FCI Syllabus and Exam Pattern for Category III Posts

Stages of FCI Category III recruitment

• Phase I: one common online test for every post. Its score is dropped when merit is prepared; about 15 times the number of vacancies, category wise, move to Phase II.
• Phase II: post specific online papers. Merit lists are drawn from these marks.
• Skill test: only for Steno Grade II, a qualifying typing and shorthand test in English after Paper III.
• Document verification and medical: for up to three times the vacancies, followed by medical fitness before appointment.

Recruitment is zone wise (North, South, East, West and North East), and your merit is ranked within the zone and post you applied for.

FCI exam pattern for Phase I

The software locks each block after 15 minutes, which means time saved on English cannot be spent on numerical aptitude. Every incorrect response takes away 0.25 of that item's value, while skipped items are simply not scored.

Which Phase II papers each post writes

• Paper I: 120 questions, 120 marks, 90 minutes. English 25 (20 minutes), reasoning 25 (20 minutes), numerical aptitude 25 (20 minutes) and general studies 45 (30 minutes). General studies breaks into history, geography and economy 25, general science up to class 10 level 10, current affairs 5 and computer awareness 5.
• Paper II: 60 questions of 2 marks each, 120 marks, 60 minutes, on the post's own subject.
• Paper III (steno): 120 questions, 120 marks, 90 minutes: general English 30, general awareness 30, general intelligence 30 and computer awareness 30.

When two candidates tie on a post with Paper II, the one with more Paper II marks is placed higher, so the subject paper decides close finishes.

Common subjects in the FCI exam syllabus

The notice names the sections but not a topic list for them. Based on the level of the papers, these are the areas you should prepare:

• English: reading comprehension, cloze passages, error spotting, sentence improvement, fillers, vocabulary and jumbled sentences.
• Reasoning: seating and floor puzzles, inequality statements, syllogisms, codes, family trees, directions, ranks and letter or number series.
• Numerical aptitude: quick calculation and approximation, missing number series, tables and charts for data interpretation, and arithmetic word problems (percentages, ratios, mean values, business profit, interest, pipes and work, motion, mensuration).
• General studies: history, geography and economy of India, everyday science up to class 10, current affairs, with an eye on food security, public distribution and agriculture since that is FCI's field.
• Computer awareness: parts of a computer, memory and storage, office software such as word processors and spreadsheets, web browsing, email and common network terms.

Post specific Paper II topics

• AG III Accounts: commerce, mainly general accounting and finance: preparing books of accounts, income tax and GST, auditing, and basics of the Contract Act, Companies Act, Sale of Goods Act and Negotiable Instruments Act.
• AG III Technical: Group A (agriculture, botany, zoology) or Group B (agriculture, chemistry, physics), chosen while applying. Topics include Indian crop statistics, entomology and plant protection, cell biology and genetics, chemical bonding and basic organic chemistry, measurement, light and electricity.
• AG III Hindi: Hindi literature (4 questions), Hindi to English translation (20), English to Hindi translation (20), and 4 each on official language policy, the Official Languages Act, the rules and the annual programme.
• JE Civil: building materials, surveying, soil mechanics, estimating and costing, structural engineering, concrete technology, RCC and steel design.
• JE Electrical or Mechanical: basic electrical concepts, AC fundamentals, measurements, machines, power systems, theory of machines, strength of materials, thermal and production engineering.

FCI syllabus in Hindi

एफसीआई श्रेणी तीन भर्ती में पहले चरण की ऑनलाइन परीक्षा सभी पदों के लिए समान है: अंग्रेजी, रीजनिंग, संख्यात्मक योग्यता और सामान्य अध्ययन, हर भाग से 25 प्रश्न, कुल 100 अंक और 60 मिनट। इसके अंक अंतिम मेरिट में नहीं जुड़ते। दूसरे चरण में पेपर एक 120 अंकों का है, और अकाउंट्स, टेक्निकल, हिंदी तथा जेई पदों के लिए 120 अंकों का अलग विषय पेपर भी होता है। ऋणात्मक अंकन भी लागू है: चार गलत उत्तर मिलकर एक सही उत्तर के अंक मिटा देते हैं।

Preparing for the two phases together

Phase I and Paper I share the same four subjects, so prepare them once at the harder Paper I level and Phase I will feel lighter. The 15 minute section clocks in Phase I reward speed, while Paper I gives 30 minutes to a 45 question general studies block.

1. Spend the first six weeks on numerical aptitude and reasoning, with a 15 minute timed set every day.
2. Add English reading daily and a current affairs digest from the past eight to ten months.
3. If your post has Paper II, start it by week four: it carries 120 marks and decides ties.
4. In the last month, take full Phase I and Phase II mocks on alternate days.

The common papers look much like the SSC CGL syllabus and the IBPS clerk syllabus, so material for those works here too. JE aspirants should compare the SSC JE syllabus, and more central exams are listed on the SSC and central exams hub.