Syllabus for the FCI Assistant General Manager Technical Exam

The Food Corporation of India (FCI) conducts the recruitment examination for the position of Assistant General Manager (Technical) through a structured selection process comprising:

1. Online Test
2. Interview

Online Test: Exam Pattern

The online test for the Assistant General Manager (Technical) position consists of 180 multiple-choice questions (MCQs), each carrying one mark. The total duration of the examination is 2 hours and 30 minutes (150 minutes). The test is divided into the following sections:

Note: There is no negative marking in FCI Assistant General Manager Technical examination.

1. Agriculture

• Crop Production:
  • Basic principles of agronomy: crop growth, rotation, and diversification.
  • Production techniques for major cereals (rice, wheat, maize) and pulses (gram, pigeon pea).
  • Soil health management and nutrient application for optimum yield.
• Agriculture Statistics:
  • Key trends in Indian agriculture.
  • Data interpretation on crop production, yield, and area under cultivation.
  • Statistical tools and applications in agriculture planning.
• Introductory Genetics:
  • Mendel’s laws of inheritance.
  • Basics of DNA, RNA, and chromosome structure.
  • Introduction to plant breeding and hybridization.
• Crop Protection:
  • Pest and disease identification.
  • Methods of chemical, biological, and cultural control.
  • Use of biopesticides and integrated pest management (IPM) practices.
• Plant Pathology:
  • Study of plant diseases caused by fungi, bacteria, and viruses.
  • Role of pathogens in agriculture.
  • Common plant diseases and their control measures.
• Food & Agriculture Microbiology:
  • Role of microorganisms in soil fertility and composting.
  • Beneficial microbes for nitrogen fixation and biofertilizers.
  • Pathogenic microbes in food contamination and their prevention.
• Nutrition:
  • Plant Nutrition: Macronutrients and micronutrients, their role and deficiency symptoms.
  • Animal Nutrition: Nutritional requirements, feed composition, and supplementation.
• Post-Harvest Care of Cereals & Pulses:
  • Techniques for drying, cleaning, grading, and packaging.
  • Prevention of spoilage and quality management during storage.
• Preservation of Foodgrains:
  • Principles of fumigation, refrigeration, and chemical treatment.
  • Role of controlled atmospheric storage and warehouse management.
• Agriculture Extension:
  • Principles and methods for transferring agricultural knowledge to farmers.
  • Community development and participatory extension methods.
• Photosynthesis and Respiration:
  • Mechanisms of light-dependent and light-independent reactions.
  • Role of respiration in energy generation and its types (aerobic and anaerobic).

2. Biotechnology

• Microbes:
  • Classification of microorganisms based on morphology and function.
  • Application of beneficial microbes (e.g., Rhizobium, Trichoderma) in agriculture.
  • Harmful microbes causing plant diseases and spoilage.
• Genetic Engineering:
  • DNA cloning, gene editing techniques (CRISPR, RNAi).
  • Applications in crop improvement and pest resistance.
• Biotechnological Principles:
  • Tissue culture methods, including micropropagation and somatic embryogenesis.
  • Use of molecular markers in plant breeding.
• Economic Biotechnology:
  • GM crops (e.g., Bt cotton, Golden rice) and their impact on agriculture.
  • Industrial applications of biotechnology in enzyme and vaccine production.
• Pathogens & Control:
  • Study of bacterial, fungal, and viral pathogens.
  • Biotechnological methods for developing pathogen-resistant crops.
• Recent Trends:
  • Advances in synthetic biology.
  • Use of nanotechnology in agriculture.
  • Climate-resilient biotechnology solutions.

3. Entomology

• Basic Entomology:
  • Morphology, anatomy, and physiology of insects.
  • Insect metamorphosis and development stages.
• Economic Entomology:
  • Study of insects of agricultural importance.
  • Insects as pollinators, predators, and pests.
• Beneficial and Harmful Insects:
  • Pollinators (e.g., honeybees) and pest predators (e.g., ladybird beetles).
  • Harmful pests of crops, fruits, and stored grains.
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM):
  • Biological, chemical, and cultural pest control practices.
  • Monitoring pest populations and economic threshold levels.
• Storage Grain Pests:
  • Identification and control of pests like weevils, beetles, and moths.
  • Techniques for pest management in storage facilities.
• Vertebrate Pests:
  • Rodent pests and their control strategies in agricultural ecosystems.
• Insecticides:
  • Classification: organophosphates, carbamates, pyrethroids, etc.
  • Mode of action on target pests and safety measures.

4. Chemistry

• Physical Chemistry:
  • Atomic structure and electron configurations.
  • Types of chemical bonds (ionic, covalent, and metallic).
  • Radioactivity and isotopes in agriculture (e.g., tracers in plant studies).
• Inorganic Chemistry:
  • Periodic table trends and properties.
  • Chemistry of essential metals (e.g., Fe, Cu, Zn) and non-metals (e.g., N, P, S).
• Organic Chemistry:
  • Properties and reactions of hydrocarbons (alkanes, alkenes, alkynes).
  • Functional groups: alcohols, aldehydes, carboxylic acids, and esters.
• Biochemistry:
  • Structure and functions of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.
  • Enzymes and their role in metabolic pathways.
  • Biochemical cycles (e.g., nitrogen and carbon cycles).

5. Food Safety and Standards and Other Important Acts

• Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act, 1964:
  • Key provisions and penalties for adulteration.
  • Methods for detecting food adulterants.
• Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006:
  • Role of FSSAI and implementation of food safety standards.
  • Licensing, labeling, and food testing procedures.
• Food Safety and Standards Regulations, 2011:
  • Standards for various food commodities.
  • Rules for food additives and contaminants.
• Right to Information Act, 2005:
  • Framework for transparency in public organizations.
  • Importance in agricultural policy and governance.
• National Food Security Act, 2013:
  • Objectives and provisions for ensuring food security.
  • Public Distribution System (PDS) and its operational challenges.

Candidates who clear the online test will be shortlisted for the interview. The online test and interview weightage is 90% and 10% respectively. A minimum of 50% marks is required to get short-listed for an interview if a candidate belongs to UR and EWS. For SC, ST, OBC, or Persons with Benchmark Disabilities, the minimum cut-off marks are 45%.