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History▾
Last major ruler of the Gupta Dynasty
Skandagupta
Mughal painting reached its golden age during the reign of
Jahangir
First European power to establish a trading post in India
The Portuguese. Vasco da Gama reached Calicut in 1498, and Portuguese factories followed at Calicut and Cochin in the early 1500s.
Chinese traveler who visited during Harshavardhana's reign
Hiuen Tsang (Xuanzang).
Last ruler of the Maurya Empire
Brihadratha, assassinated by his commander Pushyamitra Sunga
Governor-General during the introduction of the Subsidiary Alliance
Lord Wellesley
Founder of the Atmiya Sabha in 1815
Raja Ram Mohan Roy
Leader of the Bardoli Satyagraha in 1928
Vallabhbhai Patel
Who introduced the Ryotwari Settlement in Madras
Thomas Munro (Governor of Madras), developed with Alexander Read.
Delhi Sultan who shifted capital from Delhi to Daulatabad
Muhammad bin Tughlaq
Founder of the Sayyid Dynasty
Khizr Khan
First Battle of Panipat year and combatants
1526 AD; Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi.
Traveller from Venice who visited the Vijayanagara Empire during Deva Raya II's reign
Nicolo de' Conti
Famous port of the Satavahana period on the western coast
Sopara and Kalyan (also Barygaza/Bharuch)
Founder of the Lodi Dynasty
Bahlul Lodi
Founder of the Pala Dynasty
Gopala
Famous Persian translation of the Mahabharata commissioned by Akbar
Razmnama
Title adopted by Kanishka I
Devaputra
Founder of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA)
Founded in 1928 in Delhi by Chandrashekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and others, renaming the Hindustan Republican Association.
Mughal Emperor who assumed the title 'Alamgir'
Aurangzeb
Partition of Bengal year and Viceroy
1905 AD; Viceroy was Lord Curzon.
Founder of the Slave Dynasty in Delhi Sultanate
Qutb-ud-din Aibak in 1206 AD.
Author of Ain-i-Akbari
Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak.
Traveler from Morocco who visited India during Muhammad bin Tughlaq's reign
Ibn Battuta, author of Rehla
Founder of the newspaper 'The Hindu' in 1878
G. Subramania Iyer and M. Veeraraghavachariar, with four other young men, in Madras.
Emperor Ashoka's rock edicts script
Brahmi, Kharosthi, Greek, and Aramaic scripts.
Gautama Buddha's first sermon name and location
Dharmachakra Pravartana delivered at Sarnath (Deer Park).
Name of the assembly of elders in early Vedic period
Sabha and Samiti (Sabha was a council of elders, Samiti was a general assembly)
Harappan site located in Gujarat known for its artificial brick reservoir
Lothal
Term used in Vedic texts for the king's tax collector
Bhagadugha
Indus Valley Civilization site known for Great Bath
Mohenjo-daro
Delhi Sultan who established the Diwan-i-Arz (Department of Military)
Ghiyas-ud-din Balban
Famous temple complex built by the Cholas at Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Brihadisvara Temple (built by Rajendra I)
Poet known as 'Parrot of India' (Tuti-e-Hind)
Amir Khusrow
Newspaper 'Kesari' was founded by
Bal Gangadhar Tilak (in Marathi)
Founder of the Nanda Dynasty
Mahapadma Nanda.
Leader of the 1857 Revolt in Lucknow
Begum Hazrat Mahal
First Jain Tirthankara
Rishabhanatha (Adinatha)
Leader of the 1857 Revolt in Bihar
Kunwar Singh (Zamindar of Jagdishpur)
Mughal Emperor who introduced the concept of Du-aspa and Sih-aspa
Jahangir
Author of the Tamil epic Silappadhikaram
Ilango Adigal
Viceroy of India during the launch of the Civil Disobedience Movement
Lord Irwin
Governor-General who abolished Sati in 1829
Lord William Bentinck.
Year of the passing of the Pitts India Act
1784
Famous text 'Amuktamalyada' was written by
Krishnadevaraya in Telugu
Founder of the Adil Shahi dynasty of Bijapur
Yusuf Adil Shah
Delhi Sultan who abolished internal tolls and instituted strict market control regulations
Ala-ud-din Khilji
Famous ancient Indian medical treatise written by Charaka
Charaka Samhita
Act known as the 'Black Act' due to the absence of right of appeal
Rowlatt Act passed in March 1919
Treaty that ended the First Anglo-Maratha War
Treaty of Salbai in 1782
Mughal Emperor who banned the practice of Jharokha Darshan
Aurangzeb
Harappan site famous for dockyard
Lothal, located in Gujarat on the Bhogavo river
Indica author and Mauryan court observer
Megasthenes, the Greek ambassador to Chandragupta Maurya.
Bhakti saint who propounded Vishishtadvaita philosophy
Ramanujacharya
Battle of Haldighati year and opponents
1576 AD, fought between Maharana Pratap and Mughal forces led by Raja Man Singh
Delhi Sultan who built the Qutub Minar in memory of Kaki
Qutb-ud-din Aibak (dedicated to Sufi saint Qutb-ud-din Bakhtiyar Kaki)
Doctrine of Lapse architect
Lord Dalhousie.
Author of the book 'Poverty and Un-British Rule in India'
Dadabhai Naoroji
Sufi order founded by Muinuddin Chishti
Chishti Order.
Founder of the Servants of India Society
Gopal Krishna Gokhale in 1905
Founder of the Haryanka Dynasty
Bimbisara
Last ruler of the Shunga Dynasty
Devabhuti
First President of the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC)
Lala Lajpat Rai in 1920
Year of the Lucknow Pact between INC and Muslim League
1916
Year of the establishment of the Ghadar Party in San Francisco
1913
Treaty signed after the Third Carnatic War in 1763
Treaty of Paris
Battle of Plassey year and British commander
1757 AD; commanded by Robert Clive.
Language used in most Satavahana inscriptions
Prakrit
Battle fought in 1191 AD between Prithviraj Chauhan and Muhammad Ghori
First Battle of Tarain (Won by Prithviraj Chauhan)
Governor-General during whose tenure the Vernacular Press Act was passed
Lord Lytton (1878)
Founder of the Vakataka Dynasty
Vindhyashakti
Author of the famous Sanskrit drama 'Abhijnanashakuntalam'
Kalidasa
Indus Valley Civilization most famous urban feature
Grid system of town planning and advanced underground drainage system.
Mughal Emperor who introduced the Mansabdari System
Akbar.
Battle of Talikota year and significance
1565 AD; led to the downfall of the Vijayanagara Empire.
Quit India Movement launch year and slogan
1942 AD; slogan was 'Do or Die' (Karo Ya Maro) given by Mahatma Gandhi.
Gupta period famous astronomer and mathematician
Aryabhata, author of the Aryabhatiya (499 CE); he used the place-value system and stated that the Earth rotates on its axis.
