07 November, 2022, New Delhi: The UPSC Combined Geo Scientist Prelims exam schedule for 2023 has been released by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). The whole schedule of the examination is available on the official website of the commission – upsc.gov.in.
As per the notification released by UPSC, the exam will be conducted on February 19, 2023, from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM and then from 2 PM to 4 PM, respectively.
The examination will be conducted against 285 vacancies for various posts including: Geologist (Group A: 216 vacancies), Geophysicist (Group A: 21 vacancies) and Chemist (Group A: 19 vacancies) in the Geological Survey of India, Ministry of Mines and Scientist ‘B’ (Hydrogeology) (Group ‘A’: 26 vacancies) , Scientist ‘B’ (Chemical) (Group ‘A’: 1 vacancy) and Scientist ‘B’ (Geophysics) (Group ‘A’: 2 vacancies) in the Central Ground Water Board, Ministry of Jal Shakti.
UPSC Combined Geo Scientist Prelims Exam – Overview
The Union Public Service Commission organizes the combined geoscientist and geologist exam. This exam is conducted for the Central Government’s Category I positions of geologist, chemist, junior hydrologist, and geophysicist. The chosen applicants are employed for Grade “A” and Grade “B” postings by the Geological Survey of India (GSI).
This is a national-level examination and students from all over India can apply based on the eligibility criteria laid down by UPSC. The exam is divided into three parts: the preliminary, main, and personality test.
UPSC Combined Geo Scientist Prelims Exam – Important Dates
Candidates can check the important dates regarding UPSC Combined Geo Scientist exam below:
| Events | Exam Dates |
| Release of Official Notification and Application Forms | September 21, 2022 |
| Last Date for Applying Online | October 11, 2022 |
| Admit Card (Prelims Exam) | February 2023 |
| Prelims Exam Date | February 19, 2023 |
| UPSC Geo-Scientist Mains Admit Card | June 2023 |
| UPSC Geo-Scientist Mains Exam | June 24-25, 2023 |
| UPSC Geo-Scientist Results Announcement | To be notified |
| Date of UPSC Geo-Scientist Interview | To be notified |
| UPSC Geo-Scientist Final Result Announcement | To be notified |
UPSC Combined Geo Scientist Prelims Exam – Eligibility
The eligibility criteria as laid down by the UPSC for the Combined Geo Scientist Exam is as follows:
Age Limit
The age criteria is based on the post as follows:
- The candidates applying for the post of Geologist, Geophysicist and Chemist in the Ministry of Mines must be between the ages of 21 to 32 years.
- The candidates applying for the post of Jr. Hydrogeologist (Scientist B) in the Ministry of Water Resources must have attained the age of 21 to 35 years.
- Relaxations in the upper age limit will be provided to the candidates belonging to reserved candidates. Check the table below for details.
| Category | Age Relaxation |
| SC/ST | 5 Years |
| PWD | 10 Years |
| OBC | 3 Years |
| Defense Service Personnel | 5 Years |
| ECOS/SSCOs | 5 Years |
| Domicile of Jammu and Kashmir during 1st January 1980 to 31st December 1989 | 5 Years |
| Govt. servants employed in GSI or Central Ground Water Board | 7 Years |
Educational Qualifications:
The aspirant must hold a master’s degree or equivalent in any of the concerned disciplines below:
Geologist (Group ‘A’, GSI)
- Geological Science
- Mineral Exploration
- Geology
- Geo-Exploration
- Applied Geology
- Engineering Geology
- Earth Science
- Petroleum Geosciences
- Geochemistry
- Marine Geology
- Resource Management
- Oceanography
- Geophysical Technology
- Coastal Area Studies
- Petroleum Exploration
Geophysicist Group ‘A’ in GSI
Candidates must have M.Sc. or M. Tech. degree from the below-mentioned subjects:
- Applied Geophysics
- Marine Geophysics
- Physics
- Applied Geophysics
- Geophysics
- Applied Physics
- Integrated M.Sc. in Exploration Geophysics
Chemist Group ‘A’ in GSI
- Aspirants must have an M.Sc. degree in Applied Chemistry or Chemistry or else Analytical Chemistry.
Junior Hydrogeologist (Scientist B) Group ‘A’
- Aspirants must hold a Master’s degree in Geology/Marine Geology/Applied Geology or a Master’s in Hydrogeology.
UPSC Combined Geo Scientist Prelims Exam – Exam Pattern
The UPSC Combined Geo Scientist Exam is conducted in three different stages. Please check the details below:
- Prelims Examination (Computer-Based Objective Type Papers) – This is the first stage that consists of 400 Marks.
