CGPSC ACF/FRO cheat sheet

Chhattisgarh was carved out of Madhya Pradesh on 1 November 2000 under the Madhya Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2000; it is India's 26th state with Raipur as its capital and 33 districts (as of 2023).

Key Chhattisgarh history: Kalachuri dynasty ruled from Ratanpur; the Bastar state was founded in the 14th century by Annam Deo; the Bhonsle dynasty of Nagpur controlled much of the region until 1854.

Chhattisgarh geography: major rivers are Mahanadi (originates in Sihawa, Dhamtari), Indravati, Shivnath, Hasdeo, and Arpa; the state has three agro-climatic zones – Chhattisgarh Plains, Bastar Plateau, and Northern Hills.

Indian polity: Fundamental Rights (Part III, Articles 12–35); Directive Principles (Part IV, Articles 36–51); Fundamental Duties (Article 51A, added by 42nd Amendment 1976).

Economy: Chhattisgarh is a leading producer of coal, iron ore, and steel; the state's GSDP is driven by mining, power, and agriculture (rice is the main crop).

Science & technology: India's Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan) launched 5 November 2013; Chandrayaan-3 landed near the lunar south pole on 23 August 2023.

Current affairs (Chhattisgarh): the state government's 'Krishak Jeevan Jyoti' scheme and 'Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana' provide direct income support to farmers; the 'Narva, Garva, Ghurva, Bari' initiative focuses on water, livestock, and nutrition.

Current affairs (India): India assumed G20 presidency in 2022–2023; the 2023 G20 New Delhi summit adopted the African Union as a permanent member.

Silvicultural systems: clear felling, shelterwood, seed tree, selection, and coppice; choice depends on species light requirements, regeneration strategy, and management objectives.

Champion and Seth (1968) classified Indian forests into 16 major forest types; Chhattisgarh mainly has tropical dry deciduous, tropical moist deciduous, and tropical thorn forests.

Site quality is determined by height-age relationships of dominant trees; site index curves are species-specific.

Forest inventory: sample plots (0.1 ha for trees, 1 m² for regeneration) are laid out using stratified random sampling; growing stock is expressed in m³/ha.

Rotation is the period between establishment and final felling; it can be physical, silvicultural, financial, or maximum volume rotation.

Thinning types: low thinning (from below), crown thinning (from above), selection thinning, and mechanical thinning; thinning improves stand health and growth.

Joint Forest Management (JFM) was formalised by the Government of India circular of 1 June 1990; it involves village communities in protection and management in return for a share of produce.

Forest cover assessment in India is done biennially by the Forest Survey of India (FSI); the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2021 reported forest and tree cover at 24.62% of geographical area.

Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedules I and II give highest protection; Schedule III and IV for other protected species; Schedule V for vermin (now largely omitted); Schedule VI regulates trade in specified plants.

National parks are declared under Section 35 of the WPA; sanctuaries under Section 18; conservation reserves and community reserves under Sections 36A and 36C.

Project Tiger launched in 1973; Project Elephant in 1992; critical tiger habitats are notified under Section 38V of the WPA.

Chhattisgarh has three national parks: Indravati (Bijapur), Kanger Valley (Bastar), and Guru Ghasidas (Sanjay) (Sarguja); Indravati is part of a Project Tiger reserve.

Wildlife census techniques: line transect for density, camera traps for individually identifiable species, pugmark and scat surveys for carnivores, and point counts for birds.

Human-wildlife conflict mitigation includes physical barriers, early warning systems, compensation schemes, and habitat corridor management.

In-situ conservation: protected areas, biosphere reserves, and sacred groves; ex-situ: zoos, botanical gardens, seed banks, and cryopreservation.

Biodiversity hotspots in India: the Western Ghats and the Eastern Himalayas (also the Indo-Burma and Sundaland regions include Indian territory).

IUCN Red List categories: Extinct (EX), Extinct in the Wild (EW), Critically Endangered (CR), Endangered (EN), Vulnerable (VU), Near Threatened (NT), Least Concern (LC), Data Deficient (DD), Not Evaluated (NE).

