Syllabus for Physical Sciences

EXAM SCHEME
TIME: 3 HOURS

MAXIMUM MARKS: 200

Single Paper Test having Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) is divided in three parts.
Part 'A'
This part shall carry 20 questions pertaining to General aptitude with emphasis on logical reasoning
graphical analysis, analytical and numerical ability, quantitative comparisons, series formation, puzzles etc.
The candidates shall be required to answer any 15 questions. Each question shall be of two marks. The total
marks allocated to this section shall be 30 out of 200.
Part 'B'
This part shall contain 25 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) generally covering the topics given in the Part
'B' of syllabus. candidates are required to answer any 20 questions. Each question shall be of 3.5 Marks.
The total marks allocated to this section shall be 70 out of 200.
Part 'C'
This part shall contain 30 questions from Part 'C' & B of the syllabus that are designed to test a candidate's
knowledge of scientific concepts and/or application of the scientific concepts. The questions shall be of
analytical nature where a candidate is expected to apply the scientific knowledge to arrive at the solution to
the given scientific problem. A candidate shall be required to answer any 20 questions. Each question shall
be of 5 Marks. The total marks allocated to this section shall be 100 out of 200.
There will be negative marking @25% for each wrong answer. To enable the candidates to go through the
questions, the question paper booklet shall be distributed 15 minutes before the scheduled time of the exam.
The answer sheet (OMR sheet) shall be distributed at the scheduled time of the exam.

SYLLABUS
Part 'A'
This part shall carry 20 questions pertaining to General aptitude with emphasis on logical reasoning
graphical analysis, analytical and numerical ability, quantitative comparisons, series formation, puzzles etc.
The candidates shall be required to answer any 15 questions. Each question shall be of two marks. The total
marks allocated to this section shall be 30 out of 200.
Part 'B'
I. Mathematical Methods of Physics
Dimensional analysis. Vector algebra and vector calculus. Linear algebra, matrices, Cayley-Hamilton
Theorem. Eigenvalues and eigenvectors. Linear ordinary differential equations of first & second order,
Special functions (Hermite, Bessel, Laguerre and Legendre functions). Fourier series, Fourier and Laplace
transforms. Elements of complex analysis, analytic functions; Taylor & Laurent series; poles, residues and
evaluation of integrals. Elementary probability theory, random variables, binomial, Poisson and normal
distributions. Central limit theorem.
II. Classical Mechanics
Newton's laws. Dynamical systems, Phase space dynamics, stability analysis. Central force motions. Two
body Collisions - scattering in laboratory and Centre of mass frames. Rigid body dynamics- moment of
inertia tensor. Non-inertial frames and pseudoforces. Variational principle. Generalized coordinates.
Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formalism and equations of motion.
Conservation laws and cyclic coordinates. Periodic motion: small oscillations, normal modes. Special theory
of relativity- Lorentz transformations, relativistic kinematics and massenergy equivalence.
III. Electromagnetic Theory
Electrostatics: Gauss's law and its applications, Laplace and Poisson equations, boundary value problems.
Magnetostatics: Biot-Savart law, Ampere's theorem. Electromagnetic induction. Maxwell's equations in free
space and linear isotropic media; boundary conditions on the fields at interfaces. Scalar and vector
potentials, gauge invariance. Electromagnetic waves in free space. Dielectrics and conductors. Reflection
and refraction, polarization, Fresnel's law, interference, coherence, and diffraction. Dynamics of charged
particles in static and uniform electromagnetic fields.

