JKSSB Draftsman (Soil Conservation) 2025 Solved Question Paper

Question 1

The minimum spacing between lines in lettering to maintain clarity is:

Accepted Answer

Option C: Twice the line thickness. According to Indian Standards (IS 9609 / SP 46 for engineering drawing lettering), the minimum spacing between lines of letters to ensure optimal legibility and clarity is typically twice the line thickness (2d) or about two-thirds the letter height.

Question 2

Which tool is used for concrete slump testing?

Accepted Answer

Option B: Slump cone. The slump test is conducted using a standard frustum of a cone (slump cone) with top diameter 100 mm, bottom diameter 200 mm, and height 300 mm, along with a tamping rod, to measure the workability and consistency of fresh concrete.

Question 3

What is the primary purpose of watershed management?

Accepted Answer

Option D: Water and soil conservation. Watershed management is the integrated conservation, management, and judicious utilization of land, water, and biomass resources within a natural drainage basin to conserve soil moisture, check runoff, and recharge groundwater.

Question 4

Terracing helps in:

Accepted Answer

Option B: Preventing erosion. Terracing modifies steep hillside topography into a series of stepped, horizontal flat benches or graded platforms, substantially reducing surface runoff velocity and preventing soil erosion.

Question 5

What does "plinth area" refer to?

Accepted Answer

Option C: Covered area at floor level. Plinth area is the built-up covered area of a building measured at floor level, including the thickness of external walls and internal courtyard openings.

Question 6

Which is a micro-irrigation technique?

Accepted Answer

Option A: Drip irrigation. Drip (trickle) irrigation is a precision micro-irrigation method that applies water directly to the plant root zone drop-by-drop through emitters at low pressure and low volume, maximizing water use efficiency (>90%).

Question 7

Which method is used in plane table surveying to fix a point by two known points?

Accepted Answer

Option C: Intersection. In plane table surveying, the intersection method is used to locate an inaccessible point by sighting it from two known, occupied instrument stations and drawing rays whose intersection plots the point on the drawing sheet.

Question 8

A block in AutoCAD is:

Accepted Answer

Option D: A group of objects saved as a single item. In AutoCAD, a block is a collection of geometric objects (lines, arcs, circles, text) combined and saved as a single named 2D or 3D compound object that can be inserted, scaled, and rotated repeatedly.

Question 9

The true shape of a section is seen when the cutting plane is:

Accepted Answer

Option A: Parallel to the viewing plane. The true shape of an object's cross-section is obtained only on a projection plane that is positioned parallel to the cutting section plane, or when the cutting plane is parallel to the viewing plane.

Question 10

Which stone is best suitable for building works?

Accepted Answer

Option C: Granite. Granite is an unstratified igneous rock possessing high crushing strength (75 to 130 N/mm²), high density, low water absorption, and excellent weathering resistance, making it the most durable stone for heavy engineering building works.

Question 11

Welded joints are preferred over riveted joints because:

Accepted Answer

Option C: They form a stronger bond. Welded joints achieve up to 100% joint efficiency, forming a stronger, continuous monolithic bond without weakening structural members through drilled rivet holes, while saving steel weight by eliminating gusset plates.

Question 12

In permanent gully control, which structure is used at the head?

Accepted Answer

Option A: Drop structure. A drop structure (drop spillway) is constructed at the gully head to safely drop runoff from the upstream drainage area into the gully bed without causing headward erosion or waterfall undercutting.

Question 13

Drafting software often used in conservation planning is:

Accepted Answer

Option B: AutoCAD. AutoCAD (along with AutoCAD Civil 3D) is the premier computer-aided drafting and design software utilized by agricultural and civil engineers to create topographical layouts, contour maps, and conservation structure drawings.

Question 14

The unit of measurement for painting work is:

Accepted Answer

Option D: Square meter. As per IS 1200 (Method of measurement of building and civil engineering works), superficial surface treatments like whitewashing, distempering, and painting are measured in square meters (m²).

Question 15

Percolation tanks are used for:

Accepted Answer

Option C: Groundwater recharge. Percolation tanks are artificially created surface water impoundments located on permeable geological strata specifically designed to hold monsoon runoff and facilitate deep percolation to recharge the groundwater aquifer.

Question 16

The alidade is used in:

Accepted Answer

Option B: Plane table surveying. An alidade (plain or telescopic) is an essential sighting rule with a fiducial edge used in plane table surveying to sight distant objects, measure vertical angles, and draw line of sight rays directly on the drawing board.

Question 17

Which factor most affects accuracy of GPS measurement?

Accepted Answer

Option C: Number of visible satellites. The geometric distribution and number of visible satellites above the horizon directly govern the Geometric Dilution of Precision (GDOP); receiving signals from four or more well-spaced satellites is critical for accurate 3D position trilateration.