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) opened for signature at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit; the Cartagena Protocol (2000) covers biosafety and the Nagoya Protocol (2010) covers access and benefit sharing.

Biological Diversity Act, 2002: establishes the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs), and Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs).

Aichi Biodiversity Targets (2011–2020) were succeeded by the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (2022), which aims to protect 30% of land and sea by 2030.

Keystone species have disproportionate influence on ecosystem function; flagship species are used to mobilise conservation support; indicator species reflect environmental conditions.

In Chhattisgarh, the sal (Shorea robusta) forests of Bastar and Sarguja are biodiversity-rich; the state has important populations of wild buffalo (Bubalus arnee) in Indravati.

Air Quality Index (AQI) in India has six categories: Good (0–50), Satisfactory (51–100), Moderate (101–200), Poor (201–300), Very Poor (301–400), Severe (401–500).

Major air pollutants: PM10, PM2.5, NOx, SO2, CO, ozone, and lead; PM2.5 is more hazardous because it penetrates deep into the lungs.

Water quality parameters: BOD (biochemical oxygen demand), COD (chemical oxygen demand), DO (dissolved oxygen); high BOD indicates organic pollution.

Eutrophication is nutrient enrichment (nitrogen and phosphorus) causing algal blooms and oxygen depletion.

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in India is governed by the EIA Notification, 2006 (as amended); projects are categorised as A (central) or B (state).

Pollution control: the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, established CPCB and SPCBs.

Solid waste management rules (2016) mandate segregation at source; plastic waste management rules (2016) ban certain single-use plastics from 1 July 2022.

Ecosystem components: producers, consumers, decomposers, and abiotic factors; energy flows unidirectionally and is lost as heat at each trophic level (10% rule).

Biogeochemical cycles: carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and water cycles; the nitrogen cycle involves fixation, nitrification, assimilation, ammonification, and denitrification.

Ecological succession: primary succession starts on bare substrate; secondary succession follows disturbance; climax community is the stable end stage.

Climate change: greenhouse gases include CO2, CH4, N2O, and fluorinated gases; global warming potential (GWP) of CH4 is about 28–34 times that of CO2 over 100 years.

International climate governance: UNFCCC (1992), Kyoto Protocol (1997), Paris Agreement (2015) with Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

India's climate commitments: achieve net-zero emissions by 2070; reduce emissions intensity of GDP by 45% from 2005 levels by 2030; achieve 50% cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030.

Adaptation vs mitigation: adaptation reduces vulnerability to climate impacts; mitigation reduces greenhouse gas emissions or enhances sinks.

Chhattisgarh climate: tropical monsoon climate with hot summers, high rainfall (June–September), and mild winters; the state is vulnerable to drought and flood.

Major crops of Chhattisgarh: rice (dominant), maize, wheat, gram, soybean, groundnut, and sugarcane; the state is known as the 'rice bowl of India'.

Cropping seasons: Kharif (June–October), Rabi (November–March), and Zaid (April–June).

Soil types in Chhattisgarh: red and yellow soils (major), laterite, black cotton soil (in some parts), and alluvial soils along river valleys.

Soil texture triangle classifies soils by sand, silt, and clay percentages; loam soils are best for most crops.

Soil pH affects nutrient availability; most crops prefer pH 6.0–7.5; liming raises pH of acidic soils.

Horticulture in Chhattisgarh: mango, guava, banana, papaya, and vegetables; the state has potential for cashew and medicinal plants.

Irrigation methods: surface, sprinkler, and drip; drip irrigation saves water and is promoted under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY).

Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) combines organic manure, chemical fertilisers, and biofertilisers to maintain soil health.

Chain surveying: used for small, relatively flat areas; principle of chain triangulation; instruments include chain, tape, ranging rods, and cross-staff.

Compass surveying: prismatic compass measures bearings; local attraction is detected by comparing fore and back bearings.

