OPSC Assistant Industries Officer Syllabus: Paper I and Paper II Topics

The OPSC Assistant Industries Officer syllabus covers two written papers: Paper I on General English, General Awareness and General Aptitude, and Paper II on Basic Engineering. The Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) names these subject areas in its notification, but in the sources we could verify it does not publish a detailed topic-wise list for this post.

That is the honest starting point. The topic lists below are built from the official subject names, the nature of a Group B industries post, and the standard content of undergraduate engineering. Use them as a working checklist, not as an official syllabus. When OPSC publishes a new advertisement, compare this page with it and follow the notification wherever the two differ.

Table of Contents

Syllabus at a glance

These figures are from the last verified cycle, Advertisement No. 8 of 2024-25. For the complete marking rules, see the OPSC Assistant Industries Officer exam pattern page.

Key points to know before you start

• Paper II is the heavier paper: It carries 300 marks against 100 for Paper I on the commonly reported split, so engineering fundamentals decide most of your rank.

• Any branch can apply: A civil graduate and a computer science graduate sit the same Basic Engineering paper, so it tests common fundamentals rather than branch depth.

• Negative marking applies: A deduction of 25 percent of the marks per wrong answer was reported, so guessing without elimination costs you.

• Coaching blogs differ: Some pages list long topic lists as if they were official. Treat them with care and trust the OPSC notification.

Paper I syllabus

Paper I is a general-ability paper. It is the easier one to prepare for, and it is where candidates from every branch can match each other, so small gains here matter for ranking.

General English

Expect questions that test everyday command of the language rather than literature. A working checklist:

• Reading comprehension: Short passages with questions on main idea, inference, tone and vocabulary in context.

• Grammar: Tenses, subject-verb agreement, articles, prepositions, conjunctions and modifiers.

• Error spotting and sentence correction: Find the faulty part or choose the best replacement.

• Vocabulary: Synonyms, antonyms, one-word substitution, idioms and phrases.

• Sentence arrangement and cloze tests: Rearrange jumbled sentences and fill gaps in a passage.

General Awareness

This section rewards daily reading. Because the post sits in the state industries department, give extra attention to Odisha and to industry-related topics.

A reasonable approach is to give Odisha-specific preparation a fixed weekly slot, because candidates from other states often underprepare it and it is the area where local awareness shows up directly in marks.

General Aptitude

Aptitude usually combines quantitative ability and logical reasoning. Engineering graduates are generally comfortable here, but speed under negative marking is the real test.

• Arithmetic: Percentages, ratio and proportion, profit and loss, time and work, time, speed and distance, simple and compound interest, averages.

• Data interpretation: Tables, bar graphs, line graphs and pie charts, with calculation shortcuts.

• Logical reasoning: Series, analogies, coding-decoding, blood relations, directions, syllogisms and seating arrangements.

• Basic numeracy: Number system, simplification, approximation, mensuration.

Paper II syllabus: Basic Engineering

Basic Engineering is the paper that needs a plan. Because OPSC accepts a degree in any engineering discipline, the paper is best read as a test of first-year and second-year engineering fundamentals that every branch shares. The table below maps the likely areas. It is indicative, since no official topic list was found.

How deep to go

A paper meant for every branch is unlikely to ask branch-level design problems. Aim to answer standard definition, concept and short numerical questions in areas outside your own branch, while holding a strong command of your own. For example, a mechanical graduate should spend time on electrical basics and computing, and an electronics graduate on mechanics and materials.

Where to find reliable material

Use standard undergraduate textbooks for first-year topics, your own college notes for your branch, and the previous question papers OPSC makes available through the Candidate's Corner on its official website. Previous papers are the best guide to depth and style, if the post's papers are available there.

Overlap between papers and how to plan it

Personality test: is there a syllabus?

No. The 50-mark personality test has no fixed syllabus. In the last verified cycle it assessed communication skills and professional knowledge. You prepare for it differently: know your degree subjects well, understand what the MSME Department does, follow Odisha's industrial news, and practise explaining your answers clearly. The interview is covered further in the OPSC Assistant Industries Officer overview.

How to cover the syllabus in phases

The plan below suits roughly four months. Compress it if you have less time, and stretch the early phases if you have more.

1. Weeks 1 to 6, rebuild fundamentals: Cover Basic Engineering areas outside your own branch, one area per week, with short notes. Start English and aptitude for 30 minutes a day.

2. Weeks 3 to 8, add awareness: Begin Odisha general knowledge and a daily current-affairs habit with monthly notes.

3. Weeks 7 to 12, test by topic: After each unit, take a topic test of 20 to 25 minutes and log every mistake in an error notebook.

4. Weeks 13 to 16, full-length practice: Take timed papers in the exam order, review the same day, and revise the error log twice a week.

Keep the last fortnight for revision and the personality test, not for starting new topics.

Practising with tests and previous papers

A syllabus list tells you what to study, but only tests tell you how well you know it. Finally, watch for the next advertisement on the official OPSC website. If the notification publishes a detailed syllabus, replace your working checklist with it immediately.