Examination Scheme

Pattern of PCS 2024 exam

Scheme of PCS 2K23 exam Conducted by PPSC

• The selection process of PCS 2024 Exam conducted by PPSC for filling posts in various departments based on the PCS exam will commence with inviting applications from the candidates, who fulfill the qualifying criteria. The candidates who apply for the Punjab Civil Services Examination 2024 in response to the advertisement for these PCS posts will be registered by filling Online Application Form, a link of which is available on the website of the Punjab Public Service Commission http://ppsc.gov.in
• No candidate who applies for PCS Examination 2024 through any other means but through Online Application Form shall be eligible to take this Examination. Candidates who register and fill in Online Application Form, would be issued Admit Cards prior to the conduct of the Preliminary Competitive Examination as described in the instructions for filling up Online Application Form.
• There is no scrutiny carried out of the applications with reference to eligibility/authenticity etc. So issue of Admit Cards for PCS does not confer any right to the candidate about his eligibility. The candidature of the candidate shall be considered provisional till the time of verification of documents of the candidate before the interview or at the time of interview when the candidate shall produce his/her original certificates for verification by the Commission.
• If any document/certificate/statement of the candidate is found false or forged or makes him/her ineligible before the interview or at the time of the interview or any time thereafter, his/her candidature may be rejected and further action will be taken as per law.
• The exam consists of three stages: Preliminary, Main, and Interview
• Essential steps involved in the selection process of PCS and Allied services examination are:

i) Preliminary Competitive Examination; and
ii) Main Competitive Examination (written and Interview).

 

Procedure and Scheme for the Preliminary Examination of PCS:

The Preliminary exam has two papers of 200 marks each: Paper I (General Studies I) and Paper II (General Studies II or CSAT). (multiple choice) questions. The detail is as follows:-

	Subject	No of Questions	Marks for each Question	Total Marks
Paper –I	General Studies	100	2	200
Paper – II	Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT)	80	2.5	200

 

Note:

• Both the papers will be of objective type multiple choice questions.
• The duration of each paper for the preliminary examination will be two hours. However, visually impaired candidates will be given additional 20 minutes.
• There will be no negative marking in the written preliminary examination test, however, there may be negative marking for any objections to the Answer Key found false/frivolous/not supported by authentic evidence.
• The question paper shall be bilingual and shall be printed in English (Roman script) and Punjabi (Gurumukhi script) except for questions where candidates’ proficiency in a language is to be tested.
• The standard of questions would be to test the knowledge as is expected of a person who has attained education at least up to graduation level.
• Preliminary Examination for PCS is only a screening test for selecting candidates who would be eligible to take the Main Examination and the marks obtained in this Examination shall not be counted towards the merit of the candidates who arrived after the Main Examination.
• Candidates equal to 13 times the vacancies advertised in each category would qualify from amongst those appearing in the Preliminary Examination for the Main Examination, provided that, such number of candidates are available and, are otherwise eligible for admission to the Main Examination.

 

Procedure and Scheme for the Main Examination of PCS

	Paper	Maximum Marks
1	Punjabi (in Gurumukhi Script) Compulsory (of 10+2 Standard)	100
2	English Compulsory (of 10+2 standard)	100
3	Essay (Three Essays of 50 marks each)	150
4	General Studies Paper-I (History, Geography and Society)	250
5	General Studies Paper-II (Indian Constitution & Polity, Governance, and International Relations)	250
6	General Studies Paper-III (Economy, Statistics and Security issues)	250
7	General Studies Paper-IV (Science & Technology, Environment, Problem-Solving, and Decision Making)	250
	Interview	150
	Grand Total	1500

 

Note:-

• All papers shall be descriptive in nature and the duration of each paper will be three hours. Visually impaired candidates will, however, be allowed an extra time of 30 minutes in each paper.
• The main competitive examination for PCS shall include seven compulsory papers.
• Candidates will have the option to attempt all the papers, except the language papers in Punjabi or English medium.
• Candidates exercising the option to answer Papers in the Punjabi language may, if they so desire, give an English version within brackets of only the description of the technical terms, if any, in addition to the version in the Punjabi language.
• The question papers other than language papers will be set in English. However, when any candidate opts for attempting any paper(s) in Punjabi medium, the question papers shall be printed in Punjabi accordingly.
• Interviews shall be conducted for only those candidates who qualify on the basis of their performance in the main competitive examination and who fulfill the criteria of eligibility.
• No candidate shall be eligible to appear in the interview for PCS unless he/she obtains 45% marks in the aggregate of all the papers (read 40 % for the candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) including at least 25% marks in each paper provided that if in main competitive examination, a sufficient number of candidates do not obtain 45% marks in the aggregate (read 40 % for the candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes), the Commission may at their discretion lower this percentage to not below 40% (read 35 % for the candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes), however, the minimum percentage for each paper shall remain unchanged.
• No candidate shall be considered to have qualified for the competitive examination for PCS unless he obtains at least 45% marks in the aggregate in the main examination including interview marks (read 40 % for the candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes), except in the case of main competitive examination for which this percentage has been lowered to not less than 40% (read 35 % for the candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) by the Commission in which case the qualifying percentage shall be as determined by the Commission
• From amongst the candidates who have appeared for the Main written examination, candidates not more than three times the number of vacancies advertised in each category shall be called for the interview, provided that, such number of candidates are available and, are otherwise eligible for the Interview.
• Names of qualified candidates shall be arranged in order of merit according to the aggregate marks obtained in the main written examination and the interview.
• Note: In the event that the aggregate marks obtained in the Written and Interview parts of the Main Examination for PCS taken together of two or more candidates are equal, the candidate securing higher marks in the written part of the Main Examination shall be ranked higher. Should the marks in the written part of the Main Examination of such candidates also be equal, the candidate securing higher marks in the aggregate of the General Studies papers in the written part of the Main Examination shall rank higher. Should those also be equal, the candidate older in age shall rank higher. (AGGREGATE OF GENERAL STUDIES PAPER MEANS AGGREGATE OF GENERAL STUDY PAPER-I, PAPER-II, PAPER-III AND PAPER-IV)