Year and location of the historic 'Komagata Maru' incident
1914, a Japanese steamship carrying Indian immigrants denied entry to Canada
Dandi March starting year and objective
1930 AD; to break the salt law as part of the Civil Disobedience Movement.
Capital of the ancient Mahajanapada of Magadha before Pataliputra
Rajagriha (Girivraja)
Vedic literature term for 'cows'
Aghanya (meaning not to be killed)
Capital of the Pallava dynasty
Kanchipuram (Kanchi)
British Prime Minister who announced the Communal Award in 1932
Ramsay MacDonald
Year of the Foundation of the Muslim League
1906 (Dacca)
Capital of the early Western Chalukyas
Badami (also known as Vatapi)
Revenue system introduced by Todar Mal during Akbar's reign
Zabt system or Dahsala system
Founder of the Vijayanagara Empire
Harihara I and Bukka Raya I in 1336 AD.
Founder of the Satavahana Dynasty
Simuka
Capital of the Maurya Empire
Pataliputra (modern-day Patna, Bihar).
Founder of the Bahmani Kingdom
Ala-ud-Din Bahman Shah (Hasan Gangu) in 1347
Year of the Indian National Congress formation
1885 AD (Founder: A.O. Hume, First President: W.C. Bonnerjee).
Jallianwala Bagh Massacre date and location
April 13, 1919 in Amritsar, Punjab.
Delhi Sultan who established the Department of Slaves (Diwan-i-Bandagan)
Firoz Shah Tughlaq
Delhi Sultan who introduced token currency
Muhammad bin Tughlaq.
Ancient Indian text known as the earliest treatise on music
Natya Shastra by Bharata Muni
Battle fought in 1527 between Babur and Rana Sanga
Battle of Khanwa
Geography▾
Black Sea Bordering Countries
Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Russia, and Georgia.
Longest River in Peninsular India
Godavari River (approx. 1,465 km), often called Dakshina Ganga.
Silent Valley National Park Location
Nilgiri Hills, Palakkad district of Kerala, known for its tropical evergreen rain forests.
Horn of Africa Countries
Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Djibouti.
Easternmost State of India
Arunachal Pradesh, sharing borders with Bhutan, China, and Myanmar.
Perigee and Apogee
Perigee is the point in the Moon's orbit closest to Earth; Apogee is the point farthest from Earth.
Lake Victoria Location
One of the African Great Lakes, bordered by countries: Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya.
Laterite Soil
Soil rich in iron and aluminium, formed in hot and wet tropical areas through intense leaching.
Zoji La Pass Connects
Srinagar in Kashmir with Leh in Ladakh, situated on the Greater Himalayas.
Amazon River Basin Location
Primarily in Brazil, extending into Peru, Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Venezuela in South America.
Shola Forests
Stunted tropical mountain forest patches found in the high altitude valleys of South India's Nilgiri, Anaimalai, and Palni hills.
Bhabar vs Terai Regions
Bhabar is a porous, pebble-laden belt south of the Shiwaliks where rivers disappear; Terai is the marshy region south of Bhabar where streams re-emerge.
Panama Canal Connects
Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean.
Barchans
Crescent-shaped sand dunes produced by the action of wind predominantly from one direction.
Steppes Grasslands Location
Eurasian region, characterized by grassland plain without trees apart from those near rivers and lakes.
Suez Canal Termini
Connects Port Said on the Mediterranean Sea to Port Tewfik on the Red Sea.
Mohorovicic Discontinuity
Boundary separating the Earth's crust and the mantle.
Albedo Definition
The reflecting power of a surface, highest for fresh snow and ice.
Atacama Desert Location
South America, primarily situated in northern Chile, known as the driest non-polar desert on Earth.
Danube River Outlet
Empties into the Black Sea through the Danube Delta, primarily in Romania and Ukraine.
Continental Drift Theory Proponent
Alfred Wegener in 1912, proposing the existence of Pangaea and Panthalassa.
Mango Showers Occur In
Kerala and Karnataka, pre-monsoon showers helpful for ripening mangoes.
Brahmaputra River Entry Point in India
Enters India in Arunachal Pradesh (near Gelling), where it is called the Siang or Dihang; it becomes the Brahmaputra in Assam after the Dibang and Lohit join it near Sadiya.
Kutch Peninsula Location
Located in the northwestern part of Gujarat, known for the Great Rann of Kutch salt marsh.
Sargasso Sea Location
North Atlantic Ocean, bounded entirely by ocean currents and known for its distinctive sargassum seaweed.
Nathu La Pass
Mountain pass in Sikkim connecting India with China's Tibet Autonomous Region.
Strait of Gibraltar Connects
The Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Spain in Europe from Morocco in Africa.
Ten Degree Channel
Water body that separates the Andaman Islands from the Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal.
Magellan Strait Location
A navigable sea route immediately south of mainland South America and north of Tierra del Fuego.
Cuesta Landform
A ridge formed by gently tilted sedimentary rock layers with a steep cliff on one side and a gentle slope on the other.
Coriolis Force Effect
Deflects winds to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere.
Great Barrier Reef Location
Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, northeastern Australia.
Western Disturbances Origin
Extra-tropical storms originating in the Mediterranean region that bring winter rainfall to northwestern India.
Strait of Malacca
Critical maritime chokepoint situated between the Malay Peninsula and the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
El Nino Phenomenon
Warm ocean current originating off the coast of Peru, disrupting normal global weather patterns.
Fiord Coastline Definition
A long, narrow, deep inlet of the sea between high cliffs, formed by submergence of a glaciated valley.
Palakkad Gap
A low pass in the Western Ghats between the Nilgiri and Anaimalai hills, linking Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) with Palakkad (Kerala). Also called the Palghat Gap.
Godavari River Source
Trimbakeshwar near Nashik in the Western Ghats of Maharashtra.
Pampas Grasslands Location
Fertile South American lowlands spanning across Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil.
Oxbow Lake
A U-shaped body of water that forms when a wide meander from the main stem of a river is cut off.
Types of Rainfall
Convectional, Orographic (Relief), and Frontal (Cyclonic) rainfall.
Podzol Soils
Acidic, nutrient-poor soils typically found in northern coniferous (taiga) forests.
Bering Strait
Water body separating Russia (Asia) from Alaska, United States (North America).
Focus vs Epicentre
Focus is the subsurface origin point of an earthquake; Epicentre is the point on the surface directly above it.
Neap Tides
Tides with the minimum daily tidal range that occur when the sun, earth, and moon form a right angle.
Sial, Sima, and Nife
Chemical layers of the Earth's interior classified by Eduard Suess containing Silica-Aluminium, Silica-Magnesium, and Nickel-Iron.
Spring Tides
Tides with the highest range occurring during the full moon and new moon when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are aligned.
Ring of Fire Location
A major area in the basin of the Pacific Ocean where many earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur.
Highest Peak in South India
Anamudi (2,695 meters) located in the Anaimalai Hills of Kerala.
Indira Point Location
The southernmost point of the Indian territory, located on Great Nicobar Island.
Scandinavian Mountains Location
Run through the Scandinavian Peninsula, predominantly covering Norway and Sweden.
Majuli Island
The world's largest river island located on the Brahmaputra River in Assam.
