MPSC Technical Services Syllabus 2022 (Updated), MPSC तांत्रिक सेवा परीक्षा अभ्यासक्रम 2022

• Forester, Group B
• Deputy Director of Agriculture, Group A
• Taluka Agriculture Officer, Grp B
• Agriculture Officer Junior, Group B
• Assistant Engineer Civil, Group B
• Assistant Engineer Electrical and Mechanical, Group B

Definition, meaning, and its branches. Factors affecting crop production, Agro-Climatic Zones. Cropping Systems: Definition and types of cropping systems, Problems of dryland agriculture. Seed production, seed processing, seed village, Meteorology: weather parameters, crop-weather advisory. System of crop intensification. Organic farming. Major soil types of India and Maharashtra. Fertilizers. Integrated watershed management.

Food production and consumption trends in India. Food security and growing population. Reasons for grain surplus. National and International food policies. Production and procurement: Need for food security, NFSM, and other food security-related Government initiatives, the impact of

Government procurement & distribution. Buffer stock – Objectives & Norms in India. Availability of food grains, per capita expenditure on food. Trends in poverty, public distribution system and below poverty line population, targeted public distribution system (PDS), policy implementation in context to globalization. Processing constraints. Relation of food production to national dietary guidelines and food consumption pattern. Food-based dietary approaches to eliminate hunger; nutrient deficiency – micronutrient deficiency: protein-energy, malnutrition or protein-calorie malnutrition (PEM or PCM) and HRD in context of work capacity of women and children. Food grain productivity and food security.

Ecology and its relevance to man, natural resources, their sustainable management and conservation. Causes of climate change. Green House Gases (GHG), major GHG emitting countries, climate analysis. distinguish between adaptation and mitigation. climate change impact to agriculture and rural livelihood. carbon credit, IPCC. UNFCCC. CoP meetings, funding mechanisms for climate change projects, initiatives by Govt. of India, NAPCC. SAPCC, INDC. Present scenario of Indian agriculture ed activities: recent trends, major challenges in agriculture. measures to enhance the viability of agriculture: Factors of Production in agriculture; Agricultural finance and marketing. Impact of globalization on Indian agriculture and issues of food security: concept and types of farm management.

Concept of rural area. Structure of the Indian rural economy: Importance and role of the rural sector in India. Economic, social and demographic characteristics of the Indian rural economy. causes of rural backwardness, rural population in India, Occupational structure, farmers, agricultural laborers, artisans, handicrafts. traders, forest dwellers/tribes and others in rural India, Trends of change in rural population and rural workforce. problems and conditions of rural labour.

Precision agriculture: concepts and techniques, Geo-informatics use in precision agriculture. Crop discrimination and yield monitoring, soil mapping: fertilizer recommendation using geospatial technologies. Spatial data and their management in GIS, remote sensing concepts and application in agriculture. Image processing and interpretation: global positioning system (GPS). crop simulation models and their uses. STCR approach for precision nutrient Management: Nanotechnology concepts and techniques. nano-particles. nano-pesticides. nano-fertilizers, nano-sensors. Use of nanotechnology in seed, water. fertilizer, plant protection.

Maharashtra Tenancy and Agricultural Land Acts, 1948: Concept of tenancy, right of tenants. Tiller’s Day. Termination of tenancy deemed tenancy. Personal cultivation, condition of purchase of agriculture land in Maharashtra. Sale of tenanted land, Confiscation powers of revenue officers.

Essential Commodities Act 1955: Essential commodities act in relation to cotton, sugarcane, food grains, milk, and meat. Right to Fair compensation and transparency in land acquisition. Rehabilitation and resettlement Act, 2013.

Agriculture pest and disease Act (1950): Prevention of food adulteration act (1954). Food production order (1956), Indian seeds act (1966). Vegetable oil product Act (1967), Insecticides Act (1968), Agriculture Produce Market Act (1972). Meat Food Products Order (1973). Vegetable Oil product (standard of quality) order (1975). Indian veterinary council act (1984), Consumer protection act (1986), Indian fisheries act (1897). Central agricultural universities act (1992), Destructive insects and Pests (Amendment and Validation) act (1992). The Protection of plant varieties and farmers’ rights Act (2001). Biodiversity act (2002). Agricultural employees protection Act (2002), Right to information act (2005), Food Safety and Standards Act (2006). National Food Security Act (2013). Model agricultural produce and livestock marketing (Promotion & Facilitation) act. (2017). The-State/UT agricultural produce & livestock contract farming and services (Promotion & Facilitation) act (2018). Food safety and standards Act, 2006 (FSSA). Food safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

Rural Development Schemes: Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), Mission antyodaya, National social assistance program (NSAP). Deen dayal antyodaya yojana (DDAY) and MGNREGA.

