ISRO Centralised Board (ICRB) conducts annual recruitment drive for hiring Scientists/Engineers ‘SC’ in Electronics. The selection is based on a written test conducted by the ISRO. The syllabus for the written examination consists of various fields of electronics like Electromagnetic theory, Physical Electronics, Network Theory, Microwave Engineering, Signals and Systems etc. with stress on theories of electronics and allied disciplines.

Main topics in the Syllabus of ISRO Scientists/Engineers ‘SC’ in Electronics

• Analog Electronic Circuits
• Communication Systems
• Computer Engineering
• Control Systems
• Digital Electronic Circuits
• Electromagnetic Theory
• Microwave Engineering
• Network Theory
• Physical Electronics, Electron Devices and ICs
• Signals and Systems

Detailed topics in the Syllabus of ISRO Scientists/Engineers ‘SC’ in Electronics

Communication Systems

• Basic information theory
• Modulation and detection in analogue and digital systems
• Sampling and data reconstructions
• Quantization and coding
• Time division and frequency division multiplexing
• Equalization
• Optical Communication - In free space and fibre optic, Propagation of signals at HF, VHF, UHF and microwave frequency, Satellite Communication

Digital Electronic Circuits

• Transistor as a switching element - Boolean algebra, Simplification of Boolean function Karnaugh map and applications
• Half adder, Full adder
• IC Logic gates and their characteristics
• IC logic families - DTL, TTL, ECL, PMOS, NMOS and CMOS gates and their comparison
• ROM and their applications
• Digital comparator
• Waveform generators
• Combinational logic circuits
• Multiplexer De-multiplexer
• Flip-flops - R-S, J-K, D and T flip-tops
• A/D and D/A converters
• Different types of counters and registers
• Semi-conductor memories

Analog Electronic Circuits

• Pulse shaping circuits and waveform generators
• Small signal analysis
• Transistor biasing and stabilization
• Power amplifiers
• Frequency response - Feedback amplifiers, Wide banding techniques
• Tuned amplifiers- Oscillators, Rectifiers, Power supplies, PL, Op Amp, Other linear integrated circuits and applications

Computer Engineering

• Elements of a high level programming language PASCAL/C, Fundamentals of computer architecture
• Number Systems - Use of basic data structures, Data representation, Processor design, Programming, Control unit design (Memory organization, I/o System Organization)
• Microprocessors- Assembly language Programming, Architecture and instruction set of Microprocessors 8085 and 8086
• Microprocessor Based system design- Personal computers and their typical uses, Typical examples

Control Systems

• Transient and steady state response of control systems
• Effect of feedback on stability and sensitivity
• Root locus techniques
• Frequency response analysis
• Concepts of gain and phase margins
• Approximation of transient response from Constant-N Nichols Chart
• Constant-M and Constant-N Nichols Chart
• Approximation of transient response from closed loop frequency response
• Industrial controllers
• Design of Control Systems; Compensators

Microwave Engineering

• Microwave Tubes and solid state devices
• Wave guides and other Microwave Components and Circuits
• Microwave Antennas
• Microwave Communication Systems-terrestrial and satellite based
• Micro strip circuits
• Microwave generation and amplifiers
• Microwave Measurements – Masers, Lasers
• Micro-wave propagation

Electromagnetic Theory

• Analysis of electrostatic and magneto-static fields
• Laplaces and Poissons equations
• Boundary value problems and their solutions
• Elements of antenna theory
• Maxwells equations
• Application to wave propagation in bounded and unbounded media
• Basics of wave guides and resonators
• Transmission lines - Basic theory, Standing waves, Micro strip lines, Matching applications

Signals and Systems

• Classification of signals and systems
• Laplace transforms and their application to system analysis
• State variable representation
• System modelling in terms of differential and difference equations
• Fourier transforms and their application to system analysis
• Fourier series
• Z-transforms and their applications to the analysis and characterization of discrete time systems
• Convolution and superposition integrals and their applications
• Correlation functions
• Response of linear system to random inputs
• Random signals and probability
• Spectral density

Network Theory

• Network graphs and their applications in network analysis
• Network analysis techniques - Network theorems, Transient response, Steady state sinusoidal response
• Two port networks - Z, Y, h and transmission parameters, Analysis of common two ports, Combination of two ports
• Tellegen’s theorem
• Elements of network synthesis
• Network functions - Parts of network functions, Obtaining a network function from a given part
• Transmission criteria - Elmores and other definitions effect of cascading, Delay and rise time

Physical Electronics, Electron Devices and ICs

• Electrons and holes in semi-conductors
• Carner Statistics
• Mechanism of current flow in a semi-conductor
• Hall effect
• Junction theory
• Basic and Opto Electronics
• Different types of diodes and their characteristics
• Power switching devices like SCRs, GTOs, power MOSFETs - Basics of ICs-bipolar, MOS and CMOS types
• Bipolar Junction transistor
• Field effect transistors

Aspirants should prepare extensively based on the prescribed syllabus for succeeding in the written examination. Previous year question papers are also available online and the candidates can make use of the same too for preparation.