Roof of the World
Pamir Mountains and the Tibetan Plateau.
Anabatic Winds
Warm, upslope winds blowing up a mountain slope during the day due to differential heating.
Thar Desert Extent
Spans northwestern India (mostly Rajasthan) and eastern Pakistan, bordered by the Sutlej river to the northwest.
Shadow Zone of P-waves
The zone between 105 degrees and 145 degrees from the epicentre where P-waves are not recorded.
Palk Strait Separates
The Tamil Nadu state of India and the Jaffna District of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka.
Inversion of Temperature
A situation where temperature increases with increasing altitude, common on long winter nights.
Isohalines
Lines on a map joining places having equal salinity in the ocean.
River Damodar Origin
Khamarpat Hill in the Chota Nagpur Plateau of Jharkhand, formerly known as the Sorrow of Bengal.
Caspian Sea Bordering Countries
Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran and Azerbaijan.
Longest Mountain Range on Land
Andes Mountains, running along the western coast of South America.
Largest Desert in the World (Non-Polar)
Sahara Desert in North Africa.
Pedalfer Soils
Iron and aluminum-rich soils typical of humid, temperate regions with good vegetation.
Karewas Formation
Lacustrine (lake-deposited) deposits found in the Valley of Kashmir, famous for saffron cultivation.
Katabatic Wind
A drainage wind that carries high-density air from a higher elevation down a slope under the force of gravity.
Guiana Highlands Location
Located in northeastern South America, north of the Amazon River and south of the Orinoco River.
Layers of the Atmosphere
Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere, Exosphere (T-S-M-T-E).
Standard Meridian of India
82.5 degrees E longitude, passing through Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh.
Gutenberg Discontinuity
Boundary separating the Earth's mantle and the outer core.
Isobars
Imaginary lines on a map connecting points of equal atmospheric pressure.
Veld Grasslands Location
Southern Africa, characterized by open country with grass and low bushes, primarily in South Africa.
Roaring Forties
Strong westerly winds found in the Southern Hemisphere, generally between the latitudes of 40 and 50 degrees.
States through which Tropic of Cancer Passes
8 states: Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Tripura, Mizoram.
Types of Seismic Waves
Primary (P) waves, Secondary (S) waves, and Surface (L) waves.
Chotanagpur Plateau Mineral Wealth
Known as the 'Ruhr of India' due to its vast reserves of coal, iron ore, mica, and bauxite.
Lakshadweep Islands Origin
Coral origin, formed by the accumulation of coral polyps on submarine volcanic ridges.
Great Rift Valley Location
A continuous geographic trench running from Lebanon in Southwest Asia to Mozambique in East Africa.
Lake Baikal Status
Located in Siberia, Russia; it is the world's deepest freshwater lake and holds the highest volume.
Strait of Hormuz Connects
The Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman, vital for global petroleum transport.
Jog Falls
One of India's highest plunge waterfalls, created by the Sharavathi River in Karnataka.
Andaman and Nicobar Highest Peak
Saddle Peak, located in North Andaman, with an elevation of around 732 meters.
Loktak Lake Feature
Located in Manipur, famous for floating circular swamps called phumdis and the Keibul Lamjao National Park.
World's Deepest Trench
Mariana Trench, located in the western Pacific Ocean.
Lonar Lake Formation
Crater lake formed by a meteorite impact in the Buldhana district of Maharashtra.
Richter Scale Measures
The magnitude of an earthquake (energy released), on a logarithmic scale: each whole number is about ten times more ground motion. It is often quoted as 0–10 but has no fixed upper limit.
National Waterway 1 (NW-1)
Stretches along the Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly river system from Allahabad to Haldia.
Asthenosphere Location
Upper mantle, lying just below the lithosphere, highly viscous and mechanically weak.
Ozone Layer Altitude
Found primarily in the stratosphere, roughly between 15 to 50 kilometers above Earth's surface.
Doldrums
A low-pressure area around the equator where the prevailing winds are calm, also known as the Intertropical Convergence Zone.
River Narmada Flow Direction
Flows westward into the Arabian Sea through a rift valley between the Vindhya and Satpura ranges.
Indian Polity▾
Article 217
Appointment and conditions of the office of a Judge of a High Court, appointed by the President after consultation with CJI and Governor.
Part IV-A
Contains Fundamental Duties (Article 51A), added by the 42nd Amendment Act, 1976 on the recommendation of the Swaran Singh Committee.
Article 143
Power of the President to consult the Supreme Court on matters of public importance or law. The opinion of SC is advisory and not binding.
Article 249
Empowers Parliament to make laws on State List subjects if Rajya Sabha passes a resolution by a 2/3rd majority.
Basic Structure Doctrine
Propounded by the Supreme Court in the landmark Kesavananda Bharati case (1973). Parliament cannot amend the basic features of the Constitution.
Article 226
Empowers High Courts to issue writs for the enforcement of Fundamental Rights and for any other purpose.
Article 141
States that the law declared by the Supreme Court shall be binding on all courts within the territory of India.
Article 145
Empowers the Supreme Court to make rules for regulating the practice and procedure of the court with presidential approval.
Judicial Review
Power of the judiciary to examine the constitutionality of legislative enactments and executive orders. Derived from Article 13.
Privilege Motion
Moved by a member against a minister when the member believes the minister has breached parliamentary privilege by withholding facts.
Part IX
Contains provisions relating to Panchayats, added by the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992.
Article 72
Pardoning powers of the President. Includes commutation, remission, respite, reprieve, and pardon of death sentences.
Calling Attention Notice
Introduced in Parliament by a member to call the attention of a minister to a matter of urgent public importance without discussion.
Article 352
Proclamation of National Emergency on grounds of war, external aggression, or armed rebellion.
Schedule 11
Contains the powers, authority, and responsibilities of Panchayats, introduced by the 73rd Amendment Act, 1992.
Article 131
Grants the Supreme Court exclusive original jurisdiction in center-state or inter-state disputes.
Lame-duck Session
Refers to the last session of the existing Lok Sabha after a new Lok Sabha has been elected, where defeated members are called 'lame-ducks'.
Censure Motion
Can be moved against an individual minister or the entire council of ministers for grave lapses; its passage requires no resignation.
Article 120
Language to be used in Parliament; specifies Hindi and English as official languages for transaction of business, with permission for mother tongue.
Article 79
Constitution of Parliament. The Parliament of India consists of the President, the Council of States (Rajya Sabha), and the House of the People (Lok Sabha).
Article 139
Confers power on Parliament to confer on the Supreme Court power to issue writs other than those for Fundamental Rights.
Article 142
Empowers the Supreme Court to pass any decree or order necessary for doing complete justice in any pending case.
Article 32
Right to Constitutional Remedies. Dr. BR Ambedkar called it the heart and soul of the Constitution. Empowers Supreme Court to issue writs.
Article 50
Directs the State to take steps to separate the judiciary from the executive in the public services of the state.
