Combined Geo-Scientists and Geologist Exam

 Combined Geo-Scientists and Geologist Exam 

 STAGE : 01    ( OBJECTIVE )

PAPER - 01 General Studies                                        (2hr) 

(100 marks)

8. Current events of national and international importance. 

9. History of India and Indian National Movement. 

10. Indian and World Geography -Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World. 

11. Indian Polity and Governance -Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.

12. Economic and Social Development – Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector initiatives, etc. 

13. General issues on Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity and Climate Change - that do not require subject specialization 

14. General Science 

PAPER - 02 Geology                                                    (2hr)

(300 marks)

1. Physical Geology

2. Structural Geology

3. Mineralogy

4. Igneous Petrology

5. Metamorphic Petrology

6. Sedimentology

7. Paleontology

8. Stratigraphy

9. Economic Geology

10. Hydrogeology

  STAGE : 02    (DESCRIPTIVE)  

PAPER - 01 GEOLOGY                                           (3hr) 

(200 marks)

 Sections:-

1. Physical Geology and Remote Sensing

2. Structural Geology

3. Sedimentology

4. Paleontology

5. Stratigraphy

PAPER - 02 GEOLOGY                                                  (3hr)

(200 marks)

Sections :-

1. Mineralogy

2. Geochemistry and isotope geology

3. Igneous Petrology 

4. Metamorphic Petrology

5. Geodynamics

PAPER-03 GEOLOGY                                                (3hr)   

(200 marks)

Sections :-

1. Economic Geology

2. Indian Mineral Deposits and Mineral Economics

3. Mineral Exploration

4. Fuel Geology and Engineering Geology 

5. Environmental Geology and Natural Hazards

     PHYSICAL GEOLOGY

Objective type 

1. Principle of uniformitarianism;

2. Origin, differentiation and internal structure of the Earth; 

3. Origin of atmosphere; 

4. Earthquakes and volcanoes; 

5. Continental drift, sea-floor spreading, isostasy, 

6. Orogeny and plate tectonics;

7. Geological action of rivers, wind, glaciers, waves; 

8. Erosional and depositional landforms; 

9. Weathering processes and products.

Descriptive type

1. Evolution of Earth; 

2. Earth’s internal structure; 

3. Earthquakes and volcanoes; 

4. Principles of geodesy, 

5. Isostasy; 

6. Weathering- processes and products; 

7. Geomorphic landforms formed by action of rivers, wind, glaciers, waves and groundwater; 

8. Features of ocean floor;

9. Continental shelf, slope and rise; 

10. Concepts of landscape evolution; 

11. Major geomorphic features of India- coastal, peninsular and extra peninsular. 

   STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY

Objective Type 

1. Stress, strain and rheological properties of rocks;

2. Planar and linear structures;

3. Classification of folds and faults;

4. Mohr's circle and criteria for failure of rocks; 

5. Ductile and brittle shear in rocks; 

6. Study of toposheets, V-rules and outcrop patterns;

7. Stereographic projections of structural elements.

Descriptive Type

1. Principles of geological mapping; 

2. Kinematic and dynamic analysis of deformation; 

3. Stress-strain relationships for elastic, plastic and viscous materials; 

4. Measurement of strain in deformed rocks; 

5. Structural analysis of fold, cleavage, boudin, lineation, joint, and fault;

6. Stereographic projection of linear and planar structures; 

7. Superposed deformation;

8. Deformation at microscale- dynamic and static recrystallisation, controls of strain rate and temperature on development of microfabrics; 

9. Brittle and ductile shear zones; 

10. Time relationship between crystallisation and deformation, calculation of paleostress.

    MINERALOGY

Objective Type

1. Elements of symmetry, notations and indices;

2. Bravais lattices; 

3. Chemical classification of minerals;

4. Isomorphism, polymorphism, solid solution and exsolution; 

5. Silicate structures; 

6. Physical and optical properties of common rock forming minerals- olivine, garnet, pyroxene, amphibole, mica, feldspar and quartz

Descriptive Type

1. Symmetry, motif, Miller indices; 

2. Concept of unit cell and Bravais lattices; 

3. 32 crystal classes; 

4. Types of bonding, Pauling’s rules and coordination polyhedra; 

5. Crystal imperfections-defects, twinning and zoning; 

6. Polymorphism, pseudomorphism, isomorphism and solid solution; 

7. Physical properties of minerals;

8. Polarising microscope and accessory plate; 

9. Optical properties of minerals- double refraction, polarisation, pleochroism, sign of elongation, interference figure and optic sign; 

10. Structure, composition, physical and optical properties of major rock-forming minerals- olivine, garnet, aluminosilicates, pyroxene, amphibole, mica, feldspar, clay, silica and spinel group.

