Exam Details

• Post Name: Agricultural Officer
• Department: Agriculture/Kerala Land Use Board/DCB
• Category Code: 43/2016
• Date of Test: 03.03.2016
• Year: 2016
• Exam Conducted By: Kerala Public Service Commission (Kerala PSC)

Overview of the Question Paper

The Agricultural Officer exam conducted by Kerala PSC on 03.03.2016 was aimed to recruit candidates for the position of Agricultural Officer in the Agriculture Department, Kerala Land Use Board, and District Cooperative Bank (DCB). The Paper Code for this particular exam was 43/2016.

The question paper was designed to assess the subject knowledge, technical understanding, and general awareness of the candidates in the field of Agriculture and Land Use Management.

Subjects Covered in the Question Paper

The Agricultural Officer (Agriculture/Kerala Land Use Board/DCB) 43/2016 question paper consisted of various sections designed to evaluate the candidate’s expertise in Agriculture, Agricultural Science, Soil Management, and Land Use Planning.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of the major subjects covered:

1. Agricultural Science and Crop Production

This section focused on core agricultural concepts related to:

• Agronomy: Principles of Agronomy, Crop Rotation, Mixed Cropping, Intercropping, Crop Management.
• Horticulture: Fruit and Vegetable Cultivation, Garden Management, Floriculture, Plantation Crops.
• Plant Breeding and Genetics: Hybrid Seeds, Plant Propagation, Selection Methods, Genetic Modification.
• Soil Science: Soil Classification, Soil Fertility, Soil Conservation Methods, Soil Erosion.
• Irrigation Methods: Drip Irrigation, Sprinkler Irrigation, Water Management in Agriculture.

2. Agricultural Engineering and Technology

This section covered the technical aspects of agriculture such as:

• Farm Machinery and Implements: Types of Ploughs, Tractors, Irrigation Pumps, Threshers.
• Post-Harvest Technology: Storage of Grains, Food Processing, Preservation Techniques.
• Agro-based Industries: Dairy Farming, Poultry, Apiculture, Sericulture, Fisheries.
• Agri-Business Management: Marketing of Agricultural Products, Pricing, Supply Chain Management.

3. Soil and Land Use Management

The Kerala Land Use Board plays a critical role in managing and planning the utilization of land for agricultural purposes. This section had questions related to:

4. Plant Protection and Pest Management

This section was designed to test the knowledge of candidates in protecting crops from pests and diseases. Major topics included:

• Pests and Diseases of Major Crops
• Plant Protection Chemicals (Pesticides, Herbicides, Fungicides)
• Biological Control of Pests
• Weed Management
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

5. Agricultural Economics and Extension

This section tested the knowledge of candidates in:

• Agricultural Economics: Farm Management, Cost of Cultivation, Market Price, and Support Price.
• Agricultural Extension: Role of Agricultural Officers, Farmer Training, KVK (Krishi Vigyan Kendra).
• Schemes and Programs: Central and State Government Schemes in Agriculture, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), National Food Security Mission (NFSM).

6. Current Affairs and General Knowledge

Apart from technical knowledge, the question paper also included questions from General Knowledge and Current Affairs. Major topics covered were:

• Current Affairs related to Agriculture
• National and International Agricultural Policies
• Farming Policies in Kerala
• Science and Technology in Agriculture
• Basic General Knowledge about Kerala and India

7. General English and Basic Numerical Ability

This section tested the candidate’s ability in:

• English Grammar and Vocabulary
• Synonyms, Antonyms, and Sentence Correction
• Basic Mathematical Problems (Percentage, Ratio, Profit and Loss, Time and Work)

Click the below link to download Kerala PSC Question Paper of Agricultural Officer (Agriculture/Kerala Land Use Board/DCB)