Science and Technology

What the official syllabus says

RPSC, RAS/RTS Preliminary Examination, General Knowledge and General Science, under “Science & Technology”:

• Basics of Everyday Science.
• Computers, Information and Communication Technology.
• Defence and Space Technology with special reference to India.
• Inheritance and variation; Genetic Engineering, Biotechnology and Nanotechnology.
• Human Health Care; Food and Nutrition; Diseases and Public Health Programs.
• Environmental & Ecological Changes and their Impact assessment.
• Biodiversity; Conservation of Natural Resources and Sustainable Development.
• Agriculture, Horticulture, Forestry and Animal Husbandry with special reference to Rajasthan.
• Key Government Programs & Policies related to Science & Technology in Rajasthan and India
• Recent Scientific & Technological advancements; Contribution of Indians in Science & Technology; Indigenization of Science & Technology

Topics in detail

Everyday science

• Physics: motion, force, work and energy, gravitation, pressure, heat, sound, light (reflection, refraction, lenses, the eye), electricity and magnetism, everyday devices
• Chemistry: matter and its states, atoms and molecules, acids, bases and salts, metals and non-metals, carbon compounds, common chemicals at home (soaps, detergents, fertilisers, cement, glass)
• Biology: cell, tissues, human organ systems, plant life processes

Computers and ICT

• Computer hardware and software, memory, operating systems, networks, internet, cloud computing
• Emerging technology: artificial intelligence, machine learning, internet of things, blockchain, 5G, quantum computing (concepts)
• Cyber security, data protection; digital public infrastructure (Aadhaar, UPI); e-governance in Rajasthan

Defence and space technology

• Defence research (DRDO), missiles (Agni, Prithvi, Akash, BrahMos), aircraft (Tejas), ships and submarines (INS Vikrant), the nuclear tests at Pokhran (1974, 1998)
• Space: ISRO, launch vehicles (PSLV, GSLV, LVM3), satellites (communication, remote sensing, navigation such as NavIC), Chandrayaan, Mangalyaan, Aditya-L1, Gaganyaan

Genetics, biotechnology and nanotechnology

• Inheritance and variation: Mendel’s laws, DNA, genes, chromosomes, mutation, sex determination, genetic disorders
• Genetic engineering: recombinant DNA, GM crops (Bt cotton), gene therapy, CRISPR (concept), cloning, DNA fingerprinting
• Biotechnology in agriculture, medicine and industry; bio-safety regulation
• Nanotechnology: meaning, applications, risks

Health, nutrition and disease

• Food and nutrition: nutrients, vitamins and minerals, deficiency diseases, malnutrition, food fortification
• Diseases: communicable (bacterial, viral, protozoan, vector-borne) and non-communicable (diabetes, cancer, heart disease); immunity and vaccines
• Public health programmes: National Health Mission, Universal Immunisation Programme, TB elimination, vector-borne disease control, Ayushman Bharat
• Rajasthan-specific health issues: fluorosis, silicosis, guinea-worm eradication

Environment, biodiversity and resources

• Ecological changes: pollution (air, water, soil, noise), land degradation, climate change and its effect on Rajasthan
• Environmental impact assessment: purpose and process
• Biodiversity: levels, hotspots, threats, in-situ and ex-situ conservation; the Biological Diversity Act, 2002
• Conservation of natural resources: water, soil, forests, energy; sustainable development

Agriculture, horticulture, forestry and animal husbandry (with Rajasthan)

• Dryland agriculture, crop improvement, seed spices, plant protection, integrated pest management
• Horticulture in Rajasthan: fruits of arid regions, protected cultivation, medicinal plants
• Forestry: arid-zone afforestation, social and agro-forestry, sand-dune stabilisation
• Animal husbandry: breeds, dairy, wool and camel research
• Institutions in Rajasthan: CAZRI and the Arid Forest Research Institute (Jodhpur), Central Institute for Arid Horticulture and National Research Centre on Camel (Bikaner), National Research Centre on Seed Spices (Ajmer), Directorate of Rapeseed-Mustard Research (Bharatpur), Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute (Avikanagar); the state agricultural universities

Government programmes, recent advances and Indian contribution

• India: Digital India, the National Supercomputing, Quantum and IndiaAI missions, semiconductor mission, start-up and innovation policies
• Rajasthan: the state’s Department of Science and Technology, iStart Rajasthan, IT and start-up policies, science centres
• Recent advances: from the year’s news, read with the basic science behind them
• Indian scientists: C.V. Raman, J.C. Bose, S. Ramanujan, Meghnad Saha, S.N. Bose, Homi Bhabha, Vikram Sarabhai, Har Gobind Khorana, S. Chandrasekhar, M.S. Swaminathan, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Satish Dhawan
• Indigenisation: Atmanirbhar Bharat in defence and electronics, indigenous vaccines, indigenous satellites and launchers

Overlaps

Mains Paper II (Unit II, General Science and Technology) covers this in depth.