BCS Preliminary Syllabus: A Comprehensive Guide

The Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) preliminary examination serves as the initial screening stage for aspiring civil servants in Bangladesh. A thorough understanding of the syllabus is crucial for effective preparation. This article provides a detailed breakdown of the English syllabus for the BCS preliminary examination, along with insights into other key subject areas.

English Language and Literature

The English section of the BCS preliminary examination assesses a candidate's proficiency in the English language, encompassing both grammar and comprehension skills.

1. Reading Comprehension:

An unseen passage dealing with a topic relevant to our times will be set (30 marks). This section aims to evaluate the candidate's ability to understand and interpret complex texts, identify the main idea, and draw inferences.

2. Grammar and Usage:

A number of questions related to grammar and usage will be included. This segment tests the candidate's knowledge of English grammar rules, vocabulary, and correct usage. Key areas include:
- Vocabulary: Synonyms, antonyms, analogies, and word meanings.
- Grammar: Tense, articles, prepositions, subject-verb agreement, and sentence correction.
- Idioms and Phrases: Understanding the meaning and usage of common idioms and phrases.

Bangladesh Affairs

This section covers various aspects of Bangladesh, including its history, geography, economy, and current affairs.

History of Bangladesh: Focus on significant events, movements, and figures in the history of Bangladesh, particularly the events of March and the return to liberated Bangladesh.
Geography of Bangladesh: Knowledge of the country's physical features, climate, and natural resources.
Economy of Bangladesh: Understanding of key economic indicators such as GNP, NNP, and GDP, as well as developments including Poverty Alleviation and Vision-2021.
Current Affairs: Awareness of recent events and developments in Bangladesh, including Elections in Bangladesh.

International Affairs

This part of the syllabus deals with conceptual and empirical issues in international affairs, requiring a basic understanding of global phenomena and policy matters.

Understanding international affairs, its nature, and evolution.
Relations, processes, functions, and politics of regional and global institutions.
Understanding of international affairs, its nature and evolution.
Empirical issues in international affairs.

Mental Ability Test

The objective of the mental ability test is to assess the differential aptitude of the candidate.

The ability to understand concepts framed in pairs of words, covering areas like history, geography, literature, science, or any other content area.
Candidate’s reasoning ability.
Operating principle in the changing diagrams through visualization.
The ability to detect errors in grammar, punctuation, and capitalization. This is regarded as one aspect of intelligence, if intelligence is broadly defined.

Mathematical Reasoning

Mathematical Reasoning is based on the principles of Logic and includes topics such as:

Exponents and Logarithms.
Line, Angle, Triangle related theorems.
Trigonometric ratios and functions.
Set theory.
Counting Principles, Permutations, and Combinations.

Computer and Information Technology

This section evaluates basic knowledge of computer hardware, software, networking, and information technology.

Computer Basics: i. and uses. The role of BIOS. levels, steps for software development.
Networking: extranet, Word Wide Web(WWW) and web technology. and privacy. Transmission media with examples, bandwidth.
Hardware: voltages, thermal, hydraulic and nuclear power generators.
Electronics: television, and radar.

Ethics and Values

The nature, scope, methods and aims of Philosophy. Is Philosophy Useful in Life? Logic as a normative science. What is knowledge? (Kant) and Intuitionism.
What is truth? What is meant by God? The nature of moral standard.
Mutual involvement of right and duty. Wrong-doing and punishment.

General Science

field. Conservation laws of a system of particles. Rocket motion. Euler-Lagrange equations of motion. Postulates of special theory of relativity. Schrodinger equation. Postulates of quantum mechanics.
Eigenvalues of the angular momentum operator. Approxmation methods. Photoelectric effect. Wave-particle duality. Pauli’s principle. Laser. Properties of a laser beam. Crystalline nature of solids. Waals Crystals. Semiconductors-Extrinsic, Semiconductor, Density of states.
Semiconductor diode. Alternating : Generation of alternating E.M.F. Impedances in A.C. Current A.C. power, Resonance circuits, D.C. and A.C.
Configuration. and Bistable multivibrators.
Principles of manufacturing common organic and inorganic industrial products. & LUMO Kinetics and energetics in reaction mechanism.

Geography (Bangladesh & World), Environment & Disaster Management

Water conditioning and water treatment. Municipal water supply. Boiler feed water.
Air and water pollution. Greenhouse effect. Ozone hole. Kyoto protocol.

Agriculture

tobacco, lentil, groundnut, soyabean and mustard. cabbage, cauliflower, brinjal, onion, garlic and chili.
Importance of irrigation and drainage for crop production. different methods of irrigation. Irrigation seedling in crops. agro-ecological zones (AEZ) of Bangladesh. water management utilization of agriculture wastes. with safety measures. Economic injury level and LD50.
Development of hybrid and modern varieties (MVs).
Bio-technology in Agriculture: Tissue culture, genetic engineering.

Social Science

Meaning objectives, scope and necessity of social welfare or social work. modern social work-Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity. work as a profession, difference between professional non-professional social work.
Use of Social Group Work as a problem-solving process in the context of Bangladesh. Definition and role of Social Administration in promoting social welfare in Bangladesh.