The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) holds a competitive examination named Special Class Railway Apprentice (SCRA) Examination for posts like Commercial Apprentice, Traffic Apprentice, Assistant Station Master, Clerk Grade I, guards etc. This examination is held once a year, generally in the month of July. Blank application forms and other particulars are published in Employment News, generally in the month of February.
This page has the complete syllabus of UPSC SCRA General Ability Test.
UPSC SCRA General Ability Test Syllabus
(I) English
The questions are designed to test your understanding and command of the English language.
(II) General Knowledge
The questions are designed to test your general awareness of the environment around you and its application to society. The level of answers to questions should be as expected of students of standard XII or equivalent.
Man and His Environment
Evolution of life, plants and animals, heredity and environment-Genetics, cells, chromosomes, genes.
Knowledge of the human body, nutrition, balanced diet, substitute foods, public health and sanitation including control of epidemics and common diseases. Environmental pollution and its control. Food adulteration, proper storage and preservation of food grains and finished products, population explosion, population control. Production of food and raw materials. Breeding of animals and plants, artificial insemination, manures and fertilizers, crop protection measures, high yielding varieties and green revolution, main cereal and cash crops of India.
Solar system and the earth. Seasons, Climate, Weather, Soil – its formation, erosion. Forests and their uses. Natural calamities cyclones, floods, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions. Mountains and rivers and their role in irrigation in India. Distribution of natural resources and industries in India. Exploration of underground minerals including Oil. Conservation of natural resources with particular reference to the flora and fauna of India.
History, Politics and Society in India
Vedic, Mahavir, Budhdha, Mauryan, Sunga, Andhra, Kushan. Gupta ages (Mauryan Pillars, Stupa Caves, Sanchi, Mathura and Gandharva Schools, Temple architecture, Ajanta and Ellora). The rise of new social forces with the coming of Islam and establishment of broader contacts. Transition from feudalism to capitalism. Opening of European contacts. Establishment of British rule in India. Rise of nationalism and national struggle for freedom culminating in Independence.
Constitution of India and its Characteristic Features
Democracy, Secularism, Socialism, equality of opportunity and Parliamentary form of Government. Major political ideologies – Democracy, Socialism, Communism and Gandhian idea of non-violence. Indian political parties, pressure groups, public opinion and the Press, electoral system.
India’s foreign policy and non-alignment, Arms race, balance of power. World organisation – political, social, economic and cultural. Important events (including sports and cultural activities) in India and abroad during the past two years.
The caste system, hierarchy, recent changes and trends. Minority social institution – marriage, family, religion and acculturation. Division of labour, co-operation, conflict and competition, Social control – reward and punishment, art, law, customs, propaganda, public opinion, agencies of social control – family, religion, State educational institutions; factors of social change – economic, technological, demographic, cultural; the concept of revolution.
Casteism, communalism, corruption in public life, youth unrest, beggary, drugs, delinquency and crime, poverty and unemployment. Social planning and welfare in India, community development and labour welfare; welfare of Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes.
Money
Taxation, price, demographic trends, national income, economic growth. Private and Public Sectors; economic and non-economic factors in planning, balanced versus imbalanced growth, agricultural versus industrial development; inflation and price stabilization, problem of resource mobilisation. India’s Five Year Plans.
(III) Psychological Test
The questions are designed to assess your basic intelligence and mechanical aptitude.