OCS Exam Study Notes 2020 available

OCS Examination Pattern

The Odisha Public Service (OPSC) competitive examination comprise three successive stages viz :

(1) Preliminary Examination (Objective Type & Multiple choice)

(2) Main Examination (Objective / Conventional Type)

(3) Interview (Personality Test)

Preliminary Examination The Preliminary Examination shall consist of two papers of objective type (Multiple choice questions) and each paper shall be of two hours duration :

Total - 400 Marks 

Paper - I : General Studies : 200 Marks {duration 02:00 hours (120 minutes)}

Prelims Exam Syllabus - Paper 1

General Science

Current events - International & National

History of India and Indian National Movement

Indian Geography

World Geography

Indian Polity

Indian Constitution

Indian Economy

General Mental Ability

Paper - II : One subject to be selected from : 200 Marks {duration 02:00 hours (120 minutes)}

Comprehension

Interpersonal Skills

Logical Reasoning

Analytical Ability

Decision Making

Problem Solving

General Mental Ability

Basic Numeracy

Data Interpretation

English Language

NOTE : Second paper is qualifying of nature with secure 33% marks only.

The Preliminary Examination is meant to serve as screening test only. The marks obtained in Preliminary Examination by the candidates who are declared qualified for admission to main examination will not be counted for determining their final order of merit. The number of candidates to be admitted to the Main Examination would be 12 times of the total number of vacancies advertised. 

Only those candidates who are declared by the Commission to have qualified in Preliminary Examination against a particular advertisement will be eligible for admission to the Main Examination against the said advertisement. 

OCS Main Examination Pattern

GENERAL STUDIES 

The nature and standard of questions in this paper will be such that a welleducated person will be able to answer them without any specialized study. The questions will be such as to test a candidate’s general awareness of a variety of subjects, which will have relevance for a career in Civil Services.

ORIYA LANGUAGE (300 Marks)

The aim of the paper is to test the candidate’s ability to understand srious discursive prose and express his ideas clearly and correctly in Oriya language. The pattern of questions would broadly be as follows :

Comprehension of a given passage : 30 Marks

Precis writing with a passage of around 1000 words : 40 Marks

Translation from English to Oriya : 30 Marks

Grammar, usage and vocabulary : 80 Marks

Short Essay of around 1000 words : 100 Marks

Expansion of an idea : 20 Marks

Total : 300 Marks

ENGLISH (300 Marks)

The aim of the paper is to test the candidate’s ability to understand srious discursive prose and express his ideas clearly and correctly in English language. The pattern of questions would broadly be as follows :

Comprehension of a given passage : 30 Marks

Precis writing with a passage of around 1000 words : 40 Marks

Translation from Oriya to English : 30 Marks

Grammar, usage and vocabulary : 80 Marks

Short Essay of around 1000 words : 100 Marks

Expansion of an idea .. 20 Marks

Total : 300 Marks

ESSAY (200 Marks)

GENERAL INSTRUCTION : Candidates will be required to write an Essay on a specific topic. The choice of subjects will be given. They will be expected to keep closely to the subject of the essay to arrange their ideas in orderly fashion and to write concisely. Credit will be given for effective and exact expression.

General Studies : Paper - I (300 Marks)

(a) History of Modern India and Indian Culture

1) The History of Modern India will cover the following :

History of India since 1857

Important personalities who shaped the Freedom Movements in Orissa and India

Social Reform Movements

2) Indian culture will cover the following :

Indian culture from ancient times to modern times

Temple architecture of Orissa

Socio-cultural developments in Orissa

(b) Geogrphy of India will cover the following :

Physical, economic and social geography of India

Orissa’s Physiography and Drainage system

Orissa’s Natural Resources – Water, forest and minerals

(c) Indian Polity will include the following :

Constitution of India

Political system of India

Government and politics in Orissa

Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in Orissa

(d) Current National issues and topics of social relevance

This part is intended to test the candidate’s awareness of current national issues and topics of social relevance in the present day India such as; 

1. Demography & Human Resource Development

2. Behavioural & Social issues and Social Welfare problems : Child labour, gender inequality, adult literacy, rehabilitation of the handicapped and other deprived segments of society, drug abuse, public health, education and unemployment.