Question 18

A polyline is:

Accepted Answer

Option A: Series of connected lines and arcs. In computer-aided drafting (CAD), a polyline (PLINE) is a single continuous entity composed of interconnected straight line segments and arc segments treated as a unified object.

Question 19

A TIN surface in Civil 3D stands for:

Accepted Answer

Option B: Triangulated Irregular Network. TIN stands for Triangulated Irregular Network. In Civil 3D and GIS, a TIN surface models continuous digital terrain elevation through a network of non-overlapping contiguous triangles formed by connecting spot heights and contour points.

Question 20

Inverted siphon in sewerage is used where:

Accepted Answer

Option D: Sewer crosses a valley or obstruction. An inverted siphon (depressed sewer) is a sewer section constructed below the hydraulic grade line that flows full under hydrostatic pressure to convey sewage underneath a stream, railway, road cut, valley, or other physical depression.

Question 21

Which of the following is used to construct an ellipse?

Accepted Answer

Option D: Concentric circles method. The concentric circles method (along with the trammel method and oblong method) is one of the standard geometric drawing techniques used to construct a true mathematical ellipse using major and minor auxiliary circles.

Question 22

Which is not part of RCC elements?

Accepted Answer

Option D: Scaffolding. Lintels, columns, and beams are permanent load-bearing Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC) structural elements. Scaffolding is a temporary falsework platform erected to support workers and materials during construction.

Question 23

Which type of drawing shows terrain elevation?

Accepted Answer

Option B: Contour map. A contour map portrays 3D relief and elevation changes on a 2D surface by plotting isolines (contours) connecting points of equal height above a reference datum.

Question 24

The volume of earthwork in contour bunding is estimated from:

Accepted Answer

Option B: Trapezoidal formula. In soil conservation engineering, the earthwork volume for contour bunds, trenches, and embankments is calculated using the trapezoidal formula ($V = L 	imes \frac{A_1 + A_2}{2}$ or prismoidal formula) using cross-sectional area and bund length.

Question 25

For slope >30%, the preferred conservation practice is:

Accepted Answer

Option C: Bench terracing. On steep slopes exceeding 16% up to 33% and above, contour bunding becomes unviable due to high runoff velocities; bench terracing is the recommended soil and water conservation measure to convert steep slopes into stepped cultivation benches.

Question 26

When an additional item of work is required beyond original scope, the estimate type is:

Accepted Answer

Option D: Supplementary. A supplementary estimate is a fresh detailed estimate prepared during work execution when additional works or structural modifications not contemplated in the original sanctioned estimate are found necessary.

Question 27

What is the purpose of a stilling basin in hydraulic structures?

Accepted Answer

Option C: Dissipate energy. A stilling basin is a short reach of paved channel constructed at the foot of a spillway, chute, or drop structure to dissipate the high kinetic energy of supercritical flow via a hydraulic jump, preventing scouring of the downstream riverbed.

Question 28

"Consumptive use" of water includes:

Accepted Answer

Option B: Evaporation + transpiration. Consumptive use (evapotranspiration, $ET$) of a crop is the total quantity of water transpired by the plant leaves plus evaporation from the adjacent soil surface and plant foliage during plant growth.

Question 29

A bearing is measured in:

Accepted Answer

Option A: Degrees. In surveying, the bearing of a survey line is the horizontal angle between the line and a reference meridian (true, magnetic, or arbitrary meridian), conventionally measured in degrees (°), minutes ('), and seconds (").

Question 30

What is the sag correction in chaining?

Accepted Answer

Option B: Always negative. When a chain or tape is suspended between two supports, it sags in a catenary curve, making the recorded distance longer than the true horizontal chord distance. Hence, the sag correction is always subtractive (always negative).

Question 31

In Civil 3D, which feature helps create terrain surfaces?

Accepted Answer

Option D: Surface. In AutoCAD Civil 3D, the 'Surface' feature is the core digital terrain modeling tool used to generate TIN surfaces, grid surfaces, and volume comparisons from survey point clouds, contours, and breaklines.

Question 32

Which file type is used to save drawing templates in AutoCAD?

Accepted Answer

Option B: .DWT. In AutoCAD, drawing templates containing pre-set layers, dimension styles, text styles, title blocks, and drawing limits are saved with the file extension `.DWT` (Drawing Template).

Question 33

The function of a grit chamber in STP is to:

Accepted Answer

Option A: Settle heavy inorganic solids. In sewage treatment plants (STPs), grit chambers operate under controlled flow velocity (around 0.3 m/s) to settle out dense, discrete inorganic solids (sand, gravel, cinders) while keeping lighter organic solids in suspension.