Other Schemes: National agriculture market (eNAM), National mission for sustainable agriculture (NMSA), Pradhan Mantri Krishi sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY). Paramparagat krishi vikas yojana (PKVY), APEDA.

Current Affairs in agriculture especially focus on cropping patterns. Irrigation, storage, transport, and marketing of agricultural produce, Farm subsidies minimum support price (MSP) FRP for Sugarcane. Public distribution system food security, Food processing & land reforms Disaster management.

Highlights of agriculture in current union budgets, economic survey, facts, and figures in various reports like livestock census. NABARD reports Economic survey, Current statistical data about the area, production, and productivity of agricultural, horticultural crops. forest in-country and Maharashtra: Currently released technologies/ varieties/products/breeds of livestock animals etc. by ICAR. National Research Centers. Directorates and SAU’s with special reference to Maharashtra. Recent schemes, rules, and regulations, norms, Rečent farm laws etc. formulated by the government of India and the Government of Maharashtra and their impact. Recent facts and figures about agricultural exports and imports.

Recent advancement in agriculture research. ICAR Institutional changes/ updates. States/ National / International awards, fellowships in agriculture and food.

Tillage and tilth, Seeds and sowing. Crop density and geometry, Soil Management, Plant ideotypes, Crop adaptation and its distribution.

Earth atmosphere, Atmospheric weather variables; Nature and properties of solar radiation, types, solar constant, depletion of solar radiation, net radiation, albedo; Atmospheric temperature, temperature inversion, lapse rate, daily and seasonal variations of temperature, the vertical profile of temperature, the Energy balance of earth; Precipitation process, types, and classification; Atmospheric humidity, the concept of saturation, vapor pressure, the process of condensation, formation of dew, fog, mist, frost, cloud; Artificial rainmaking. Monsoon- mechanism and importance in Indian agriculture, Weather hazards and extreme weather conditions, Modifications of crop microclimate, climatic normals for crop. Weather forecasting – types, Climate change, climatic variability, global warming, causes of climate change, and its impact. Conservation Agriculture.

Origin, geographical distribution, economic importance, soil and climatic requirements, varieties, cultural practices, Intercropping, pest and disease management and yield of Kharif, Rabi and Summer field crops.

Weed classification, harmful and beneficial effects on the ecosystem, Reproduction, and dissemination of weeds. Herbicide classification, the concept of adjuvant, surfactant, herbicide formulation, and their use. Introduction to the mode of action of herbicides and selectivity. Allelopathy and its application for weed management. Bio-herbicides and their application in agriculture. Herbicide mixture, Herbicide compatibility, Integrated weed management, Herbicide Resistance, and management.

Rainfed agriculture, types, Problems, and prospects of rainfed agriculture; Drought: types, Crop adaptation, and mitigation to drought; Crop management in rainfed areas, Contingent crop planning for aberrant weather conditions.

Farming system concept, its types, Farming system components, and their maintenance, Cropping system and pattern, multiple cropping systems, crop rotation and principles, Efficient cropping systems, Allied enterprises, Tools for determining production and efficiencies in cropping and farming system; Sustainable agriculture, indicators of sustainability, adaptation and mitigation, conservation agriculture strategies, HEIA, LEIA and LEISA and its techniques for sustainability, Integrated farming system, objectives and characteristics, components of IFS, Site-specific IFS model for different agro-climatic zones, Resource cycling and flow of energy in the different farming system.

Organic farming and its principles, Organic ecosystem concepts; Organic nutrient resources and its fortification; Restrictions to nutrient use in organic farming; Choice of crops and varieties in organic farming; Fundamentals of insect, pest, disease and weed management under the organic mode of production; Operational structure of NPOP; Certification process and standards of organic farming; Processing, marketing and export potential of organic products.

