UPSC SCRA Syllabus 2023

Apr 11, 2023, 16:45 IST

The Special Class Railway Apprentice Exam is organized by UPSC (SCRA). Through this test, about ten individuals are chosen. These candidates are then accepted into the Special Mechanical Engineering Degree Program offered by the highest-ranking Indian Railway personnel.

These chosen individuals join Indian Railway Services as mechanical engineers upon completion of a four-year training programme (IRSME). Candidates who want to pass this exam must be familiar with the topics for Special Class Railway Apprentices. They prepare for their academics in this manner far in advance. It is one of the esteemed positions that the Indian government offers.

Candidates who are interested in taking the upcoming Special Class Railway Apprentice Exam or other exams administered by the State Public Service Commission should read the attached article for further information.

For the purpose of hiring apprentices for the Indian Railways' mechanical department, UPSC regularly administers the Special Class Railway Apprentices (SCRA) Examination. Written tests and interviews are used to choose the most qualified applicants. English language, general knowledge, physics, chemistry, and mathematics topics are covered in the written test. The test will be of intermediate (HSC level) difficulty.

UPSC SCRA - An Overview

Exam Union Public Service Commission Special Class Railway Apprentices
Conducting Authority Union Public Service Commission
Exam Frequency Once a year
Mode of Exam Offline
Application Mode Online
Application Fee Rs. 100/-
Exam Marks

Written Exam – 600

Personality Test – 200

Level of Exam National
Website www.upsc.gov.in

You should be aware that the Indian Railways, with a workforce of over 1.4 million people, is one of the largest railway networks in the world and one of India's greatest employers.

Opportunities will come your way if you are eager to learn. The SCRA Exam will be held by India's top federal recruiting organization UPSC in an effort to give interested students jobs in the Indian Railways.

UPSC SCRA Syllabus

The authorities choose the UPSC SCRA Subjects so as to assess applicants' understanding of a broad variety of subjects. The following are the specific topics included in the syllabus for the two phases as specified by the UPSC authority:

UPSC SCRA - Phase 1

General Ability

  • Psychological Test - The questions in this part are based on mechanical aptitude and basic intelligence.
  • English - This part contains questions to test the command in the English Language of the Candidate
  • General Knowledge - This part comprises questions to test the general awareness of the candidate. The questions can revolve around the surrounding environment, history, information about the society, politics, etc. The questions in the tests are of 12 standards mostly.

UPSC SCRA - Phase 2 (Physical Science)

The authorities choose the UPSC SCRA Subjects in a way that gauges candidates' familiarity with a wide range of subjects. The following list includes all of the specific topics covered in the two phases' syllabuses as specified by the UPSC authority:

  • Atomic Structure
  • Periodic Classification
  • Chemical Equilibrium
  • Solution
  • Electro-chemistry
  • Radioactivity
  • Hydrogen
  • Elements of the various groups in the Periodic Table and their reactions with certain elements
  • Metallurgical processes
  • Carbon and its compounds
  • Nitro compounds
  • Hydroxyl compounds etc.

Questions on the topic of Physics will be included in this section of the physical science exam. The questions will cover a range of physics subjects, including:

  • Length and measurements
  • Motion in Straight line
  • Newtown’s Law of Motion
  • Mass and Weight
  • Current Electricity
  • Electromagnetism
  • Wave motion
  • Properties of light such as Reflection and Refraction
  • Sound
  • Temperature and its measurement
  • Radioactivity
  • Nuclear Energy

The inquiries will be based on the Physics curriculum through grade 12.

UPSC SCRA - Paper-III Mathematics

  • Trigonometry, algebra, analytic geometry (two-dimensional), differential calculus, integral calculus, differential equations, vectors and their applications, probability and statistics, etc. will all be covered in greater detail in this essay.
  • It is necessary to read all the chapters that fall under these more general headings. The aforementioned topics will be covered in Phase I of the SCRA subjects. The candidates should strategically cover these subjects.
  • From the table below, aspirants can access other helpful links for their preparation:

Personality Test

  • Candidates will advance to the second phase of the written test if they pass the first phase. A panel of specialists will interview the candidates during the following phase, the personality test. Questions will focus on extracurricular activities, academic subjects, and areas of general interest. Analyzing the candidate's leadership initiative and other skills is the major goal of the personality test. Final recruiting will occur when the successful candidates from this step have been chosen for a training session.
  • For their preparation, students are advised to stick to the most recent list of SCRA exam 2022 subjects. The official website is always a reliable resource for this.
  • You should be aware that the Indian Railways, with a workforce of over 1.4 million people, is one of the largest railway networks in the world and one of India's greatest employers. Opportunities will come your way if you are eager to learn. The SCRA Exam will be held by India's top federal recruiting organization UPSC in an effort to give interested students jobs in the Indian Railways.

UPSC SCRA Examination Pattern

Examinants will sit for the UPSC SCRA offline. The phases are briefly described:

Phase I Contains MCQ and objective questions only Consists Paper I, Paper II and Paper III Total duration six hours Total marks 600
Phase II Personality Test/ interview Total marks 200

Best Books for UPSC SCRA Examination

There are many books available in markets and online retailers for the SCRA exam. It's crucial to use the correct literature as references. These publications can assist candidates in getting ready and reviewing for the SCRA exam:

  • Self Study Guide for SCRA by MK Agarwal
  • Solved Papers F-2005 SCRA by Arihant Publication
  • Special Class Railway Apprentices by R. Gupta
  • Objective General English by RS Agarwal
  • SCRA Previous Solved Papers By RPH Editorial Board
  • The Pearson Guide to the SCRA Examination by Edgar Thorpe
  • Special Class Railway Apprentices Entrance Exam Guide by Dr. Datason & Dr. D.V. Chopra & Dr. V.C. Garg

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. What is SCRA examination?

Ans. One of the first engineering entrance exams in the nation was for the Special Class Railway Apprentice (SCRA) programme, and admissions have been fiercely competitive. Up to 2,500,000 candidates have taken the entrance exam, which is now administered by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), for a total of 20 to 30 seats.

Q2. Is the SCRA examination conducts every year?

Ans. Before 2015, SCRA was conducted regularly but after the 2015 SCRA, the conducting authority stopped the recruiting process.

Q3. Is SCRA exam very tough?

Ans. Yes SCRA exam is not easy to crack. It requires rigorous preparation strategy and relevant study material and proper guidance.

Q4. What are the criteria for the age limit to be eligible for the UPSC SCRA exam?

Ans. The minimum required age limit for the UPSC SCRA examination is 17 years.

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