IV. Quantum Mechanics

Wave-particle duality. Schrdinger equation (time-dependent and time-independent). Eigenvalue problems
(particle in a box, harmonic oscillator, etc.). Tunneling through a barrier. Wave-function in coordinate and
momentum representations. Commutators and Heisenberg uncertainty principle. Dirac notation for state
vectors. Motion in a central potential: orbital angular momentum, angular momentum algebra, spin, addition
of angular momenta; Hydrogen atom. Stern-Gerlach experiment. Time-independent perturbation theory and
applications. Variational method. Time dependent perturbation theory and Fermi's golden rule, selection
rules. Identical particles, Pauli exclusion principle, spin-statistics connection.
V. Thermodynamic and Statistical Physics
Laws of thermodynamics and their consequences. Thermodynamic potentials, Maxwell relations, chemical
potential, phase equilibria. Phase space, micro- and macro-states. Micro-canonical, canonical and grandcanonical ensembles and partition functions. Free energy and its connection with thermodynamic quantities.
Classical and quantum statistics. Ideal Bose and Fermi gases. Principle of detailed balance. Blackbody
radiation and Planck's distribution law.
VI. Electronics and Experimental Methods
Semiconductor devices (diodes, junctions, transistors, field effect devices, homo- and hetero-junction
devices), device structure, device characteristics, frequency dependence and applications. Opto-electronic
devices (solar cells, photo-detectors, LEDs). Operational amplifiers and their applications. Digital techniques
and applications (registers, counters, comparators and similar circuits). A/D and D/A converters.
Microprocessor and microcontroller basics. Data interpretation and analysis. Precision and
accuracy. Error analysis, propagation of errors. Least squares fitting,
Part 'C'
I. Mathematical Methods of Physics
Green's function. Partial differential equations (Laplace, wave and heat equations in two and three
dimensions). Elements of computational techniques: root of functions, interpolation, extrapolation,
integration by trapezoid and Simpson's rule, Solution of first order differential equation using Runge-Kutta
method. Finite difference methods. Tensors. Introductory group theory: SU(2), O(3).
II. Classical Mechanics
Dynamical systems, Phase space dynamics, stability analysis. Poisson brackets and canonical
transformations. Symmetry, invariance and Noether's theorem. Hamilton-Jacobi theory.
III. Electromagnetic Theory
Dispersion relations in plasma. Lorentz invariance of Maxwell's equation. Transmission lines and wave
guides. Radiation- from moving charges and dipoles and retarded potentials.
IV. Quantum Mechanics
Spin-orbit coupling, fine structure. WKB approximation. Elementary theory of scattering: phase shifts, partial
waves, Born approximation. Relativistic quantum mechanics: Klein-Gordon and Dirac equations. Semiclassical theory of radiation.
V. Thermodynamic and Statistical Physics
First- and second-order phase transitions. Diamagnetism, paramagnetism, and ferromagnetism. Ising
model. Bose-Einstein condensation. Diffusion equation. Random walk and Brownian motion. Introduction to
nonequilibrium processes.
VI. Electronics and Experimental Methods
Linear and nonlinear curve fitting, chi-square test. Transducers (temperature, pressure/vacuum, magnetic
fields, vibration, optical, and particle detectors). Measurement and control. Signal conditioning and recovery.
Impedance matching, amplification (Op-amp based, instrumentation amp, feedback), filtering and noise
reduction, shielding and grounding. Fourier transforms, lock-in detector, box-car integrator, modulation
techniques. High frequency devices (including generators and detectors).
VII. Atomic & Molecular Physics
Quantum states of an electron in an atom. Electron spin. Spectrum of helium and alkali atom. Relativistic
corrections for energy levels of hydrogen atom, hyperfine structure and isotopic shift, width of spectrum
lines, LS & JJ couplings. Zeeman, Paschen- Bach & Stark effects. Electron spin resonance. Nuclear
magnetic resonance, chemical shift. Frank-Condon principle. Born- Oppenheimer approximation. Electronic,
rotational, vibrational and Raman spectra of diatomic molecules, selection rules. Lasers: spontaneous and

stimulated emission, Einstein A & B coefficients. Optical pumping, population inversion, rate equation.
Modes of resonators and coherence length.
VIII. Condensed Matter Physics
Bravais lattices. Reciprocal lattice. Diffraction and the structure factor. Bonding of solids. Elastic properties,
phonons, lattice specific heat. Free electron theory and electronic specific heat. Response and relaxation
phenomena. Drude model of electrical and thermal conductivity. Hall effect and thermoelectric power.
Electron motion in a periodic potential, band theory of solids: metals, insulators and semiconductors.
Superconductivity: type-I and type-II superconductors. Josephson junctions. Superfluidity. Defects and
dislocations. Ordered phases of matter: translational and orientational order, kinds of liquid crystalline order.
Quasi crystals.
IX. Nuclear and Particle Physics
Basic nuclear properties: size, shape and charge distribution, spin and parity. Binding energy, semiempirical mass formula, liquid drop model. Nature of the nuclear force, form of nucleon-nucleon potential,
charge-independence and charge-symmetry of nuclear forces. Deuteron problem. Evidence of shell
structure, single-particle shell model, its validity and limitations. Rotational spectra. Elementary ideas of
alpha, beta and gamma decays and their selection rules. Fission and fusion. Nuclear reactions, reaction
mechanism, compound nuclei and direct reactions. Classification of fundamental forces. Elementary
particles and their quantum numbers (charge, spin, parity, isospin, strangeness, etc.). Gellmann-Nishijima
formula. Quark model, baryons and mesons. C, P, and T invariance. Application of symmetry arguments to
particle reactions. Parity non-conservation in weak interaction. Relativistic kinematics.