The component parts of this paper are: general science, current events of national and international importance, history of India and Indian national movement, Indian and world geography, Indian polity and economy and general mental ability.

Questions on general science test the understanding of science that is expected of an educated person. The standard is of Class X level and detailed or specialised knowledge on any particular branch of science is not expected. If you have studied science at the graduate level or thereafter, it may still be useful to look at the old Class X and Class XII science textbooks. The same advice may be given to the arts students.

Tough questions

Though the syllabus says that only very general questions will be asked, the questions are sometimes quite tough. It helps to refresh oneself about the basics of science. In physics such topics as physical quantities, standards and units, mechanics and properties of matter, heat, motion, electromagnetic radiation, light, sound, magnetism, static and current electricity, atomic physics, nuclear physics and astronomy are important. Chemical reactions and the chemical equation, periodic table of elements, chemical bonding, oxidation and reduction, oxygen and air, hydrogen and water, carbon, nitrogen and their compounds, acids, salts, gas, environmental chemistry and pollution, polymers and plastics, dyes, biochemistry, agricultural and medicinal chemistry are the major topics in chemistry.

For the biological sciences, it is imperative to know about cells, classification of the living body, organisation of the living body, nutrition, respiration, metabolism, bio-communication, reproduction, plant growth and development, human diseases etc.

Consulting questions set in the last five years will indicate the type of questions that are set on these topics. The NCERT text books for Class X and Class XII are highly recommended. You should also read a general studies compendium which gives a fair sampling of questions as well. Tata McGraw-Hill?s or Unique?s general studies manuals are good.

Learning from the past

The part on Indian history emphasises a broad understanding of the country?s history in its social, economic and political aspects. The awakening in the 19th century, the emergence of Indian nationalism and the attainment of independence constitute the segment on the Indian national movement. These are very important sections of the syllabus and sometimes more than 40 questions are set from these two sections.

Indian history includes developments from the ancient period to the attainment of independence and beyond. The period is very long and not easy to manage. Divide the entire period into ancient, medieval and modern and learn about the main currents in each period. The chronology of different dynasties, the major battles, the main religious systems, the principal socio-cultural movements, eminent authors and their works are some of the topics to be studied in this section. Here also an exposure to questions already asked will help. The NCERT books by Romila Thapar, Satish Chandra and Bipan Chandra will help for the part on Indian history.

India?s Struggle for Independence by Bipan Chandra and others is more than adequate for the segment on Indian national movement. The history of the Indian National Congress, the revolutionary movements, the roles of Gandhi, Nehru and Subhas Bose, worker? and peasants? movements, constitutional arrangements, stages leading to the transfer of power are some of the aspects which need to be studied with emphasis.

Subhas Chakraborty teaches history at Presidency College, Calcutta, and is also the course coordinator of the IAS training Centre at the college

sample test paper

• 1. The metal that finds use in electro-magnets is:
a) soft iron b) chromium c) nickel d) copper

• Human body contains maximum amount of:
a) proteins b) water c) fats d) plasma

• Colour is related to:
a) amplitude b) frequency c) quality d) velocity

• Penicillin is produced by:
a) an algae b) a bacterium c) a fungus d) synthetic means

• A catalyst is a substance which :
a) stops a chemical reaction b) helps initiate a reaction
c) increases the speed of a reaction d) decreases the speed of reaction

• Asokan inscriptions were deciphered in------by-----:
a) 1900, Rao b) 1921, Wheeler c) 1837, Prinsep d) none of them

• The Italian traveller who left an account of the Vijaynagar empire was:
a) Barbosa b) Marco Polo c) Nicolo Conti d) Tome Pires

• Pitt’s India Act was passed in:
a) 1773 b) 1784 c) 1793 d) 1813