BCS Written General Science & Tech case studies
BCS Written General Science & Tech · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The General Science & Technology paper is one of the subject papers in the BCS Written Examination, the second stage of Bangladesh's Civil Service examination after the preliminary screening test. Candidates who clear the preliminary stage sit a series of descriptive papers, and this one tests whether a future civil servant can explain scientific ideas clearly, accurately and in organised prose. The BCS Written General Science & Tech case studies are 5 cases and about 2,221 words.
1The Failing Rural Water Pump
A submersible pump in a village borehole is rated 3 kW and draws power from a solar array through an inverter. For three weeks the pump trips its overload relay after 20–30 minutes of running, especially on hot afternoons.
450 words, about 2 min2The Antibiotic Audit
A district hospital pharmacy reports that 68% of surgical inpatients received antibiotics for more than seven days post-operation, against a national guideline of 24 hours for uncomplicated procedures. The infection control nurse notes that surgical site infections have not fallen in two years despite rising antibiotic use.
434 words, about 2 min3The Sensor Network That Disagrees With Itself
A school science project monitors classroom air quality with three identical low-cost particulate sensors mounted at different heights. Over a week, sensor A on the teacher's desk reads a mean of 38 µg/m³, sensor B near the ceiling reads 21 µg/m³, and sensor C by the door reads 55 µg/m³.
455 words, about 2 min4The Encryption Deadline
A small credit union stores customer records on a server that is backed up nightly to an external drive kept in the same room. A regulator requires encryption of data at rest within 90 days.
454 words, about 2 min5The Bridge That Wasn't Consulted
A local authority plans a new footbridge over a river to connect a housing estate to a school, cutting a 1.2 km walk to 300 m. The chosen design is a concrete beam bridge on two piers in the riverbed.
428 words, about 2 min