Mechanical Engineering Optional Test Series for UPSC Mains

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Test series

Mechanical Engineering test series

12 sectional + 14 full-length tests

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3 questions per day for 6 months

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2014-2024 model solutions, topic-wise

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Test schedule

12 sectional tests followed by 14 full-length mocks.

Test	Type	Topic	Date
1	Sectional – Paper I	Engineering Mechanics	03-Oct
2	Sectional – Paper I	Engineering Materials	04-Oct
3	Sectional – Paper I	Theory of Machines	10-Oct
4	Sectional – Paper I	Manufacturing Science	11-Oct
5	Sectional – Paper I	Manufacturing Management	17-Oct
6	Sectional – Paper I	Industrial Engineering	18-Oct
7	Sectional – Paper II	Thermodynamics	24-Oct
8	Sectional – Paper II	Gas Dynamics	25-Oct
9	Sectional – Paper II	Heat Transfer	31-Oct
10	Sectional – Paper II	Internal Combustion Engines	01-Nov
11	Sectional – Paper II	Steam Engineering	07-Nov
12	Sectional – Paper II	Refrigeration and Air-conditioning	08-Nov
13	Full-Length Test	Paper I – Full Syllabus	14-Nov
14	Full-Length Test	Paper II – Full Syllabus	15-Nov
15	Full-Length Test	Paper I – Full Syllabus	21-Nov
16	Full-Length Test	Paper II – Full Syllabus	22-Nov
17	Full-Length Test	Paper I – Full Syllabus	28-Nov
18	Full-Length Test	Paper II – Full Syllabus	29-Nov
19	Full-Length Test	Paper I – Full Syllabus	05-Dec
20	Full-Length Test	Paper II – Full Syllabus	06-Dec
21	Full-Length Test	Paper I – Full Syllabus	12-Dec
22	Full-Length Test	Paper II – Full Syllabus	13-Dec
23	Full-Length Test	Paper I – Full Syllabus	19-Dec
24	Full-Length Test	Paper II – Full Syllabus	20-Dec
25	Full-Length Test	Paper I – Full Syllabus	26-Dec
26	Full-Length Test	Paper II – Full Syllabus	27-Dec

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Mechanical Engineering Optional syllabus

The UPSC syllabus this test series covers, topic by topic.

Mechanical Engineering - Paper I

Engineering Mechanics: Mechanics of rigid bodies including equations of equilibrium in space and their application. First and second moments of area. Friction and simple problems involving friction. Kinematics of particles in plane motion. Elementary particle dynamics. Generalized Hooke’s law and its applications. Axial stress, shear stress, bearing stress. Bending and shear stresses in beams. Principal stresses and strains. Compound and combined stresses. Bi-axial stresses in thin-walled pressure vessels. Circular shafts under torsion and bending. Beam deflection for statically determinate beams. Theories of failure.
Engineering Materials: Structure of solids. Properties of common ferrous and non-ferrous materials. Heat treatment of steels. Properties and uses of plastics, ceramics, and composite materials. Introduction to nano-materials.
Theory of Machines: Kinematic and dynamic analysis of plane mechanisms. Cams, gears, and epicyclic gear trains. Flywheels and governors. Balancing of rigid rotors and engines. Vibration analysis of single degree of freedom systems. Critical speeds and whirling of shafts.
Manufacturing Science: Merchant’s force analysis and Taylor’s tool life equation. Machining processes including turning, milling, grinding, and drilling. CNC machine tools and part programming. Non-conventional machining processes such as EDM, ECM, ultrasonic machining, water jet machining, lasers, and plasmas. Metal forming and welding processes. Metrology including limits, fits, tolerances, gauges, comparators, and inspection methods.
Manufacturing Management: Plant location and layout planning methods. Product and process selection using engineering economics. Capacity planning and forecasting. Work measurement and time standards. Assembly line balancing and inventory control models. Just-in-time (JIT) systems, sourcing and logistics. Scheduling algorithms and quality control techniques. Control charts for variables and attributes. Cost of quality, project management, total quality management (TQM). Concepts of flexible, lean, and agile manufacturing.
Industrial Engineering: Principles of productivity and work study. Methods engineering and work simplification techniques. Facility layout and materials handling systems. Ergonomics and human factors engineering. Production planning and control. Value engineering and operations research basics.

Mechanical Engineering - Paper II

Thermodynamics: First and Second Laws of Thermodynamics. Thermodynamic properties and relations. Entropy, reversibility, irreversibility, availability. Thermodynamic cycles including Carnot, Rankine, Otto, Diesel, Brayton, and Stirling. Gas mixtures and psychrometrics. Combustion and stoichiometry. Fuel properties and calorimetry.
Gas Dynamics: Classification and properties of compressible flow. Mach number and isentropic flow relations. Shock waves and expansion waves. Fanno and Rayleigh flows. Flow with friction and heat transfer. Design and performance of fans, blowers, compressors. Axial and centrifugal compressors. Gas turbines with reheat and regeneration.
Heat Transfer: Modes of heat transfer-conduction, convection, radiation. One-dimensional steady and unsteady conduction. Heat transfer from extended surfaces. Free and forced convection including boundary layer theory. Heat exchanger types and effectiveness. Radiation laws-Stefan–Boltzmann, Planck, Wien’s. View factors and radiation shields.
Internal Combustion Engines: Classification and working of IC engines. Thermodynamic cycles and performance parameters. Combustion in SI and CI engines. Ignition and injection systems. Detonation and knocking in petrol and diesel engines. Combustion chamber design. Fuels and fuel additives. Emissions and alternative fuels.
Steam Engineering: Rankine cycle and its modifications with regeneration and reheat. Steam generators, types of boilers, boiler performance. Draught systems. Steam turbines and compounding techniques. Nozzle flow and supersaturation. Wilson line and irreversibilities. Governing methods and efficiency improvements. Combined cycle and cogeneration systems.
Refrigeration and Air conditioning: Vapour compression refrigeration system and p-h, T-s diagrams. Properties and classification of refrigerants (R134a, R123, etc.). System components-evaporators, condensers, compressors, expansion valves. Vapour absorption systems. Psychrometry-properties of moist air, psychrometric chart. Processes-heating, cooling, humidification, dehumidification. Effective temperature and thermal comfort. Cooling load estimation and duct design.

Free 2014 PYQ solutions

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Mechanical Engineering Optional test series