Science & Technology is undoubtedly one of the most important subjects of the Civil Services Examination. With all the technological advancements in the 21st century and how they are transforming our lives, the study of Science & Technology during the UPSC exam preparation has become crucial for aspiring Civil Servants.

The UPSC has laid particular emphasis on the subject with its inclusion in the Prelims and Mains syllabus. It won’t be wrong to state that the questions related to Science & Technology are often asked in the Interview round also to ensure that aspirants have a basic understanding of technological developments.

For instance, e-governance is related to Science & Technology!

With all being said, the subject’s preparation is often considered a “Challenge”, especially by aspirants with a non-science background. They are often unaware of the high-priority and other important topics of the subject. But not now! 

In this article, we will share some of the essential topics that candidates must study on priority.

Navigate further to know more about it.

Also read: How to Crack the UPSC Exam in the First Attempt?

Crucial Topics for Science & Technology

Questions from Science and Technology topics are either Current Affairs driven or basic in nature. To score more in the section, it is imperative to keep a close watch on the recent developments in Science and Technology, especially in domains mentioned in the Prelims and Mains syllabus, such as General Science and Technology.

Besides that, candidates should prepare for the following important topics intensively to gain an edge in their preparation:

Topics	Sub-topics
Biotechnology	Definition and Explanation Transgenic and Cisgenic Organisms Bt Brinjal Bt Cotton Genetic Pollution Concerns about Genetically Modified Crops
Information Technology	Important Terms in IT Cyber Warfare Blockchain Technology Automation Artificial Intelligence
Achievements of Indians in Science & Technology	Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Satyendra Nath Bose Meghnad Saha Homi Jehangir Bhabha Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Vikram Sarabhai Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya Har Gobind Khorana Tessy Thomas C.N.R. Rao
Awareness in Different Fields	IT & Computers Space Nanotechnology Biotechnology Robotics Defense Nuclear
Issues Related to Intellectual Property Rights(IPR)	Need for Intellectual Property Rights Types of IPR IPR Regime in India International Agreements Related to IPRs Geographical Indicators Recent Issues – Evergreening, Compulsory Licensing, Prominent Cases, etc.

Practical Tips for Science & Technology Preparation

Tip#1 Refer NCERTs (Class VI to XII) to build a strong foundation and understand the basic concepts/terms of Science & Technology. It is essential to have a conceptual understanding before advancing to prepare the complex syllabus at the Mains level.

Getting your basics strong becomes more vital if you have chosen an optional related to Science and Technology. 

Also read: What Are PrepLadder NCERT Notes?

Tip#2 There is no better way to prepare for the subject than referring to and solving previous years’ question papers. They are the best learning material to acquaint you with the exam pattern and the types of questions frequently asked in the exam.

Tip#3 Science & Technology preparation should be aligned with Current Affairs. It is observed that the questions related to the subject are often asked from the current /recent developments. Hence, any news related to the science field should not be missed.

For instance, advancement in Artificial Intelligence, Space Exploration Missions, advancement in Medical Technology, etc.

Tip#4 Regularly visit the official websites of the Ministry of Science and Technology https://dst.gov.in/ and PIB for the latest updates/developments or anything related to the field.

Tip#5 Last but not least, Multiple revisions and referring to self-prepared notes are vital to score good marks in the exam. These two aspects are the perfect ingredients for adequate exam preparation. 

Few Science and Technology Questions asked in past year UPSC Prelims Paper

Q.1 Recombinant DNA technology (Genetic Engineering) allows genes to be transferred

1. Across different species of plants

2. From animals to plants

3. From microorganisms to higher organisms

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

1. 1 only

2. 2 and 3 only

3. 1 and 3 only

4. 1, 2 and 3

Answer: A

Q. 2 India-based Neutrino Observatory is included by the Planning Commission as a mega-science project under the 11th five-Year Plan. In this context, consider the following statements:

1. Neutrinos are chargeless elementary particles that travel close to the speed of light.

2. Neutrinos are created in nuclear reactions of beta decay.

3. Neutrinos have a negligible, but nonzero mass.

4. Trillions of neutrinos pass through the human body every second.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

a. 1 and 3 only

b. 1, 2 and 3 only

c. 2, 3 and 4 only

d. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Answer: D

Q.3 With the present state of development, Artificial Intelligence can effectively do which of the following?

1. Bring down electricity consumption in industrial units

2. Create meaningful short stories and songs

3. Disease diagnosis

4. Text-to-speech conversion

5. Wireless transmission of electrical energy

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

a.  1, 2, 3 and 5 only

b.  1, 3, and 4 only

c. 2, 4, and 5 only

d. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

Answer: D

Q.4 With reference to visible light communication (VLC) technology, which of the following statements are correct?

1. VLC uses electromagnetic spectrum wavelengths 375 to 780nm.

2. VLC is known as long-range optical wireless communication.

3. VLC can transmit large amounts of data faster than Bluetooth.

4. VLC has no electromagnetic interference.

Select the correct answer using the code given below

a. 1, 2 and 3 only

b.  1, 2 and 4 only

c.  1, 3 and 4 only

d.  2, 3 and 4 only

Answer: C

Q.5 ‘Neutrino’ has been quite frequent in news due to important scientific research. What are the possible sources of neutrinos?

1. Big Bang

2. Cosmic Rays

3. Supernova

4. Nuclear Bomb

5. Geological Reactions

6. Nuclear Reactors

7. Sun

Correct codes are-

a. 1, 2, 4, 6 and 7 only

b. 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7 only

c. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 only

d. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7

Answer: D

Kick start your Science and Technology preparation with PrepLadder and get access to the most comprehensive learning material for its preparation.

On PrepLadder, you will get everything you need to ace Civil Services Exam on one single platform.

This includes concise, effective, and well-planned video lectures by our Dream Team for UPSC, a well-structured and high yield QBank, highly competitive PrepTests based on real exam patterns, and Previous Year Papers in the form of tests. 

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All the best for your exam.

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