Central and State Pollution Control Board recruitment (Scientist, Environmental Engineer, AEE)

India · Central Pollution Control Board and State Pollution Control Boards / state PSCs · civil-service · unverified source

162practice questions written to this syllabus
12subjects

Format

Varies by board: written objective or descriptive test in environmental science or engineering, sometimes with interview.

Sections

Over the years

Each board recruits on its own notification; there is no single syllabus. The GATE ES syllabus and UGC NET Environmental Sciences cover most technical content. Built from general knowledge.

Official source: https://cpcb.nic.in/

Subjects this exam draws on

Environmental Chemistry8 questionsEnvironmental Microbiology15 questionsWetlands, Coastal Ecosystems & Blue Carbon10 questionsEnvironmental Monitoring & Instrumental Analysis23 questionsAir & Noise Pollution: Monitoring & Control23 questionsWater & Wastewater Treatment12 questionsSolid & Hazardous Waste Management7 questionsSoil Contamination, Toxicology & Remediation3 questionsEnvironmental Impact Assessment & Strategic Environmental Assessment17 questionsCircular Economy & Bio-based Resources26 questionsEnvironmental Management Systems, Auditing & Standards4 questionsEnvironmental Law, Policy & International Agreements14 questions

Five practice questions, worked

Original questions written to this exam's published syllabus and pattern. Not past papers.

1. Convert 50 ppb of SO2 (molar mass 64.06 g/mol) to µg/m³ at 25 °C and 1 atm.

  1. 50 µg/m³
  2. 19 µg/m³
  3. 143 µg/m³
  4. 131 µg/m³
Answer and working

D. 131 µg/m³

µg/m³ = ppb × M ÷ 24.45 = 50 × 64.06 ÷ 24.45 ≈ 131. 50 ignores the conversion; 19 inverts it; 143 uses 22.4 L, the molar volume at 0 °C.

Environmental Chemistry · Chemical bonding, concentration units, activity and ionic strength

2. What is the typical food-to-microorganism (F/M) ratio for conventional activated sludge?

  1. About 0.001 kg BOD per kg MLVSS per day
  2. About 5–10 kg BOD per kg MLVSS per day
  3. About 0.2–0.5 kg BOD per kg MLVSS per day
  4. About 50 kg BOD per kg MLVSS per day
Answer and working

C. About 0.2–0.5 kg BOD per kg MLVSS per day

Conventional plants run around 0.2–0.5; extended aeration lower; high-rate processes higher.

Environmental Microbiology · Batch and continuous culture

3. Which Indian rules, made under the Environment (Protection) Act, set up state wetland authorities?

  1. Coastal Regulation Zone Notification 2019
  2. Biological Diversity Act 2002
  3. The Wetlands Rules 2017
  4. Water Cess Act 1977
Answer and working

C. The Wetlands Rules 2017

The Wetlands Rules 2017 (replacing the 2010 rules) created state wetland authorities and listed prohibited activities. CRZ concerns coasts; the BD Act biodiversity; the Water Cess Act was repealed.

Wetlands, Coastal Ecosystems & Blue Carbon · Wetland definitions and classification

4. Monitoring carried out before a project begins, to describe existing conditions for an environmental impact assessment, is called

  1. baseline monitoring
  2. trend monitoring
  3. effectiveness monitoring
  4. compliance monitoring
Answer and working

A. baseline monitoring

Baseline monitoring records pre-project conditions; compliance checks standards; effectiveness checks controls; trend tracks change over time.

Environmental Monitoring & Instrumental Analysis · Monitoring objectives and network design

5. A busy highway is treated in emission inventories as a

  1. point source
  2. biogenic source
  3. area source
  4. line source
Answer and working

D. line source

Roads are line sources; stacks are point sources; many small diffuse sources are area sources.

Air & Noise Pollution: Monitoring & Control · Sources and classification of air pollutants; primary and secondary

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