PCS 2024 : Eligibility

PCS 2024 Exam: Educational Qualifications

• The candidate appearing in PCS Exam 2024 should possess a bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognized university or institution; Provided that the candidate may be permitted to take a preliminary examination while studying for the qualifying degree. However, the candidate shall be required to produce proof of qualifying for the degree course to be eligible to take the Main Competitive Examination (As per Punjab State Civil Services (Appointment by Combined Competitive Examination) Rules, 2009) during that year.
• No candidate appearing in PCS Exam 2024 shall be eligible for appearing in the Preliminary Competitive Examination unless he/she has passed the Matriculation Examination with Punjabi as one of the compulsory or elective subjects or any other equivalent examination in the Punjabi language, which may be specified by the Government from time to time.
• For eligibility for PSCSCCE-2024, the expression "recognized university" or "institution" shall have the same meaning, as assigned to it in the Punjab Civil Services (General and Common Conditions of Service) Rules, 1994.

PCS 2024 Exam: Age Limit

As mandated by Punjab State Civil Services (Appointment by Combined Competitive Examination) Rules, 2009 read with Punjab Civil Services (Executive Branch) Rules 1976, and Govt. instructions issued from time to time, the candidate appearing in PCS Exam 2024 should have attained the minimum age of 21 years and should not have attained the age of 37 years on the first day of January of the year in which the last day falls for submission of application to the Commission.  In other words, the candidate appearing in PCS Exam 2024 should have attained the age of 21 years but should not be older than 37 years on 1st January 2024.

• Provided that in the case of the post of  Deputy Superintendent Police and Deputy Superintendent Jail)/ District Probation Officer (Grade-II) in Punjab Prisons State Service, a candidate should have attained the minimum age of 21 years and should not have attained the age of 28 years on the first day of the year, as referred to above.
• The upper age limit for a Punjab Government, Other State Governments, or the Government of India, including Board/Corporations/Public Sector Undertaking employees appearing in the PCS Exam 2024 may be relaxed up to 45 years. However, no age relaxation is permissible for Punjab Police Service.
• The Upper age limit may be relaxed up to 33 years for Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes of Punjab only in the case of the Punjab Police Service and Punjab Prisons Service.
• The Upper age limit may be relaxed up to 42 years for Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes of Punjab only in case of other services except for Punjab Police Service and Punjab Prisons Service.
• Ex-servicemen of Punjab Domicile shall be allowed to deduct the period of their service in the Armed Forces of Union from their actual age and if the resultant age does not exceed the maximum age limit prescribed for direct appointment to such a vacancy in the Service Rules concerned by more than three years, he shall be deemed to satisfy the condition regarding age limit.
• The upper age limit may be relaxed up to 42 years for Widows, Divorced women appearing in PCS Exam 2024, and certain other Categories of women. However, no age relaxation is permissible for women in case of Punjab Police Services and Punjab Prisons Service.
• The upper age limit may be relaxed up to 47 years for the Physically Handicapped of Punjab only. However, no age relaxation is permissible in the case of the Punjab Police Service and Punjab Prisons Service.

Note: Regarding drawing the pay of the appointed candidate, as per Notification No. 7/204/2012-4FP1/66, Dated 15/01/2015 Govt. of Punjab, Department of Finance (Finance Personnel-I Branch) Chandigarh, and Notification No. 1/62016-4P.P.1/834680/1 dated 07/09/2016 Govt. of Punjab, Department of Personnel PP-I Branch Chandigarh, fixed emolument equal to Minimum of the Pay Band without any Grade Pay or any allowance will be paid during the probation period of 3 years. It is also clear that an Annual increment or any other allowance except a traveling allowance will not be paid during the probation period of 3 years. However, this issue is under litigation. So, there may be some change in rules in due course, but so far the Rules stand.