Public Accounts Committee (PAC)
Consists of 22 members (15 from Lok Sabha, 7 from Rajya Sabha). Examines the audit report of CAG. Chairperson is conventionally from the opposition.
Article 93
Provides for the election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of the People (Lok Sabha).
Article 107
Provisions as to introduction and passing of ordinary Bills; outlines legislative procedure in Parliament.
Article 21
Guarantees Protection of Life and Personal Liberty. Cannot be suspended even during a National Emergency.
No-Confidence Motion
Can be moved only in Lok Sabha against the entire Council of Ministers; requires support of at least 50 members to be admitted.
Zero Hour
An Indian innovation in parliamentary procedure since 1962. Starts immediately after Question Hour to raise matters without prior notice.
Article 128
Attendance of retired judges at sittings of the Supreme Court requested by the Chief Justice with presidential consent.
Article 338
Establishment of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC).
Public Interest Litigation (PIL)
Introduced in the early 1980s by Justice P.N. Bhagwati. Relaxes the traditional rule of 'locus standi' (right to bring an action to court).
Part III of the Indian Constitution
Fundamental Rights (Articles 12 to 35). Borrowed from the US Constitution. Also known as the Magna Carta of India.
Ad hoc Judges in Supreme Court
Article 127. Appointed by the Chief Justice of India with the previous consent of the President if there is a lack of quorum of permanent judges.
Article 110
Definition of Money Bill. Deals exclusively with taxes, borrowing, Consolidated Fund of India, etc. Certified solely by the Lok Sabha Speaker.
Part IX-A
Relates to Municipalities, added to the Constitution by the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992.
Prorogation
Done by the President; terminates both the sitting and the session of Parliament, unlike adjournment which only terminates a sitting.
Article 17
Abolition of Untouchability and prohibition of its practice in any form.
Article 89
Provides for the Chairman (Vice-President of India) and Deputy Chairman of the Council of States (Rajya Sabha).
Anti-Defection Law
Added by the 52nd Amendment Act, 1985. Contained in the 10th Schedule. Determines disqualification of members on grounds of defection.
Article 138
Enlargement of the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court by Parliament with respect to any of the matters in the Union List.
Article 360
Financial Emergency. Declared by the President if financial stability is threatened. Has never been imposed in India so far.
Estimates Committee
The largest parliamentary committee with 30 members, all from the Lok Sabha only, examining government expenditure.
Article 108
Provides for a joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament in case of a deadlock over a non-money bill.
Article 76
Provides for the office of the Attorney General of India, the highest law officer in the country.
Schedule 10
Contains provisions as to disqualification on the ground of defection (Anti-Defection Law, added by 52nd Amendment, 1985).
Article 51A
Details the Fundamental Duties of Indian citizens, recommended initially by the Swaran Singh Committee.
Article 148
Provides for the independent office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), the head of the Indian Audit and Accounts Department.
Committee on Public Undertakings
Examines reports and accounts of Public Sector Undertakings; consists of 22 members (15 from Lok Sabha, 7 from Rajya Sabha).
Question Hour
The first hour of a sitting in both houses of Parliament, meant for asking and answering questions.
Article 129
Declares the Supreme Court to be a Court of Record, having power to punish for contempt of itself.
Article 140
Conferment on the Supreme Court of ancillary powers by Parliament to enable it to more effectively exercise its jurisdiction.
Article 85
Empowers the President to summon, prorogue, and dissolve the Lok Sabha.
Schedule 9
Contains Acts protected by Article 31B, mainly land reform laws. Since the I.R. Coelho case (2007), laws added after 24 April 1973 can still be reviewed if they violate the basic structure.
Article 127
Appointment of ad hoc judges in the Supreme Court when there is a lack of quorum of permanent judges available to hold or continue any session.
Article 243G
Powers, authority, and responsibilities of Panchayats relating to the 11th Schedule.
Article 280
Constitution of the Finance Commission by the President every five years.
Article 300A
Right to property; moved from Part III to Part XII as a constitutional right via the 44th Amendment Act, 1978.
Adjournment Motion
Extraordinary procedure in Lok Sabha to draw attention to a definite matter of urgent public importance, requires 50 members to support.
Preamble Amendments
Amended only once so far by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976, which added three new words: Socialist, Secular, and Integrity.
Article 136
Grants the Supreme Court extraordinary discretionary power to grant Special Leave to Appeal from any judgment.
Guillotine in Parliament
The practice of putting undiscussed demands for grants to vote together at the end of the allotted financial business time.
Article 368
Deals with the power of Parliament to amend the Constitution and its procedure (Part XX).
Collegium System
System for appointment and transfer of judges evolved through Three Judges Cases, headed by the Chief Justice of India.
Article 112
Deals with the Annual Financial Statement, commonly referred to as the Union Budget.
Article 137
Review of judgments or orders by the Supreme Court. The SC is empowered to review any judgment pronounced or order made by it.
Article 215
High Courts to be courts of record. Every High Court has the power to punish for contempt of itself.
Curative Petition
The last constitutional resort available for grievance against the final judgment of the Supreme Court, entertained under exceptional circumstances.
Article 227
Power of superintendence over all courts by the High Court within its jurisdiction.
Departmental Standing Committees
Consists of 31 members (21 from LS, 10 from RS) to oversee the work and budget of various ministries.
Cut Motion
A motion moved in Lok Sabha to reduce the amount of a demand for grants, classified into Policy, Economy, and Token cuts.
Article 124
Establishment and constitution of the Supreme Court. Supreme Court judges are appointed by the President using the collegium system.
Article 117
Special provisions relating to financial bills, specifically outlining the requirement of prior recommendation of the President.
Article 40
Organization of village panchayats as units of self-government (Directive Principles).
Article 324
Superintendence, direction, and control of elections vested in the Election Commission of India.
Article 31A
Saves laws providing for the acquisition of estates, protecting certain agrarian reform laws from judicial review.
Article 123
Empowers the President of India to promulgate Ordinances during the recess of Parliament.
Schedule 7
Contains the division of powers between the Union and the States through three lists: Union List, State List, and Concurrent List.
Article 213
Empowers the Governor of a State to promulgate Ordinances during the recess of the State Legislature.
Article 330
Reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the House of the People (Lok Sabha).
Article 1
Declares India, that is Bharat, as a 'Union of States' rather than a Federation of States.
Article 356
Deals with President's Rule in a state due to failure of constitutional machinery.
Joint Sitting of Parliament
Governed by Article 108. Summoned by the President, presided over by the Speaker of Lok Sabha. Not applicable to Money Bills or Constitutional Amendment Bills.
Article 30
Right of minorities to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice.
Office of Profit
Constitutional disqualification for being chosen as, or for being, a member of either House of Parliament under Articles 102(1)(a) and 191(1)(a).
Article 80
Specifies the composition of the Rajya Sabha (maximum 250 members, including 12 nominated by the President).
Article 133
Appellate jurisdiction of Supreme Court in appeals from High Courts in civil matters involving substantial questions of law of general importance.
Article 130
Seat of the Supreme Court; declares Delhi to be the seat of the Supreme Court, or such other place as the Chief Justice of India may appoint with Presidential approval.