- Mains Examination (Descriptive-Type Paper) – Second stage which consists of 600 marks.
- Personal Interview (Personality Test) – Third stage which consists of 200 marks.
UPSC Combined Geo Scientist Prelims Exam:
The exam pattern for the prelims examination is as follows:
| Particulars | Details |
| Mode of Exam | Online Mode (CBT Exam) |
| Type of Questions | Objective Type Questions (MCQs) |
| No. of Papers | Two (Paper 1 and Paper 2) |
| Total Weightage | 150 Marks (1 mark per question) |
| Duration of Exam | 2 hours per paper |
| Negative Marking | 0.25 marks deduction per wrong answer |
The following table consists of the details of the Prelims exam papers and maximum marks according to the post.
| Paper | Subjects | Posts | Maximum Marks |
| One | General Studies | Geologist & Jr. Hydrogeologist | 100 |
| Two | Geology/Hydrogeology | 300 | |
| One | General Studies | Geophysicist | 100 |
| Two | Geophysics | 300 | |
| One | General Studies | Chemist | 100 |
| Two | Chemistry | 300 | |
| Total | 400 Marks |
UPSC Combined Geo Scientist Mains Exam:
The key details about the CGGE Mains exam are listed in the table below:
| Particulars | Details |
| Mode of Exam | Offline Mode (Pen and Paper Exam) |
| Type of Questions | Descriptive Questions |
| No. of Papers | Three (Paper I, Paper-II, and Paper III) |
| Duration of Exam | 3 hours for each paper |
UPSC Combined Geo Scientist Personality Test
- Stage III will include a 200-point personality test.
- There are no minimal requirements included in this stage.
- The board will interview the candidates to determine which ones are most qualified for the positions based on their leadership potential, tact, social skills, initiative, ability to adapt to a variety of environments, mental and physical stamina, and intellectual curiosity.
- Final merit will be determined by the Personality Test scores.
UPSC Combined Geo Scientist Prelims Exam – Syllabus
The subject-wise syllabus for the Preliminary exam is given below:
General Studies
- Current events of national and international importance
- History of India and Indian National Movement
- World and Indian Geography – Social, Economic, Physical, Geography of India and the World.
- Indian Governance & Polity – Political System, Public Policy, Rights Issues Constitution, Panchayati Raj, etc.
- Social Development & Economic – Social Sector initiatives, Poverty, Inclusion, Sustainable Development, Demographics, etc.
- Environmental Ecology General issues, Climate Change & Biodiversity – Which does not require subject specialization.
- General Science
Geology/Hydrogeology
- Physical Geology
- Paleontology
- Sedimentology
- Structural Geology
- Stratigraphy
- Economic Geology
- Hydrogeology
Geophysics
- Solid Earth Geophysics
- Introduction to Geophysics and its Branches
- Mathematical Methods in Geophysics
- Electromagnetism
- Geophysical Prospecting
- Remote Sensing and Thermodynamics
- Nuclear Physics and Radiometry
Chemistry
- Chemical Periodicity
- Chemical Bonding and Structure
- Ionic Bonding
- Acids and Bases
- The Theoretical Basis of Quantitative Inorganic Analysis
- Kinetic Theory and the Gaseous State
- Chemical Thermodynamics and Chemical Equilibrium
- Solutions of Non-Electrolytes
- Electrochemistry
- Basic Organic Chemistry
- Stereochemistry
- Types of Organic Reactions
- Molecular Rearrangements
UPSC Combined Geo Scientist Prelims Exam – Salary Structure
The salary components UPSC Combined Geo Scientist are discussed as follows:
| Components | Salary |
| Basic Pay | Rs. 56,100 |
| House Rent Allowance | Rs. 6,300 |
| Transport Allowance | Rs. 7,344 |
| Dearness Allowance | Rs. 1,122 |
| Total | Rs. 70,866 |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the date of UPSC Combined Geo Scientist Preliminary Examination?
Ans. The UPSC Combined Geo Scientist Preliminary Examination will be conducted on February 19, 2023, from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM and 2 PM to 4 PM.
2. What is the total number of vacancies released by UPSC for the exam?
Ans. The total number of vacancies against which the examination is being conducted is 285.
3. What is the salary structure of UPSC Combined Geo Scientist recruitment?
Ans. The appointed candidates will be entitled to a salary of Rs. 70,866 per month including all the salary components and inclusions.
