SSC CGL Reasoning Strategy by AIR 1 Dhrav Rana 90/90

Hello fellow SSC aspirants, I am Akshay Bhardwaj. Like many of you reading this, I am also a student. I am currently busy preparing for my own SSC Mains exams, dealing with the everyday struggle of mock tests, vocabulary, and time management.

Recently, I watched a very helpful video by Dhruv Rana. He got All India Rank (AIR) 1 in the SSC CGL 2025 exam. The most amazing part of his result was his Reasoning score. He got a full 90 out of 90 marks in the Mains exam.

I watched his whole strategy video very carefully. Since I know how confusing preparation can get, I decided to write down his main points in very simple words for all my fellow mates. I want to share exactly what he did so we can all improve our mock test scores.

Below I shared the simple, step-by-step SSC CGL reasoning strategy of an All India Rank 1 topper.

1. Do We Really Need Coaching and Heavy Books?

The very first thing I wanted to know was if Dhruv took any special coaching or read any thick books. His answer was very clear and simple.

About Teachers –

Dhruv said he did not follow any single teacher for the whole syllabus. He had a basic idea of reasoning from his school days. So, whenever he got stuck on hard topics like Seating Arrangement, Blood Relations, or Calendar, he just searched for those exact topics on YouTube and learned them for free.

However, he gave a good piece of advice. If you are a totally new student and know nothing about reasoning, you should find a good teacher. A teacher will help you make a daily timetable and finish the syllabus on time.

About Books –

You do not need to buy costly or thick reasoning books. Dhruv clearly said that Previous Year Questions (PYQs) are more than enough. If you practice old SSC questions and give mock tests, you do not need anything else.

2. Different Plans for New and Old Students

Dhruv said that students should study based on how much they already know.

For New Students (Beginners) –

If you are just starting, your only focus should be to finish the chapter topics one by one. Do not jump to full mock tests right away. Learn a chapter, like Coding-Decoding. Then, go to an app like Testbook and give a small “chapter test” for that specific topic. This will lock the rules in your brain while they are fresh.

For Old Students (Repeaters) –

If you have already finished the syllabus before, do not waste time watching basic video classes again. Your main job is to give full mock tests and revise. You need to find out which exact chapter is eating your marks and practice only that chapter again and again.

3. Which Topics Should We Study First?

In the exam, not all questions take the same amount of time. Dhruv divided the topics into two parts.

The Scoring Topics –

He said we should first master topics like Coding-Decoding, Number Series, Alphabet Series, and Number Analogy. Why? Because these are easy to understand. They do not have long, confusing rules. Once you practice them, you can solve them very fast. Getting these right in your mock tests will give you good marks and keep you happy and motivated.

The Tricky Topics –

Dhruv warned us about words-based reasoning. Topics like Critical Reasoning, Analytical Reasoning, Statement and Conclusion, or Assumptions are very dangerous. Because there are no numbers to solve, we only have to play with words. It is very easy to get confused about what the examiner is asking. He said we must give special focus to these topics and read the questions very slowly.

4. How to Avoid Silly Mistakes

This was the most helpful part of the video for me. Dhruv said it is okay if you leave a hard question because you do not know the answer. But if you know the answer and still click the wrong option by mistake, you will feel very bad later. He gave a few examples of how we make these silly mistakes in a hurry –

The Similar Options Trap – Sometimes, the examiner gives options that look exactly the same. For example, in a letter series question, the logic might be to subtract 7 from each letter. Option B and Option C might be exactly the same except for one single letter at the end. If we are in a hurry, our eyes can cheat us, and we might click B instead of C. This small mistake will cost us negative marks.
The Order Trap – Dhruv gave a very easy example. Suppose the question is “Rat : Mammal :: Crocodile : ?”. We all know the answer is Reptile. But sometimes, the options will give “Crocodile : Reptile” and “Reptile : Crocodile”. In a hurry, we might click the wrong order. Always see the pattern. First is the animal name, and second is its group. So the answer must follow the exact same order.

5. How to Manage Time and Mock Tests

Time is our biggest enemy in the SSC exams. Here is how the topper managed his time –

The 13-Minute Rule –

Your goal should be to finish the whole reasoning section in 12 to 13 minutes. You must save 2 to 3 minutes for the end. You will use these last few minutes to go back and check those tricky word questions to make sure you did not make any silly mistakes.

The 20-Second Rule –

This is a golden rule. If you look at a number series or analogy question and you cannot find the logic in 20 seconds, just leave it. Move to the next question. Dhruv shared that he failed his 2023 exam because he took the questions to his ego. He wasted too much time trying to solve a hard question instead of moving forward. Do not fight with the paper.

Keep a Mistake Copy –

If you give a mock test and just close the app, it is a waste of time. When you find a new logic that you could not solve, write that exact question in a notebook. Before your real exam, just read that notebook. Also, if you score very bad in a mock test, try to give that same test again after two weeks. If you do not make the old mistakes again, it means you are truly learning.

My Final Advice to Aspirants about SSC CGL Reasoning Strategy

Analyzing Dhruv Rana’s video gave me a lot of hope. As students, we often run behind magic tricks or expensive courses. But seeing an All India Rank 1 topper tell us to just stick to basic PYQs, avoid silly mistakes, and skip hard questions in the first round is very relaxing.

I am going to start applying the 20-second rule in my daily mock tests today. I hope this simple summary helps all of you in your SSC journey as much as it helped me. Let’s keep studying hard, practice our mock tests honestly, and achieve our dream jobs. All the best.