GPSC Goa Exam Pattern & Syllabus

The Goa Public Service Commission conducts Goa Civil Services Examination for recruitment to various administrative positions in Goa.

The recruitment process includes 4 stages -

1. Pre-Screening Test
2. Screening test
3. Written test
4. Interview/ Personality test

GPSC Civil Services - Junior Scale Officer Pre Screening Test

The Pre Screening test includes one objective type paper of 60 marks. The marks in this stage are not counted in the final merit.

1. General Intelligence, reasoning and numerical aptitude:- Number Series, Verbal Classification, Analogies, Matching Definitions, Verbal Reasoning, Statement and Assumption, Statement and Conclusion, Judgments on Cause and Effect, Letter and Symbol Series, Essential Part problems, Artificial Language, Making Judgments, Analyzing Arguments, Course of Action, Logical Problems ,Theme Detection, Statement and Argument, Odd Man Out and Series, Problems on Ages/ seating , word formation, Ranking Arrangements , Venn Diagrams , arrangement /Family trees ,coding decoding ,Problems on time /distance and similar topics - 50 marks
2. English Comprehension - 10 marks
• Note: The Passing Cutoff Percentage for the pre-screening test are as mentioned below: Unreserved Category - 65% (39/60)
• PwD/CFF Category - 60% (36/60)

Goa Civil Services - JSO Screening Test Syllabus

1. History of India and Indian National Movement - 5 marks
2. Indian Polity and Governance – Constitution, Political System, Panchayat Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc. - 10 marks
3. General issues on Environmental Ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change, Air and Water Pollution and its Effects, Forest Conservation. - 5 marks
4. Science, Technology and Innovation: Startups, Seed Funding, Venture Capital, Angel Funding. Aims and Objectives of National Innovation Council, various Government Authorities dealing with Innovation in the Country. Government Initiatives in Innovation. - 5 marks
5. Current Affairs and Events of National and International Importance - 10 marks
6. Indian and World Geography – Physical, Social, Economic. Geography of India and the World - 5 marks
7. General English, Comprehension including Grammar - 10 marks
8. Logical reasoning and analytical ability - 25 marks

• Duration for C.B.R.T : 90 Minutes
• Maximum Marks for C.B.R.T : 75 Marks
• The Passing Cutoff Percentage for the SCREENING TEST are as mentioned below:
• Candidates belonging to Unreserved category/EWS- 65%
• Candidates belonging to OBC/PwD/CFF Category - 60%
• Candidates belonging to SC/ST Category - 55%

Syllabus for the Written test of Goa Civil Services- JSO

Part A : General Intelligence, Reasoning and Numerical Aptitude. (50 Marks)

Part B. Basics of Indian Constitution, Governance and Administration (75 Marks)

This Component is aimed at testing the candidate’s knowledge and aptitude on issues and themes relating to Constitution of India, Governance and Administration. On the Constitution, the student must be familiar with the key provisions of the Constitution of India having a direct linkage to the functioning of the Indian Democracy and also the debates surrounding Constitutional Reform/ Amendment. With reference to Governance and administration, he must be familiar with the role of bureaucracy, Central, State and local level governance mechanisms (with reference to India and the state of Goa), fundamentals of good Governance and emerging issues in society-bureaucracy interface. The select themes shall include:

• Constitution of India:- Preamble, Fundamental rights, Fundamental Duties, Directive Principles of State Policy
• Constitution of India and the Central and State Legislatures, Executives and Judiciary
• Central State Relations, Union, State and Concurrent lists, Budgetary Allocations, Role of Finance and National Institute for Transforming India(NITI Aayog).
• Elections and Electoral Process, Central and State Election Commissions, Representation of the People Act, 1950 (43 of 1950) and Representation of the People Act, 1951(43 of 1951).
• Role of Bureaucracy in nation building, Civil Services Training, Central Civil Service Rules, Integrity in Administration, Public Private Partnership.
• Good Governance: Efficiency, Transparency, Accountability in Governance, Right to Information Act, 2005 (22 of 2005), Role of Lokayukta and Lokpal. 75 Marks

Part C. General Knowledge and Current Affairs (75 marks)

This component is intended to test the candidate’s awareness and knowledge on general issues of both historical and contemporary nature relating to India and the State of Goa. The questions aim at testing both the factual as well as the analytical grasp of the candidate on such issues without actually testing deeper knowledge on the subject. It may contain questions on history, geography, culture, scientific developments and current affairs. The select theme shall include:

• Current Events of State, National and International importance.
• India’s Freedom Struggle, Goa’s Freedom struggle.
• Physical, Economic and Social Geography of India and Goa
• Religion, Customs and Festivals: India and Goa Information and Communication Technology, Biodiversity, Environment and Climate Change. Social Movements: Corruption, Environment, Women’s issues 75 Marks

Part D: English Comprehension (50 marks)

Total Marks: 250

• The interview or Personality test is the final stage of Goa Civil services- Junior Scale Officer recruitment process.
• This stage carries 40 marks.
• Candidates' overall personality, communication skills, problem-solving abilities, and general awareness are evaluated.
• The test is intended to judge the mental calibre of candidate. In broad terms, this is really an assessment of not only the intellectual qualities but also social traits and interest in current affairs including the knowledge of customs, manners and dialects of Goa.
• Some of the qualities to be judged are mental alertness, critical powers of assimilation, care, and logical exposition, the balance of judgments, variety, and depth of interest, ability for social cohesion and leadership, intellectual and moral integrity
• The marks obtained in the interview (out of 40) are added to the Mains marks (out of 250) for the final merit ranking (out of 290)