Mains Syllabus of tnpsc combined engineering services Exam 2024

Table of Contents

General Studies

Paper I: General Studies

1. General Science:

Physics: Basic concepts of motion, force, work, energy, power, heat, light, sound, electricity, magnetism, and modern physics.
Chemistry: Basic concepts of matter, atoms, molecules, chemical bonding, chemical reactions, acids, bases, salts, and organic chemistry.
Biology: Basic concepts of living organisms, cells, tissues, organs, systems, plants, animals, and human physiology.
Environment and Ecology: Environmental pollution, conservation of natural resources, biodiversity, climate change, and sustainable development.

2. Current Events:

National: Major events in India, including politics, economy, social issues, and culture.
International: Major events in the world, including politics, economy, and international relations.

3. History of India:

Ancient India: Indus Valley Civilization, Vedic Period, Mauryan Empire, Gupta Empire, and other major dynasties.
Medieval India: Delhi Sultanate, Mughal Empire, Vijayanagara Empire, and other major kingdoms.
Modern India: British rule, Indian National Movement, and post-independence India.

4. Indian Polity:

Constitution of India: Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles of State Policy, and other important provisions.
Political System: Parliament, President, Prime Minister, Judiciary, and other institutions.
Public Administration: Central and State Governments, Panchayati Raj, and other administrative structures.

5. Indian Economy:

Economic Development: Planning, poverty, unemployment, and other economic issues.
Financial System: Banking, insurance, and stock market.
Infrastructure: Transportation, communication, and energy.

6. Geography of India:

Physical Features: Mountains, rivers, plains, and other geographical features.
Climate: Monsoon, rainfall, and other climatic factors.
Natural Resources: Minerals, forests, and water resources.

7. Indian Culture and Heritage:

Art and Literature: Painting, sculpture, music, dance, and literature.
Religion and Philosophy: Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, and other religions.
Festivals and Traditions: Major festivals and cultural practices.

8. Tamil Nadu:

History: Chola, Pandya, Pallava, and other dynasties.
Culture and Heritage: Temples, art, literature, and traditions.
Economy: Agriculture, industry, and tourism.

9. Aptitude and Mental Ability:

Logical Reasoning: Analogies, classifications, series, and other logical reasoning questions.
Data Interpretation: Tables, graphs, and charts.
Problem Solving: Mathematical and logical problems.

Paper II: Engineering Subjects

1. Civil Engineering:

Engineering Mechanics: Statics, dynamics, and strength of materials.
Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulics: Fluid properties, fluid statics, fluid dynamics, and hydraulic machines.
Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering: Soil properties, soil mechanics principles, and foundation design.
Surveying: Plane surveying, leveling, and other surveying techniques.
Building Materials and Construction: Properties of building materials, construction methods, and building codes.
Structural Analysis and Design: Analysis and design of structures, including beams, columns, and slabs.
Transportation Engineering: Highway planning, design, and construction.
Water Resources Engineering: Water supply, irrigation, and drainage.
Environmental Engineering: Water and wastewater treatment, air pollution control, and solid waste management.

2. Mechanical Engineering:

Engineering Mechanics: Statics, dynamics, and strength of materials.
Thermodynamics: Basic concepts of thermodynamics, heat transfer, and power cycles.
Fluid Mechanics and Machinery: Fluid properties, fluid statics, fluid dynamics, and hydraulic machines.
Heat and Mass Transfer: Conduction, convection, and radiation.
Machine Design: Design of machine elements, including gears, bearings, and shafts.
Production Engineering: Manufacturing processes, machining, and tooling.
Industrial Engineering: Work study, production planning and control, and quality control.
Automotive Engineering: Automobile engines, transmissions, and chassis.
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning: Refrigeration cycles, air conditioning systems, and refrigeration equipment.