(e) Legal and environmental issues

1. Human Rights

2. Corruption in public life

3. Communal harmony

4. Protection of minorities 

5. Internal security and related issues

6. Environment and ecological issues; ecological preservation, conservation of natural resources and national heritage.
7. Role of national institutions, their relevance and need for change

General Studies : Paper - II (300 Marks)

(a) India and the World

This part is intended to test candidate’s awareness of India’s relationship with the world in various spheres, such as the following;

1. Foreign Affairs

2. External security and related matters

3. Nuclear policy

4. Indians abroad

(b) Indian Economy

1. This part will include the following;

I Planning, economic development, economic reforms and development of the Corporate Sector in India

II Economic and Trade issues

III Foreign trade

IV Role and functions of IMF, World Bank and WTO

V Reserve Bank of India – its role and functions

2. I. Orissan Economy : Development during the post Reform Period

II. Regional disparity

(c) International Affairs & Institutions

This part will include the following;

1. Important events in world affairs

2. International institutions like UN, ILO, EU, SAARC, WHO, ICJ

(d) Developments in the field of science & technology, communications and space

In this part questions will test the candidate’s awareness of the developments in the field of science and techonology, communications and space and also on basic ideas of computer;

(e) Statistical Analysis, Graphs & Diagrams

This part will include exercises to test the candidates ability to draw common sense conclusions from information presented in graphical, statistical or diagrammatical form and to point out deficiencies, limitations or inconsistencies therein. The candidates should also be aware of techniques of counting and elementary probability.

OPTIONAL SUBJECTS (Each Optional Paper 300 Marks) Total 2 Optional = 1200 Marks

Total number of questions in the question papers of optional subjects will be eight. All questions will carry equal marks. Each paper will be divided into two parts, viz. Part A and Part B, each part containing four questions. Out of eight questions, five questions are to be attempted. One question in each part will be compulsory. 

Candidates will be required to answer three more questions out of the remaining six questions, taking at least one question from each part. In this way, at least two questions will be attempted from each part i.e. one compulsory question plus one more.

1. Agriculture Complete study notes available in English medium

2. Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science Complete study notes available in English medium

3. Anthropology Complete study notes available in English medium

4. Agricultural Engineering Complete study notes available in English medium

5. Botany Complete study notes available in English medium

6. Chemistry NOT Available

7. Civil Engineering NOT Available

8. Commerce & Accountancy Complete study notes available in English medium

9. Economics Complete study notes available in English medium

10. Electrical Engineering NOT Available

11. Education Complete study notes available in English medium

12. Fisheries Science Complete study notes available in English medium

13. Forestry Complete study notes available in English medium

14. Geography Complete study notes available in English medium

15. Geology Complete study notes available in English medium

16. Home Science NOT Available

17. History Complete study notes available in English medium

18. Indian Language & Literature (any one) (a) Oriya, (b) Hindi, (c) Sanskrit, (d) English, (e) Persian, (f) Urdu. 

19. Law NOT Available

20. Management Complete study notes available in English medium

21. Mathematics NOT Available

22. Mechanical Engineering NOT Available

23. Philosophy Complete study notes available in English medium

24. Physics NOT Available

25. Political Science & International Relations Complete study notes available in English medium

26. Public Administration Complete study notes available in English medium

27. Psychology Complete study notes available in English medium

28. Sociology Complete study notes available in English medium

29. Statistics Complete study notes available in English medium

30. Zoology Complete study notes available in English medium

Note (i) - Candidates shall not be allowed to opt for the following combinations of optional subjects. 

a) Oriya, Hindi, Persian, Sanskrit, Urdu, English 
b) Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Agricultural Engineering. 
c) Mathematics & Statistics 
d) Anthropology & Sociology 
e) Political Science & International Relations and Public Administration. 
f) Commerce & Accountancy and Management. 
g) Agriculture and Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science. 
h) Management and Public Administration 
i) Education and Psychology 
j) Agriculture and Agricultural Engineering. 

(ii) Each of the Papers i.e. Paper-I (Oriya language) and Paper-II (English) will be of Matriculation standard and shall be qualifying in nature. The marks obtained in these two papers shall not be counted for ranking. 
(iii) The papers on Essay, General Studies and Optional Subjects of only those candidates shall be evaluated who attain such minimum standard as may be fixed by the Commission at their discretion for the qualifying papers in Oriya Language and English. 
(iv) The question papers for the Main Examination shall be of conventional (essay) type. 
(v) Candidates shall have to answer all the question papers except the Indian Languages paper in English. 
(vi) The question papers other than Indian Language and Literature shall be set in English. 
(vii) The details of syllabi are to be set out by the Commission. 

Personality Test / Interview 

The candidate shall be interviewed by a Board to be constituted by the O,P.S.C. for the purpose. The said Board will have before them a record of his career. He will be asked questions on matters of general interest. The object of the interview will be to assess the personal suitability of the candidate for a career in public service. 

The object of test shall be to judge the mental caliber of a candidate, his intellectual qualities as well as social traits and his interest in current affairs. 

Further some of the qualities (to be judged will be) like mental alertness, critical powers of assimilation, clear and logical exposition, balance of judgment, variety and depth of interest, ability for social cohesion and leadership, intellectual and moral integrity, are to be judged by the said Board.