Water Resources of India and Maharashtra, Irrigation scheduling criteria and methods, Quality of irrigation water, Soil-Water–Plant relationship, the Water requirement of different Agronomic crops. Evaporation, Transpiration, Evapotranspiration, Potential-evapotranspiration, effective rainfall, and consumptive use of water. Water Use efficiency, Irrigation Efficiencies. Crop water management techniques in problematic areas.

Aquifer and its types; classification of wells, artificial groundwater recharge techniques; water-lifting devices; classification of pumps, component parts of centrifugal pumps, priming, pump selection, installation, the effect of speed on capacity, head, and power, the effect of change of impeller dimensions on performance characteristics; propeller pumps, mixed flow pumps, deep well turbine pump and submersible pump.

Waterlogging – causes and impacts, drainage, objectives of drainage, Surface drainage coefficient, subsurface drainage, hydraulic conductivity, drainable porosity, water table, Design of subsurface drainage system, drainage pipes, drain envelope, Vertical drainage. Bio-drainage, mole drains, conjunctive use of fresh and saline waters.

Basic concepts of command area – definition, Description of components of irrigation canal system, crop water requirement, duty and delta, specific discharge of canal, Canal seepage and lining of canal, diversion headworks and canal head regulators, hydraulic jumps, cross drainage works, canal falls, irrigation structures on distributary.

Surveying, classification and basic principles, chain surveying, cross-staff, and compass surveying, plane table surveying, leveling, contouring, and computation of area and volume. Introduction of soil mechanics, physical and index properties of soil, seepage analysis, shear strength, compaction, consolidation of soil, active and passive earth pressures, stability of slope. Hydrological cycle, hyetograph, intensity-duration-frequency relationship, hydrological process, evaporation, runoff, hydrograph, and its types. Soil erosion- introduction, causes, types of soil erosion, water erosion, soil loss estimation with components of USLE, water erosion, control measures, gully – ravines reclamation, wind erosion, principles mechanics and types of soil movement. Sedimentation. Water harvesting techniques- classification, farm ponds, temporary and permanent gully control measures- design and stability analysis.

Farm Power and Machinery

Sources of farm power: Human, animal, mechanical, electrical, solar, wind power and farm mechanization. Principle of operation of Internal Combustion (IC) engine: IC engine types, components of IC engine, working principles of two stroke and four-stroke engine, engine terminology. IC engine systems: Air cleaner, fuel and fuel supply system, cooling system, and lubrication system of tractor. Tractor: Tractor types and their selection, operating cost of tractor and attached implements. Primary tillage implements – Mould board (MB) plough, disc plough, rotavator. Secondary tillage implements-Harrows and cultivators.

Implements for inter-culturing operations: Hand tools and hoes, tractor drawn intercultural equipments. Seed drills and planters: Sowing methods, seed drill, components of seed drill, fluted seed metering mechanism, types of furrow openers, calibration of seed drill and seed cum fertilizer drill, Planters, functions, seed metering device in the planter. Plant protection equipment: Types of sprayers, classification of spraying techniques, and dusting machines. Harvesting and threshing machinery: Harvesting and threshing machinery, harvesting methods, mower and combine harvester.

Agricultural Process Engineering

Introduction, Unit operations of grain processing. Cleaning and grading, aspiration, scalping. Screens and sieves-Types, classification, Air screen cleaner- and capacity, the effectiveness of screens. Various types of separators- specific gravity, magnetic, disc, spiral, pneumatic, inclined draper, velvet roll, color sorters, cyclone. Size reduction: principle, Bond’s law, Kick’s law, Rittinger’s law, procedure (crushing, impact, cutting and shearing), Size reduction machinery: Jaw crusher, Hammer mill, Plate mill, Ball mill. Sieve analysis and particle size.

Drying: moisture content; Free, bound, and equilibrium moisture content, isotherm, hysteresis effect, EMC determination. Psychrometric chart and its use in drying, Drying principles and theory, Thin layer and deep bed drying analysis, Falling rate and constant rate drying periods, maximum and decreasing drying rate period. Drying equations, Mass, and energy balance. Methods of drying, types of grain dryers.

