What Is the Easiest Competitive Exam? Realistic Answers for Beginners

What Is the Easiest Competitive Exam? Realistic Answers for Beginners
1 December 2025 Rohan Archer

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Everyone wants to know which competitive exam is the easiest. Not because they want to take the path of least resistance, but because they’re overwhelmed. They’ve heard stories of 100-hour study days, cutthroat competition, and exams that feel designed to break you. So they ask: is there one that’s actually doable?

The truth? There’s no such thing as an ‘easy’ competitive exam. But there are exams that are easiest for certain people - based on their background, language skills, education level, and how much time they can realistically commit.

Let’s cut through the noise. This isn’t about finding an exam with no pressure. It’s about finding one that matches your strengths and doesn’t demand superhuman effort just to get started.

What Makes an Exam ‘Easy’?

When people say ‘easy,’ they usually mean one or more of these:

  • Low competition - fewer applicants than seats
  • Syllabus you already know - no need to learn everything from scratch
  • Simple exam pattern - no tricky questions, no negative marking, or only multiple choice
  • Minimal eligibility - no advanced degrees required
  • Clear cutoffs - you know what score you need to pass

Most ‘hard’ exams fail on all five. The ones that feel easier? They hit at least three.

The Top Contenders for Easiest Competitive Exams

Based on recent data from India’s state and central government recruitment bodies (2024-2025), here are the exams that consistently rank as the most approachable for first-timers.

1. RRB Group D

Run by the Railway Recruitment Board, RRB Group D is for clerical and manual posts like track maintenance, helper, and station assistant. It’s not glamorous, but it’s stable.

Why it’s easy:

  • Eligibility: Class 10 pass (no diploma or degree needed)
  • Syllabus: Basic math, general science (up to 10th grade), general awareness (current affairs from last 6 months)
  • Exam pattern: 100 multiple-choice questions, 90 minutes, no negative marking
  • Passing score: Around 35-40% depending on state and category
  • Competition: 10-15 applicants per seat on average

Most people who cleared their 10th grade in India can prepare in 2-3 months with 1-2 hours a day. No coaching needed. Free YouTube channels like Railway Exam Prep cover 80% of the content.

2. SSC CHSL (Lower Division Clerk / Data Entry Operator)

SSC CHSL is for government office jobs - typing, data entry, file handling. It’s popular because it’s one of the few exams that doesn’t require engineering or medical knowledge.

Why it’s easy:

  • Eligibility: Class 12 pass
  • Syllabus: English (basic grammar and comprehension), quantitative aptitude (class 10 level), reasoning, general awareness
  • Exam pattern: Computer-based test with 100 MCQs, 60 minutes, 0.25 negative marking
  • Typing test: Only 35 words per minute in English (easier than it sounds)
  • Passing score: Around 30-40% for general category

Many students clear this while still in college. The math is basic - percentages, averages, simple interest. The English section tests vocabulary you already know from school. If you can read a newspaper, you’re halfway there.

3. State-Level PSC Group D Exams

Every Indian state runs its own lower-level government exams - like UPPSC Lower Division Clerk in Uttar Pradesh, TNPSC Group IV in Tamil Nadu, or MP Vyapam Group 2 in Madhya Pradesh.

Why they’re easy:

  • Local language option - you can take the exam in Hindi, Tamil, Marathi, etc.
  • Lower competition - fewer people apply than for national exams
  • Syllabus mirrors school curriculum - history, geography, and polity from 6th to 10th grade
  • No technical subjects - no calculus, no physics formulas

For someone who grew up in a small town or rural area, these are often the most accessible. The cutoffs are lower. The exam centers are closer. And the results come faster - sometimes within 3 months.

4. IBPS RRB Office Assistant (Clerk)

For those who want a banking job but don’t want to tackle the full IBPS PO exam, this is the entry point.

Why it’s easy:

  • Eligibility: Graduation in any stream
  • Syllabus: Reasoning, quantitative aptitude, English, general awareness, computer knowledge
  • Math level: Addition, subtraction, multiplication, division - no complex algebra
  • Computer knowledge: Only basics - what is a file, how to save, what is a browser
  • Passing score: Around 30-35% for general category

People who’ve used smartphones and online banking for years already know most of the computer section. The English part is just reading comprehension and basic grammar. You don’t need to memorize banking laws - the questions are about current events like new government schemes or interest rates.

What Exams Are Often Mistaken as ‘Easy’?

Some exams get labeled easy because they’re popular - but they’re anything but simple.

  • SSC CGL: Looks easy because it’s a government job, but it has 3-4 stages, negative marking, and 200+ questions. Competition is 1:1000.
  • UPSC CSE: Often called the ‘toughest exam’ - and for good reason. It needs 8-12 months of full-time prep.
  • NEET: Requires deep biology knowledge. Not easy if you didn’t study science in 12th grade.
  • JEE Main: Math and physics problems are at IIT level. Even top students struggle.

Don’t be fooled by the number of applicants. High volume doesn’t mean low difficulty. It often means high pressure.

Man practicing typing and studying for SSC CHSL in his family's small shop.

Who Should Aim for These ‘Easier’ Exams?

These exams aren’t for people looking for shortcuts. They’re for people who want to start somewhere realistic.

  • Students who passed 10th or 12th but didn’t go to college
  • People who left school early and now want a stable job
  • Those with limited time - working part-time, caring for family
  • Non-engineering, non-medical graduates who want government jobs
  • People in small towns without access to coaching centers

If you’re reading this because you feel behind or unprepared - these exams are your door in. You don’t need to be the best. You just need to be consistent.

How to Start Preparing (Step-by-Step)

Here’s how someone with zero experience can get ready in 90 days:

  1. Choose one exam - don’t jump between RRB Group D and SSC CHSL. Pick one and stick with it.
  2. Download the official syllabus from the exam’s website. Print it out. Circle what you already know.
  3. Buy one book - Lucent’s General Knowledge or RS Aggarwal Quantitative Aptitude. That’s it. No need for 10 books.
  4. Study 1 hour a day - 30 minutes math/reasoning, 20 minutes English, 10 minutes current affairs.
  5. Watch one free YouTube video per day on topics you don’t understand. Skip the long lectures. Find short explainers.
  6. Take one mock test every Sunday - use free apps like Testbook or Gradeup.
  7. Track your progress - if your score goes up by 5% every two weeks, you’re on track.

That’s it. No 12-hour study marathons. No expensive coaching. Just daily consistency.

Three accessible exam doors glowing warmly, contrasting with dark, daunting doors behind.

Real Stories: People Who Cleared ‘Easy’ Exams

Here’s what happened to two real people in 2024:

  • Maya, 22, from Bhopal: Passed Class 12, worked at a tea stall. Studied 45 minutes a day on her phone during breaks. Cleared RRB Group D in 5 months. Now earns ₹25,000/month with job security.
  • Vikram, 28, from Patna: Didn’t finish college. Took SSC CHSL prep while helping his dad run a small shop. Passed on his second try. Now works in a government office with weekends off.

They didn’t have genius IQs. They didn’t study 10 hours a day. They just showed up every day.

Final Thought: It’s Not About Easy - It’s About Possible

The easiest competitive exam isn’t the one with the least questions. It’s the one you can actually pass.

If you’ve been told you’re not smart enough, or you’re too old, or you didn’t study well - ignore that. Those exams like RRB Group D and SSC CHSL exist because the government needs clerks, assistants, and data entry operators. And they don’t need geniuses. They need reliable people.

Start small. Study a little every day. Don’t compare yourself to someone preparing for IIT or UPSC. You’re on your own path.

The door is open. You just have to walk through it - one step at a time.

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