Question 34

In modern STPs, tertiary treatment aims to:

Accepted Answer

Option C: Disinfect and polish effluent. Tertiary treatment (advanced wastewater treatment) provides final polishing of effluent via multi-media filtration, nutrient removal (nitrogen/phosphorus), and chemical/UV disinfection to produce clean, safe reclaimed water.

Question 35

In isometric projection, the angle between the projection axes is:

Accepted Answer

Option B: 30°. In isometric drawing and projection, the three isometric axes are inclined at 120° to each other, with the two receding axes drawn at an angle of 30° to the horizontal reference line.

Question 36

Which material is used in damp-proofing?

Accepted Answer

Option A: Bitumen. Bitumen (hot bitumen, bituminous mastic, or asphalt felt membranes) is an impermeable hydrocarbon material universally used in building construction as a Damp Proof Course (DPC) to arrest capillary rise of moisture.

Question 37

What is a gabion structure made from?

Accepted Answer

Option D: Metal mesh and stones. A gabion is a heavy rectangular cage or basket made of galvanized double-twisted hexagonal wire mesh or welded steel mesh filled with graded quarry stones or river boulders, used for soil erosion and retaining structures.

Question 38

A watershed is an area:

Accepted Answer

Option C: That drains into a common outlet. A watershed (drainage basin or catchment area) is a topographically delineated geographic area of land that catches precipitation and drains all runoff, streams, and rivers to a single common outlet or point of concentration.

Question 39

Sheet erosion removes soil:

Accepted Answer

Option A: Uniformly across the surface. Sheet erosion is the uniform detachment and removal of a thin layer of topsoil across a broad, gentle slope caused by sheet overland flow of rainwater, often going unnoticed until substantial fertile soil is lost.

Question 40

A building setback is:

Accepted Answer

Option D: Minimum distance from plot boundary. In municipal building bylaws, a setback is the mandatory minimum open distance required between a building's outer walls and the plot boundary lines (front, rear, and sides) to ensure adequate ventilation, natural light, and fire safety.

Question 41

The Annual Rental Value method is mostly used for:

Accepted Answer

Option C: Municipal tax assessment. The Annual Rental Value (ARV) method assesses property value based on the gross annual rent the property can reasonably fetch, and is predominantly used by local civic authorities for municipal property tax assessment.

Question 42

A barrage is mainly constructed to:

Accepted Answer

Option D: Divert water. A barrage is a low hydraulic diversion structure built across a river equipped with adjustable gates across its entire crest to raise the upstream water level and divert river discharge into irrigation canals.

Question 43

What is dead storage in a reservoir?

Accepted Answer

Option B: Water below the outlet level. Dead storage is the permanent pool volume of water retained in a reservoir below the lowest outlet sill level (invert level of the lowest sluice), which cannot be withdrawn by gravity and is earmarked for sediment accumulation.

Question 44

GPS stands for:

Accepted Answer

Option D: Global Positioning System. GPS stands for Global Positioning System, a satellite-based radionavigation system owned by the United States government that provides geolocation and time information to a GPS receiver anywhere on or near the Earth.

Question 45

The instrument station in total station is known as:

Accepted Answer

Option A: Occupied station. In total station and digital theodolite surveying, the physical survey station over which the instrument is centered, leveled, and setup is formally termed the 'Occupied station'.

Question 46

A lemniscate curve is used in:

Accepted Answer

Option C: Road interchanges. The Bernoulli's lemniscate curve is an ideal transition curve commonly utilized in highway design, cloverleaf road interchanges, and roundabout approaches where the deflection angle is large.

Question 47

Model Space in AutoCAD is used to:

Accepted Answer

Option C: Draw actual designs. In AutoCAD, Model Space is the boundless 2D/3D drawing environment where real-world geometry is created at a 1:1 full scale, whereas Paper Space (Layout) is used for arranging viewports, title blocks, and plotting.

Question 48

Which of the following is not a type of coordinate system in GIS?

Accepted Answer

Option D: Orthogonal. Standard coordinate reference systems (CRS) in GIS include Geographic Coordinate Systems (GCS - latitude/longitude), Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM), and projected planar Cartesian systems. 'Orthogonal' describes a geometric relationship rather than a standardized GIS coordinate system.

Question 49

The term "sewer" refers to:

Accepted Answer

Option C: Wastewater pipe. A sewer is an underground closed conduit or pipe specifically engineered to convey wastewater (domestic sewage, industrial waste, or stormwater) from point of origin to treatment facilities or points of disposal.