Article 134
Appellate jurisdiction of Supreme Court in regard to criminal matters from High Courts under specific certificate or judgment of reversal.
Article 312
Empowers Parliament to create new All-India Services upon a resolution by the Rajya Sabha.
Article 105
Powers, privileges, etc., of the Houses of Parliament and of the members and committees thereof.
Article 224
Appointment of additional and acting judges in the High Courts by the President due to temporary increase in business or arrears of work.
Economics▾
Production Possibility Curve (PPC)
A graphical representation showing all possible combinations of two goods that can be produced using available resources and technology efficiently.
Banking Ombudsman Scheme
A speedy and inexpensive forum for bank customers for resolution of complaints relating to certain services rendered by banks.
Law of Diminishing Marginal Returns
States that as more of a variable input is added to fixed inputs, the marginal output eventually decreases.
Prompt Corrective Action (PCA)
A framework by the RBI to monitor financially weak and vulnerable commercial banks based on capital, asset quality, and profitability parameters.
Index of Eight Core Industries
A monthly production index covering Coal, Crude Oil, Natural Gas, Refinery Products, Fertilizers, Steel, Cement, and Electricity, having a 40.27% weight in the IIP.
National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)
An umbrella organization operating retail payments and settlement systems in India, created by RBI and IBA under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007.
Economies of Scale
Cost advantages reaped by companies when production becomes efficient, leading to lower per-unit cost as scale of output increases.
Microeconomics vs Macroeconomics
Microeconomics studies individual agents and markets, while macroeconomics studies the economy as a whole, including growth, inflation, and unemployment.
Reverse Repo Rate
The rate at which the central bank of a country borrows money from commercial banks within the country.
Make in India Initiative
Launched in 2014 to transform India into a global design and manufacturing hub by encouraging domestic and foreign investments.
Normal Good
A good for which demand increases as consumer income rises, resulting in a positive income elasticity of demand.
Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)
Enacted in 2005, it guarantees 100 days of wage employment in a financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.
Revenue Deficit
The excess of government revenue expenditure over revenue receipts, indicating that the government is borrowing to fund daily operational expenses.
Engel's Law
An economic observation stating that as household income rises, the percentage of income spent on food decreases, while expenditure on other goods increases.
Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
The total monetary or market value of all the finished goods and services produced within a country’s borders in a specific time period.
FDI vs FPI
Foreign Direct Investment involves taking a lasting management interest in a foreign enterprise, whereas Foreign Portfolio Investment involves buying shares and securities passively.
National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013
An Act that legally entitles up to 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population to receive subsidized food grains under the Targeted Public Distribution System.
Ease of Doing Business Index
Previously published by the World Bank, it ranked countries based on business regulations, property rights, taxation, and utility access.
Index of Industrial Production (IIP)
An index tracked by the National Statistical Office (NSO) that details the growth of various industry sectors in the Indian economy over a stated period.
Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) - e-Rupee
A digital form of fiat currency issued by the Reserve Bank of India, launched as retail and wholesale digital tokens.
Inferior Good
A type of good for which demand decreases as consumer income rises, leading to a negative income elasticity of demand.
Unified Payments Interface (UPI)
An instant real-time payment system developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) facilitating inter-bank transactions via mobile devices.
Inflation
A general increase in prices and fall in the purchasing value of money over time.
Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF)
A monetary policy tool used by the RBI through repo and reverse repo operations to manage daily liquidity fluctuations in the banking system.
Securitization
The financial practice of pooling various types of contractual debt (like mortgages or auto loans) and selling their related cash flows to third-party investors as securities.
Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY
The world's largest health insurance scheme fully financed by the government, providing cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care.
NITI Aayog
National Institution for Transforming India, established on January 1, 2015, replacing the Planning Commission.
Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme
Introduced in 1998 on the recommendation of R.V. Gupta Committee to provide timely and adequate credit support to farmers for cultivation and other needs.
Commercial Paper
An unsecured, short-term debt instrument issued by corporations, typically used for financing short-term liabilities and inventories.
Positive Economics
A branch of economics focused on factual statements, descriptions, and cause-and-effect relationships that can be tested and verified.
Veblen Good
A luxury item for which demand increases as its price rises, defying standard demand theory because higher prices confer greater status.
Non-Performing Asset (NPA)
A loan or advance whose interest or principal has remained overdue for more than 90 days.
FEMA (Foreign Exchange Management Act)
Enacted in 1999, replacing FERA to facilitate external trade and payments and promote the orderly development and maintenance of foreign exchange markets in India.
Consumer Surplus
The difference between the maximum price a consumer is willing to pay for a good and the actual market price they pay.
Monopoly Market Structure
A market structure characterized by a single seller, a unique product with no close substitutes, and high barriers to entry.
Repo Rate
The rate at which the central bank of a country (RBI in India) lends money to commercial banks in the event of any shortfall of funds.
SWIFT Network
Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication; a vast messaging network used by financial institutions globally to securely transmit information.
Mahalanobis Model
The strategy of Indian economic planning utilized in the Second Five-Year Plan, focusing heavily on heavy industries and rapid industrialization.
Planning Commission of India
Established in March 1950 by an executive resolution of the Government of India, responsible for formulating India's Five-Year Plans.
Open Market Operations (OMO)
The buying and selling of government securities in the open market by the central bank to expand or contract the amount of money in the banking system.
Bank Rate
The standard rate at which the Reserve Bank is prepared to buy or re-discount bills of exchange or other commercial papers.
Marginal Utility
The additional satisfaction or utility a consumer gains from consuming one more unit of a good or service.
Primary Deficit
Fiscal deficit minus interest payments; it indicates the borrowing requirements of the government excluding interest liabilities on past loans.
PM Gati Shakti Master Plan
A national master plan for multi-modal connectivity aimed at coordinated infrastructure planning and reducing logistics costs in India.
Certificate of Deposit (CD)
A negotiable money market instrument issued in demat form or as a usance promissory note against funds deposited at a bank for a specified period.
Account Aggregator Framework
A financial data sharing system enabled by RBI that allows consumers to securely share their financial data with third-party institutions.
Law of Supply
Other factors remaining constant, an increase in price results in an increase in quantity supplied, establishing a direct relationship between price and supply.
Giffen Good
An inferior good for which an increase in price raises the quantity demanded, violating the standard Law of Demand.
National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP)
A group of social and economic infrastructure projects in India spanning across sectors to boost growth and infrastructure development.
Law of Demand
Other things remaining constant, if the price of a commodity falls, the quantity demanded of it rises, and if the price of commodity rises, its quantity demanded falls (inverse relationship).
Liquidity Trap
A situation where interest rates are very low and savings rates are high, rendering monetary policy ineffective as people hoard cash.
Priority Sector Lending (PSL)
Mandatory lending guidelines by the RBI requiring banks to allocate a specific portion of their credit to vulnerable sectors like agriculture and MSMEs.
Term Money Market
A segment of the interbank market where funds are borrowed and lent for durations exceeding 14 days up to one year.
