The Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) has officially released the Tentative Answer Keys for the Combined Technical Services Examinations (Non-Interview Posts). The keys for all 32 subjects, including Civil Engineering (Subject Code: 398), are now live on the official dashboard.
➔ Click Here to view the Official TNPSC Dashboard & Keys
⚠️ Mahesh IES Academy Analysis: 4 Disputed Civil Engineering Questions
After a thorough technical review of the 200 Civil Engineering MCQs by our expert faculty, we have identified four specific questions where the tentative key deviates from standard engineering literature. We highly recommend students review these and consider filing a key challenge with standard textbook proofs:
- Q93. Rib-shortening in arches is the result of:
The options include Axial strain, Temperature drop, Shrinkage of concrete, and All of the above. While shrinkage is a factor in reinforced concrete ribs, standard structural analysis states that rib shortening is primarily a direct result of axial thrust/strain (and temperature changes). This makes "All of the above" or "Axial Strain" highly debatable against the currently ticked option. - Q153. Cement concrete will resist fire upto a temperature of:
The 250°C mark is highly controversial. While concrete begins to lose strength around 250°C-300°C, it generally resists fire and maintains structural integrity up to much higher temperatures (often cited between 800°C to 1000°C depending on the aggregate) before catastrophic failure. - Q162. Interaction of Electromagnetic Energy with volume phenomena in remote sensing:
The debate here lies between Absorption and Volume Scattering. In standard remote sensing texts (like Lillesand & Kiefer), volume interaction is heavily associated with scattering (e.g., in forest canopies or snow) rather than purely absorption. - Q163. Distomat measures distance upto:
Depending on the specific generation of the Distomat (e.g., Wild DI-10 vs modern EDM), the maximum range varies wildly in standard surveying textbooks (from 2km up to 5km or 10km). This ambiguity makes it a prime candidate for a challenge.
How to Challenge?
If you are on the borderline of the expected cut-off, do not hesitate to challenge these questions. You must provide a scanned copy of a standard author's textbook (e.g., Punmia, Bhavikatti, or Garg) as proof. Guidebooks or internet articles are not accepted by TNPSC.