Summary of Age Limits

Category	DSP	All other
General	21-28	21-37
SC and BC	21-33	21-42
Widow and Divorced women	No relaxation – as per category age limit	21-42
Ex servicemen of Punjab	3 years  - after deducting the service from his age and as per category	3 years  - after deducting the service from his age and as per category
Physically handicapped	No relaxation – as per category age limit	21-47

Nationality

A candidate appearing in PCS Exam 2024 shall be a:

1. Citizen of India; or
2. Citizen of Nepal; or
3. The subject of Bhutan; or
4. A Tibetan refugee who came over to India before the Ist January. 1962, to permanently settle in India; or
5. A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, and East African countries of Kenya, Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania (formerly Tanganyika and Zanzibar) Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia, and Vietnam intending to permanently settle in India;

Provided that a candidate appearing in PCS Exam 2024 other than the candidates possessing Indian nationality shall be a person in whose favor a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Competent Authority as notified Punjab Civil Services (General and Common Conditions of Service) Rules, 1994.

Sr. No.	Events for Male Candidates	Events for Female Candidates
1.	1600 meters race: To be completed within 07 minutes 30 seconds (only one attempt)	800 meters race: To be completed within 04 minutes 45 seconds (only one attempt)
2.	Long Jump: Minimum 3.60 meters (Three attempts only)	Long Jump: Minimum 3.00 meters (Three attempts only)
3.	High Jump: Minimum 1.15 meters (Three attempts only)	High Jump: Minimum 1.00 meters (Three attempts only)
4.	Vertical Rope: 2.0 Meters climb from the ground (Three attempts only)	Shuttle: Running between two parallel lines 10 meters apart, five times in 20 seconds (one attempt only)

 

Conditions that may render a candidate ineligible

The following conditions, among others, shall render the candidates appearing in PCS Exam 2024 ineligible for the Preliminary Competitive Examination:

• Insufficient examination fee;
• Examination fees are deposited by means other than Bank Challan in any branch of the State Bank of Patiala.
• Wrong/incomplete information given in the application form;
• Candidates debarred by the PPSC/other Public Service Commissions;
• Non-fulfillment of any of the eligibility conditions, including those of age and educational qualifications.

PCS 2024 exam - How To apply

How to apply for PCS -2024 Exam

Last date for Filling Online application form: To be announced Soon   Last date for depositing the Application fees: To be announced Soon  

The candidate after making himself/herself well acquainted with the General Information and Guidelines for filling Online  Application Form may apply for  PSCSCCE-2020 using  Online Application Form link- (www.ppsc.gov.in)

The candidates are required to pay the Application fee as per Govt. Letter No. 10/26/2007- 3PP3/97751/1 dated 17-9-2013 as mentioned below:-

Name of Category	Online Application charges	Examination Fee	Total
Scheduled Castes/ Scheduled Tribes of all States and Backward Classes of Punjab	Rs. 500/-	Rs. 625/-	1125/-
Ex-Servicemen of Punjab	Rs. 500/-	No Fee to be paid	500/-
All Others Categories (including Lineal Descendent of Ex-servicemen, EWS, Punjab)	Rs 500/-	Rs. 2500/-	3000/-
Physically Handicapped, Punjab	Rs. 500/-	Rs. 1250/-	1750/-

 

• The Application Fee must be submitted through any Branch of State Bank of Patiala.
• Candidate should carefully fill in the details of the Online Application and click on the "SUBMIT" button at the end of the Online Application  Format. 
• Before pressing the  "SUBMIT" Button, candidates are advised to verify every detail filled in the application.
• Once the application is complete, the Candidate should submit the data. (Candidates should take a printout of the system-generated fee payment challan immediately.)
• No Change/Edit will be allowed after Submission.      
• The fee paid by the candidates is non-refundable.

 

Last date for Filling Online Applications Form:  To be announced Soon

 

Last date for depositing the Application fees by system-generated Fee Challan Form: To be announced Soon

Prelim Syllabus of PCS exam

SYLLABUS OF PCS Preliminary Exam 2023

 

Paper –I of PCS prelims (General Studies)

1. Everyday Science:

• States of matter, the structure of atom, versatile nature of carbon. Acids, bases, salts, corrosion in metals, the action of soaps.
• Life on Earth – evolution, marine & terrestrial life. Human body and life processes, nutrition, disease - its causes & prevention, infectious diseases, lifestyle diseases.
• Public health initiatives, mother and child health, immunization & vaccination, HIVAIDS, TB, polio etc.
• Force-laws of motion & gravitation, Archimedes principle. Energy – kinetic & potential.
• Light – reflection & refraction – concepts and applications. Sound – propagation & reflection- concepts and applications. Electric current – concepts and applications.
• Computers and telecommunication – concepts and applications.

 

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2. Environmental studies:

• Composition and structure of the atmosphere. Solar system – heat balance & temperature.
• Atmospheric circulation & weather system, water cycle.
• Climate change – fossil fuels, greenhouse gases, renewable energy, clean development mechanism, carbon credits.
• Water – oceans, rivers, glaciers, lakes, groundwater etc. Biodiversity & conservation.
• Soil – types, crops, food chain etc. Pollution and toxicity etc.

3. Political theory & international order:

• Basic concept of freedom, equality, social justice, rights & duties, citizenship, nationalism, secularism etc.
• United Nations and its organs/agencies, other international organisations like the World Bank, IMF, WTO, EU, G20, BRICS etc. and their role in the World peace, trade & development.