      IGNEOUS PETROLOGY

Objective Type

1. Magma types and their evolution; 

2. IUGS classification of igneous rocks; 

3. Forms, structures and textures of igneous rocks; 

4. Applications of binary and ternary phase diagrams in petrogenesis; 

5. Magmatic differentiation and assimilation; 

6. Petrogenesis of granites, basalts, komatiites and alkaline rocks (carbonatite, kimberlite, Lamprophyre and nepheline syenite).

Descriptive Type

1. Viscosity, temperature and pressure relationships in magmas; 

2. IUGS classification of plutonic and volcanic rocks; 

3. Nucleation and growth of minerals in magmatic rocks, development of igneous textures;

4. Magmatic evolution (differentiation, assimilation, mixing and mingling); 

5. Types of mantle melting (batch, fractional and dynamic); 

6. Binary (albite-anorthite, forsterite-silica and diopside-anorthite) and ternary

(diopside-forsterite-silica, diopside-forsterite-anorthite and nepheline-kalsilite-silica) phase diagrams and relevance to magmatic crystallization; 

7. Petrogenesis of granites, basalts, ophiolite suite, komatiites, syenites, boninites, anorthosites and layered complexes, and alkaline rocks (carbonatite, kimberlite, lamproite, lamprophyre); 

8. Mantle metasomatism, hotspot magmatism and large igneous provinces of India

     METAMORPHIC GEOLOGY 

Objective Type

1. Limits, types and controls of metamorphism; 

2. Metamorphic structures- slate, schist and gneiss; 

3. Metamorphic textures- pre, syn and post tectonic porphyroblasts; 

4. Concept of metamorphic zone, isograd and facies; 

5. Geothermal gradients, facies series and plate tectonics.

Descriptive Type

1. Limits and physico-chemical controls (pressure, temperature, fluids and bulk rock composition) of metamorphism; 

2. Concept of zones, facies, isograds and facies series, geothermal gradients and tectonics of orogenic belts; 

3. Structures, micro-structures and textures of regional and contact metamorphic rocks;

4. Representation of metamorphic assemblages (ACF, AKF and AFM diagrams);

5. Equilibrium concept in thermodynamics; 

6. Laws of thermodynamics, enthalpy, entropy, Gibbs free energy, chemical potential, fugacity and activity; 

7. Tracing the chemical reactions in P-T space, phase rule and mineralogical phase rule in

multi-component system; 

8. Claussius-Clapeyron equation and slopes of metamorphic reactions; 

9. Heat flow, diffusion and mass transfer; 

10. Fourier’s law of heat conduction; 

11. Geothermobarometry; 

12. Mass and energy change during fluid-rock interactions; 

13. Charnockite problem, formation of skarns, progressive and retrogressive metamorphism of pelitic, calcareous and basic rocks; 

14. P-T-t path and tectonic setting.

  

SEDIMENTOLOGY

Objective Type

1. Origin of sediments; 

2. sedimentary textures, grain-size scale; 

3. primary sedimentary structures; 

4. classification of sandstone and carbonate rocks; 

5. siliciclastic depositional environments and sedimentary facies; 

6. diagenesis of carbonate sediments.

Descriptive Type

1. Classification of sedimentary rocks; 

2. Sedimentary textures-grain size, roundness, sphericity, shape and fabric; 

3. Quantitative grain size analysis; 

4. Sediment transport and deposition- fluid and sediment gravity flows, laminar and turbulent flows, Reynold’s number, Froude number, grain entrainment, Hjulstrom diagram, bed load and Suspension load transport; 

5. Primary sedimentary structures;

6. Penecontemporaneous deformation structure; 

7. Biogenic structures; 

8. Principles and application of paleocurrent analysis; 

9. Composition and significance of different types of sandstone, limestone, banded iron formation, mudstone, conglomerate; 

10. Carbonate diagenesis and dolomitisation; 

11. Sedimentary environments and facies-facies models for fluvial, glacial, deltaic, siliciclastic shallow and deep marine environments; 

12. Carbonate platforms- types and facies models; 

13. Sedimentation in major tectonic settings; 

14. Principles of sequence stratigraphy-concepts, and factors controlling base level changes, parasequence, clinoform, systems tract, unconformity and sequence boundary.

