GPSC AE Civil key terms

Basic freedoms guaranteed to citizens by Part III of the Indian Constitution, enforceable through writs in the Supreme Court and High Courts. They limit state power and include equality, speech, life, and religious freedom.

Guidelines in Part IV of the Indian Constitution directing the state toward social and economic welfare. They are non-justiciable but fundamental in governance, shaping policy and legislation.

Opening statement of the Indian Constitution declaring India a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic committed to justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity. Courts use it to interpret constitutional provisions.

Formal application asking a High Court or the Supreme Court to enforce fundamental rights. The five writs are habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, certiorari, and quo warranto.

Power of courts to examine whether laws and executive actions comply with the Constitution and to strike down those that violate it. It underpins constitutional supremacy in India.

Three-tier system of local self-government in rural India, established by the 73rd Constitutional Amendment. It comprises gram panchayats, panchayat samitis, and zilla parishads with devolved functions and finances.

Constitutional amendment of 1992 giving urban local bodies constitutional status. It mandates municipalities and municipal corporations, regular elections, and reservation of seats for women and weaker sections.

System dividing powers between a central government and constituent states, each sovereign in its sphere. The Indian model is quasi-federal, with strong central features and a single citizenship.

Seasonal reversal of prevailing winds that brings most of India's annual rainfall. The southwest monsoon arrives around June and withdraws by September, governing agriculture and water availability.

Periodic warming of the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean that disrupts global weather. It is often linked to weaker Indian monsoon rainfall and drought conditions.

Cooling of surface waters in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific, the counterpart of El Nino. It is generally associated with stronger monsoon rains over India and wetter conditions.

Intense low-pressure storm over warm tropical seas with organized thunderstorms and strong rotating winds. In the Indian Ocean region they are called cyclones and classified by wind speed.

Abnormal rise of sea level near the coast caused by a cyclone's winds and low pressure. It is the leading cause of death and damage when tropical cyclones make landfall.

Programme from the 1960s that raised Indian foodgrain output using high-yielding seeds, fertilizers, irrigation, and credit. It concentrated in Punjab, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh.

Strategy to boost fish and aquaculture production through modern techniques, hatcheries, and extension services. It is also used broadly for integrated water resource development.

Condition where all people have reliable physical and economic access to sufficient safe and nutritious food. India pursues it through buffer stocks, the public distribution system, and procurement.

Region with exceptional numbers of endemic species under severe habitat loss. India contains parts of four hotspots, including the Western Ghats and the Eastern Himalaya.

Process of predicting environmental consequences of a proposed project before approval. In India it is governed by EIA notification categories and requires public consultation for many projects.

Buffer area around a protected area where development is regulated to reduce ecological damage. It is notified by the central government under the Environment (Protection) Act.

Classified coastal belt where construction and industrial activity are restricted to protect the shore and ecology. Zones run from CRZ-I, the most protected, to CRZ-IV for water areas.

Maximum pressure the ground can safely support without excessive settlement or shear failure. It governs footing size and is determined from soil tests and standard formulas.

Field test driving a split spoon sampler into soil with a standard hammer, counting blows per 300 mm penetration. The N-value correlates with density, strength, and bearing capacity.

Loss of soil strength when saturated loose sand loses contact between grains during earthquake shaking. It causes settlement, lateral spreading, and foundation failure, and is assessed using SPT values.

Total stress in a soil minus pore water pressure, representing stress carried by the soil skeleton. It controls shear strength, consolidation, and settlement in saturated soils.

Gradual reduction in soil volume as water is squeezed out under sustained load. In clays it is slow and time-dependent, producing settlement that must be predicted for structures.

Workability test measuring how far a fresh concrete cone settles when the mould is removed. Slump indicates consistency and is used to judge water content and ease of placing.

Mass of water divided by mass of cement in a concrete mix. It controls strength and durability: lower ratios give stronger, denser concrete but reduce workability.

Laboratory test for workability of concrete, measuring the ratio of partially to fully compacted concrete mass. It suits dry, low-slump mixes better than the slump test.

Structural design method checking that the structure resists collapse and remains serviceable under working loads. It uses partial safety factors on loads and material strengths.

Ability of a structural member or material to deform significantly before failure. Ductile behaviour gives warning of collapse and helps structures absorb earthquake energy.

Steel provided in beams, usually as stirrups, to resist diagonal tension and prevent brittle shear failure. Design uses the truss analogy and limits on maximum shear stress.

Rapid transition of open-channel flow from supercritical to subcritical, forming a turbulent wave. It dissipates energy and is used below spillways and weirs to protect beds.

Dimensionless ratio of flow velocity to the speed of a gravity wave in the channel. It classifies flow as subcritical, critical, or supercritical and predicts hydraulic jump formation.

Energy per unit weight of water in an open channel measured relative to the channel bed. Its curve shows that minimum energy occurs at critical flow depth.

Closed conduit carrying water under a road, railway, or embankment. Design considers inlet and outlet control, headwater, and scour protection at the ends.

Classification of bitumen by the depth a standard needle penetrates under set conditions. Lower penetration numbers indicate harder binder, used in hotter climates and heavier traffic.

Laboratory method choosing asphalt content for a mix by testing stability and flow of compacted specimens. It balances strength against workability and durability.

Road structure whose layers transmit load gradually to the subgrade, with bituminous surfacing over granular base. It deforms without cracking and is designed by layer-elastic methods.

Field operation determining relative heights of points using a level instrument and staff readings. It establishes reduced levels for earthwork, drainage, and road gradients.

Mapping of lines joining points of equal elevation to show terrain shape. It guides alignment, reservoir capacity, and cut-and-fill estimates in civil works.

Electronic surveying instrument combining theodolite angles with distance measurement and onboard computation. It records coordinates directly and is standard for modern topographic and setting-out work.