4. Indian polity:

• Basic features, provisions, schedules of the Indian Constitution, key amendments.
• Panchayati Raj. Elections – People’s Representation Act, electoral reforms. Rise of regionalism and coalition politics.
• Armed challenges to the Indian state since independence.\

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5. History of India:

• The Indus valley civilisation.
• The Aryan and the Vedic age. Jainism and Buddhism.
• The Maurya Gupta periods.
• Advent of Islam and Sultanate period (political, social & cultural). The Bhakti Movement.
• The Mughals (political, social & cultural till Aurangzeb).
• The coming of the European Powers and the advent of the British rule.
• The Mutiny of 1857.
• The British rule and the Indian National Movement (1857-1947)
• World History:
• The Renaissance and the Industrial Revolution in Europe. The American Revolution 1776.
• The French Revolution 1789.
• The Russian Revolution 1917.
• World Wars I & II.

6. Indian Economy:

• Indian economic development (1950-1991) – key economic policies, public sector dominance, bank nationalisation etc.
• Five year plans – key goals and main achievements.
• Liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation era since 1991 – key policies, decisions and results.
• Performance of Indian economy since 1991 – Growth, fiscal & revenue deficits, trade, commerce & balance of payments, inflation, growth of service sector.
• Key challenges and responses – agriculture and food security, industrialisation, poverty alleviation & employment, rural & urban infrastructure, social sector – health, education etc.

7. Geography:

• Population – distribution, density, growth and comparison. Migration – types, causes and consequences.
• Human development. Human settlements. Land resources and agriculture.
• Water resources.
• Mineral and energy resources. Manufacturing industries.
• Planning and sustainable development in India. Transport and communication.
• International trade.
• Geographical perspective on selected issues and problems.

8. Current events of national and international importance.

9. Punjab

a) Geography:

Geographical and agro-climatic regions, rivers, water resources, sharing of waters, demographics, human development indices

b) People, Society and Culture:

Major personalities in history of Punjab, religious movements, major religions & spiritual personalities, Punjabi literature, folklore, performing arts, fine arts and crafts

c) History:

Sufis, saints and gurus, Lodhis and Mughals, Sikh rulers, the British period, nationalist movement in Punjab, Punjab in independent India.

d) Economy:

Agriculture, animal husbandry, industrial & service sectors, major occupations, development & economic growth, public finance (including central-state fiscal issues), public sector institutions, cooperatives etc.

Paper –II of PCS prelims (Civil Services Aptitude Test)

• Reading comprehension; Punjabi and English language comprehension, antonyms and synonyms, grammar and sentence formation.
• Interpersonal skills including communication skills
• Logical reasoning, analytical and mental ability
• Basic numerical skills; numbers, magnitudes, percentages, numerical relation appreciation
• Data analysis; Graphic presentations, charts, tables, spreadsheets.

Note: The topics listed in the syllabus are only indicative for the general guidance of the candidates and cannot be deemed as exhaustive list.

 

SYLLABUS OF PUNJAB CIVIL SERVICES (PCS) MAIN EXAMINATION

ENGLISH (100 Marks)

SECTION-A
1. Comprehension (Unseen Passage)— 10 Marks
(An unseen passage followed by Questions to be answered.)
2. Precis writing— 10 Marks
(Passage to be summarized to 1/3rd)
3. Letter writing—(200 words)  10marks
4. Essay writing (Any general topic 300 words) 10 Marks
5. Translation 10 Marks
SECTION-B
6. Grammar 50 Marks

ESSAY paper for PCS Mains(150 Marks)

Candidates will be required to write three short essays in English or Punjabi on specified topics. 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 an orderly fashion and to write concisely. Credit will be given for content value, effective and exact expression.

GENERAL STUDIES-I paper for PCS Mains

(HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY AND SOCIETY)

 

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Section- 1: HISTORY
1.1 History of the world: Events from 18th century; industrial revolution, world wars, redrawal of national boundaries, colonization, decolonization, political philosophies like Communism, Capitalism, Socialism, etc. -their forms and effect on society.
1.2 Indian culture- Salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.
1.3 Modern Indian history from the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities and issues.
1.4 Socio-religious reform movements with special reference to Punjab.
1.5 The Freedom Struggle - its various stages and important contributors /contributions from different parts of the country with special reference to Punjab.
1.6 Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country.
1.7 History of Punjab:
1.7. 1 Ranjit Singh’s rise to power, civil and military administration and relations with the British
1.7. 2 Annexation of Punjab with special reference to the causes and consequences of the Anglo-Sikh wars.

Section-2: GEOGRAPHY
2.1 Physical Geography: Salient features of world’s physical geography. Distribution of key natural resources across the world (including South Asia and the Indian subcontinent); factors responsible for the location of primary,
secondary, and tertiary sector industries in various parts of the world (including India)
2.2 Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclones etc., geographical features and their locationchanges in critical geographical features (including water-bodies and icecaps)
and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.
2.3 Geography of Punjab:
2.3. 1 Physiographic details of Punjab; Geomorphic features of Punjab, Punjab’s strategic location with reference to International Border;
2.3. 2 Crops of Punjab; Modern concepts of Farming; Problems faced by agriculturists/ Issues in Agriculture: Depletion of ground water, etc;

Section-3: SOCIETY
3.1 Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.
3.2 Role of women and women’s organization, population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanization, their problems and their remedies
3.3 Effects of globalization on Indian society
3.4 Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism
3.5 Ethics and Society: Essence, determinants and consequences of Ethics in human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics in private and public relationships.
3. 6 Human Values – Role of family, society and educational institutions in inculcating values; lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders and reformers- Gautam Buddha, Mahavira, Kabir, Guru Nanak; Swami Vivekananda, Jyotibha Phule, Ishwar Chandra Vidya Sagar and Mahatma Gandhi.
3.7 Vulnerable sections of the population - Welfare schemes by the Centre and State of Punjab and their performance; Mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for their protection and betterment.
3.8 Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector- Health, Education, Human Resources; Issues relating to Poverty and Malnutrition.

