ISA-CCST-LEVEL-1 Exam Information and Outline
Certified Control Systems Technician - Level 1 (CCST)
ISA-CCST-LEVEL-1 Exam Syllabus & Study Guide
Before you start practicing with our exam simulator, it is essential to understand the
official ISA-CCST-LEVEL-1 exam objectives. This course outline serves as your roadmap.
The information below reflects the 2026 syllabus defined by
ISA.
Below are complete topics detail with latest syllabus and course outline, that will help you good knowledge about exam objectives and topics that you have to prepare. These contents are covered in questions and answers pool of exam.
Exam Code: ISA CCST Level 1
Exam Name: Certified Control Systems Technician
Number of Questions:
Total Scored Questions: 125 multiple-choice questions.
Additional Unscored (Pre-test) Questions: 15–20 (embedded; do not affect score).
Total Questions Delivered: 140–145.
Time Allotted:
Total Exam Duration: 4 hours (240 minutes).
Core Testing Time: 225 minutes for all questions.
Optional Break: 10 minutes (timer pauses).
Tutorial/NDA and Review: 5–15 minutes (not counted in core time).
Passing Marks:
Passing Score: 78% (approximately 98 out of 125 scored questions correct).
Scoring Method: Scaled score (not raw percentage); minimum passing scaled score is 500 on a 200–800 scale, equivalent to ≈78% correct.
Module 1: Overview of CCST Certification/Concepts of Process Control
- Tasks and roles of CCST
- Certification process
- ISO 9000
Module 2: Calibration
- Basic measurement units for pressure, level temperature and flow
- Calibration equipment for specific applications and equipment
- Procedures for measurement of current, voltage and resistance
Module 3: Instrument Performance and Calibration Principles and Procedures
- Range and span
- Suppressed and elevated zero
- Accuracy, repeatability and reproducibility
- Hysteresis and deadband
- Common instrument error
Module 4: ISO 9000 Standards and Advancing Technologies
- ISO 9000 Standards
- Steps in the ISO 9000 process
- Effects of the ISO standards on instrumentation and control departments
Module 5: Control Actions and Modes, Tuning Methods
- Direct and reverse actions
- On-off control
- Proportional, integral and derivative control
- Objectives of tuning
- Trial and error
- Open-loop test and closed-loop test
Module 6: Advanced Control Strategies, Loop Checking and Instrument Installation
- Ratio, cascade and feedforward control strategies
- Considerations, process and procedure of loop checking
- Instrument installation requirements and details
Module 7: Troubleshooting and Instrumentation for Pressure and Level Measurement
- Approaches to troubleshooting
- Function and operation of industrial equipment to measure pressure and level
Module 8: Instrumentation for Flow and Temperature Measurement and Other Analyses
- Function and operation of industrial instrumentation used to measure flow, temperature and other parameters
Module 9: Final Control Elements, Common Problems, Troubleshooting with DC and Instrument Maintenance
- Linear and rotary motion valves
- Function of actuators, positioners and transducers
- Cavitation and valve coefficient
- Other control elements
- Common problems with measurement and final control elements
- DCS troubleshooting
- Corrective, preventive and predictive instrument maintenance
Module 10: P&ID Basics, Loop Diagrams and Instrument Lists, Fieldbus
- P&ID definitions, use and identification
- Types and examples of loop diagram
- Instrument list
- Programmable electronic systems
- Basic PLC systems: ladder logic
- Fieldbus
Module 11: Safety and Installation in Hazardous Areas
- Types of hazards
- PPE
- Safety Data Sheets (SDS)
- Permits/tags
- Hazard classifications
- Hazard protection techniques, intrinsically safe system