UPSC SCRA Exam Pattern 2023

Mar 06, 2023, 16:45 IST

SCRA stands for Special Class Railway Apprentice Exam, and it is organized by UPSC. This exam is not very popular, yet it provides one of the most prestigious job roles under the Government of India. The candidates who completed their schooling from the PCM stream are eligible to appear in this exam.

The selected candidates from this exam are provided with a Special Mechanical Engineering Degree Course. During this course, the candidates are taught by top-ranking officers from Indian Railway. After the completion of a four-year course, the candidates are posted for jobs in Indian Railway Services. They join railways as an Indian Railway Services of Mechanical Engineers (IRSME).

SCRA Exam Pattern

The UPSC SCRA Exam Pattern comprises two phases, phases I & II. Phase I further consists of three papers of 200 marks each. The phase II exam is the personal interview (or personality test). The candidates who clear the first phase of the exam appear in the interview round. Let us understand the exam pattern for UPSC SCRA in detail. 

Phase I - Objective Paper (Multiple Choice Questions)

Paper I - General Ability Test (200 marks)

General Ability Test is the first paper of the UPSC SCRA phase I. This test consists of English, General Knowledge, and Psychological Tests. This exam consists of a maximum of 200 marks in the allotted time of 2 hours.

• English

English tests the command of the candidate over this language. The questions asked here consist of each concept the candidate must know in the English language.

• General Knowledge (GK)

Here comes the most important aspect of Paper I of the first phase. General knowledge is asked in almost every government exam in India. This part aims to examine the general awareness of the candidate appearing. The questions from this portion comprise environment, history, politics, society, and other relevant portions. Most of the questions that come in the exams are from Class 12 standards.

• Psychology Test

The third part of the General Ability Test is the Psychology Test. The questions from this section are asked to test mechanical aptitude and basic intelligence. Simply, it tests how an individual thinks.

Paper II - Physical Science (200 marks)

Physical Science consists of Physics and Chemistry. Both these subjects combined weights for 200 marks. The time allotted will be 2 hours.

Chemistry

The questions from chemistry are based on the standard of class 12^th. Physical, organic, and inorganic chemistry is the sub-portions of this subject. Thus, candidates must prepare themselves for all three - physics, organic, and inorganic chemistry.

Some important and frequently asked topics in chemistry are:

• Structure of Atoms
• Periodic Classification
• Solution
• Electrochemistry
• Chemical Equilibrium
• Hydrogen 
• Radioactivity
• Elements of the periodic table and their reactions
• Carbon and its compounds
• Hydroxyl compounds
• Nitro compounds
• Processes of Metallurgy

Physics

Similar to Chemistry, the questions of Physics will be based on the 12^th standard. Thus, the candidates must go through the syllabus of Physics up to the 12^th Class. Comprehensively learning the Class 11^th and 12^th topics will help the aspirants to solve most of the questions.

Some most important topics in this subject are:

• Length and measurements
• Newton’s Law of Motion
• Weight and Mass
• Motion in a straight line
• Electromagnetism
• Current Electricity
• Wave motion
• Sound 
• Properties of light 
• Reflection & Refraction
• Sound
• Temperature & its measurement
• of Nuclear Energy
• Radioactivity

Paper III - Mathematics (200 marks)

The third and final paper of the first phase of UPSC SCRA exam is Mathematics. This is the most scoring subject for aspirants as well. In order to get the best output, the candidates must thoroughly practice the Class 11^th and 12^th mathematics. In order to strategically prepare for this subject, candidates may apply extra stretch on some specified portions.

The most important topics with high weightage in mathematics are

• Algebra
• Trigonometry
• Differential Calculus
• Integral Calculus
• 2D Geometry
• Differential Equations
• Vectors & their applications
• Statistics & Probability

Phase II - Personality Test

• In order to get into the Personality Test, the appeared candidates need to qualify for the phase I exam of SCRA. The personality test is the UPSC SCRA Phase II. Also known as a personal interview, it is conducted to select the best individuals from all the shortlisted candidates. Every shortlisted candidate is interviewed by the board of experts.
• For the personal interviews, there is no specified syllabus from the board. The questions usually revolve around academic questions, matters of interest of candidates, and some extramural topics. Personal interviews aim to test qualities including problem-solving, reasoning, leadership initiative, etc.
• Once the board of experts are done with the interview round, the conducting body releases the list of selected candidates. Further, the board provides essential training to selected candidates and recruits them for job roles.

Important Points For UPSC SCRA Exam

Along with understanding the exam pattern for the SCRA exam, there are certain points that every candidate must be aware of. The following are the important points for candidates appearing for this test:

1. The level of questions asked will be of the intermediate standard.
2. All the questions asked are of objective type i.e., multiple choice questions.
3. The SI units are taken and used whenever required in the UPSC SCRA exam.
4. The test booklets (question papers) will be set in the English language only.
5. For the blind candidates, 20 extra minutes will be allocated for each objective paper for 2 hours.
6. There are no preset cutoff marks for any subject or overall paper. The commission holds the discretion to set the qualifying marks for UPSC SCRA.
7. The use of calculators for solving MCQs is strictly prohibited. Thus, the candidates can’t carry the same in the examination hall.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. Who is the conducting authority of the SCRA entrance test?

Ans. SCRA exam is conducted by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). It offers a prestigious job role under the government of India.

Q2. Is the UPSC SCRA entrance exam considered a national-level exam?

Ans. Yes, UPSC SCRA is a national-level exam. Candidates from all over the country can appear for this exam.

Q3. What are the types of questions asked in the SCRA exam?

Ans. The questions asked in the papers of the phase I exam are objective type (MCQs).

Q4. What are the phases of the SCRA exam?

Ans. SCRA exam is conducted in two phases. Phase I comprises three papers - general ability tests, physical science, and mathematics. The UPSC SCRA Phase II is the interview round.

Q5. What are the different tests that come under SCRA phase I?

Ans. Following are the papers that come under UPSC SCRA Phase I test:

• Paper I. General Ability Test - English, GK, & Psychology Test (200 marks)
• Paper II. Physical Science - Physics & Chemistry (200 marks)
• Paper III. Mathematics (200 marks)

Q6. Who is eligible for the personality test (interview round)?

Ans. The candidates who clear the first phase of the exam qualify for the second phase i.e., the Interview round.

Q7. What is the level of questions asked in the UPSC SCRA exam?

Ans. The questions in SCRA are of the intermediate standard. The level of questions in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics is up to Class 12.

Q8. What type of questions are asked by interviewers in the personality test?

Ans. The questions usually revolve around academic questions, matters of interest of candidates, and some extramural topics.