3. Electrical and Electronics Engineering:

Electrical Circuits: DC and AC circuits, network theorems, and circuit analysis.
Electromagnetism: Magnetic fields, electromagnetic induction, and transformers.
Electrical Machines: DC machines, AC machines, and transformers.
Power Systems: Power generation, transmission, and distribution.
Electronics: Semiconductor devices, amplifiers, oscillators, and digital electronics.
Control Systems: Feedback control systems, system analysis, and design.
Instrumentation and Measurement: Measurement techniques, instruments, and data acquisition.
Power Electronics: Power converters, inverters, and rectifiers.

4. Computer Science and Engineering:

Programming Languages: C, C++, Java, and Python.
Data Structures and Algorithms: Data structures, algorithms, and their analysis.
Computer Architecture: CPU, memory, and I/O devices.
Operating Systems: Process management, memory management, and file systems.
Database Management Systems: Relational databases, SQL, and database design.
Computer Networks: Network protocols, network topologies, and network security.
Software Engineering: Software development methodologies, software design, and testing.
Artificial Intelligence: Machine learning, deep learning, and natural language processing.

5. Chemical Engineering:

Chemical Thermodynamics: Thermodynamic principles, chemical reactions, and phase equilibria.
Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer: Fluid properties, fluid statics, fluid dynamics, and heat transfer.
Mass Transfer: Diffusion, absorption, and distillation.
Chemical Reaction Engineering: Chemical kinetics, reactor design, and process control.
Process Design and Economics: Process design, cost estimation, and economic analysis.
Environmental Engineering: Air pollution control, water pollution control, and waste management.

6. Metallurgical Engineering:

Extractive Metallurgy: Ore dressing, smelting, and refining.
Physical Metallurgy: Crystal structure, phase diagrams, and heat treatment.
Mechanical Metallurgy: Deformation, fracture, and fatigue.
Corrosion and Protection: Corrosion mechanisms, corrosion prevention, and protective coatings.
Powder Metallurgy: Powder production, powder compaction, and sintering.

7. Agricultural Engineering:

Farm Machinery: Design, operation, and maintenance of farm machinery.
Soil and Water Conservation: Soil erosion control, irrigation, and drainage.
Agricultural Structures: Design and construction of farm buildings and structures.
Agricultural Processing: Food processing, storage, and preservation.
Renewable Energy: Solar energy, wind energy, and biomass energy.

8. Electronics and Communication Engineering:

Analog Electronics: Diodes, transistors, amplifiers, and oscillators.
Digital Electronics: Logic gates, combinational and sequential circuits, and digital signal processing.
Communication Systems: Analog and digital communication, modulation and demodulation, and wireless communication.
Microwave Engineering: Microwave devices, transmission lines, and antennas.
Optical Communication: Fiber optics, optical transmitters, and receivers.

9. Civil Engineering (Specialization)

Structural Engineering: Advanced structural analysis, design of steel and concrete structures, and earthquake-resistant design.
Geotechnical Engineering: Soil exploration, foundation design, and ground improvement techniques.
Transportation Engineering: Traffic engineering, highway design, and pavement design.
Water Resources Engineering: Hydrology, hydraulics, and irrigation design.
Environmental Engineering: Water and wastewater treatment, air pollution control, and solid waste management.

10. Mechanical Engineering (Specialization)

Design Engineering: Advanced machine design, finite element analysis, and computer-aided design.
Thermal Engineering: Heat transfer, thermodynamics, and power plant engineering.
Manufacturing Engineering: Advanced manufacturing processes, robotics, and automation.
Automotive Engineering: Engine design, vehicle dynamics, and automotive electronics.
Aerospace Engineering: Aerodynamics, propulsion, and aircraft design.

11. Electrical and Electronics Engineering (Specialization)

Power Systems Engineering: Power generation, transmission, and distribution systems, power system protection, and power system control.
Control Systems Engineering: Feedback control systems, system analysis, and design, adaptive control, and optimal control.
Electronics and Communication Engineering: Analog and digital communication, modulation and demodulation, wireless communication, and optical communication.
Microelectronics: Semiconductor devices, integrated circuits, and VLSI design.
Instrumentation and Measurement: Measurement techniques, instruments, and data acquisition, sensor technology, and signal processing.

