SSC CGL 2020 Syllabus - The Union Budget 2020

Keen on cracking the cadre band for a government job in India? What you need to do is to conquer the SSC CGL or the Staff Selection Commission - Combined Graduate Level. The essential examination shortlists candidates as staff recruits for different ministries and government departments.

One of the core areas here is general awareness - which requires you to look at recent developments - from protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act to Supreme court judgements.

SSC CGL 2020 Syllabus

When preparing for the SSC CGL 2020 syllabus, you need to keep in mind that it requires a grip on the world around you - general awareness is a crucial factor here, followed by English language comprehension and specific streams.

The syllabus of SSC CGL requires you to be abreast of the latest developments, which in this case is the union budget. Here, we break down the essential highlights of the union budget from the perspective of the upcoming exam.

The 2020 Union budget

The 2020 Union budget is the second budget in the second term of the Modi government. It's also a second budget for Finance minister Nirmala Sitaraman and hopes to arrest the current economic slowdown, stagnation and fall in GDPs through many ideas and schemes.

Aiming at 'Aspirational India, Economic development, A Caring Society', this budget has received positive reactions, though it still needs to be passed by the parliament. Keeping this in mind, we have broken down the budget on these lines -

Aspirational India:

Five new smart cities, 100 more airports are the most significant promises that the budget has made for tomorrow's India. There is also a buffer of ₹100 crores to ensure that this India looks the part well when it hosts the upcoming G-20 summit.

Better data understanding is another aspirational front that you need to know about as absorb the budget for your SSC CGL 2020 syllabus. There will be a National Logistics Policy and a policy to construct data centres. There is also a commitment to spend ₹8,000 crores for a National Mission on Quantum Technology and Applications.

The budget aims to build a stronger foundation by allocating significant amounts for education (₹99,300 crores), power and renewable energy (₹22k crore) and welfare of people from backward castes and tribes (₹138k crore).

For employment, there are plans for a national recruitment agency, with a new standard entrance test for non-gazetted government jobs and public sector banks. (That will also include you, as you prepare with the syllabus of SSC CGL 2020) The more abundant engineering graduates will also get to intern with urban local bodies for a year.

Meanwhile, skill development also received some attention, with the Ministeries of Health and Skill Development announcing individual bridge courses to meet demands for teachers, nurses, para-medical staff and caregivers overseas.

There is also a historic undertaking. The government will set up an Indian Institute of Heritage and Conservation and develop five sites into world-class archaeological sites.

Economic Development:

To achieve its lofty goals, especially amid the current economic circumstances, the government plans to raise funds by selling its stake in LIC (Life Insurance Company) and IDBI bank.

Better gas connectivity is a key focus area in this year's budget, with an ambitious aim to spread the national gas grid by over 10,000 km. Keep this mind, as India's current power needs and resources have defined many topics which are a part of the SSC CGL 2020 syllabus.

For agriculture, the budget allots a similar ₹138k crore, alongside a 16-point plan for the sector and a blue economy initiative. Rural development has also received an influx of ₹123k crore.

Next, the newly created union territories for Jammu and Kashmir (₹30,757) and Ladakh (₹5958) also receive a dole-out for their developmental needs.

Individuals also received benefits, in terms of a simplified tax process. The finance minister has slashed personal income tax rates for the upcoming financial year (2020-21), provided people forego exemptions. So, now people earning up to ₹5 lakh need not pay any taxes. Beyond this, taxpayers will pay 10%, 15%, 20% and 25% of their income, if it falls between ₹5-7.5 lakh, ₹7.5-10 lakh, ₹10-12.5 lakh and ₹12.5-15 lakh, respectively.

The new taxation system, which is currently optional, can be an essential quiz point on the SSC CGL 2020. You can also cover the tax computations for questions around advanced arithmetical abilities in the TIER II examinations.

NRIs are also under the tax ambit now. The government has modified how it defines people as NRIs and will tax those who are not paying any taxes in their chosen country.

The government also aims to earn through indirect taxes, like customs duty on footwear (hiked to 35%), furniture goods (increased to 25%), auto parts and chemicals. There is also a higher excise duty on cigarettes and other tobacco products. There will also be a 5% health cess on imports of medical devices.

Meanwhile, they have revised customs duty for electric vehicles, mobile parts and newsprint. There is also a lower customs duty now on fuses, chemicals and plastics.

There is also a plan to announce an International Bullion Exchange at the IFSC in GIFT.

A Caring Society:

Finance minister Sitaraman's budget hiked spends to healthcare by 10%, to the tune of ₹69k crore. These spends are focused on these high-profile campaigns:

TB Harega, Desh Jeetega - A campaign to eliminate tuberculosis by 2025.

Mission Indradhanush - A broader expanse of the current immunisation campaign

Jan Aushadhi Yojna Kendra - The scope for this scheme is also more significant now.

The budget has also allocated a whooping ₹9,500 crore to benefit schemes for the elderly and specially-abled citizens (the Divyang). The government has also announced ₹4,400 crores for policies that will help us get cleaner air and ₹28,600 for women-specific schemes.

Measures to provide crucial healthcare boosts to India will help us combat infant mortality, maternal mortality and raise our life expectancy with a better quality of life.

Housing, a common need for all citizens, has also received a boost. The tax holiday for affordable housing is now a year long.

Next, the budget extends a caring hand towards ex-defence personnel. These people will now receive pensions from a fresh allocation of ₹13k crore.

Beyond these areas, the government is also beefing up security for the Prime minister. It has allocated ₹600 crores for the Prime Ministers' Special Protection Group (SPG) cover, a ten-fold increase from the initial ₹60 crores allocation for last year.

The defence has also received a more significant share. It received an allocation of ₹3.37 lakh crore as the defence budget. (Note: Read up on India's defence forces, the combat situations they have faced and the state of law and order if you're chugging through the SSC CGL syllabus in hopes for a police post.

Some of the common criticisms for the current budget have been around how it does not have ample dole-outs to combat the current state of the Indian economy. It also does not deal with the excessive unemployment problem in the country. Again, connect the dots between our unemployment problem with the current state of polity and law and order - an essential read for any aspiring government staffer who would be taking the SSC CGL 2020.

In the meantime, financial experts have called it reasonable, highlighting the challenges towards fiscal consolidation. The NASSCOM has heralded it for keeping up with the commitment to resolve tax harassment for taxpayers.

Watch Our Union Budget YouTube Video

All the Best to All The SSC CGL 2020 Aspirants !