Question 50

In a two-pipe house drainage system, the waste pipe discharges:

Accepted Answer

Option A: Into gully trap directly. In a traditional two-pipe drainage plumbing system, greywater from baths, basins, and kitchen sinks is carried by the waste pipe and discharges through a water seal into a gully trap before entering the main drain, preventing sewer gas ingress.

Question 51

Which symbol is used to represent earthwork in agricultural engineering drawings?

Accepted Answer

Option B: A cross-hatched square. In technical drafting standards (SP 46), earthwork, soil excavation, and compacted embankment cross-sections are standardized using cross-hatching (diagonal intersecting parallel lines) or triangular stippling.

Question 52

Which of the following is used to draw smooth curves through a series of points?

Accepted Answer

Option C: French curve. A French curve (or flexible spline) is an acrylic or plastic drafting template having various curved edges used to draw smooth non-circular mathematical curves passing through a plotted set of points.

Question 53

Which test is conducted to determine concrete workability?

Accepted Answer

Option B: Slump test. The slump test (along with the compaction factor test and Vee-Bee consistometer test) measures the workability, consistency, and flow characteristics of fresh concrete under field conditions.

Question 54

The minimum grade of concrete for RCC work as per IS:456-2000 is:

Accepted Answer

Option C: M20. According to Table 5 of IS:456-2000 (Plain and Reinforced Concrete Code of Practice), the minimum grade of concrete permitted for reinforced concrete (RCC) structural elements under mild exposure conditions is M20 (and M15 for plain concrete).

Question 55

In cross-sectional drawing, the vertical scale is sometimes exaggerated for:

Accepted Answer

Option A: Clarity. In profile and cross-sectional terrain drafting, the vertical scale is frequently exaggerated (e.g. 10 times the horizontal scale) to render subtle ground relief, slopes, and cut-and-fill depths clearly legible.

Question 56

Effective slope of a terrace is determined by:

Accepted Answer

Option C: Length of slope and vertical interval. In soil conservation engineering, the design dimensions and effective gradient of a terrace or bench terrace system are calculated from the land slope percentage, horizontal spacing (length), and vertical interval (VI) between successive benches.

Question 57

What does the duty of water mean?

Accepted Answer

Option D: Area irrigated per unit discharge. Duty represents the irrigating capacity of a unit volume of water. It is defined as the total area of land (in hectares) that can be fully matured by a continuous discharge of one cubic meter per second (1 cumec) of water throughout the crop base period (hectares/cumec).

Question 58

In hydrology, what is the rational method used for?

Accepted Answer

Option A: Calculating peak discharge. The Rational Formula ($Q = \frac{C \cdot I \cdot A}{360}$) is an empirical hydrological method universally used to estimate peak stormwater runoff discharge ($Q$) from small catchments (<50 km²) based on runoff coefficient ($C$), rainfall intensity ($I$), and drainage area ($A$).

Question 59

The HI method is used in:

Accepted Answer

Option B: Levelling. In differential levelling, the Height of Instrument (HI) method is a standard reduction technique where the line of collimation elevation (HI = BM + BS) is computed to determine reduced levels (RL = HI - IS/FS) of points.

Question 60

The most accurate method of plane table surveying is:

Accepted Answer

Option D: Intersection. Intersection is the most precise method of plane table surveying because it requires no linear ground taping/chaining to the target points (avoiding chaining errors over rough terrain); points are fixed purely by intersecting optical lines of sight sighted from two accurately plotted control base stations.

Question 61

In 3D modelling, the Revolve command is used to:

Accepted Answer

Option B: Sweep a shape around an axis. In 3D CAD modeling, the REVOLVE command generates a 3D solid or surface by sweeping a closed 2D planar profile revolved about a specified revolution axis through a designated angle.

Question 62

The most common type of joint used in stoneware pipes is:

Accepted Answer

Option A: Spigot and socket joint. Glazed stoneware (vitrified clay) sewer pipes are manufactured with integral bell and spigot ends and jointed using spigot and socket joints sealed with tarred hemp yarn and 1:1 cement-sand mortar caulking.

Question 63

The minimum diameter of a self-cleansing sewer should be:

Accepted Answer

Option B: 150 mm. According to CPHEEO (Central Public Health and Environmental Engineering Organisation) standards, the minimum diameter of a public sewer to avoid choking and maintain self-cleansing velocity is 150 mm (6 inches) in hilly areas and 200 mm in plains.

Question 64

In orthographic projection, the top view is projected onto the:

Accepted Answer

Option D: Horizontal plane. In engineering orthographic drawing, the top view (plan) of an object is viewed from directly above and projected perpendicularly onto the Horizontal Plane (HP).

Draftsman (Soil Conservation)2025

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JKSSB — Draftsman (Soil Conservation) (2025)