12. Computer Science and Engineering (Specialization)

Software Engineering: Software development methodologies, software design, and testing, object-oriented programming, and software architecture.
Artificial Intelligence: Machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing, and computer vision.
Data Science: Data mining, data analysis, and big data analytics.
Cybersecurity: Network security, cryptography, and ethical hacking.
Cloud Computing: Cloud computing platforms, cloud services, and cloud security.

13. Chemical Engineering (Specialization)

Process Design and Control: Process design, process simulation, and process control.
Chemical Reaction Engineering: Chemical kinetics, reactor design, and process optimization.
Separation Processes: Distillation, absorption, and extraction.
Biotechnology: Biochemical engineering, fermentation, and bioprocessing.
Environmental Engineering: Water and wastewater treatment, air pollution control, and waste management.

14. Metallurgical Engineering (Specialization)

Extractive Metallurgy: Ore dressing, smelting, and refining, hydrometallurgy, and pyrometallurgy.
Physical Metallurgy: Crystal structure, phase diagrams, and heat treatment, phase transformations, and diffusion.
Mechanical Metallurgy: Deformation, fracture, and fatigue, creep, and stress corrosion cracking.
Corrosion and Protection: Corrosion mechanisms, corrosion prevention, and protective coatings, corrosion testing, and corrosion control.
Powder Metallurgy: Powder production, powder compaction, and sintering, powder metallurgy processing, and powder metallurgy applications.

15. Agricultural Engineering (Specialization)

Farm Machinery: Design, operation, and maintenance of farm machinery, tractor design, and tillage equipment.
Soil and Water Conservation: Soil erosion control, irrigation, and drainage, water management, and watershed management.
Agricultural Structures: Design and construction of farm buildings and structures, livestock housing, and grain storage.
Agricultural Processing: Food processing, storage, and preservation, food engineering, and agricultural byproducts utilization.
Renewable Energy: Solar energy, wind energy, and biomass energy, renewable energy systems, and energy efficiency in agriculture.

16. Electronics and Communication Engineering (Specialization)

VLSI Design: Semiconductor devices, integrated circuits, and VLSI design, digital circuit design, and analog circuit design.
Wireless Communication: Mobile communication, wireless networks, and wireless protocols, cellular communication, and satellite communication.
Optical Communication: Fiber optics, optical transmitters, and receivers, optical network design, and optical fiber sensing.
Signal Processing: Digital signal processing, image processing, and speech processing, audio signal processing, and video signal processing.
Embedded Systems: Embedded system design, microcontroller programming, and real-time operating systems, embedded software development, and embedded hardware design.

17. Other Engineering Subjects:

Aerospace Engineering: Aerodynamics, propulsion, and aircraft design, spacecraft design, and space exploration.
Biomedical Engineering: Medical devices, biomaterials, and tissue engineering, biomechanics, and bioinstrumentation.
Environmental Engineering: Water and wastewater treatment, air pollution control, and solid waste management, environmental impact assessment, and environmental remediation.
Geotechnical Engineering: Soil exploration, foundation design, and ground improvement techniques, slope stability analysis, and geosynthetics.
Marine Engineering: Ship design, marine propulsion, and marine structures, naval architecture, and ocean engineering.
Mining Engineering: Mining methods, mine planning, and mine safety, mineral processing, and mine reclamation.
Petroleum Engineering: Oil and gas exploration, production, and transportation, reservoir engineering, and drilling engineering.

Sample Tables

Table 1: TNPSC Combined Engineering Services Exam Pattern

Stage	Paper	Duration	Maximum Marks
Preliminary	General Studies	3 hours	300
Mains	General Studies (Paper I)	3 hours	300
	Engineering Subjects (Paper II)	3 hours	300
Interview			100

Table 2: TNPSC Combined Engineering Services Exam Syllabus – Civil Engineering

Subject	Topics
Engineering Mechanics	Statics, dynamics, strength of materials
Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulics	Fluid properties, fluid statics, fluid dynamics, hydraulic machines
Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering	Soil properties, soil mechanics principles, foundation design
Surveying	Plane surveying, leveling, other surveying techniques
Building Materials and Construction	Properties of building materials, construction methods, building codes
Structural Analysis and Design	Analysis and design of structures, beams, columns, slabs
Transportation Engineering	Highway planning, design, construction
Water Resources Engineering	Water supply, irrigation, drainage
Environmental Engineering	Water and wastewater treatment, air pollution control, solid waste management

