Maharashtra HSC Employability Skills (Technical) key terms

A way of listening in which you give full attention, avoid interrupting, note the speaker's main points, and confirm understanding by summarising or asking questions before you reply.

Information given back to a person about how their message or work was received, so they can keep what works and correct what does not. It should be specific, timely and focused on behaviour, not on the person.

The part of a message carried by body language, facial expression, gestures, posture, eye contact and tone of voice rather than by the words themselves. It often reveals attitude faster than speech does.

Expressing your needs, opinions and limits clearly and calmly while still respecting other people. It sits between passive behaviour, where you say nothing, and aggressive behaviour, where you ignore others' rights.

The process of handling a disagreement by hearing both sides, finding the real cause, and agreeing on a solution that those involved accept. In a workplace it aims to restore working relationships, not to decide who wins.

A discussion aimed at reaching an agreement both sides can accept, usually by trading what matters less to you for what matters more. It requires knowing your own priorities and the other party's interests.

A short written record of what a meeting discussed, the decisions taken, and who agreed to do what and by when. Minutes are circulated afterwards so that people who were absent stay informed and actions are tracked.

A brief internal written message used within an organisation to inform staff, request action or record a decision. It usually states the purpose in the first line and is shorter and less formal than a letter.

A formal electronic message sent for work purposes. It needs a clear subject line, a polite greeting, one main purpose per message, correct spelling and grammar, and a signature that identifies the sender.

Knowing your own strengths, weaknesses, emotions, values and habits, and understanding how these affect the people around you. It is the starting point for setting realistic goals and managing reactions under pressure.

The ability to control your impulses, emotions and reactions so that they do not damage your work or relationships. It includes pausing before responding, keeping commitments, and recovering calmly after setbacks.

Deciding what you want to achieve and writing it down in terms that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. Clear goals make it easier to plan steps and judge progress.

Planning and controlling how you spend your time so that important tasks get done before deadlines. Common methods include listing tasks, ranking them by urgency and importance, and blocking time for focused work.

The set of habits and techniques used to keep pressure at a workable level, such as planning work, taking breaks, breathing exercises, physical activity and asking for help early rather than late.

A simple planning tool that lists your internal strengths and weaknesses alongside external opportunities and threats. For a person it supports career planning; for a business it supports decisions about products and markets.

The system software that starts a computer and manages its hardware, files and programs, for example Windows, Linux, Android or macOS. Application programs rely on it to use memory, storage and attached devices.

A program written to let a user do a particular task, such as a word processor, spreadsheet, web browser or image editor. It runs on top of the operating system, which supplies the basic services it needs.

A grid-based program of rows and columns used to store numbers, calculate with formulas, and present results as charts. Cell references let one formula update automatically when the data it points to changes.

An organised collection of related data stored so that it can be searched, sorted and updated efficiently, usually through a database management system. Records are kept in tables with defined fields and data types.

Saving files on internet servers run by a provider instead of only on your own device, so they can be reached from other devices and shared with others. Access depends on a working internet connection and login credentials.

A duplicate copy of data kept separately from the original so it can be restored if files are deleted, corrupted or lost through device failure. Regular backups and tested restores are both part of the routine.

The practices that protect computers, accounts and data from unauthorised access, theft or damage. Basics include strong unique passwords, software updates, caution with unknown links, and not sharing credentials.

A trick in which a message pretends to come from a trusted source to make you reveal passwords, banking details or personal data, or to open a harmful attachment. Suspicious urgency and odd sender addresses are warning signs.

The accepted manners for communicating online, such as staying on topic, avoiding all-capitals text, respecting privacy, quoting sources and not forwarding private messages without permission. It keeps digital communication clear and respectful.

Organising stored files using meaningful folder names, consistent file names and sensible versions, so that documents can be found and shared quickly. It also includes deleting or archiving what is no longer needed.

The activity of spotting a problem people will pay to have solved, gathering the resources needed, and taking on the financial risk of starting and running a venture to solve it.

A written document describing a venture's product or service, target customers, market, operations, costs, expected income and funding needs. It guides the owner and is often required when approaching lenders or investors.

Collecting and studying information about customers, competitors and prices before and during a venture, through surveys, interviews, observation or published data, so decisions rest on evidence rather than guesswork.

The sales level at which total income equals total costs, so the venture makes neither profit nor loss. Knowing it tells an owner the minimum volume that must be sold before any gain appears.

Meeting present needs without using up resources or harming the environment in ways that leave future generations worse off. It balances economic growth, social well-being and environmental protection together.

Using materials, water and energy carefully so that supplies last and waste is reduced, for example by switching off idle equipment, repairing instead of replacing, and reusing containers and offcuts.

Handling unwanted material in a planned order of preference: avoid creating it, reuse it, recycle it, recover energy from it, and only then dispose of it safely. Segregation at source makes the later steps possible.

The total amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere by a person, product, event or organisation, usually expressed as tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent over a stated period.

Gear worn to reduce exposure to workplace hazards, such as helmets, goggles, gloves, ear protection, respirators and safety shoes. It is the last line of defence and does not replace guarding or safe procedures.

Systematically looking for anything at a workplace that could cause harm, then judging how likely and how serious the harm is so that controls can be put in place in order of effectiveness.

Standard signs and colour codes that warn of hazards, mark mandatory actions such as wearing eye protection, show prohibitions, or point to first-aid and escape routes. Shapes and colours carry fixed meanings.

The planned movement of people out of a building or site when it becomes unsafe, following marked escape routes to an assembly point where a roll call is taken. Drills make the response automatic.

A short controlled document that tells an operator exactly how to carry out one task step by step, including tools, settings, checks and safety points. It keeps output consistent between workers and shifts.

An approved written procedure describing how a routine activity is performed so that results are consistent and safe. Unlike a single work instruction, it usually covers a whole process rather than one task.

The checks and measurements made during or after production to confirm that a product meets its specified requirements, with defective output identified and corrected. It focuses on detecting problems rather than preventing them.

Scheduled servicing, inspection and replacement of equipment before it fails, based on time or usage intervals. It reduces sudden breakdowns, extends machine life and keeps safety devices working.

A workplace organisation method with five steps: sort out what is unneeded, set remaining items in fixed places, shine the area clean, standardise the practice, and sustain the discipline. It reduces wasted time and accidents.

A written summary of a candidate's education, skills, experience and achievements, sent with a job application. It should be short, truthful, tailored to the role and free of spelling errors.

A meeting in which an employer questions a candidate to judge whether their skills and behaviour suit the role. Preparation includes researching the organisation, rehearsing answers and planning questions to ask.

The ability to find, use, create and share information safely with digital devices and software, including online forms, email, cloud documents and video calls. Employers expect it in almost every entry-level role.