Fiscal Deficit
The excess of total government expenditure over total government receipts excluding borrowings in a financial year.
Oligopoly
A market form where a market or industry is dominated by a small number of large sellers, often exhibiting mutual interdependence.
Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme
A government scheme introduced to provide financial incentives to domestic manufacturing companies to boost domestic production and exports.
Stagflation
A condition of slow economic growth and relatively high unemployment (stagnation) accompanied by rising prices (inflation).
Credit Rating Agencies in India
Major SEBI-registered agencies include CRISIL, ICRA, CARE Ratings and India Ratings & Research.
Notice Money Market
A segment of the money market where funds are lent for a period between 2 days and 14 days without any collateral.
Marginal Cost of Funds based Lending Rate (MCLR)
The internal benchmark methodology used by Indian banks to determine the interest rates charged on loans, introduced in 2016.
Circular Flow of Income
An economic model showing how money, goods, and services move through households, firms, and government sectors in a closed or open economy.
Marginal Standing Facility (MSF)
A window for scheduled banks to borrow overnight from RBI against government securities in emergency situations up to a specified limit.
Opportunity Cost
The cost of an alternative that must be forgone in order to pursue a certain action; the benefits you could have received by taking an alternative action.
Establishment of RBI
Established on April 1, 1935, in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.
Statutory Corporation
A corporate body created by a special Act of Parliament or State Legislature, possessing independent legal identity and financial autonomy (e.g., LIC, RBI).
Current Account Deficit (CAD)
When a country's payments abroad for imports of goods and services, income and transfers are more than what it receives from the rest of the world.
Basel Norms
International banking regulations issued by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision to ensure financial institutions hold enough capital to absorb unexpected losses.
Poverty Estimation Committees in India
Notable committees include Tendulkar Committee, Rangarajan Committee, Lakdawala Committee, and Alagh Committee.
Mixed Economy
An economic system combining private and public enterprise, featuring characteristics of both capitalism and socialism.
Normative Economics
A branch of economics that expresses value judgments or policy prescriptions about what the economic outcome ought to be, involving subjective opinions.
Call Money Market
A segment of the money market where funds are borrowed and lent on an overnight basis, primarily used by commercial banks to manage reserve requirements.
Nationalization of Major Banks
Major commercial banks in India were first nationalized in 1969 (14 banks) and later in 1980 (6 banks).
Phillips Curve
An economic concept showing a short-run inverse relationship between unemployment and inflation rates.
Stand-Up India Scheme
Facilitates bank loans between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 1 crore to at least one Scheduled Caste (SC) or Scheduled Tribe (ST) borrower and woman per bank branch.
Bad Bank (NARCL)
National Asset Reconstruction Company Limited; an entity set up to consolidate and take over stressed assets of commercial banks for resolution.
Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR)
The minimum percentage of deposits that a commercial bank has to maintain in the form of liquid cash, gold, or approved securities before lending to customers.
PM-KISAN Scheme
A Central Sector Scheme providing income support of Rs. 6,000 per year in three equal installments to all landholding farmer families across India.
Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY)
A national financial inclusion mission launched in India in 2014 to ensure access to financial services like banking, savings accounts, and remittance at affordable rates.
Narrow Money (M1)
A category of money supply that includes currency with the public, demand deposits with commercial banks, and 'other' deposits with the RBI.
Externalities
Costs or benefits of an economic activity experienced by third parties who did not choose to incur those costs or benefits, such as pollution.
Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan
An economic stimulus and self-reliance package announced by the Government of India in 2020 to mitigate the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Real GDP vs Nominal GDP
Nominal GDP measures value using current market prices, whereas Real GDP is adjusted for inflation and uses constant base-year prices.
Zero Defect Zero Effect (ZED) Scheme
A Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises initiative to encourage manufacturing of quality products with no defects and no adverse environmental impact.
Green Revolution
A period that began in the 1960s marked by the introduction of high-yielding variety (HYV) seeds and increased use of chemical fertilizers and irrigation, drastically boosting agricultural production in India.
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC)
Enacted in 2016 to consolidate and amend laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons and individuals.
Crowding-Out Effect
A phenomenon where increased public sector spending leads to a reduction in private sector spending due to higher interest rates.
Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR)
The minimum percentage of a bank's total deposits that commercial banks are required to maintain with the Reserve Bank of India in the form of cash.
Perfect Competition
A market structure characterized by a large number of small firms, homogeneous products, perfect information, and free entry and exit.
Elasticity of Demand
A measure of the responsiveness of the quantity demanded of a good to a change in its price.
LPG Reforms Year
1991, introduced under the New Economic Policy by Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao and Finance Minister Manmohan Singh.
Asset Reconstruction Company (ARC)
A specialized financial institution that buys the Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) from banks and financial institutions to clean up their balance sheets.
Goods and Services Tax (GST)
An indirect tax introduced in India on July 1, 2017, subsuming most central and state indirect taxes, implemented via the 101st Constitutional Amendment Act.
CAMELS rating
A supervisory rating system used to rate financial institutions based on Capital adequacy, Asset quality, Management, Earnings, Liquidity, and Sensitivity.
Price Ceiling
A government-imposed legal maximum price set below the equilibrium price, often used to protect consumers during shortages (e.g., rent control).
Price Floor
A government-imposed legal minimum price set above the equilibrium price, often used in agriculture to protect producers (e.g., Minimum Support Price).
General Science▾
Site of Protein Synthesis in Cells
Ribosomes
Washing Soda Chemical Name
Sodium carbonate decahydrate (Na₂CO₃·10H₂O)
Vitamin Deficiency Causing Beriberi
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
Functional unit of heredity
Gene, a specific sequence of nucleotides on a chromosome.
Critical Angle Definition
The angle of incidence above which total internal reflection occurs when light travels from a denser to a rarer medium.
Site of fertilization in human females
Fallopian Tube
Father of Modern Chemistry
Antoine Lavoisier
Direction of magnetic field lines inside a bar magnet
From the South pole to the North pole.
Ore of Aluminum
Bauxite
Process of cell division resulting in identical daughter cells
Mitosis, used for growth and tissue repair.
Archimedes' Principle
States that any body wholly or partially immersed in a fluid is buoyed up by a force equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the body.
Device to convert AC to DC
Rectifier
Law of Conservation of Angular Momentum
When no external torque acts on a system, the total angular momentum remains constant.
SI Unit of Pressure
Pascal (Pa), which is equivalent to one Newton per square meter (N/m²).
Main nitrogenous waste excreted by humans
Urea
Common Catalyst Used in Hydrogenation of Oils
Nickel (Ni)
Universal blood donor blood group
O negative (O-)
Normal blood pressure of a healthy human adult
120/80 mmHg (Systolic/Diastolic).
SI Unit of Electric Charge
Coulomb
Heavy Water chemical formula
D₂O (Deuterium Oxide)
Why does a star twinkle?
Atmospheric refraction of starlight
Pascal's Law
Pressure applied to an enclosed fluid is transmitted undiminished to every portion of the fluid and to the walls of its container.
