Kerala PSC Engineering Assistant / Overseer Grade I (Electronics) – Syllabus

The Kerala PSC has prescribed a well-structured syllabus for the Engineering Assistant / Overseer Gr I (Electronics) Exam 2025. Candidates must prepare thoroughly for both the technical and non-technical sections to secure a good score. Below is the detailed syllabus breakdown:

DETAILED SYLLABUS FOR THE POST OF ENGINEERING ASSISTANT (ELECTRONICS) / OVERSEER GR.I (ELECTRONICS)

In PWD (Electronics Wing) (Category No. 578/2024)

ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND CIRCUITS (25 Marks)

• Diodes: Semiconductors – PN Junction diode – Forward and reverse bias characteristics – specifications – Zener diode – construction and working principle – characteristics – Zener breakdown – Avalanche breakdown – Zener diode as a voltage regulator – applications – specifications.

• Rectifier: Introduction – Classification of Rectifiers – Half Wave rectifier – Full Wave rectifier – Bridge rectifier – Efficiency – Ripple factor – Applications – Filters – C, LC and PI filters.

• Transistor: Transistor as an amplifier – Transistor biasing – Fixed bias, Collector base bias, Self bias – CB, CE, CC Configurations – Characteristics – comparison between three configurations (input impedance, output impedance, current gain, voltage gain) – RC coupled amplifier – Load characteristic analysis – Emitter follower and its applications – Negative feedback – Transistor as a switch.

• Transistor Oscillator: Classifications – condition for oscillation (Barkhausen criterion) – General form of LC oscillator – Hartley oscillator – Colpitts oscillator – RC phase shift oscillator – Crystal oscillator.

• Field Effect Transistor (FET): Construction – working principle – Difference between FET and BJT – characteristics – specifications – FET amplifier (Common source amplifier), FET as CHOPPER.

• UJT: Construction – equivalent circuit – operation – characteristics – UJT as a relaxation oscillator.

• MOSFET: Construction – characteristics – MOSFET as a switch – CMOS basic concept.

• IGBT: Basic principle – IGBT as a switch.

• Opto–Electronics Devices and Waveshaping Circuits: LDR, LED, 7-segment LED, LCD, Opto coupler, Opto interruptor, Infrared transmitter and receiver, Laser Diode, Solar Cell, Avalanche Photodiode, Photo transistor. Diode clipper – Types – Clamper circuits using diode – Voltage doubler – Astable, Monostable, Bistable operations using Transistor.

• Operational Amplifier: Ideal op-amp – Block diagram and characteristics – Op-amp parameters (CMRR, Slew rate, Virtual ground) – Applications: Inverting amplifier, Summing amplifier, Non-inverting amplifier, Voltage follower, Comparator, Zero crossing detector, Integrator, Differentiator – Op-amp specifications.

• 555 Timer: Functional Block diagram – Astable, Monostable and Schmitt Trigger – Sequence timer.

• IC Voltage Regulators: 3 pin IC regulators – 78xx, 79xx, LM 317.

• D/A Converter: Basic concepts – Weighted Resistor D/A converter – R-2R Ladder D/A converter – DAC IC specifications.

• A/D Conversion: Sampling and quantization – Ramp method – Successive approximation – Dual slope method – Simultaneous method – Voltage-to-frequency converter – Frequency-to-voltage converter – ADC specifications.

ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION (25 Marks)

• Networks: Symmetrical & asymmetrical networks, characteristic impedance, propagation constant – derivations using Zoc and Zsc – image & iterative impedances – Equaliser: Types & applications (no derivations).

• Attenuator: Types, derivations for elements of symmetrical T and Pi networks – applications.

• Filters: Types, definitions – derivations of circuit elements & cut-off frequencies of LPF and HPF only.

• Transmission lines: Equivalent circuit, primary & secondary constants, travelling & standing waves, SWR.

• Waveguides: Types, advantages.

• Antennas & Propagation: Basic antenna principles – directive gain, radiation pattern, broad-side & end-fire array, Yagi, Parabolic antenna – Ground wave, space wave, ionospheric propagation.

Modulation:

• Need & types.

• AM: expression, spectrum, sidebands, types, SSB generation, advantages/disadvantages, AM VSB.

• AM Transmitter: Block diagram (high & low level).

• AM Receiver: TRF, superheterodyne, AGC, SSB.

• FM: Expression, spectrum, effects of noise, comparison with AM – Varactor diode modulator – FM detectors (slope, ratio, phase discriminator).

• FM Transmitter: Direct/Indirect, stereophonic FM.

• FM Receiver: Block diagram, AFC, stereophonic FM.

• PM: Principles, circuits, comparison with FM.

• Pulse modulation: PAM, PWM, PPM, PCM (Tx & Rx), quantizing noise, companding.

Audio & Video Systems:

• Microphones: Carbon, condenser, piezoelectric, moving coil, ribbon.

• Loudspeakers: Dynamic cone, Horn, Electrostatic, woofer/mid/tweeter, crossover, surround sound.

• Recording: Magnetic, CD, MP3, DVD, stereo, Hi-Fi, Dolby, DTS.

• TV: Scanning, video signals, transmitter/receiver (mono & colour), PAL, LCD, plasma, CCTV, cable TV.

• Radar & Navigation: Fundamentals, block diagrams, range equation, PPI display, target detection, radio aids (DF, radio compass, telemetry, ILS, GCA).

• Telephone & Data Systems: Public/Private networks – Electronic switching – Cordless – Video Phone – ISDN.

• Facsimile Communication: Sender, scanning methods, receiver, IOC, direct/photographic recording.

• Digital Communication: Block diagram, advantages/disadvantages, bandwidth, baud rate, noise, distortion, equalizers, echo.

• Digital Codes: Baudot, ASCII, EBCDIC, Error detection & correction (parity, redundant, Hamming code).

• Digital Modulation: ASK, FSK, PSK (block diagrams).

• Optical Communication: Fiber principles – single/multimode, step/graded index – losses (absorption, scattering, bending, dispersion) – sources (LED, laser), detectors (PIN, APD) – cables, connectors – Tx/Rx block diagrams – applications.

SATELLITE COMMUNICATION (25 Marks)

• Satellite system – Kepler’s Laws – Orbits (Geostationary, LEO, MEO, Apogee, Perigee).

• Satellite types: Active, passive, eclipse, launching.

• Antennas: Parabolic reflector, cassegrain.

• Space segment: Power, attitude control, station keeping, transponders, TT&C, thermal control, antenna subsystem.

• Earth segment: Receive-only TV, Earth stations.

• Services: INTELSAT, GPS, MSAT.

MOBILE COMMUNICATION (25 Marks)

• Cellular system: Evolution, concepts, frequency reuse, interference (co-channel, adjacent), capacity improvement (cell splitting, sectoring), roaming, handoff.

• Multiple access: TDMA, FDMA, CDMA.

• Digital cellular: GSM, architecture, radio subsystem, services.

NOTE:

Apart from the topics listed above, questions may also come from other subjects prescribed for the educational qualification of the post. There is no guarantee that all topics mentioned will appear in the question paper.

✅ Preparation Tip: Use the Challenger App for topic-wise mock tests, especially in Electronics Core Subjects, to strengthen technical knowledge while practicing GK and Reasoning daily.