IB Security Assistant key terms

The central coordinating body that serves the Union Cabinet, prepares its agenda, records its decisions, and ensures that ministries follow agreed policies. It also handles appointments and service matters.

The Union ministry responsible for internal security, policing, border management, disaster management, and the administration of Union Territories. It oversees agencies such as the Intelligence Bureau and central police forces.

India's domestic intelligence agency, working under the Ministry of Home Affairs. It gathers information on threats to internal security and advises the government, but has no powers to make arrests or prosecute.

The senior official who advises the Prime Minister on security and strategic matters and coordinates the intelligence community and the National Security Council. The post is not created by statute.

The apex body that deliberates on India's security, strategic, and foreign policy concerns. It is supported by a Secretariat and includes senior ministers and the National Security Advisor.

Central armed forces under the Ministry of Home Affairs, including the CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP, SSB, and Assam Rifles. They assist states with internal security, border guarding, and protection duties.

A central armed police force responsible for guarding India's land borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh during peacetime. It also supports the army in border areas and checks cross-border smuggling and infiltration.

The de facto boundary between Indian-administered and Pakistan-administered areas of Jammu and Kashmir, established after the 1972 Simla Agreement. It is not an internationally recognised border.

A law that gives citizens the right to seek information from public authorities, which must reply within set time limits. It promotes transparency and accountability, with limited exemptions for sensitive matters.

Any body or institution of self-government established by the Constitution, a law, or a government notification, and substantially funded by government. Such bodies must respond to requests under the RTI Act.

Basic rights guaranteed to individuals by Part III of the Constitution, such as equality, freedom of speech, and protection of life. They can be enforced through writ petitions in the Supreme Court or High Courts.

Guidelines in Part IV of the Constitution that direct the state toward social and economic welfare goals. They are not enforceable in courts but are fundamental in governance and law-making.

A formal application to a court asking it to order a public authority or person to act, refrain from acting, or release a detained person. Common writs include habeas corpus and mandamus.

The directly elected lower house of India's Parliament, whose members are chosen by voters from territorial constituencies. It controls the Council of Ministers through a majority and holds the money power.

The upper house of Parliament, whose members are elected by state and Union Territory legislators. It represents the states, cannot be dissolved, and has limited power over money bills.

A bill dealing only with taxation, borrowing, or the Consolidated Fund, introduced only in the Lok Sabha with the President's recommendation. The Rajya Sabha may recommend changes but cannot reject it.

A comparison of two quantities of the same kind, expressed as a fraction or with a colon, such as 3:4. It shows how many times one quantity contains the other.

A statement that two ratios are equal, such as 3:4 = 9:12. In a proportion a:b = c:d, the product of the extremes equals the product of the means.

A fraction expressed with a denominator of 100, written with the percent sign. It is used to compare parts of a whole and to express increases, decreases, and rates.

Interest calculated only on the original principal for the whole period, using the formula SI = (P x R x T)/100. It does not add accumulated interest to the principal.

Interest calculated on both the original principal and the interest already earned, so the amount grows faster than under simple interest. It is often compounded yearly, half-yearly, or quarterly.

The sum of a set of values divided by the number of values, also called the arithmetic mean. It gives a single value that represents the group as a whole.

An average in which each value is multiplied by a weight reflecting its importance or frequency before summing and dividing. It is used when values contribute unequally to the total.

The relationship that distance equals speed multiplied by time. The same formula is rearranged to find speed or time, and units must be converted consistently, such as km/h to m/s.

The speed of one moving object as observed from another. When two objects move in opposite directions their speeds add; when they move in the same direction their speeds are subtracted.

An arrangement of items in which order matters, such as the number of ways to seat people in a row. It is calculated using factorials and is larger than the corresponding combination.

A selection of items in which order does not matter, such as choosing a committee from a group. The formula divides the number of permutations by the factorial of the number chosen.

A number between 0 and 1 expressing how likely an event is, calculated as favourable outcomes divided by total equally likely outcomes. It underpins risk and uncertainty reasoning.

A form of deductive reasoning with two premises and a conclusion, such as 'All A are B; all B are C; therefore all A are C'. Validity depends on form, not on the truth of the premises.

Reasoning that moves from general statements to a specific conclusion that must follow if the premises are true. It guarantees the conclusion rather than merely making it probable.

Reasoning that moves from specific observations to a general conclusion that is probable but not certain. It is common in pattern spotting and in forming hypotheses from limited evidence.

A diagram using overlapping circles to show how sets relate, including overlap and exclusion. It is a quick way to test whether a syllogistic conclusion follows from the premises.

A reasoning puzzle that describes family relationships through statements or symbols, requiring the candidate to work out how two people are related. Drawing a family tree helps avoid errors.

A puzzle in which people are placed in a row, circle, or grid according to clues about who sits beside, opposite, or to the left of whom. Candidates deduce the full arrangement.

A reasoning task that tracks movement using compass directions and turns to find final position, distance, or facing direction. Sketching each step reduces mistakes.

A reasoning task in which words or numbers are converted into a code by a rule, and the candidate must apply the same rule to a new word or decode an existing one.

A task requiring identification of the rule behind a sequence of numbers, letters, or figures and prediction of the next or missing element. Differences, ratios, and alternating patterns are common.

A word that has the same or nearly the same meaning as another word in a given context, such as 'begin' and 'commence'. Recognising synonyms supports comprehension and vocabulary questions.

A word whose meaning is opposite to another word, such as 'expand' and 'contract'. Antonym questions test precision in vocabulary rather than general familiarity with the word.

A fixed expression whose meaning cannot be worked out from its individual words, such as 'to bite the bullet'. Idioms must be learned as whole units and used in the correct context.

A verb combined with a preposition or adverb that together carry a new meaning, such as 'put off' meaning postpone. The particle changes the meaning of the base verb.

The grammatical rule that a verb must match its subject in number and person, so a singular subject takes a singular verb. Intervening phrases and collective nouns often cause errors.

Two ways of presenting an action: active voice makes the doer the subject, while passive voice makes the receiver the subject. Official writing often favours active voice for clarity.

Two ways of reporting speech: direct speech quotes the exact words, while indirect speech reports them with changes in pronouns, tense, and time words. Reporting verbs govern the shift.

A word or phrase in the surrounding text that hints at the meaning of an unfamiliar word. Using context clues helps answer vocabulary questions without a dictionary.

The skill of reading a passage and answering questions about its main idea, details, tone, and implied meaning. It requires locating evidence in the text rather than relying on outside knowledge.

A conclusion drawn from evidence in the text even though it is not stated directly. Correct inferences must be supported by the passage and not merely plausible in general.