Note: This is just a sample syllabus and may not be exhaustive. Please refer to the official TNPSC notification for the complete and updated syllabus.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – TNPSC Combined Engineering Services Exam 2024

General Studies

1. What are the major events in Indian history that are likely to be asked in the exam?

The Indian National Movement, particularly the role of key leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
The partition of India and its consequences.
The formation of the Indian Constitution and its key features.
Major social reforms and movements in India, like the Bhakti movement, the social reform movements of the 19th century, and the Dalit movement.

2. What are some important aspects of the Indian economy that are frequently tested?

The Five-Year Plans and their impact on economic development.
The role of the public sector and privatization in the Indian economy.
Major economic reforms implemented since 1991.
Issues like poverty, unemployment, and inequality in India.

3. How can I prepare for the Current Events section of the exam?

Read newspapers and magazines regularly, focusing on national and international events.
Follow news websites and online resources that provide comprehensive coverage of current affairs.
Make notes on important events and their significance.

4. What are some important aspects of Tamil Nadu’s history and culture that are likely to be asked?

The Chola, Pandya, and Pallava dynasties and their contributions to art, architecture, and literature.
The Sangam period and its literary works.
The role of Tamil Nadu in the Indian independence movement.
The cultural heritage of Tamil Nadu, including its temples, music, dance, and festivals.

Engineering Subjects

1. What are some important concepts in Engineering Mechanics that are frequently tested?

Equilibrium of forces and moments.
Stress and strain analysis.
Bending moment and shear force diagrams.
Deflection of beams and columns.

2. How can I prepare for the Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulics section of the exam?

Understand the basic properties of fluids, including density, viscosity, and surface tension.
Learn about fluid statics, including pressure distribution and buoyancy.
Study fluid dynamics, including Bernoulli’s equation and the concept of flow rate.
Familiarize yourself with hydraulic machines, such as pumps, turbines, and pipes.

3. What are some important topics in Electrical and Electronics Engineering that are frequently tested?

Basic circuit theory, including Kirchhoff’s laws and network theorems.
AC and DC circuits, including phasor analysis and power calculations.
Electromagnetic induction and transformers.
Semiconductor devices, including diodes, transistors, and operational amplifiers.
Digital electronics, including logic gates and combinational circuits.

4. How can I prepare for the Computer Science and Engineering section of the exam?

Master programming languages like C, C++, Java, and Python.
Understand data structures and algorithms, including arrays, linked lists, stacks, queues, trees, and graphs.
Learn about computer architecture, including CPU, memory, and I/O devices.
Study operating systems, including process management, memory management, and file systems.
Familiarize yourself with database management systems, including relational databases and SQL.

5. What are some important topics in Chemical Engineering that are frequently tested?

Chemical thermodynamics, including enthalpy, entropy, and Gibbs free energy.
Fluid mechanics and heat transfer, including fluid properties, fluid statics, fluid dynamics, and heat transfer mechanisms.
Mass transfer, including diffusion, absorption, and distillation.
Chemical reaction engineering, including chemical kinetics, reactor design, and process control.

6. How can I prepare for the Civil Engineering (Specialization) section of the exam?

Focus on advanced structural analysis, design of steel and concrete structures, and earthquake-resistant design.
Study geotechnical engineering, including soil exploration, foundation design, and ground improvement techniques.
Learn about transportation engineering, including traffic engineering, highway design, and pavement design.
Familiarize yourself with water resources engineering, including hydrology, hydraulics, and irrigation design.
Understand environmental engineering, including water and wastewater treatment, air pollution control, and solid waste management.

Note: These are just a few examples of frequently asked questions. The actual questions asked in the exam may vary. It is important to study the entire syllabus thoroughly and practice solving previous years’ question papers.