UPSC Civil Services Examination Science, Technology and Environment Syllabus

Science, Technology and Environment syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Science, Technology and Environment in UPSC Civil Services Examination, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   General Science Foundations

   3 topics

   • Physics in Everyday Life
     • Mechanics, heat and optics basics
     • Electricity and magnetism applications
   • Chemistry in Daily Use
     • States of matter and chemical bonding
     • Polymers, fuels and everyday chemicals
   • Biology and Human Health
     • Cell biology and human physiology
     • Nutrition, diseases and immunity
2. 2

   Developments in Science and Technology

   4 topics

   • Space Technology
     • ISRO missions and satellite applications
     • Launch vehicles and space economy
   • Defence Technology
     • Missile programmes and indigenisation
     • DRDO and defence manufacturing
   • Nuclear Technology and Energy
   • Information Technology and Computing
     • Artificial Intelligence and machine learning
     • Quantum computing, 5G and blockchain
3. 3

   Biotechnology and Emerging Tech

   4 topics

   • Biotechnology Applications
     • Genetic engineering and GM crops
     • Gene editing and CRISPR
   • Health and Pharma Technology
     • Vaccines and stem cells
     • Intellectual property in biotech
   • Nanotechnology and Robotics
   • Indigenisation of Technology and R&D Policy
4. 4

   Ecology and Environment

   4 topics

   • Ecosystems and Biodiversity
     • Food chains, energy flow and ecological pyramids
     • Biodiversity hotspots and conservation
   • Environmental Pollution and Degradation
     • Air, water, soil and noise pollution
     • Waste management and EIA
   • Conservation Efforts and Protected Areas
     • National parks, sanctuaries and reserves
     • Wildlife and forest legislation
   • Climate Change
     • Greenhouse effect and global warming
     • International conventions and India's commitments
5. 5

   Disaster Management

   3 topics

   • Types of Disasters and Vulnerability
   • Disaster Risk Reduction Framework
     • NDMA and Sendai Framework
     • Early warning and mitigation
   • Response, Relief and Rehabilitation

Science, Technology and Environment flashcards for UPSC Civil Services Examination

24 of 51 cards from the Science, Technology and Environment deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. State Newton's three laws of motion and give one everyday example of the third law.

   1) An object stays at rest or in uniform motion unless acted on by a net force (inertia). 2) F = ma (force equals mass times acceleration). 3) Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Example: a rocket/jet moves forward by expelling gas backward; recoil of a gun.

2. Why does a person feel a backward jerk when a bus suddenly starts moving forward?

   Due to inertia of rest: the body's lower part moves with the bus while the upper part tends to remain at rest, so the upper body lurches backward relative to the bus.

3. What is the difference between a real and a virtual image, and which type does a plane mirror always form?

   A real image is formed where light rays actually converge and can be projected on a screen (inverted). A virtual image is formed where rays only appear to diverge from, cannot be caught on a screen (erect). A plane mirror always forms a virtual, erect, laterally-inverted image of the same size.

4. Why does the sky appear blue and the setting Sun appear red?

   Rayleigh scattering: shorter (blue) wavelengths scatter much more than longer (red) ones. Overhead, scattered blue dominates the sky; at sunset, light travels a longer path, blue is scattered away and the transmitted red reaches the eye.

5. State Ohm's law and write its formula with units.

   Ohm's law: at constant temperature, current through a conductor is directly proportional to the voltage across it. V = IR, where V is voltage (volts), I is current (amperes), R is resistance (ohms).

6. What is the pH scale range, and what do values of 7, below 7, and above 7 indicate?

   The pH scale runs from 0 to 14. pH = 7 is neutral, pH < 7 is acidic, and pH > 7 is basic/alkaline. It measures hydrogen-ion (H+) concentration logarithmically.

7. Name the chemical compound of common salt, baking soda, and washing soda.

   Common salt is sodium chloride (NaCl); baking soda is sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3); washing soda is sodium carbonate decahydrate (Na2CO3.10H2O).

8. What chemical reaction causes iron to rust, and what two conditions are required?

   Rusting is the oxidation of iron forming hydrated iron(III) oxide (Fe2O3.xH2O). It requires both oxygen (air) and water/moisture; salt accelerates it.

