & Alligation | 1-2 |
| Percentages | 2-3 |
| Ratio & Proportion | 2-3 |
| Profit Loss and Discount | 3-4 |
| Simplification | 1 |
| SI/ CI | 1 |
| Problem on Ages | 1 |
| Average | 1 |
| Time, Work and Wages | 2-3 |
| Time, Speed and Distance | 1-2 |
| DI | 4-6 |
| Triangles | 1-2 |
| 2-D Mensuration | 2 |
| HCF & LCM | 1 |
| Heights & Distances | 1 |
Note: The number of questions from each topic may change
In the SSC MTS Tier-I Exam, Quantitative Aptitude has a 25% weightage of total SSC MTS Tier-I marks. Many students do not come from a maths background, and they are apprehensive about this subject.
Contents
What should I study for SSC MTS?
On that note, let’s talk about how to prepare for a few crucial topics and how to master them in order to ace the numerical aptitude section.
Ratio & Proportion
This topic is crucial because it serves as a foundation for other concepts such as profit and loss, simple and compound interest, mixture and allegation, time work and ages, time, speed and distance, and percentage. If you’re adept at dealing with ratios and proportions, you’ll find that dealing with the other issues we’ve discussed is a breeze.
To prepare for this topic, you can use the NCERT books for the 10th and 12th grades. Aside from that, keep up with our notes and quizzes.
Geometry
Geometry is a vast topic with several subtopics such as the triangle, circle, ellipse, and parabola. Don’t be concerned; all we need to do now is concentrate on the topics that will be covered in the SSC MTS exam.
Triangles are used to ask one or two questions, so pay attention to them. Questions about other topics in geometry are rarely asked in the SSC MTS exam, so once you’ve finished your syllabus and have some free time, read about other sub-topics in geometry.
All of the important theorems, the Pythagoras triplet, and the formulas for the area of triangles and circles must be remembered. You receive a rapid answer, make sure to draw figures accurately. To do well in this section, you must have a good understanding of the fundamentals.
Mensuration
This topic is quite difficult for the majority of students. For this topic, only practice questions from CPO, CGL, and CHSL examinations because there is a risk that questions will be repeated in your test. You can practise with NCERT books to improve your fundamentals.
Furthermore, read questions carefully, draw rough figures and learn all useful formulas related to the area and volume of various two-dimensional and three-dimensional geometrical shapes.
Data Interpretation
This topic is asked one or two extremely simple questions, and you can easily grasp it. Solve previous year’s problems to see how simple they are. Be thorough with foundational arithmetic topics like percentage, ratio and proportion, averages, profit and loss and more.
Percentage/ Profit, Loss and Discount
Around 2 to 3 percentage questions and 3 to 4 profit and loss questions are asked from this area, and they are generally formula-based.
Profit, loss, and discount are built on the foundation of basic percentage and ratio concepts. To solve problems quickly, you must memorize all fractional numbers up to 30 in percentage terms.
Cost Price, Selling Price, Marked Price, and Discount are the four terms that makeup profit, loss, and discount. Understand the terms CP, SP, MP, and the discount offered on MP, as well as the relationship between them. As much as possible, practice from the literature. It will assist you in quickly and accurately answering the questions. All you have to do now is understand the formulas and how to use them.
Time and Work
The LCM approach can be used to answer time and work questions, saving a lot of time in the process. Alternate work, efficiency, and work and wages are all significant topics to discuss. Make sure to come up with your own methods for answering these questions.
Here’s a topic-wise strategy and preparation plan to study Numerical Aptitude for the SSC MTS exam, especially if you’re aiming to improve both speed and accuracy.