Largest cell in the human body
Female ovum (egg cell).
Pugmark Technique is Used For
Counting and census of wild animals in a specific habitat
Principle of hydraulic lift
Pascal's Law, stating that pressure applied to an enclosed fluid is transmitted undiminished to every part.
Site of cellular respiration in eukaryotes
Mitochondria, where ATP is generated through oxidative phosphorylation.
Acidity Treatment Chemical
Antacids like Magnesium Hydroxide (Milk of Magnesia)
Gas filled in electric bulbs to prevent oxidation of tungsten filament
Argon or Nitrogen gas.
Vitamin synthesized by human skin in the presence of sunlight
Vitamin D (Cholecalciferol).
Work-Energy Theorem
The work done by the net force on an object equals the change in its kinetic energy.
Photoelectric Effect
Emission of electrons when light shines on a material; explained by Albert Einstein, earning him the Nobel Prize.
Hormone that regulates blood sugar levels
Insulin (produced by pancreas)
Master Gland of the Human Body
Pituitary Gland
Instrument used to measure atmospheric pressure
Barometer
Element used in carbon dating
Carbon-14 (14C), a radioactive isotope of carbon.
Laughing Gas Chemical Name
Nitrous Oxide (N2O)
Color with the maximum wavelength
Red
Study of fungi is known as
Mycology
Radioactivity Discovery
Discovered by Henri Becquerel in 1896.
Chemical name of Quicklime
Calcium oxide (CaO).
Instrument used to measure electric current
Ammeter, which is always connected in series in a circuit.
SI Unit of Force
Newton (N), equivalent to kg·m/s²
Alloy of Copper and Tin
Bronze.
Why clouds appear white
Due to Mie scattering, where all wavelengths of white light are scattered almost equally by large water droplets.
Chemical formula of Plaster of Paris
CaSO₄·½H₂O (Calcium Sulfate Hemihydrate)
Functional unit of the kidney
Nephron
Process of conversion of solid directly to gas
Sublimation
Common name of solid carbon dioxide
Dry Ice
Most electronegative element in the periodic table
Fluorine
Chemical formula of ozone
O3
Vitamin essential for blood clotting
Vitamin K
SI Unit of Magnetic Flux
Weber (Wb)
Study of Algae
Phycology
Chemical formula of Slaked Lime
Calcium hydroxide, Ca(OH)2.
Baking Soda Chemical Name
Sodium Bicarbonate (NaHCO3)
Device used to measure the depth of ocean
Fathometer
Gland that acts as both exocrine and endocrine
Pancreas
Tissue That Transports Food in Plants
Phloem
Universal Blood Recipient Blood Group
AB positive (AB+)
Rayleigh Scattering
The scattering of light by particles smaller than its wavelength, explaining why the sky appears blue.
Instrument used to measure humidity
Hygrometer
Vitamin deficiency causing Scurvy
Vitamin C
Chemical name of Oil of Vitriol
Concentrated Sulfuric Acid (H2SO4).
Enzyme present in human saliva
Ptyalin (Salivary Amylase)
Most abundant element in Earth's crust
Oxygen (approx. 46.6%)
First Law of Thermodynamics
Conservation of Energy: dU = dQ - dW
Chemical name of Aspirin
Acetylsalicylic acid
Most Abundant Metal in Earth's Crust
Aluminium (Al)
Gas released during Bhopal Gas Tragedy
Methyl Isocyanate (MIC)
Study of blood is called
Hematology
Principle of Radar
Radio detection and ranging based on reflection of radio waves
Ohm's Law
V = IR, where V is voltage, I is current, and R is resistance
Gas known as Stranger Gas
Xenon
Allotropes of Carbon
Diamond, Graphite, and Fullerenes
Main component of Natural Gas
Methane (CH4), accounting for about 70-90% of its composition.
Bleaching Powder Chemical Formula
Calcium Oxychloride (CaOCl2)
pH of Human Blood
7.35 to 7.45 (Slightly alkaline)
Alloy of Copper and Zinc
Brass
Principle behind working of optical fibers
Total Internal Reflection (TIR)
Scientific study of viruses
Virology.
Functional Unit of the Nervous System
Neuron
Powerhouse of the cell
Mitochondria
Unit of Luminous Intensity
Candela (cd)
Nature of sound waves
Longitudinal mechanical waves that require a material medium for propagation.
Escape Velocity from Earth
Approximately 11.2 km/s
Study of liver is known as
Hepatology
Tissue that transports water in plants
Xylem
Largest gland in the human body
Liver
Phenomenon responsible for mirage formation
Total Internal Reflection
Cell organelle known as Suicidal Bags
Lysosomes
Liquid metal at room temperature
Mercury
Acid found in grapes and tamarind
Tartaric Acid
pH scale range at 25 degree Celsius
0 to 14, where 7 is neutral, less than 7 is acidic, and greater than 7 is basic.
Pigment responsible for red color of human blood
Hemoglobin, an iron-containing oxygen-transport protein.
Power of Lens formula
P = 1/f (where f is focal length in meters, measured in Diopters)
Lens Maker's Formula
1/f = (n - 1) * (1/R1 - 1/R2), where f is focal length, n is refractive index, and R1, R2 are radii of curvature.
Quantitative Aptitude▾
HCF × LCM of two numbers
HCF × LCM = product of the two numbers. Example: for 12 and 18, HCF 6 × LCM 36 = 216 = 12 × 18.
Divisibility rule for 3 and 9
A number is divisible by 3 if the sum of its digits is divisible by 3, and by 9 if the sum of its digits is divisible by 9.
Divisibility rule for 11
Take the difference between the sum of digits in odd places and the sum in even places. If it is 0 or divisible by 11, the number is divisible by 11.
BODMAS order
Brackets, Orders (powers and roots), Division and Multiplication (left to right), then Addition and Subtraction (left to right).
a² − b² identity
a² − b² = (a + b)(a − b). Example: 52² − 48² = 100 × 4 = 400.
Sum of first n natural numbers
n(n + 1) ÷ 2. Example: 1 + 2 + … + 10 = 10 × 11 ÷ 2 = 55.
Sum of first n odd numbers
n². Example: 1 + 3 + 5 + 7 = 16 = 4².
Profit percentage
Profit % = (profit ÷ cost price) × 100. Profit and loss are calculated on the cost price unless stated otherwise.
Selling price from profit %
Selling price = cost price × (100 + profit%) ÷ 100. For a loss: cost price × (100 − loss%) ÷ 100.
Discount
Discount is always on the marked price. Selling price = marked price × (100 − discount%) ÷ 100.
Two successive changes of a% and b%
Net change = a + b + ab/100 (use a minus sign for a decrease). Two discounts of 20% and 10% = 28% in total.
Equal increase and decrease of x%
Always a net decrease of x²/100 %. A 10% rise followed by a 10% fall is a 1% decrease.
Dividing an amount in a ratio a : b
First share = total × a ÷ (a + b); second share = total × b ÷ (a + b).