WEEKLYCQBTN

GENERAL STUDIES-II paper for PCS Mains
INDIAN CONSTITUTION& POLITY, GOVERNANCE AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Section-1: INDIAN CONSTITUTION & POLITY
1.1 Indian Constitution- historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.
1.2 Functions and responsibilities of Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.
1.3 Separation of powers between various organs; Dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions.
1.4 Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other countries
1.5 Parliament and State Legislatures - structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.
1.6 Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary; Ministries and Departments of the Government; pressure groups and formal/informal associations and their role in the Polity.
1.7 Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act.
1.8 Appointment to various Constitutional posts; Powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies
1.9 District Administration - Evolution of District Administration; Panchayati Raj Institutions and Urban Local Bodies.

Section-2 GOVERNANCE:
2.1 Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies
2.2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation; Development processes and the development organizations- the role of NGOs, SHGs,
donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders
2.3 Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, egovernance- applications, models, successes, limitations and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other
measures; Role of civil services in a democracy; Changing trends in Governance
2.4 Values and Ethics in Governance- Ethical concerns and dilemmas in government and private institutions; laws, rules, regulations and conscience as sources of ethical guidance; accountability and ethical governance;
strengthening of ethical and moral values in governance; ethical issues in international relations and funding.
2.5 Probity in Governance: Concept of Governance; Philosophical basis of  governance and probity; corporate governance; Information sharing and transparency in government, Right to Information, Codes of Ethics, Codes
of Conduct, Citizen’s Charters, Work culture, Quality of service delivery, Utilization of public funds, challenges of corruption.

Section-3: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
3.1 India and its neighborhood- relations;
3.2 Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests;
3.3 Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian Diaspora
3.4 Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure and mandate.
Note: The candidates are expected to be aware about the current developments related to the topics mentioned above.

GENERAL STUDIES-III paper of PCS Mains:
ECONOMY, STATISTICS AND SECURITY ISSUES

Section-1: Indian Economy
1.1 Issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment; sustainable development; Inclusive growth and issues arising from it; Government Budgeting;
1.2 Major crops, cropping patterns in various parts of the country, different types of irrigation and irrigation systems; storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce- issues and related constraints; e-technology in the
aid of farmers; Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices; Technology missions; economics of animal rearing.
1.3 Public Distribution System- objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks and food security;
1.4 Food processing and related industries in India- scope and significance, location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain management
1.5 Land reforms in India; Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth.
1.6 Infrastructure- Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc; Investment models
1.7 Human Resource Development:
1.7.1 Importance of Human capital in economic development
1.7.2 Nature, types and problems of unemployment in India, Trends of Employment in India, Skill development and demographic dividend
1.8 Punjab Economy: Planning- various aspects of developmental planning; Industry; Infrastructure.

Section-2: Statistical analysis, graphs and diagrams
This part will test the candidate’s ability to draw conclusions from information presented in statistical, graphical or diagrammatical form and to interpret the same.

Section-3: Issues related to Security
3.1 Linkages between development and spread of extremism;
3.2 Role of external, State and non-State actors in creating challenges to internal security; Challenges to internal security through communication networks; role of media and social networking sites in internal security
challenges,
3.3 Basics of cyber security; money-laundering and its prevention;
3.4 Security challenges and their management in border areas; linkages of organized crime with terrorism.
3.5 Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate
Note: The candidates are expected to be aware about the current developments related to the topics mentioned above.

 

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GENERAL STUDIES-IV of PCS Mains
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, ENVIRONMENT, PROBLEM SOLVING & DECISION MAKING

Section-1 : Science and Technology
1.1 Science and Technology
1.1.1 Developments and applications of science and technology and their effects in everyday life
1.1.2 Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology.
1.1.3 Recent developments in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nanotechnology, etc.
1.1.4 Issues relating to intellectual property rights.
1.2 Modern Trends in Life Sciences
1.2.1 Progress of Agricultural Science and its impact– Introduction to Biotechnology and its applications; Veterinary and Animal Scienceslatest developments.
1.2.2 Introduction to and applications of Genetic Engineering & Stem Cell Research
1.2.3 Human Diseases and Microbial infections; Common infections and preventive measures; preventive measures during out breaks; Immunity and vaccination

Section-2: Environment
2.1 Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, Issues related to Climate change; environmental impact assessment
2.2 Water management- Issues in India; Present scenario, Methods and importance of water conservation
2.3 Definition, nature, types and classification of disasters
2.4 Natural Hazards: Floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides, etc., Risk reduction and mitigation measures