9. What is the difference between a strong acid and a weak acid? Give one example of each.

   A strong acid ionizes completely in water (e.g., hydrochloric acid HCl, sulphuric acid H2SO4); a weak acid ionizes only partially (e.g., acetic acid CH3COOH, carbonic acid).

10. What gas is released when an acid reacts with a metal carbonate, and how is it tested?

    Carbon dioxide (CO2) is released. It is tested by passing it through lime water (calcium hydroxide solution), which turns milky due to formation of calcium carbonate.

11. List the macronutrients required in the human diet and the main function of each.

    Carbohydrates (primary energy source), proteins (growth and repair, enzymes), fats/lipids (concentrated energy, insulation, cell membranes). Water and fibre are also essential.

12. Match these deficiency diseases to their cause: scurvy, rickets, goitre, night blindness.

    Scurvy - Vitamin C deficiency; Rickets - Vitamin D deficiency; Goitre - Iodine deficiency; Night blindness - Vitamin A deficiency.

13. What is the difference between a bacterium and a virus in terms of living status and treatment?

    Bacteria are single-celled living organisms that can reproduce independently and are treated with antibiotics. Viruses are non-cellular, require a host cell to replicate, are not affected by antibiotics, and are countered by antivirals/vaccines.

14. Name the human blood groups and identify the universal donor and universal recipient.

    Blood groups are A, B, AB, and O (each Rh+ or Rh-). O-negative is the universal donor; AB-positive is the universal recipient.

15. What is the difference between communicable and non-communicable diseases? Give one example of each.

    Communicable diseases spread from person to person via pathogens (e.g., tuberculosis, COVID-19). Non-communicable diseases are not transmissible and arise from lifestyle/genetics (e.g., diabetes, hypertension).

16. What are the three main types of satellite orbits used in space technology, and a key use of each?

    Geostationary/Geosynchronous Orbit (GEO, ~36,000 km) - communication and weather; Low Earth Orbit (LEO) - remote sensing, ISS; Polar/Sun-synchronous Orbit - Earth observation and reconnaissance with consistent lighting.

17. What does ISRO's PSLV and GSLV stand for, and how do they differ?

    PSLV = Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, used for lighter satellites into polar/sun-synchronous orbits. GSLV = Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle, more powerful (with a cryogenic upper stage) for placing heavy satellites into geostationary transfer orbit.

18. What is India's regional navigation satellite system called, and what is its operational name?

    It is IRNSS (Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System), operationally named NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation), providing positioning over India and the surrounding region.

19. What were the objectives of India's Chandrayaan-3 and Mangalyaan (Mars Orbiter Mission)?

    Chandrayaan-3 (2023) achieved a soft landing near the Moon's south pole and deployed a rover. Mangalyaan/MOM (2013) was India's first interplanetary mission, putting an orbiter around Mars on the first attempt at low cost.

20. What is the difference between a ballistic missile and a cruise missile?

    A ballistic missile follows a high, arching (ballistic) trajectory powered only initially, then free-falls under gravity (e.g., Agni). A cruise missile flies low and powered throughout, like a guided jet, maneuvering to its target (e.g., BrahMos).

21. What does India's Agni series and BrahMos missile represent?

    The Agni series are India's indigenous nuclear-capable surface-to-surface ballistic missiles of increasing range (Agni-I to Agni-V, intercontinental). BrahMos is a supersonic cruise missile developed jointly by India and Russia.

22. What is the difference between nuclear fission and nuclear fusion?

    Fission is the splitting of a heavy nucleus (e.g., Uranium-235) into lighter nuclei, releasing energy; it powers current reactors and atomic bombs. Fusion is the joining of light nuclei (e.g., hydrogen isotopes) into a heavier one, releasing more energy; it powers the Sun and hydrogen bombs.

23. What are the three stages of India's nuclear power programme and the key fuel of each?

    Stage 1: Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors using natural uranium (producing plutonium). Stage 2: Fast Breeder Reactors using plutonium with a thorium blanket. Stage 3: reactors using Uranium-233 bred from India's abundant thorium reserves.

24. Why is thorium especially important for India's nuclear strategy?

    India holds among the world's largest thorium reserves (notably in Kerala's monazite sands) but limited uranium, so the long-term goal is a self-reliant thorium-based fuel cycle in the third stage of its nuclear programme.

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