Mean proportional between a and b
√(a × b). Example: between 4 and 9 it is √36 = 6, since 4 : 6 = 6 : 9.
Average
Average = sum of the values ÷ number of values. Adding the same number to every value raises the average by that number.
Rule of alligation
Cheaper quantity : dearer quantity = (dearer price − mean price) : (mean price − cheaper price).
Converting km/h and m/s
km/h × 5/18 = m/s, and m/s × 18/5 = km/h. Example: 72 km/h = 20 m/s.
Average speed for equal distances
2ab ÷ (a + b), where a and b are the two speeds. It is not the simple average of the speeds.
Train crossing a pole or a platform
Pole: distance = length of the train. Platform: distance = length of the train + length of the platform.
Relative speed
Opposite directions: add the speeds. Same direction: subtract the smaller speed from the larger.
Boats and streams
Downstream speed = boat speed + stream speed. Upstream speed = boat speed − stream speed.
Two workers together
If A takes a days and B takes b days, together they take ab ÷ (a + b) days.
Simple interest
SI = P × R × T ÷ 100 (principal × rate % × time in years ÷ 100). Amount = P + SI.
Compound interest amount
A = P × (1 + R/100)ⁿ for n years, compounded annually. CI = A − P.
CI − SI for 2 years
Difference = P × (R/100)². Example: on ₹10,000 at 10% for 2 years, the difference is ₹100.
Time for a sum to double at simple interest
Years = 100 ÷ rate. At 10% simple interest a sum doubles in 10 years.
Reasoning▾
First step for a number series
Write the differences between neighbouring terms. If they are equal, it is an arithmetic series; if they grow steadily, look at the differences of the differences.
Two series mixed together
When the terms jump up and down, read every second term: the 1st, 3rd, 5th terms often form one series and the 2nd, 4th, 6th another.
Squares from 11 to 20
121, 144, 169, 196, 225, 256, 289, 324, 361, 400. Knowing these makes square-based series quick to spot.
Cubes from 1 to 10
1, 8, 27, 64, 125, 216, 343, 512, 729, 1000.
Alphabet positions to remember
E = 5, J = 10, O = 15, T = 20, Y = 25. Count from the nearest of these to find any letter's position quickly.
Opposite letters
A letter and its opposite add up to 27 in position: A ↔ Z, B ↔ Y, C ↔ X, M ↔ N.
Position from the right
A letter's position from the right = 27 − its position from the left. Example: M is 13th from the left and 14th from the right.
Letter-shift codes
Compare each letter of the word with its code. If every letter moves by the same number of places, apply the same move to the new word.
How to solve a number analogy
Find one rule that turns the first number into the second in every example given, such as squaring, cubing, or multiplying and adding. Then apply it to the new number.
Odd one out: what to check
Check common properties: even or odd, prime, perfect square or cube, multiples of the same number, and the steps between letters.
Brother or sister of a parent
A parent's brother is an uncle and a parent's sister is an aunt. Their children are your cousins.
Child of a brother or sister
The son of your brother or sister is your nephew; the daughter is your niece.
In-laws
Your spouse's parents are your father-in-law and mother-in-law. Your spouse's brother and your sister's husband are both brothers-in-law.
Solving relation puzzles
Draw a small family tree: write males and females clearly, put parents above children, and link husband and wife side by side.
Right and left turns
Facing North: a right turn faces East, a left turn faces West. Each right turn moves one step clockwise: North → East → South → West.
Shortest distance after a walk
Add up the North–South moves and the East–West moves separately, then use Pythagoras: distance = √(NS² + EW²).
Common Pythagorean triples
3-4-5, 6-8-10, 5-12-13, 8-15-17, 9-12-15, 12-16-20.
Shadows
In the morning the sun is in the East, so shadows fall to the West. In the evening shadows fall to the East.
Total people in a row
Total = position from the left + position from the right − 1.
Position from the other end
Position from the right = total − position from the left + 1.
Comparison puzzles
Write each statement as an order (A > B), then join them into one chain to find who is first, last or in the middle.
Angle between clock hands
Angle = |30 × H − 5.5 × M| degrees. If the result is more than 180°, subtract it from 360° for the smaller angle.
Mirror image of a clock
Subtract the time from 11:60. Example: the mirror image of 3:40 is 11:60 − 3:40 = 8:20.
Leap year rule
A year divisible by 4 is a leap year, but a century year must be divisible by 400. So 2000 was a leap year and 1900 was not.
Odd days
An ordinary year has 365 days = 52 weeks + 1 odd day; a leap year has 2 odd days. So a date moves forward by 1 weekday after an ordinary year.
Day after many days
Divide the number of days by 7 and count only the remainder forward. Example: 45 days after Monday → 45 ÷ 7 leaves 3 → Thursday.
English▾
“A” or “an”?
Go by the sound, not the letter: “an hour”, “an honest person”, but “a university”, “a one-rupee coin”.
“Since” or “for”?
“Since” + a point in time (since 2015, since Monday). “For” + a length of time (for two hours, for three years).
“Between” or “among”?
“Between” for two people or things; “among” for more than two.
Neither … nor / Either … or
The verb agrees with the nearer subject: “Neither the teacher nor the students were present.”
“The number of” vs “A number of”
“The number of students is rising” (singular). “A number of students are absent” (plural, means many).
Hardly … when / No sooner … than
“Hardly had he arrived when it rained.” “No sooner had he arrived than it rained.” Never “hardly … than”.
Senior, junior, superior, inferior
These take “to”, not “than”: “She is senior to me.”
Prefer … to
“I prefer tea to coffee”, not “prefer tea than coffee”.
Words that are always singular
News, mathematics, physics, economics and “each”, “everyone”, “every” take a singular verb.
Question tags
A positive statement takes a negative tag (“She is a doctor, isn't she?”). “Let's …” takes “shall we?”.
Look forward to / be used to
Both end in the preposition “to”, so an “-ing” form follows: “looking forward to meeting you”, “used to getting up early”.
Comparing two things
Use the comparative for two (“the better of the two”) and the superlative for three or more (“the best in the class”).
Synonym and antonym
A synonym has the same meaning (big – large). An antonym has the opposite meaning (big – small).
Biannual or biennial?
Biannual: twice a year. Biennial: once every two years.
Eligible or illegible?
Eligible: qualified to be chosen. Illegible: impossible to read.
Etymology or entomology?
Etymology: the study of word origins. Entomology: the study of insects.
“i” before “e”
“i” before “e” except after “c”: believe, achieve, but receive, ceiling. Exceptions include “weird” and “seize”.
Double letters to remember
Accommodate (cc, mm), committee (mm, tt, ee), embarrass (rr, ss), occurrence (cc, rr), possession (ss, ss).
Separate and definitely
“Separate” has “a” in the middle (sep-a-rate). “Definitely” comes from “definite”.
How to answer idiom questions
Never read an idiom word for word. “A piece of cake” is not about cake; it means something very easy.
Word endings: -logy, -logist, -phobia
-logy: the study of something (geology). -logist: a person who studies it (geologist). -phobia: a strong fear of something.