PALEONTOLOGY

Objective Type

1. Fossils and processes of fossilization; 

2. concept of species and binomial nomenclature; 

3. morphology and classification of invertebrates (Trilobites, Brachiopods, Lamellibranchs,

Gastropods and Cephalopods); 

4. evolution in Equidae and Hominidae; microfossils-Foraminifera, Ostracoda; 

5. Gondwana flora.

Descriptive Type

1. Fossil record and geological time scale; 

2. Modes of preservation of fossils and concept of taphonomy; 

3. Body- and ichno-fossils, species concept, organic evolution, Ediacara Fauna;

4. Morphology and time range of Graptolites, Trilobites, Brachiopods, Lamellibranchs, Gastropods, Cephalopods, Echinoids and Corals; 

5. Evolutionary trends in Trilobites, Lamellibranchs, Gastropods and Cephalopods;

6. Micropaleontology- methods of preparation of microfossils, morphology of microfossil groups (Foraminifera, Ostracoda), fossil spores, pollen and dinoflagellates; 

7. Gondwana plant fossils and their significance; 

8. Vertebrate life through ages, evolution in Proboscidea, Equidae and Hominidae; 

9. Applications of paleontological data in stratigraphy, paleoecology, and paleoclimatology; 

10. Mass extinctions

STRATIGRAPHY

Objective Type

1. Law of superposition; 

2. Stratigraphic nomenclature- lithostratigraphy, biostratigraphy and chronostratigraphy; 

3. Archaean cratonic nuclei of Peninsular India (Dharwar, Singhbhum, and Aravalli cratons); 

4. Proterozoic mobile belts (Central Indian Tectonic Zone, Aravalli-Delhi and Eastern Ghats); 

5. Purana sedimentary basins (Cuddapah and Vindhyan); 

6. Phanerozoic stratigraphy of India-Spiti, Kashmir, Damodar valley, Kutch, Trichinopoly, Siwaliks and Indo-Gangetic alluvium.

Descriptive type

1. Principles of stratigraphy-code of stratigraphic nomenclature of India; 

2. Lithostratigraphy, biostratigraphy, chronostratigraphy and magnetostratigraphy; 

3. Principles of stratigraphic correlation; 

4. Characteristics of Archean granite-greenstone belts; 

5. Indian stratigraphy- Geological evolution of Archean nucleii (Dharwar, Bastar, Singhbhum, Aravalli and Bundelkhand); 

6. Proterozoic mobile belts-Eastern Ghats Mobile Belt, Southern Granulite Terrain, Central Indian Tectonic Zone, Aravalli-Delhi Belt, North Singhbhum Mobile Belt; 

7. Proterozoic sedimentary basins (Cuddapah and Vindhyan); 

8. Phanerozoic stratigraphy- Paleozoic (Spiti, Kashmir and Kumaon), Mesozoic (Spiti, Kutch, Narmada Valley and Trichinopoly), Gondwana Supergroup, Cenozoic (Assam, Bengal basins, Garhwal-Shimla Himalayas); 

9. Siwaliks; 

10. Boundary problems in Indian stratigraphy.

   ECONOMIC GEOLOGY

Objective Type

1. Properties of mineral deposits- form, mineral assemblage, texture, rock-ore association and relationship; 

2. Magmatic, sedimentary, metamorphic, hydrothermal, supergene and weathering related

3. processes of ore formation; 

4. Processes of formation of coal, and petroleum; 

5. Distribution and geological characteristics of major mineral and hydrocarbon deposits of India.

Descriptive Type

1. Ore minerals and industrial minerals; 

2. Physical and optical properties of ore minerals; 

3. Ore textures and paragenesis; 

4. Characteristics of mineral deposits- spatial and temporal distribution, rock-ore association; 

5. Syngenetic and epigenetic deposits, forms of ore bodies, stratiform and strata-bound deposits; 

6. Ore forming processes- source and migration of ore constituents and ore fluid, mechanism of ore deposition; 

7. Magmatic and pegmatitic deposits (chromite, Ti-magnetite, diamond, Cu-Ni sulphide, PGE, REE, muscovite, rare metals); 

8. Hydrothermal deposits (porphyry Cu-Mo, Greisen Sn-W, skarn, VMS and SEDEX type sulphide deposits, orogenic gold); 

9. Sedimentary deposits (Fe, Mn, phosphorite, placer); 

10. Supergene deposits (Cu, Al, Ni and Fe); 

11. Metamorphic and metamorphosed deposits (Mn, graphite); 

12. Fluid inclusions in ore mineral assemblage- physical and chemical properties,

microthermometry; 

13. Stable isotope (S, C, O, H) in ore genesis- geothermometry, source of ore constituents; 

14. Global tectonics and mineralisation

   HYDROGEOLOGY

Objective Type

1. Groundwater occurrence and aquifer characteristics, porosity, permeability, hydraulic 

conductivity, transmissivity; 

2. Darcy's Law in homogeneous and heterogeneous media; 

3. Bernoulli equation, Reynold's number; composition of groundwater; application of H and O isotopes in groundwater studies; 

4. Artificial recharge of groundwater.

   GEOCHEMISTRY AND ISOTOPE GEOLOGY

Descriptive Type :-

1. Chemical composition and characteristics of atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere;

2. Geochemical cycles; 

3. Meteorites-types and composition; 

4. Goldschmidt’s classification of elements; 

5. Fractionation of elements in minerals/rocks; 

6. Nernst’s partition coefficient (compatible and incompatible elements), Nernst-Berthelot partition coefficient and bulk partition coefficient; 

