Initially, the physics paper pattern consisted of 3 papers (Paper I, II, and III),
but as of after 2019, the updated exam pattern is of 2 papers (Paper I and II).
The paper II and III subjective syllabus content is merged to form paper II. Paper I is of general nature, intended to assess the teaching/research aptitude of the candidate.
It consists of 50 compulsory MCQs of 2 marks each. This paper is for 1 hour. Paper-II will contain 100 compulsory MCQs of two marks each from the Physical Science subject and the duration of this paper has been made as two hours (120 minutes).
PAPER I
Teaching Aptitude
Teaching: Concept, Objectives, Levels of teaching (Memory, Understanding and Reflective), Characteristics and basic requirements.
Learner's characteristics: Characteristics of adolescent and adult learners(Academic, Social, Emotional and Cognitive), Individual differences.
Factors affecting teaching related to: Teacher, Learner, Support material,Instructional facilities, Learning environment and Institution.
Methods of teaching in Institutions of higher learning: Teacher centred vs.Learner centred methods; Off-line vs. On-line methods (Swayam,Swayamprabha, MOOCs etc.).
Teaching Support System: Traditional, Modern and ICT based.
Evaluation Systems: Elements and Types of evaluation, Evaluation in Choice Based Credit System in Higher education, Computer based testing, Innovations in evaluation systems.
Research Aptitude
Research: Meaning, Types, and Characteristics, Positivism and Post- positivistic approach to research.
Methods of Research: Experimental, Descriptive, Historical, Qualitative and Quantitative methods.
Steps of Research.
Thesis and Article writing: Format and styles of referencing.
Application of ICT in research.
Research ethics.
Comprehension
A passage of text be given. Questions be asked from the passage to be answered.
Communication
Communication: Meaning, types and characteristics of communication.
Effective communication: Verbal and Non-verbal, Inter-Cultural and group communications, Classroom communication.
Barriers to effective communication.
Mass-Media and Society.
Mathematical Reasoning and Aptitude
Types of reasoning.
Number series, Letter series, Codes and Relationships.
Mathematical Aptitude (Fraction, Time & Distance, Ratio, Proportion and Percentage, Profit and Loss, Interest and Discounting, Averages etc.).
Data Interpretation
Sources, acquisition and classification of Data.
Quantitative and Qualitative Data.
Graphical representation (Bar-chart, Histograms, Pie-chart, Table-chart and Line-chart) and mapping of Data.
Data Interpretation.
Data and Governance.
Logical Reasoning
Understanding the structure of arguments: argument forms, structure of categorical propositions, Mood and Figure, Formal and Informal fallacies, Uses of language, Connotations and denotations of terms, Classical square of opposition.
Evaluating and distinguishing deductive and inductive reasoning.
Analogies.
Venn diagram: Simple and multiple use for establishing validity of arguments.
Indian Logic: Means of knowledge.
Pramanas: Pratyaksha (Perception), Anumana (Inference), Upamana (Comparison), Shabda (Verbal testimony), Arthapatti (Implication) and Anupalabddhi (Non-apprehension).
Structure and kinds of Anumana (inference), Vyapti (invariable relation), Hetvabhasas (fallacies of inference).
Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
ICT: General abbreviations and terminology.
Basics of Internet, Intranet, E-mail, Audio and Video-conferencing.
Digital initiatives in higher education.
ICT and Governance.
Higher Education System
Institutions of higher learning and education in ancient India.
Evolution of higher learning and research in Post Independence India.
Oriental, Conventional and Non-conventional learning programmes in India.
Professional, Technical and Skill Based education.
Value education and environmental education.
Policies, Governance, and Administration.
People, Development and Environment
Development and environment: Millennium development and Sustainable development goals.
Human and environment interaction: Anthropogenic activities and their impacts on environment.
Environmental issues: Local, Regional and Global; Air pollution, Water pollution, Soil pollution, Noise pollution, Waste (solid, liquid, biomedical, hazardous, electronic), Climate change and its Socio-Economic and Political dimensions.
Impacts of pollutants on human health.
Natural and energy resources: Solar, Wind, Soil, Hydro, Geothermal, Biomass, Nuclear and Forests.
Natural hazards and disasters: Mitigation strategies.