Milling of paddy, Type of rice milling machinery. Modern rice milling – unit operations and machines. Parboiling of paddy – importance, and methods. milling of maize- methods and processed products, milling of wheat operations, and machinery. Processing of sorghum and millets. Milling of pulses-Unit operation, methods, and machines. Processing of oilseeds- Unit operations. Mechanical expression and solvent extraction methods. Mixing: Theory of mixing of solids and pastes, Mixing index, types of mixers for solids, liquid foods, and pastes. Material handling equipment. Types of conveyors: belt, roller, chain, and screw. Pneumatic conveying. Bucket Elevator. Cranes & hoists. Trucks (refrigerated/ unrefrigerated),

Aerodynamics properties of agricultural products, drag coefficients, terminal velocity. Rheological properties; force, deformation, stress, strain, elastic, plastic and viscous behavior, Newtonian and Non-Newtonian liquid, Visco-elasticity, Newtonian and Non-Newtonian fluid, Pseudo-plastic, Dilatant, Thixotropic, Rheopectic and Bingham Plastic Foods. Electrical properties.

Unconventional Energy Sources and Electrical Engineering

Concept and limitation of Renewable Energy Sources (RES), criteria for assessing the potential of RES, Classification of RES. Solar, Heat, Geothermal, Biomass, ocean energy sources. Comparison of Renewable Energy Sources With non-Renewable Energy Sources. Energy is available from Sun. Solar radiation data. Solar energy conversion heat through Flat plate and concentrating collector. Principle of natural and forced convection drying system, Solar Photo voltaics: P-n junctions. Solar cell. PV systems. Energy available from wind. General formula, Lift and drage. Basis of wind energy conversion. working principle of wind power plant Bio-energy

Pyrolysis of biomass to produce solid, liquid, and gaseous fuels. Biomass Gasification. Types of gasifiers, various types of biomass cookstoves for rural energy needs. Biogas: types of biogas plants, biogas generation, factors affecting biogas generation and usages, design consideration, advantages and disadvantages of bio-gas spent slurry.

Planning and layout of the farmstead. Scope, importance and need for environmental control, physiological reaction of livestock environmental factors, environmental control systems and their design, control of temperature, humidity, and other air constituents by ventilation and other methods, Livestock production facilities, BIS Standards for dairy, piggery, poultry, and other farm structures. Design, construction, and cost estimation of farm structures; animal shelters, compost pit, fodder silo, fencing and implement sheds, barn for cows, buffalo, poultry, etc. Causes of spoilage, Water activity for low and high moisture food and its limits for storage, Moisture and temperature changes in grain bins; Traditional storage structures and their improvements, Improved storage structures (CAP, hermetic storage, Pusa bin, RCC ring bins), Bag storage structures, Shallow and Deep bin. Rural living and development, rural roads, their construction cost, and repair and maintenance.

Protected cultivation: Components of greenhouse, perspective, Types of greenhouses, poly houses /shed nets, Cladding materials, greenhouse effect, light, temperature, relative humidity, carbon dioxide enrichment, Design and construction of greenhouses. Greenhouse heating – necessity, components, methods, design of the heating system. Root media – types – soil and soilless media, composition, estimation, preparation, and disinfection, bed preparation. Planting techniques in greenhouse cultivation. Economic analysis.

Importance and significance of microbes in food science. Spoilage of cereal and cereal products, Milk and milk products, meat and meat products, Poultry and eggs, fish and other seafood, Fruits and vegetables and canned foods, Sugar and sugar products, and salts and spices. Importance, role in fermented foods, organisms involved, beneficial effects, Foodborne intoxications and infections, types of food involved, toxicity and symptoms, Types of fermentations; Alcoholic beverages: types, production and quality, Microbial cell products i.e. Mushroom, SCP, Baker’s yeast, blue-green algae and spirulina, Permitted and non-permitted food additives, Microbial standards of fresh and processed foods.