7. Fick’s laws of diffusion and activity composition relation (Roult’s and Henry’s law); 

8. Application of trace elements in petrogenesis; 

9. Principles of equilibrium and Rayleigh fractionation; 

10. REE patterns, Eh and pH diagrams and mineral stability. 

11. Half-life and decay equation; 

12. Dating of minerals and rocks with potassium-argon, rubidium-strontium, uranium-lead and samarium-neodymium isotopes; 

13. Petrogenetic implications of samarium-neodymium and rubidium-strontium systems; 

14. Stable isotope geochemistry of carbon, oxygen and sulphur and their applications in geology; 

15. Monazite chemical dating.

    GEODYNAMICS

Descriptive Type :-

1. Phase transitions and seismic discontinuities in the Earth; 

2. Seismic waves and relation between Vp, Vs and density; 

3. Seismic and petrological Moho; 

4. Rheology of rocks and fluids (Newtonian and non-Newtonian liquids); 

5. Rock magnetism and its origin; 

6. Polarity reversals, polar wandering and supercontinent cycles; 

7. Continental drift, sea floor spreading; 

8. Gravity and magnetic anomalies of ocean floors and their significance; 

9. Mantle plumes and their origin; 

10. Plate tectonics- types of plate boundaries and their inter-relationship; 

11. Heat flow and heat production of the crust.

 INDIAN MINERAL DEPOSITS AND MINERAL ECONOMICS

Descriptive Type :-

1. Distribution of mineral deposits in Indian shield; 

2. Geological characteristics of important industrial mineral and ore deposits in India- chromite, diamond, muscovite, Cu-Pb-Zn, Sn-W, Au, Fe-Mn, bauxite; minerals used in refractory, fertilizer, ceramic, cement, glass, paint industries; 

3. Minerals used as abrasive, filler; building stones. 

4. Strategic, critical and essential minerals; 

5. India’s status in mineral production; 

6. Co-products and by-products; 

7. Consumption, substitution and conservation of minerals; 

8. National Mineral Policy; 

9. Mineral Concession Rules; 

10. Marine mineral resources and laws of the sea.

                    

MINERAL EXPLORATION

Descriptive Type :-

1. Stages of exploration; 

2. Scope, objectives and methods of prospecting, regional exploration and detailed exploration; 

3. Geological, geochemical and geobotanical methods; 

4. Litho-, bio-, soil geochemical surveys, mobility and dispersion of elements, geochemical anomalies; 

5. Ore controls and guides; 

6. Pitting, trenching, drilling; 

7. Sampling, assaying, ore reserve estimation; 

8. Categorization of ore reserves; 

9. Geophysical methods- ground and airborne surveys; gravity, magnetic, electrical and seismic methods of mineral exploration.

   FUEL GEOLOGY AND ENGINEERING GEOLOGY 

Descriptive Type :-

1. Coal and its properties; 

2. Proximate and ultimate analysis; 

3. Different varieties and ranks of coal; 

4. concept of coal maturity, peat, lignite, bituminous and anthracite coal; origin of coal, coalification Crocess; 

5. Lithotypes, microlithotypes and maceral groups of coal; 

6. Mineral and organic matter in coal; 

7. Lignite and coal deposits of India; 

8. Origin, migration and entrapment of natural hydrocarbons; 

9. Characteristics of source and reservoir rocks; 

10. Structural, stratigraphic and mixed traps; 

11. Geological, geochemical and geophysical methods of hydrocarbon exploration; 

12. Petroliferous basins of India; 

13. Geological characteristics and genesis of major types of U deposits and their distribution in India. 

14. Engineering properties of rocks; 

15. Geological investigations in construction of dams, reservoirs, tunnels, bridges, highways and coastal protection structures; 

16. Geologic considerations of construction materials.

 ENVIRONMENTAL GEOLOGY AND NATURAL HAZARDS 

Descriptive Type :-

1. Stefan-Boltzmann equation and planetary temperature; 

2. Cause and effects of global climate change; 

3. Earth’s radiation budget; greenhouse gases and effect; 

4. Examples of positive and negative feedback mechanisms; 

5. Biogeochemical cycle of carbon; 

6. Geological investigations of nuclear waste disposal sites; 

7. Marginal marine environments- estuaries, mangroves and lagoons; 

8. Ozone hole depletion, ocean acidification, coral bleaching, Milankovitch cycle, sea level rise, eutrophication and acid rain; 

9. Environmental impacts of urbanization, mining and hydropower projects; 

10. Water pollution, water logging and soil erosion; 

11. Himalayan glaciers; 

12. Causes and consequences of earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunami, floods, landslides, coastal erosion, droughts and desertification; 

13. Application of remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS) in environmental management.