PSSSB Food Safety Officer Syllabus, Exam Pattern

120 multiple-choice questions, as the advertisement's annexure gave it, with a note that the split could vary slightly.

A candidate needed at least 40% in the written exam to be considered. The 2020 notice predates the Board's qualifying Punjabi paper at 50%, which came in with an October 2022 notification.

1. Food chemistry and nutrition: acids, bases and pH, carbohydrates, lipids and proteins, vitamins and minerals, diet and energy needs, adulteration.
2. Food microbiology: microorganisms in food, contamination, food poisoning, fermentation.
3. Plant-based food products: oil seeds, fats and oils, cereals, fruit and vegetables, spices, with processing and quality tests.
4. Animal-based food products: milk and dairy products, meat, fish, poultry, egg, honey.
5. Spoilage and preservation of foods.
6. Food packaging.
7. Food legislation and quality control: the Food Safety and Standards Act, AGMARK, BIS, HACCP, laboratory quality systems.
8. Agriculture, with special reference to Punjab.

• Matric-level Punjabi, or an equivalent.
• A degree in Food Technology, Dairy Technology, Biotechnology, Oil Technology, Agricultural Science, Veterinary Sciences, Bio-Chemistry or Microbiology, a master's in Chemistry, or a medical degree, from a UGC-recognised university.
• Any other qualification the Central Government has notified as equal.

Age was 18 to 37 on 1 January 2020, with 42 for SC and BC of Punjab, 45 for government employees and 47 for persons with disability of Punjab. Ex-servicemen got service deducted from their age. Selected candidates had to finish the training the Food Safety Rules, 2011 require before being notified as Food Safety Officers.

Merit was decided only by the written exam. Candidates with the 40% minimum were called for counselling and document checks, in a number the Board fixed, about three times the posts, and the Board recommended selected candidates to the department.

The 2020 advertisement gave the pay scale ₹10,300 to ₹34,800 with grade pay of ₹4,200, and only the basic pay, with no allowances, during probation. This is the pre-7th Pay Commission structure. A new advertisement would give the current figure.

Of the 25 posts, 11 were general, 3 SC (Mazhbi and Balmiki), 2 SC (Ramdasia and others), 3 BC, 2 ex-servicemen general, 2 ex-servicemen SC, 1 disabled (orthopaedic) and 1 EWS.

• SSSB Group C advertisements
• Advertisements and notices page, with the 2020 notices
• Results page, with the 2020 FSO results
• Advertisement 01 of 2020 (PDF)

Is Food Safety Officer recruitment open in Punjab?

Not through the Subordinate Services Selection Board. Its notices show only the 2020 round.

Which degrees counted?

Food, dairy, oil, agriculture, veterinary, biochemistry and microbiology degrees, a master's in Chemistry, or a medical degree.

Was there an interview?

No. The written exam alone decided merit, followed by counselling and document checks.

How many questions were in the exam?

120 multiple-choice questions, 80 of them on the subject topics.