BCS Written General Science & Tech study guide
BCS Written General Science & Tech · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
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 study guide has 5 sections and about 1,267 words.
01Physics and Chemistry Fundamentals
Candidates should be comfortable with Newton's three laws, work-energy-power relations, the difference between mass and weight, and the behaviour of waves (reflection, refraction, diffraction). In chemistry, know atomic structure, the periodic table trends (atomic radius, electronegativity, ionisation energy), ionic versus covalent bonding, balancing equations, the mole concept, and acid-base behaviour including pH.
281 words, about 1 min02Biology and Life Sciences
Understand cell structure (prokaryote versus eukaryote, organelles and their functions), the central dogma of molecular biology (DNA to RNA to protein), mitosis versus meiosis, Mendelian inheritance, and the basics of ecology and evolution by natural selection. Know the difference between genotype and phenotype and how dominant and recessive alleles interact.
255 words, about 1 min03Information Technology and Computer Fundamentals
Know the difference between hardware and software, the roles of CPU, RAM, ROM, and storage, and the fetch-decode-execute cycle. Understand binary and hexadecimal number systems, bits and bytes, and basic logic gates (AND, OR, NOT, XOR).
256 words, about 1 min04Applied Science, Engineering and Emerging Technologies
Understand the engineering design cycle (identify problem, design, prototype, test, iterate), properties of materials (strength, conductivity, elasticity), and simple machines and their mechanical advantage. Be aware of emerging technologies: renewable energy systems, electric vehicles, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and space technology, along with their benefits and limitations.
247 words, about 1 min05Scientific Method, Environment and Science Policy
Know the steps of the scientific method: observation, hypothesis, controlled experiment, data collection, analysis, and conclusion. Understand variables (independent, dependent, controlled), reliability versus validity, and the role of peer review.
228 words, about 1 min