OPSC ASCO Syllabus 2024 and Exam Pattern, Syllabus Topics

The Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) is going to conduct the OPSC ASCO Exam 2024 in offline mode to select candidates for the position of Assistant Soil Conservation Officer in Odisha. To succeed in this exam, candidates should familiarize themselves with the OPSC ASCO Syllabus 2024 and exam pattern. Understanding these will enable candidates to create a structured study plan, enhancing their chances of achieving high marks. Effective preparation is key to performing well in the exam and securing a favorable outcome.

OPSC ASCO Syllabus 2024 and Exam Pattern

The OPSC ASCO Exam 2024 is a state-level examination organized in Odisha. Candidates preparing for this exam should be aware of the updated syllabus and exam pattern. The selection process for OPSC ASCO Recruitment 2024 includes a written exam followed by an interview. The written exam lasts for 2 hours and 30 minutes and consists of multiple-choice questions (MCQs). The written exam is divided into two papers: Paper I and Paper II. There is no negative marking on each paper. Detailed information about the OPSC ASCO Syllabus 2024 and the pattern is provided below for all candidates taking this exam.

OPSC ASCO Recruitment 2024 Notification Out for 81 Vacancies – Click to Check

OPSC ASCO Exam Pattern 2024

The OPSC ASCO Exam Pattern 2024 consists of two papers. Paper I comprises 100 questions, each carrying one mark, totaling 100 marks. Similarly, Paper-II also includes 100 questions, each worth one mark, making up another 100 marks. In total, the exam has 200 questions and a maximum of 200 marks.

OPSC ASCO Syllabus 2024

The OPSC ASCO Syllabus 2024 for the Assistant Soil Conservation Officer written exam allows candidates to choose one subject from Agriculture, Agricultural Engineering, Forestry, or Horticulture. The updated syllabus for the Assistant Soil Conservation Officer written examination includes detailed units and topics for both Paper I and Paper II within these chosen subjects. Below are the specific units and topics for each subject, providing a comprehensive guide for candidates preparing for the exam.

OPSC ASCO Syllabus for Agriculture

The OPSC ASCO Syllabus for Agriculture, for both Paper I and Paper II, includes topics such as soil farming processes, general agriculture, agro forestry, and soil and water conservation and more.

Paper I

Unit I – General agriculture: Importance, Trend in agriculture and allied sectors, Present day problems and remedial measures, Government policies.

Unit II – Natural Resources: Land Water, Forest, Energy – their use, exploitation, conservation, equitable use of resources for sustainable lifestyle: Plant Ecosystem: Biodiversity and its conservation: Environmental Pollution: Natural Disasters and their management: Organic farming and Sustainable agriculture: Conservation agriculture: Agricultural waste management: Climate change and agriculture.

Unit III – Soil farming processes; Soil physical properties: tenure structure, density and porosity, Soil water retention, movement and availability; Soil reaction-pH, Soil acidity and alkalinity; Soil organic matter: influence on soil properties and soil fertility, Soil organisms: macro and micro organisms, their beneficial and harmful effects; Soil pollution: behavior of pesticides and inorganic contaminants, prevention and mitigation; Soil quality and health.

Unit IV – Weather and crop growth; Tillage and tilth; Modern concepts of Tillage; Seed and sowing: Cropping systems and Integrated Farming System; Crop nutrition: Essential nutrients – their functions and deficiency symptoms in plants; Nutrient sources: organic manures-fertilizers- biofertilizers-Integrated Nutrient Management; Water and weed management in field; horticultural and plantation crops; Plant protection; Harvesting, storage and value addition.

Unit V – Economic importance: production and protection technology of important field crops – rice, maize, finger millet, pulses and oilseeds, cotton, sugarcane, potato, Importance and scope of fruit and plantation crops production and protection technologies for the cultivation of fruit and plantation crops-mango, banana, citrus, guava, litchi, papaya, pineapple, pomegranate, jackfruit, coconut, areca nut, cashew, tea, coffee, rubber: Nursery techniques and their management: Nutrition garden.

Paper II

Unit I – Agro forestry-objectives and potential; Agro forestry system-sub-system and practice; Planning for agro forestry-constraints, diagnosis and design methodology, selection of tree crop species for agro forestry; Agro forestry for food, feed, fuel and nutritional security, soil improvement-carbon sequestration, microclimate amelioration, industrial requirement

Unit II – Rainfed agriculture: problems and prospects; Rainfall analysis: Draught-classification, causes and impacts, drought management strategy; crops and cropping systems, soil moisture and rain water conservation-in-situ and Ex-situ storage, water harvesting and recycling, contingent crop planning under aberrant weather conditions, dry land horticulture: Watershed planning based on land capability classes and hydrologic data, watershed delineation and prioritization: Water budgeting in a watershed: Integrated watershed management-concept, objectives components, arable lands agriculture and horticulture, non- arable lands-forestry, fishery and animal husbandry, Watershed programme-execution, follow-up practices, maintenance, monitoring and evaluation; Participatory watershed management role of watershed associations, user groups and self-help groups and formulation of project proposal for watershed management programme including cost-benefit analysis.

Unit III – Soil and water conservation – issues and importance: causes and agents of soil erosion: water crosion: Hydrologic cycle, precipitation and its forms, Runoff estimation, Forms of water erosion, Gully classification and control measures, Principles of erosion control: Introduction to contouring, strip cropping, contour bund, graded bund and bench terracing, grassed water ways and their design: Water harvesting principles, importance and techniques: Runoff harvesting-short-term and long-term techniques: Water harvesting structures farm ponds-percolation pond-dug-out and embankment reservoir types, tanks and subsurface dykes: Wind erosion: mechanics of wind erosion. Types of soil movement Principles of wind erosion control and its control measures.

Unit IV – Wasteland-causes, distribution and sustainable wasteland development Government policies, Participatory approach; Afforestation, shifting cultivation, Optimal land use options: Reclamation of Saline, Sodic, Acid, Waterlogged, Eroded, Compacted, Flooded, Polluted soils and Mie spoils: Desertification-impact and causes, prevention and control measures; Bio-remediation of soils through multipurpose tree species.

Unit V – Protected cultivation; importance and scope controlled conditions, method and techniques, canopy management, irrigation and fustigation, liquid fertilizers ad their solubility and compatibility, insect pest and disease management: Production of quality planting materials, cultivation of high value crops and off-season production in green houses, Components of precision faring: Remote sensing Geographical information system (GIS) Differential Geo-positioning System (DGPS), Variable Rate applicator(VRA), application of precision faring in agriculture; Remote sensing and GIS in diagnosis and management of problem soils: Land capability and land suitability classification.