Environmental Protection Act (1986), National Action Plan on Climate Change, International agreements/efforts -Montreal Protocol, Rio Summit, Convention on Biodiversity, Kyoto Protocol, Paris Agreement, International Solar Alliance.
PAPER II
1. Basic Mathematical Methods
Plotting of graph, curve fitting, data analysis, elementary probability
theory. Calculus : vector algebra and vector calculus. Linear algebra, martices. Linear differential
equations. Fourier : series, Fourier transforms-Elementary complex analysis.
2. Classical Dynamics
Basic principles of classical dynamics. Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formalisms.
Symmetries and conservation laws, Motion in the central field of force. Collision and scattering,
Mechanics of system of particles. Rigid body dynamics. Noninertial frames and pseudoforces. Small
oscillations and normal modes. Wave motion-wave equation, phase velocity, group velocity, dispersion.
Special theory of relativity-Lorentz transformations, addition of velocities, mass-energy equivalence,
energy-momentum four-vector
3. Electromagnetics
Electrostatics-Leplace and Poission equations, boundary value problems, multiple
expansion, dielectrics. Magnetostatics - Ampere's theorem, Biot-Savart Law, electromagnetic induction.
Maxwell's equation in free space and in linear isotropic media. Boundary conditions on the field at
interfaces. Scalar and vector potentials, Gauge invariance. Electromagnetic waves-reflection and
refraction, dispersion, Rectangular wave guides. Interference, coherence, visibility of fringes.
Diffraction, Polarization, Electrodynamics motion of a charged particle in electric and magnetic fields.
Radiation from moving charges, radiation from a dipole.
4. Quantum Physics and Applications
Wave-particle duality. Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle.
Schrodinger equation. Particle moving in a one-dimensional potential. Orbital angular
momentum. Motion in a central potential symmetry conservation laws and degeneracy. Operator
formalism of quantum mechanics. Angular momenta algebra, spin. Addition of angular momenta.
Time-independent perturbation theory. Time-dependent purturbation theory-adiabatic
approximation. Fermi's Golden Rule. Elementary theory of scattering in a central potential.
Phase shifts, partial wave analysis. Born approximation. Schrodinger equation in a periodic
potential, Bloch's theorem, Tunnelling through a potential barrier. Identical particles, spin
statitics connection.
5. Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics
Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics, laws of thremodynamics and their consequences.
Thermodynamic potentials and Maxwell's relations. Chemical potential, phase equilibria. Phase
space, Microstates and macrostates. Ensembles. Partition funcdtion, Free energy and connection
with thermodynamic quantities. Classical and quantum statistics. Degenerate electron gas,
Blackbody radiation and Planck's distribution law. Bose-Einstein condensation. Einestein and
Debye models for lattice specific heat paramagnetism due to lacalized moments. Elementary
ideas on phase transitions-Van der Walls fluid, Weiss molecular field theory of ferromagnetism.
6. Experimental Techniques, Measurement of fundamental physical constants, temperature, Pressure
and humidity sensors, photon and particle detectors. Oscilloscopes, function generator, voltage and
current sources, power supply, Measurement of high and low resistance (voltage and current). AC
bridges for L and C Measurement of magnetic field.
Principles and conceptual basis of : (i) Optical sources, interferometry for wavelength measurements,
(ii) Production and measurement of low pressure (vacuum), (iii) Power and single crystal (Laue) Xray
diffraction techniques, (iv) Measurements of signals, signal to noise ratio.
6. Electronics
Electronics Semiconductor discrete devices (characteristic curves and physics of p-n junction).
Schottky, Tunnel and MOS diodes, Bipolar junction transistor, junction field effect, transistor
(JFET) Metal-oxide-Semiconductor. Field effect transistor (MOSFET), unijunction transistor
and sillicon controlled rectifier (SCR), Opto-electronic devices (Photo-diode, solar cell, LED,
LCD and photo transistor), Diffusion of impurities in sillicon, growth of oxide.
Applications of semiconductor devices in linear and digital circuits-Zener regulated power
supply, Transistor (bipolar, MOSFFT, JFET) as amplifier, coupling of amplifier stages (DC,
RC and Transformer coupling), RC-coupled amplifier, dc and power amplifier Feedback in
amplifiers and oscillators (phase swift, Hartley, Colpitts and crustal controlled) clipping and
clamping circuits. Transistor as a switch OR, AND and NOT gates (TIL and CMOS gates).