Section-3: Situations in Civil Service -Problem Solving and Decision Making
3.1 Tackling situations of Natural disasters/ Major Accidents/ Law and order, Controlling riots, Handling public protests and dharnas, Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation, Designing Projects, Implementation of National Flagship Schemes/ Programmes, Public Private Partnership in effective service delivery, Managing and financing Municipal services e.g. Solid waste management, Conservation of natural resources- water, forests, etc, Pollution control,
Reviving a loss making PSU, Planning and target achievement, Gender sensitization and women empowerment, Empowerment of vulnerable sections of the society, Improving Education and Enhancing Skill development, Urban settlement-Slums and Housing issues, Managing Issues related to Urban/ Rural drinking water supply and sanitation, etc.
Note: A duly structured situation will be presented to the candidates and they will be asked to analyze and suggest their own solution to the problem arising out of situation.

Mains Syllabus of PCS exam

SYLLABUS OF PUNJAB CIVIL SERVICES (PCS) MAIN EXAMINATION

 

ENGLISH (100 Marks)

SECTION-A

1. Comprehension (Unseen Passage)— 10 Marks
(An unseen passage followed by Questions to be answered.)
2. Precis writing— 10 Marks
(Passage to be summarized to 1/3rd)
3. Letter writing—(200 words)  10marks
4. Essay writing (Any general topic 300 words) 10 Marks
5. Translation 10 Marks

SECTION-B

6. Grammar 50 Marks

ESSAY paper for PCS Mains(150 Marks)

Candidates will be required to write three short essays in English or Punjabi on specified topics.

The choice of subjects will be given.

They will be expected to keep close to the subject of the essay to arrange their ideas in an orderly fashion and to write concisely. Credit will be given for content value, effective and exact expression.

 

GENERAL STUDIES-I  paper for PCS Mains

(HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY AND SOCIETY)

Section- 1: HISTORY

1.1 History of the world: Events from the 18th century; industrial revolution, world wars, redrawing of national boundaries, colonization, decolonization, political philosophies like Communism, Capitalism, Socialism, etc. -their forms and effect on society.
1.2 Indian culture- Salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature, and Architecture from ancient to modern times.
1.3 Modern Indian history from the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities and issues.
1.4 Socio-religious reform movements with special reference to Punjab.
1.5 The Freedom Struggle - its various stages and important contributors /contributions from different parts of the country with special reference to Punjab.
1.6 Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country.
1.7 History of Punjab:
1.7. 1 Ranjit Singh’s rise to power, civil and military administration and relations with the British
1.7. 2 Annexation of Punjab with special reference to the causes and consequences of the Anglo-Sikh wars.

Section-2: GEOGRAPHY

2.1 Physical Geography: Salient features of the world’s physical geography. Distribution of key natural resources across the world (including South Asia and the Indian subcontinent); factors responsible for the location of primary,
secondary, and tertiary sector industries in various parts of the world (including India)
2.2 Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclones, etc., geographical features and their location changes in critical geographical features (including water-bodies and icecaps)
and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.
2.3 Geography of Punjab:
2.3. 1 Physiographic details of Punjab; Geomorphic features of Punjab, Punjab’s strategic location with reference to the International Border;
2.3. 2 Crops of Punjab; Modern concepts of Farming; Problems faced by agriculturists/ Issues in Agriculture: Depletion of groundwater, etc;

Section-3: SOCIETY

3.1 Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.
3.2 Role of women and women’s organization, population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanization, their problems and their remedies
3.3 Effects of globalization on Indian society
3.4 Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism
3.5 Ethics and Society: Essence, determinants, and Consequences of Ethics in human actions; Dimensions of Ethics; Ethics in Private and public relationships.
3. 6 Human Values – Role of family, society, and educational institutions in inculcating values; lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders and reformers- Gautam Buddha, Mahavira, Kabir, Guru Nanak; Swami Vivekananda, Jyotibha Phule, Ishwar Chandra Vidya Sagar, and Mahatma Gandhi.
3.7 Vulnerable sections of the population - Welfare schemes by the Centre and the State of Punjab and their performance; Mechanisms, laws, institutions, and Bodies constituted for their protection and betterment.
3.8 Issues relating to the development and management of the Social Sector- Health, Education, and Human Resources; Issues relating to Poverty and Malnutrition.

 

GENERAL STUDIES-II paper for PCS Mains

INDIAN CONSTITUTION& POLITY, GOVERNANCE AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Section-1: INDIAN CONSTITUTION & POLITY

1.1 Indian Constitution- historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.
1.2 Functions and responsibilities of Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.
1.3 Separation of powers between various organs; Dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions.
1.4 Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other countries
1.5 Parliament and State Legislatures - structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges, and issues arising out of these.
1.6 Structure, organization, and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary; Ministries and Departments of the Government; pressure groups and formal/informal associations and their role in the Polity.
1.7 Salient Features of the Representation of People’s Act.
1.8 Appointment to various Constitutional posts; Powers, functions, and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies
1.9 District Administration - Evolution of District Administration; Panchayati Raj Institutions and Urban Local Bodies.