Levelling: dumpy level, staff, and tripod; reduced level (RL) calculation by height of instrument (HI) or rise and fall method.

Contour lines join points of equal elevation; closer contours indicate steeper slopes.

Forest engineering: road alignment, culverts, and bridges in forest areas must consider drainage, soil stability, and environmental impact.

Timber utilisation: sawing, seasoning, preservation, and grading; important timber species in Chhattisgarh include sal, teak, and bamboo.

Non-timber forest products (NTFPs): tendu leaves, mahua, sal seed, honey, and medicinal plants; tendu leaf collection is a major livelihood in Chhattisgarh.

Indian Forest Act, 1927: classifies forests as reserved, protected, and village forests; empowers state governments to declare reserved forests.

Forest Conservation Act, 1980 (now Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980 as amended in 2023): restricts diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes without central approval.

Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006: recognises individual and community forest rights; Gram Sabha is the authority for initiating claims.

Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: provides for national parks, sanctuaries, and conservation reserves; the National Board for Wildlife is chaired by the Prime Minister.

National Forest Policy, 1988: target of 33% forest and tree cover for the country (60% in hills, 20% in plains).

Forest administration in Chhattisgarh: headed by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF); the state has forest divisions and ranges.

Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016: manages CAMPA funds for afforestation and conservation.

Plant taxonomy: binomial nomenclature by Carolus Linnaeus; taxonomic hierarchy – Kingdom, Phylum/Division, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species.

Photosynthesis: light reactions in thylakoid membranes produce ATP and NADPH; Calvin cycle fixes CO2; C4 plants have Kranz anatomy and higher efficiency in hot climates.

Plant hormones: auxins (cell elongation), gibberellins (stem elongation), cytokinins (cell division), abscisic acid (stress/dormancy), ethylene (ripening).

Animal classification: vertebrates – Pisces, Amphibia, Reptilia, Aves, Mammalia; mammals have mammary glands and hair.

Animal behaviour: innate vs learned behaviour; imprinting, conditioning, and social behaviour in primates and elephants.

Biodiversity of Chhattisgarh: sal forests, bamboo, teak; fauna includes tiger, leopard, wild buffalo, sloth bear, and hill myna (state bird).

Plant anatomy: xylem transports water and minerals; phloem transports sugars; stomata regulate gas exchange and transpiration.

Percentage change: new value = original × (1 ± rate/100); successive percentage changes are not additive.

Ratio and proportion: if a:b = c:d, then ad = bc; compound ratio of a:b and c:d is ac:bd.

Average = sum of observations / number of observations; weighted average = Σ(w_i x_i)/Σw_i.

Time and work: if A can do a job in x days and B in y days, together they take xy/(x+y) days.

Number series: check differences, ratios, squares, cubes, and alternating patterns; for alphabet series, note positions (A=1, Z=26).

Blood relations: draw a family tree; use symbols for male (□), female (○), and relationships (- for siblings, | for parent-child).

Coding-decoding: identify shift patterns (e.g., +1, +2), letter reversals, or substitution rules.

Direction sense: use a compass diagram; net displacement is the straight-line distance from start to end.

Hindi grammar: संज्ञा (noun), सर्वनाम (pronoun), विशेषण (adjective), क्रिया (verb), क्रियाविशेषण (adverb); लिंग (gender), वचन (number), कारक (case).

Hindi sentence structure: subject-object-verb (SOV); English is subject-verb-object (SVO).

Common Hindi idioms: 'अंधे की लाठी' (support of the helpless), 'नौ दो ग्यारह होना' (to run away), 'आँख का तारा' (very dear).

English grammar: parts of speech; tenses (present, past, future); active and passive voice; direct and indirect speech.

English vocabulary: synonyms, antonyms, one-word substitutions, idioms and phrases, and phrasal verbs.

Comprehension: identify main idea, supporting details, inference, and tone; eliminate options that are too broad or too narrow.

Translation: translate meaning, not words; pay attention to cultural context and idiomatic expressions.