Multivibrators (using transistor) and sweep geneator (using transistors, UJT and SCR).
Linear integrated circuits-Operational amplifier and its applications-Inverting and noninverting
amplifier, adder, integrator, differentiator, waveform geneator, comparator and Schmittrigger,
Butterwoth active filter, phase shifter, Digital integrated circuits-NAND and NOR gates building
block, X-OR gate, simple combinational circuits-Half and full address, Flip-Flops, shift registers,
counters, A/D and D/A coverters, semiconductor memories (ROM, RAM, and EPROM, basic,
architecture of 8 bit microprocessor (INTEL 8085).
Communication Electronics-Basic principle of amplitude frequency and phase modulation.
Simple circuits for amplitude modulation and demodulation, digital (PCM) modulation and
demodulation. Fundamentals of optical communication, Microwave Oscillators (reflex, klystron,
megnetron and Gunn diode), Cavity resonaters. Standing wave detector.
7. Atomic and Molecular Physics
Atomic Physics-quantum states of an electron in an atom,
Hydrogen atom spectrum, electron spin, Stern-Gerlach experiment, spin-orbit coupling, fine
structure, spectroscopic terms and selection rules, hyperfine structure.
Exchange symmetry of wave functions, Pauli exclusion priciples, periodic table, alkali-type spectra,
LS and JJ coupling, Hund's rules and term reversal.
Machanisms of line broadening.
Zeeman, Paschen-Back and Stark effects.
Inner-shell vacancy, X-rays and Auger transitions, Compton effect.
Principles of resonance Spectroscopy (ESR and NMR)
Molecular Physics-Covalent, ionic and Van der Waal's interaction, Born-Oppenheimer approximation.
Heitler-London and molecular orbital theories of H2
.
Rotation, rotation-vibration spectra, Raman Spectra, selection rules, nuclear spin and intensity alteration,
isotope effects, electronics states of diatomic molecules, Franck-Condon principle.
Laser-spontaneous and stimulated emission, optical pumping, population inversion, coherence (temporal
and spatial), simple description of ammonia maser, CO2
and He-Ne lasers.
8. Condensed Matter Physics
Crystal classes and system, 2d and 3d lattices, bonding of common
crystal structure; reciprocal lattice, diffraction and structure factor, elementary ideas about
point defect and dislocations, short and long range order in liquids and solids, liquid crystals,
quasicrystals and glasses.
Lattice vibrations, phonons, specific heat of solids. Free electron theory. Fermi statistics, heat
capacity and Pauli paramagnetic susceptibility.
Electron motion in periodic potentials energy bands in metals, insulators and semiconductors,
tight binding approximation, impurity levels in doped semiconductors.
Dielectrics-Polarization mechanisms, Clausius-Mossotti equation, piezo, pyro and ferroelectricity.
Dia and Para magnetism, exchange interactions, magnetic order, ferro, anti ferro and
ferromagnetism.
Superconductivity-basic phenomenology, Meissner effect, Type I and Type II super conductors,
BCS pairing mechanisms, High Tc materials.
9. Nuclear and Particle Physics
Basic nuclear properties-size, shape, charge distribution; spin and parity, binding, empirical
mass formula, liquid drop model, nuclear stability and radioactive decay.
Nature of nuclear force, elements of deuteron problem and low energy N-N scattering Charge
Independence + charge symmetry of nuclear forces. Evidence for nuclear shell structure.
Single particle shell model-its validity and limitations.
Interactions of charged particles and X-rays with matter, Basic principles of particle detectorsionization chamber, proportional counter and GM counters, solid state detectors-scintillation
and semiconductor detectors.
Radioactive decays- [ α β γ ] decays, their classifications and characteristics. Basic theoretical
understanding.
Nuclear reactions-Q values and kinematics of nuclear cross-sections, its energy and angular
dependence, elementary ideas of reaction mechanisms, elementary ideas of fission and fusion.
Particle Physics-Classificationof fundamental forces and elementary, particles, Isopin,
strangeness, Gell-Mann-Nishijima formula.
Quark model + SU (3) symmetry.
C.T.P invariances in different interactions, weak interactions, parity-non conservation, K-meson
complex and time reversal invariance, elementary ideas of geuge theory of strong and weak
interactions.