Section-2 GOVERNANCE:

2.1 Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies
2.2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation; Development processes and the development organizations- the role of NGOs, SHGs,
donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders
2.3 Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, egovernance- applications, models, successes, limitations and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other
measures; Role of civil services in a democracy; Changing trends in Governance
2.4 Values and Ethics in Governance- Ethical concerns and dilemmas in government and private institutions; laws, rules, regulations and conscience as sources of ethical guidance; accountability and ethical governance;
strengthening of ethical and moral values in governance; ethical issues in international relations and funding.
2.5 Probity in Governance: Concept of Governance; Philosophical basis of  governance and probity; corporate governance; Information sharing and transparency in government, Right to Information, Codes of Ethics, Codes
of Conduct, Citizen’s Charters, Work culture, Quality of service delivery, Utilization of public funds, challenges of corruption.

Section-3: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

3.1 India and its neighborhood- relations;
3.2 Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests;
3.3 Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian Diaspora
3.4 Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure and mandate.
Note: The candidates are expected to be aware about the current developments related to the topics mentioned above.

GENERAL STUDIES-III paper of PCS Mains

ECONOMY, STATISTICS, AND SECURITY ISSUES

Section-1: Indian Economy

1.1 Issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development, and employment; sustainable development; Inclusive growth and issues arising from it; Government Budgeting;
1.2 Major crops, cropping patterns in various parts of the country, different types of irrigation and irrigation systems; storage, transport, and marketing of agricultural produce- issues and related constraints; e-technology in the
aid of farmers; Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices; Technology missions; economics of animal rearing.
1.3 Public Distribution System- objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks and food security;
1.4 Food processing and related industries in India- scope and significance, location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain management
1.5 Land reforms in India; Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth.
1.6 Infrastructure- Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc; Investment models
1.7 Human Resource Development:
1.7.1 Importance of Human Capital in economic development
1.7.2 Nature, types and Problems of unemployment in India, Trends of Employment in India, Skill Development and demographic dividend
1.8 Punjab Economy: Planning- various aspects of developmental planning; Industry; Infrastructure.

Section-2: Statistical analysis, graphs, and diagrams

This part will test the candidate’s ability to draw conclusions from information presented in statistical, graphical or diagrammatical form and to interpret the same.

Section-3: Issues Related to Security

3.1 Linkages between Development and spread of extremism;
3.2 Role of external, State, and non-State actors in creating challenges to internal security; Challenges to internal security through communication networks; role of media and social networking sites in internal security
challenges,
3.3 Basics of cyber security; money-laundering and its prevention;
3.4 Security challenges and their management in border areas; linkages of organized crime with terrorism.
3.5 Various Security Forces and agencies and their mandate
Note: The candidates are expected to be aware of the current developments related to the topics mentioned above.

 

GENERAL STUDIES-IV of PCS Mains

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, ENVIRONMENT, PROBLEM SOLVING & DECISION MAKING

Section-1: Science and Technology

1.1 Science and Technology
1.1.1 Developments and Applications of Science and Technology and Their Effects in Everyday Life
1.1.2 Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and development of new technology.
1.1.3 Recent developments in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nanotechnology, etc.
1.1.4 Issues Relating to intellectual property rights.
1.2 Modern Trends in Life Sciences
1.2.1 Progress of Agricultural Science and its Impact– Introduction to Biotechnology and its Applications; Veterinary and Animal Scienceslatest developments.
1.2.2 Introduction to and Applications of Genetic Engineering & Stem Cell Research
1.2.3 Human Diseases and Microbial infections; Common infections and preventive measures; preventive measures during out breaks; Immunity and vaccination

Section-2: Environment

2.1 Conservation, environmental pollution, and degradation, Issues related to Climate change; environmental impact assessment
2.2 Water Management- Issues in India; Present scenario, Methods, and Importance of water conservation
2.3 Definition, nature, types, and Classification of Disasters
2.4 Natural Hazards: Floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides, etc., Risk reduction and mitigation measures

Section-3: Situations in Civil Service -Problem Solving and Decision Making

3.1 Tackling situations of Natural disasters/ Major Accidents/ Law and order, Controlling riots, Handling public protests and dharnas, Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation, Designing Projects, Implementation of National Flagship Schemes/ Programmes, Public Private Partnership in effective service delivery, Managing and financing Municipal services e.g. Solid waste management, Conservation of natural resources- water, forests, etc, Pollution control,
Reviving a loss-making PSU, Planning, and target achievement, Gender sensitization and women empowerment, Empowerment of vulnerable sections of the society, Improving Education and Enhancing Skill development, Urban settlement-Slums and Housing issues, Managing Issues related to Urban/ Rural drinking water supply and sanitation, etc.
Note: A duly structured situation will be presented to the candidates and they will be asked to analyze and suggest their own solution to the problem arising out of the situation.