Development and History of food chemistry. Introduction of food chemistry, biochemistry, and its scope. Food-based nutrients: {Carbohydrates, Proteins, Lipids, Vitamins, and Minerals} and its analytical techniques. Formulation of diets, recommended dietary allowances (RDA) for adults and children. Role of food chemist. Moisture in foods, Chemistry of food flavor, Nutraceuticals in food, Food pigments present in animal and plants kingdoms. Food product sampling plan: Sample collection and preparation for analysis. Food-based different chromatographic techniques. Role of enzymes for the preparation of food products in co-relation with the food industry. Classification of protein isolation and purification. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of food products. Calculation of basal metabolic rate (BMR). Calculation of body mass index (BMI). Nutritional labeling of food products. Role of various national and international agencies in the field of human nutrition

Minimal processing techniques for food, thermal Processing techniques: High-Temperature Short Time Processing, Extrusion, Ultra-high temperature, Drying, Dehydration, Evaporation, Concentration, Pasteurization, Sterilization. Low-temperature preservation, Dehydro freezing, Lyophilization. Non-thermal processing: High-pressure processing, Pulse electric field, Ultrasound, Pulse light, Ultraviolet light, Irradiation, Cold plasma processing, Ultrasonication, Ozone processing, Supercritical fluid extraction.

Agricultural Finance – meaning, definition, nature and scope. Agricultural Credit – meaning, Definition, importance and classification based on various criteria.

Credit Analysis – 3 R’s of Credit; 5 C’s of Credit; and 7 P’s of Credit; Repayment Plans.

Financial Statements – meaning, types and uses, Ratio Analysis – current ratio, intermediate ratio, net capital ratio, acid-test ratio, debt-equity ratio, operating ratio, fixed ratio, and gross ratio.

Time Value of Money / Principle of Time Comparison – meaning and importance of Compounding and Discounting.

History of agriculture financing in India. Nationalization of banks – meaning, it’s impact and objectives;

The scale of finance and security for loans. Banking schemes for agricultural finance – Differential Rate of Interest (DIR) Scheme – origin and features; Kisan Credit Card Scheme – origin, objectives, and features. Financial inclusion – Jan DhanYojana, financial literacy, and business correspondent model. NPAs in agricultural lending: applicability of the SARFESI Act in agricultural lending.

Introduction to food, food business and it management, Types and classification of Foods, Food Business, Institutions involved in Food preparation, Marketing and Exporting. Present status of the food industry in India – Current market size and future potential – Key drivers for growth. Recent advances in food processing, quality management in the food industry- Food Safety and standards (ISO and Codex). Food traceability. Food preservation methods – Food Packaging and Labelling – Improved food grain storage structures. Logistics management at different stages of marketing the food products. Food business environment and policy. IPR in Food Industry, Entrepreneurship opportunities in the food business. Food Economics and Policy, Innovation in the food business at domestic and international, Food Business Marketing. Successful business organizations. Food business Environment & Policy, Government, Regulations/Guidelines for the food sector. Food Waste management. Food Retailing, Formats of Food Service Industry, Policies related to Food Processing and Markets, Institutions enabling food processing sector viz. Agmark, HACCP, ECO MARK. Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.

Meaning and definition of the project, general features of projects, importance, and objectives of project analysis. Categories of projects based on various criteria. Project cycle, stages of the project cycle – conception, formulation, appraisal, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. Criteria for appraising projects – ex-ante and ex-post evaluation. Differences between economic and financial analysis in project evaluation. Costs and benefits of agribusiness projects, comparing costs and benefits of agribusiness projects. Externalities – meaning and definition, positive externalities, negative externalities and internalization of externalities, the divergence between social costs and benefits of a project.

Undiscounted measures of project worth – Accounting Rate of Return (ARR), ranking by inspection, payback period, proceeds per rupee of outlay, and average annual proceeds per rupee of outlay. Time value of money – compounding and discounting, choice of a discount rate. Discounted cash flow measures of project appraisal – Net Present Worth (NPW), Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR), and Internal Rate of Return (IRR). Risk and uncertainty. Sensitivity analysis, general kinds of sensitivity analyses, social cost-benefit analysis, and rationale for social cost-benefit analysis. Project management – meaning, importance, and triple constraint.

Project management structures – functional organization, project organization, and matrix organization – meaning, advantages, and disadvantages. Project Rating Index (PRI), Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), and Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM / RACI). Network analysis – CPM and PERT. Project financing – sources of financing a project. Business incubators – definition, types, and their benefits.

Project control – monitoring time performance (Gnatt Charts, Control Charts), performance index, and percent complete index. Project audit and project closure.

Food groups, Food processing methods, Nutritive value Requirement, functions, sources and deficiency diseases of nutrients; Community Nutrition: National and International program for improving the nutritional status of the community; Determinants of human growth and development, Genetic basis, Stages of human life span, Components/domains of human development, Children with special needs.