General Science and Technology

What the official syllabus says

UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, General Studies Paper I:

General Science.

The official line is just two words. This page reads it as the basic science of everyday life and of the technologies in the news, at the level of a well-read general student rather than a specialist.

Topics in detail

Physics

• Motion, Newton's laws, gravitation, work, energy and power
• Properties of matter: pressure, buoyancy, surface tension, viscosity
• Pressure in fluids: atmospheric pressure, the barometer, and Pascal's law (hydraulic lifts and brakes)
• Heat and thermodynamics: temperature scales, modes of heat transfer
• Sound: nature, speed, echo, ultrasound, the Doppler effect
• Light: reflection, refraction, dispersion, total internal reflection and optical fibres, lenses and the human eye
• Electricity and magnetism: current, circuits, electromagnetic induction, generators and motors
• The electromagnetic spectrum and its uses; lasers
• Modern physics: radioactivity, nuclear fission and fusion, semiconductors

Chemistry

• States of matter; atoms, molecules, elements, compounds and mixtures
• Atomic structure, the periodic table, chemical bonding
• Acids, bases and salts; the pH scale
• Oxidation and reduction; combustion and fuels
• Radioactive isotopes and their uses in medicine, agriculture and carbon-14 dating
• Metals, non-metals and alloys; corrosion
• Carbon and its compounds; polymers and plastics
• Chemistry in everyday life: soaps and detergents, fertilisers, cement, glass, fuels, food preservatives

Biology

• Cell structure and cell division; tissues
• Human body systems: digestive, respiratory, circulatory (blood groups), nervous, endocrine, excretory and reproductive
• Nutrition: carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals, and deficiency diseases
• Diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa; immunity and vaccines
• Diseases spread by vectors: malaria and dengue (mosquitoes), plague (fleas), kala-azar (sandflies)
• Genetics: DNA and RNA, Mendel's laws, sex determination, genetic disorders
• Evolution; plant physiology (photosynthesis, respiration, plant hormones); microorganisms in daily life
• Classification of living things (the five-kingdom system); modes of reproduction in plants and animals

Science in everyday life

• SI units and measurement; scalar and vector quantities
• How common devices work: refrigerator, pressure cooker, LED, solar cell, battery, X-ray, ultrasound and MRI scanners
• Antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance; blood transfusion and organ donation
• Lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and cancer; balanced diet
• Fertilisers, pesticides and biofertilisers; food adulteration and preservation

Science and technology

• Space: ISRO's launch vehicles (PSLV, GSLV, LVM3, SSLV), types of satellites and orbits (geostationary, polar sun-synchronous, low Earth orbit), lunar, solar and planetary missions
• Defence technology: missile families (Agni, Prithvi, BrahMos and others), radar, unmanned systems
• Biotechnology: recombinant DNA, genetically modified crops (Bt cotton), gene editing (CRISPR), stem cells, DNA fingerprinting
• Information and communication technology: artificial intelligence, blockchain, cloud computing, 5G, quantum computing, cyber security basics
• Nuclear energy: reactors and India's three-stage nuclear power programme
• Nanotechnology, new materials, and health technologies such as diagnostics and vaccines
• Space science terms: escape velocity, gravity assist, Lagrange points (Aditya-L1 studies the Sun from L1), black holes, exoplanets
• Robotics, drones, 3D printing and the Internet of Things
• Intellectual property: patents, copyright, trademarks and geographical indications

Overlaps

Science and technology developments, achievements of Indians in the field, and awareness in IT, space, computers, robotics, nanotechnology and biotechnology are part of Mains General Studies III. New missions and discoveries are covered with Current Events.