Preparation strategy, syllabus and scheme of examination for Scientific Assistant (Chemistry) in Department of Atomic Energy

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Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) is providing job opportunities for the candidates in various subjects like Chemistry, Physics, Electronics, instrumentation, electrical and civil. The recruitment is of two types, direct and through training. There are mainly three units under DAE in Kalpakkam namely Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic research (IGCAR), Bhaba Atomic Research Centre Facilities (BARCF), Madras Atomic Power station (MAPS), Bharathiya Nabhikiya Vidhyuth Nigam Limited/Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (BHAVINI /PFBR).

Educational Qualification

Minimum 60% marks in B.Sc. (Chemistry as principal and Physics/ Mathematics/ Statistics/ Biology as ancillary subjects)

Age Limit

19-25 years for trainees and 19-29 for direct recruitment.

Upper age limit prescribed above is relaxable as under:

up to a maximum of five years for Scheduled Caste & Scheduled Tribe candidates.
Up to a maximum of three years for OBC candidates.
up to five years for Physically Handicapped candidates and ten years for Physically Handicapped STs and eight years for physically Handicapped OBCs

Selection Procedure

Selection process will be done through Written examination and Interview.

Scientific Assistant recruitment in BARC

Candidates should be prepared to stay in Mumbai for 2 to 3 days for the Written Test/Interview. Written Examination of one-hour duration will be conducted and will comprise of objective (multiple) type questions. The syllabus for the examination will be based on subjects at B.Sc. level. Those candidates qualifying in the written Examination shall be short-listed for interview which will held on the following day. Final selection and ranking on the basis of performance of the candidates in interview and no weightage will be given for mark scored in the written examination.

Scope of Training

Selected candidates will be given training at Tarapur / Kalpakkam/ Mumbai & other places as decided by BARC in various aspects of relevant disciplines/trades, as per prescribed syllabus of each disciplines/trades and for meeting stringent requirements of BARC. The candidates will not have any choice/option for any particular training programme/training place.

Recruitment of Scientific Assistant in IGCAR/PFBR/MAPS

Written test center will be in Chennai. After the announcement of the written exam result the date of interview will be announced.If you prepare for the exam in a systematic way you can easily clear both written test and interview.

For written test: First you should be strong in the basics. 60% questions are from Chemistry, 20% may be from maths and 20% from physics. There may be slight variation in this.

How to prepare for interview

In interview the interviewer will check your attitude and your approach in handling particular questions. Mostly the questions will be of application type in nature. Probability for direct questions or definitions is very less. Sometimes if you are lucky enough option will given to you to choose you subject of interest. So you need to prepare at least a portion deeply. If you are not aware of any particular question, it is better to say that you don't have idea about it. Trying to confuse them or providing irrelevant answers will create a negative impression. You can use the board placed in the interview room to draw graphs and equations.

Syllabus for Scientific Assistant in chemistry recruitment in DAE

Atomic Structure: Fundamental particles. Thomsan model of atoms,Ruther Ford model , Limitation, Bhors model, Bohr's theory of hydrogen atom; Wave-particle duality; Davisson and German Experiments, Pauli's Exclution principle, Hund's Rule of maximum Mulitplicity, Aufba principle, De-Broglies Equation, Uncertainty principles; Schrodinger's wave equation; Quantum numbers, shapes of orbitals; Eigan Function and values

Periodic properties: Periodic Table, Modern periodic law, Variation of ionisation energy, electron affinity, electronegativity, electro positivity ionic and atomic radie.

Chemical Bonding:Ionic bonds with examples, lattice energy, Born-Haber cycle; covalent bond and its general characteristics with examples, polarities of bonds in molecules and their dipole moments; Valence bond theory, concept of resonance and resonance energy; Molecular orbital theory (LCAO method); bonding in H2+, H2, He2+ to Ne2, NO, CO, HF, and CN–; Comparison of valence bond and molecular orbital theories, bond order, bond strength and bond length. Metallic bond, Band theory, Hybridisation, Hydrogen bond, VSEPR theory.

Solid State: Unit cell, types of cubic system, Crystal systems; Designation of crystal faces, lattice structures and unit cell; Bragg's law; X-ray diffraction by crystals; Close packing, radius ratio rules, 4. The Gaseous State and Transport Phenomenon:Gas laws, Kinetic theory, graphs, Ideal and real gases, Universal Gas Constants Values and Units in various systems. Vander Waals equations, Constants and values.

Thermodynamics: Internal energy, Enthalpy, Work, heat and internal energy; first law of thermodynamics. spontaneous reaction,

Laws of thermodynamics; entropy changes in various processes, entropy–reversibility and irreversibility, standard free energy, Free energy functions; Thermodynamic equation of state; Maxwell relations; Temperature, volume and pressure dependence of equilibrium, relation between equilibrium constant and thermodynamic quantities; Nernst heat theorem, introductory idea of third law of thermodynamics.

Solution chemistry: Normality, molarity, Formality. Percentage solution, Henry's Law, Ideal Solutions, Roult's Law, Partial Pressure, Colligative properties,Osmosis

Electrochemistry: Conductors and insulators, Faraday's laws of electrolysis, Molar and equivalent conductance, Arrhenius theory, Ostwald dilution law, Kohlarshs law Galvanic cells, concentration cells; electrochemical series, measurement of e.m.f. of cells and its applications fuel cells and batteries.

Chemical Kinetics: Active Mass, Reaction rate, Rate law, Rate constant, order of the reaction, Molecularity, First order reaction and its characteristics and related graphs. Effect of temperature on reaction rate, Arrhenius equation, Energy of activation, Catalysis theory

Surface Phenomena and Catalysis: Absorption from gases and solutions on solid adsorbents, Langmuir and B.E.T. adsorption isotherms; characteristics and mechanism of reaction on heterogeneous catalysts, Colloids and its properties- Classification, preparation, purification, Applications.

Ionic Equilibrium: Various concepts of acids and bases, Hydrolysis, Ionic product of water, Ka, Kb, Kw, pH, pOH, Pka, PKb Values. Common Ion effect, Solubility product, Buffer Theory and action. Indicator Theory and Action, Range of phenolphthalein and methyl orange.

Chemical Equilibrium Law Of mass action, Kc, Kp, Le- Chatlier Principle-Effect of concentration, temperature and pressure. Vant Hoff's equation.

Coordination Compounds:(I) Bonding theories of metal complexes; Valence bond theory, crystal field theory (ii) Isomerism in coordination compounds; IUPAC nomenclature of coordination compounds; stereochemistry of complexes with 4 and 6 coordination numbers; chelate effect and polynuclear complexes; trans effect and its theories; kinetics of substitution reactions in square-planer complexes; thermodynamic and kinetic stability of complexes.

Polymers: polyethylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, teflon, nylon, terylene, synthetic and natural rubber. (ii) Biopolymers: Structure of proteins, DNA and RNA.

Nuclear Chemistry Half-life, Decay constant, binding energy, n/p ratio, nuclear fission and fusion, carbon dating, Isotopes, isobars and isotones. Radioactivity,Alpha, bête and gamma particle, group displacement law, radioactive disintegration series,