🧠 SSC MTS Numerical Aptitude: Overview
- Total Questions: 20
- Total Marks: 60
- Marks per Question: 3
- Negative Marking: 1 mark per wrong answer
- Key Areas Covered:
- Number System
- Arithmetic
- Basic Algebra
- Geometry & Mensuration
- Data Interpretation
📘 Topic-Wise Strategy & Tips
1. Number System
Subtopics: LCM & HCF, Divisibility Rules, Remainders, Simplification, Surds & Indices
Strategy:
- Master divisibility rules and unit digit tricks.
- Practice simplification with BODMAS and approximations.
- Understand the concept of remainders using the Chinese remainder theorem (for advanced prep).
Tip: Focus on accuracy here — these are often straightforward scoring questions.
2. Percentage, Profit & Loss, and Discount
Strategy:
- Learn base value calculations quickly.
- Use fractions for faster calculations (e.g., 25% = 1/4).
- Practice questions with successive percentage changes.
Tip: Revise successive discount formula:
Net discount=a+b−ab100\text{Net discount} = a + b – \frac{ab}{100}
3. Simple and Compound Interest
Strategy:
- Use short tricks for CI, like:
CI for 2 years=P(1+R100)2−P\text{CI for 2 years} = P\left(1 + \frac{R}{100}\right)^2 – P
- Practice converting time periods (quarterly, half-yearly) accurately.
Tip: Use difference between CI and SI questions for conceptual understanding.
4. Ratio & Proportion, Partnership
Strategy:
- Memorize basic proportion properties and direct/inverse rules.
- Practice partnership questions with equal/unequal investments and different time periods.
Tip: Use real-life examples to relate, especially for profit-sharing problems.
5. Time & Work, Pipes & Cisterns
Strategy:
- Use the L.C.M. method: assume total work as LCM of given numbers.
- Understand efficiency-based methods for faster solving.
Tip: Focus on combined work rates and alternate-day work patterns.
6. Time, Speed & Distance / Trains / Boats
Strategy:
- Convert speed units:
1 km/hr=518 m/sec1\text{ km/hr} = \frac{5}{18} \text{ m/sec}
- Boats: Understand upstream/downstream current concept.
- Trains: Solve relative speed problems confidently.
Tip: Practice average speed and circular track problems.
7. Algebra (Basics)
Strategy:
- Learn identities:
(a±b)2,a2−b2,(x+a)(x+b)(a \pm b)^2, \quad a^2 – b^2, \quad (x + a)(x + b)
- Practice linear equations in one or two variables.
Tip: Use elimination or substitution method for speed.
8. Geometry & Mensuration
Strategy:
- Memorize formulas for area, perimeter, surface area, volume (cube, cylinder, cone, etc.)
- Revise angle properties, especially triangles and circles.
Tip: Draw neat diagrams for every mensuration/geometry problem.
9. Data Interpretation
Strategy:
- Focus on bar graphs, pie charts, and tables.
- Learn percentage and ratio conversion for quick analysis.
Tip: Practice estimating values when options are far apart — this saves time.
🕑 Time Management Tips
- Spend no more than 15–18 minutes on the Numerical section in mocks.
- Mark for review if stuck beyond 1 minute.
- Prioritize:
- Simplification, number system
- Percentages, SI/CI, ratio
- DI, time & work
- Mensuration (if confident)
- Algebra (leave if unsure)
📚 Study Resources
| Source | Usefulness |
|---|---|
| R.S. Aggarwal (Quant) | For concept building & practice |
| Kiran Previous Year Papers | For SSC-specific patterns |
| Online Platforms (Testbook, Adda247) | Mock tests & video classes |
| YouTube Channels (e.g., Gagan Pratap, Wifistudy) | Shortcuts and live practice sessions |
✅ Final Tips
- Mock daily in the last month.
- Maintain a “mistake notebook”.
- Revise formulas weekly.
- Focus on accuracy – one wrong answer costs 4 marks total (including penalty).
Would you like:
- A 30-day numerical aptitude study plan?
- A PDF summary of this topic-wise strategy?
- Practice questions with solutions by topic?
Let me know—I’ll send what suits your need best!