Gujarat FSO (GPSC / GSSSB) official syllabus guide
Gujarat FSO (GPSC / GSSSB) syllabus 0
In every GPSC cycle the concerned-subject paper has 200 questions for 200 marks in English, covering basic chemistry, food chemistry and microbiology, and the FSS Act, Rules and Regulations. The five papers on this site carry 197 questions (Senior FSO 2025 and Designated Officer 2020, questions 101-300 of the combined paper), 198 (GMC 2024), 250 (GMC 2021, a 50-question English section plus 200 subject questions) and 99 (GSSSB 2018). The Gujarati-only general-studies half of the GPSC papers is not on the site.
Exam pattern and marking
- GPSC preliminary test, Class-1/Class-2 posts (Advt. 17/2025-26): general studies 100 marks plus concerned subject 200 marks, 300 marks in 180 minutes; candidates below 15 percent are not eligible for interview. Interview is 100 marks, with the final merit 50 percent preliminary and 50 percent interview.
- GPSC Class-3 Gandhinagar posts: Advt. 108/2020-21 used a 400-mark preliminary exam (Paper 1: general studies 100, Gujarati 50, English 50; Paper 2: concerned subject 200, in 2 hours each). Advt. 8/2024-25 used a 300-mark preliminary test, then a 200-mark descriptive main written test; the final result would be based on the main test only.
- Concerned-subject paper: 200 questions, 200 marks, medium English (Advt. 8/2024-25, 17/2025-26 and 108/2020-21 syllabi).
- GSSSB 2018 (Advt. 121/2016-17): for graduate-level cadres the written test is 150 marks in 120 minutes, of which 90 marks are on the subject of the minimum qualification, followed by a computer proficiency test with a 40 percent qualifying standard. The advertisement does not publish a food-science topic list for that paper.
- Negative marking is not stated in the GPSC advertisements read; the papers on this site use a one-third practice deduction.
One food-science and food-law subject paper of about 200 questions syllabus
Basic concepts and food chemistry
4 topics- General, inorganic, organic and physical chemistry
- Water, carbohydrates, fats and oils, proteins, enzymes, flavour and natural pigments
- Food additives with their technological functions, food toxicology, anti-nutritional factors
- Macro and micronutrients, nutraceuticals and functional foods (2025 syllabus)
Food microbiology, hygiene and preservation
3 topics- Food-borne pathogens, sources of contamination, spoilage and food-borne disease
- Microbiological examination of foods
- Principles of preservation, processing, packaging and Good Manufacturing Practices (added in the 2025 syllabus)
FSS Act, Rules and Regulations
4 topics- FSS Act 2006 and FSS Rules 2011
- FSS Regulations 2011: Food Products Standards and Additives, Licensing and Registration, Laboratory and Sampling Analysis, Packaging and Labelling, Contaminants Toxins and Residues, Prohibition and Restriction of Sales
- FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations 2020
- Prevention of Food Adulteration Act 1954 (listed in the 2021 and 2024 Class-3 syllabi)
Enforcement, consumer and certification topics
3 topics- Food safety surveillance, recall, restrictions on sale of oils and fats, food analysis
- Consumer rights, Consumer Protection Act, FSSAI grievance channels, adjudication, prosecution, offences and penalties
- Safe and Nutritious Food initiative, BIS and AGMARK certification, common adulterants and quick tests
Organisations and current trends
2 topics- FSSAI, State Food Authorities, APEDA, FAO, WHO, ISO, Global Food Safety Partnership
- Current trends and recent advances in food safety and standards
General studies and language (preliminary Paper 1)
2 topics- Gujarat and Indian history, culture, geography and polity; economy; general science, environment and ICT; current events
- Gujarati and English language sections in the Class-3 Gandhinagar papers
Source: GPSC prelim syllabus, Advt. 17/2025-26 ↗. Source: GPSC detailed advertisement 17/2025-26 (exam pattern note) ↗. Source: GPSC syllabus, Advt. 8/2024-25 ↗. Source: GPSC detailed advertisement 8/2024-25 (exam pattern) ↗. Source: GPSC syllabus, Advt. 108/2020-21 ↗. Source: GPSC Designated Officer prelim syllabus, Advt. 19/2019-20 ↗. Source: GSSSB Advt. 119-132/2016-17 detailed instructions ↗. Checked 2026-10-02.
Section weight by year
| Paper | Concerned Subject (Q101–300) | Food Safety & Food Science | English Language (Paper 1, Q151–200) | Total | Minutes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GPSC Senior Food Safety Officer 2025 | 197 | — | — | 197 | 120 |
| GPSC Food Safety Officer 2024 | — | 198 | — | 198 | 120 |
| GPSC Food Safety Officer 2021 | — | 200 | 50 | 250 | 150 |
| GPSC Designated Officer (Food Safety) 2020 | 197 | — | — | 197 | 120 |
| GSSSB Food Safety Officer 2018 | — | 99 | — | 99 | 150 |
A dash means that paper had no such section — not that the figure is missing. The board has renamed and reorganised the sections between sittings, so the columns are the union of every taxonomy it has used. Candidates should therefore prepare the underlying subjects rather than relying on one year's section labels.
Changes in examination pattern
Compared across past papers. Not an official announcement.
| Change | Compared papers | Before | After | What changed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | GPSC Food Safety Officer 2024 → GPSC Senior Food Safety Officer 2025 | 198 q 198 marks 120 min 1 section | 197 q 197 marks 120 min 1 section |
Questions
198 → 197
Marks
198 → 197
Dropped
Food Science, Safety & Standards
Added
Concerned Subject (Q101–300)
|
| 2024 | GPSC Food Safety Officer 2021 → GPSC Food Safety Officer 2024 | 250 q 250 marks 150 min 2 sections | 198 q 198 marks 120 min 1 section |
Questions
250 → 198
Duration
150 → 120 min
Marks
250 → 198
Dropped
Food Science, Safety & Standards (Paper 2), English Language (Paper 1, Q151–200)
Added
Food Science, Safety & Standards
|
| 2021 | GPSC Designated Officer (Food Safety) 2020 → GPSC Food Safety Officer 2021 | 197 q 197 marks 120 min 1 section | 250 q 250 marks 150 min 2 sections |
Questions
197 → 250
Duration
120 → 150 min
Marks
197 → 250
Dropped
Concerned Subject (Q101–300)
Added
Food Science, Safety & Standards (Paper 2), English Language (Paper 1, Q151–200)
|
| 2020 | GSSSB Food Safety Officer 2018 → GPSC Designated Officer (Food Safety) 2020 | 99 q 99 marks 150 min 1 section | 197 q 197 marks 120 min 1 section |
Questions
99 → 197
Duration
150 → 120 min
Marks
99 → 197
Dropped
Food Safety & Food Science
Added
Concerned Subject (Q101–300)
|
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