Pattern of PCS 2020 Vacancies

PCS Examination 2K20 - Vacancies

 

Category wise detail of posts

The category wise detail of posts to be filled on the basis of the result of Combined Competitive Examination, 2020 is asunder:

 

Tentative Break up of Posts

CATEGORY	PCS (EB)	DSP	Tehsil dar	FS CAO	BDPO	AR Co-Op	LCO	E G & T O	DSJ/ DPO	Total
General (71)	08	10	-	-	-	-	01	03	-	22
ESM/LDESM (72/73)	03	03	03	-	-	-	-	02	01	12
Sports Person, Pb (75)	-	-	-	-	01	01	-	-	01	03
Persons with diability, Pb. (76 A) Blind and low vision	-	-	-	-	-	01	-	-	-	01
Scheduled Caste others, Pb (77)	01	01	02	01	01	-	-	-	02	08
Scheduled Caste ESM/LDESM, Pb (78/79)	01	02	-	-	-	-	-	01	01	05
Scheduled Caste Sports, Pb (80)	-	01	-	-	-	-	-	-	01	02
Balmiki/Mazhbi Sikh, Pb (81)	02	02	-	01	-	-	-	-	03	08
Balmiki/ Mazhbi Sikh ESM/LDESM, Pb (82/83)	-	01	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	01
Balmiki/ Mazhbi i Sikh Sport Person, Pb. (84)	01		-	-	-	-	-	-	-	01
Backward Classes, Pb. (85)	01	02	-	-	-	01	-	01	-	05
Backward Classes ESM/ LDESM, Pb. (86/87)	02	01	-	-	-	-	-	-	01	04
Economically Weaker Sections (92)	01	03	-	-	--	01		-	-	05
Total	20	26	05	02	02	04	01	07	10	77

 

Note : The candidates must fill the order of preference for services/posts in the Application Form for the Main Competitive Exam. The choice indicated by the candidate would be final unless changed before the final result becomes available.

PPSC has  declared  77 vacancies for various posts under PCS examination 2020. For more details do read other articles

Punjab State Civil Services Combined Competitive Examiantion-2020

Previous years prelims & mains papers of PCS

PCS Prelims 2013 GS Paper

PCS Prelims 2013 CSAT Paper

PCS Prelims 2015 GS Paper

PCS Prelims 2015 CSAT Paper

PCS Prelims 2018 GS Paper

PCS Prelims 2018 CSAT Paper

PCS 2015 Mains Papers

PCS 2013 GS Paper 1

PCS 2013 GS Paper 2

PCS 2013 GS Paper 3

PCS 2013 GS Paper 4

PCS 2024 exam - Number of Attempts

Number of Attempts for PCS Examination 2024

Unless covered by any of the exceptions, notified by the Government on this behalf from time to time, the candidates belonging to the categories specified below, subject however, to the provisions of rule 7, may avail the following number of attempts as specified in the Table given below, at the examination, namely:

 

Sr.No.	Name of category	Maximum number of attempts
1	General Category	Six
2	Backward Classes	Nine
3	Scheduled Castes	Unlimited

 

• For the purpose of this rule, an attempt in an examination includes an attempt made by the candidate in the preliminary examination conducted under these rules.
• Ex-servicemen category candidates are permitted only four attempts at the Examination.

PCS exam - Definition of Categories

 

For Definition of the above mentioned categories, please refer the Schedule appended to the Right of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 attached as Annexure-iv.

1. For persons with disability compensatory time of 20  minutes  per  hour  is  allowed.
2. Persons with disability who apply for scribe in a prescribed format is attached compensatory time of 20 minutes per hours is allowed.
3. 'Scribe' is allowed to the following candidate, who applies under the category of Persons with Disability, Punjab:-

1. Blind and low vision candidate as per instructions cited above in Para 15.7 above.
2. Such other disabilities due to which a candidates is not able to write.
3. The Scribe shall not have an academic qualification of more than 10+2 class.

1. Persons with Disability candidates will submit the following documents to office  of PPSC (Superintendent Examination) in person, 30 days before the date of written paper (for vetting), failing which they will not be provided the Scribe or given additional time.
   1. Disability Certificate from office of the Civil Surgeon.
   2. For the provision of a Scribe, Affidavit registered as per the specimen is attached.

 

Economically Weaker Section :

Residents of Punjab belonging of Economically Weaker Section (whose family income is less that Rs. 8.00 lac per annum) who are not covered under the

existing scheme of reservation for Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes.

For this purpose *Family* will include the person who seeks benefit of reservation, his/her parents, sibling below the age of 18 years, as also

his/her spouse and children below the age of 18 year.

"Income" will include all sources for the financial year prior to the year of application. Further a person will be excluded whose family owns/possesses any of the following assets:

1. 5 Agricultural Land and above.
2. Residential flat of 1000 sq. ft. and above
3. Residential plot of 100 sq. yards and above in notified municipalities/Nagar Panchatyat.

IV)        Residential plot of 200 sq. yards and above in other than the notified municipalities/nagar Panchatyat.

 

 

 

 

impairment of the normal clotting ability of blood so that a minor would  may  result in fatal bleeding;

1. "thalassemia" means a group of inherited disorders characterised by reduced or absent amounts of haemoglobin.
2. "sickle cell disease" means a hemolytic disorder characterised by chronic anemia, painful events, and various complications due to associated tissue and organ damage; "hemolytic" refers to the destruction of the cell membrane of red blood cells resulting in the release of hemoglobin.

1. Multiple Disabilities (more than one of the above specified disabilities) including deaf blindness which means a condition in which a person may have combination of hearing and visual impairments causing severe communication, developmental, and educational problems.
2. Any other category as may be notified by the Central Government.