Maharashtra SSC NCC & Sea Cadet Corps Grade flashcards

40 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

NCC motto

The motto of the National Cadet Corps is 'Ekta aur Anushasan', meaning Unity and Discipline; it was adopted in 1980, replacing the earlier motto 'Vishwas aur Sankalp'.

NCC raising date

The NCC was raised on 16 April 1948 under the National Cadet Corps Act, 1948, on the recommendation of the Pandit Hriday Nath Kunzru Committee, with Major General Mohan Singh as first Director General.

Savdhan

Savdhan is the Hindi drill command for attention; the body is erect, heels together with toes apart at about 30 degrees, and arms hang straight with thumbs along the trouser seam.

Quick march pace

On the command 'Tez Chal' the squad marches at 120 steps per minute with a 30-inch (75 cm) step; the slow march 'Dheere Chal' is at 70 steps per minute.

INSAS rifle calibre

The INSAS is a 5.56 mm gas-operated, magazine-fed rifle firing 5.56 x 45 mm ammunition from a 30-round magazine in single-shot or automatic mode, with an effective range of about 400 metres.

Trigger squeeze

Trigger squeeze is a steady, increasing pressure applied straight back on the trigger without jerking; a sudden jerk, called trigger pull, throws the shot off the point of aim.

Fundamental Duties

Fundamental Duties are listed in Article 51A, Part IVA of the Constitution, added by the 42nd Amendment in 1976; there are eleven duties, including respecting the Constitution, National Flag and National Anthem.

National Flag colours

The National Flag is a horizontal tricolour of saffron, white and green in equal proportions with the navy-blue Ashoka Chakra of 24 spokes in the centre; it was adopted on 22 July 1947.

Nau Sainik Camp

The Nau Sainik Camp is the annual naval camp of the NCC Naval Wing, where Sea Cadets compete in seamanship, boat pulling, sailing, signalling and drill at a naval station.

Knot and nautical mile

A knot is a unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour; one nautical mile is 1,852 metres, and a cable is one-tenth of a nautical mile, about 185.2 metres.

Bowline

The bowline makes a non-slip loop at the end of a rope that will not slip or jam; it is used to rescue, to secure a line around an object and to hoist.

Sheet bend

The sheet bend joins two ropes of unequal thickness; the thicker rope is bent to the bight of the thinner one, and a double sheet bend is used for very unequal sizes.

Compass variation

Variation is the angle between true north and magnetic north at a place; it is east or west and is shown on a nautical chart with its annual rate of change.

Beaufort scale

The Beaufort scale describes wind force from 0 (calm) to 12 (hurricane); each number corresponds to a range of wind speeds and a description of the sea state.

Recovery position

The recovery position is used for an unconscious casualty who is breathing; the casualty is placed on the side with the airway kept open to prevent choking on vomit or the tongue.

CPR ratio

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation for adults uses 30 chest compressions to 2 rescue breaths at 100 to 120 compressions per minute, with a compression depth of about 5 cm.

Beep test

The beep test, or multi-stage fitness test, measures aerobic capacity; the candidate runs 20-metre shuttles in time with recorded beeps until exhaustion, and the level reached estimates VO2 max.

NDRF

The National Disaster Response Force is the specialised force for disaster response in India; the National Disaster Management Authority, chaired by the Prime Minister, is the apex policy body.

Param Vir Chakra

The Param Vir Chakra is the highest gallantry award of the Indian Armed Forces, awarded for conspicuous bravery in the face of the enemy; the Ashoka Chakra is the highest peacetime gallantry award.

Chief of Defence Staff

The Chief of Defence Staff is the senior-most uniformed officer of the Indian Armed Forces; the post was created in 2019, and General Bipin Rawat was the first CDS.

NCC certificate levels

The NCC awards three cadet certificates: the 'A' Certificate at the junior level, the 'B' Certificate after two years in the senior division, and the 'C' Certificate after the senior division camp.

NCC flag

The NCC flag has three vertical stripes of red, navy blue and light blue representing the Army, Navy and Air Force, with the NCC emblem and motto in the centre.

Nishan Tirchha

Nishan Tirchha is the Hindi drill command for salute; the right hand is raised palm forward with the tip of the middle finger at the right eyebrow and the elbow at shoulder height.

Guard of Honour

A Guard of Honour is a ceremonial body of troops drawn up to salute a visiting dignitary; it is commanded by a guard commander and is inspected by the dignitary.

Zeroing a rifle

Zeroing is adjusting the sights so that the point of aim coincides with the point of impact; it is done at 25 metres for the .22 rifle and at 100 metres for the INSAS.

Breathing pause

The breathing pause is the natural pause between exhaling and inhaling; the shot is fired during this pause to avoid movement of the rifle caused by breathing.

Preamble

The Preamble declares India a Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic Republic securing Justice, Liberty, Equality and Fraternity; the words Socialist, Secular and Integrity were added by the 42nd Amendment in 1976.

Article 21A

Article 21A, added by the 86th Amendment in 2002, makes free and compulsory education a fundamental right for children aged six to fourteen years.

Crossing the Line

Crossing the Line is a naval ceremony held when a ship crosses the Equator; those crossing for the first time, called Pollywogs, are initiated by those who have crossed before, called Shellbacks.

Navy Day

Navy Day is celebrated on 4 December to commemorate Operation Trident, the Indian Navy's missile attack on Karachi harbour during the 1971 Indo-Pak war.

Clove hitch

The clove hitch secures a rope to a spar, post or ring; it is quickly made and easily undone, but it can slip if the load is not steady.

Figure-of-eight knot

The figure-of-eight knot is a stopper knot that prevents a rope from slipping through a block or fairlead; it is easy to untie even after being under load.

Deviation

Deviation is the error in a magnetic compass caused by the ship's own magnetic field; it is found from a deviation table and differs on different headings.

Isobar

An isobar is a line on a weather chart joining places of equal atmospheric pressure; closely spaced isobars indicate strong winds and steep pressure gradients.

Snake bite first aid

For a snake bite, keep the victim still, immobilise the bitten limb below heart level and take the victim to hospital; do not cut, suck or apply a tourniquet.

Camp latrine distance

In camp craft, latrines are dug at least 30 metres from water sources and away from the kitchen and sleeping area to prevent contamination and disease.

RICE treatment

RICE stands for Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation; it is the first aid for sprains and strains, reducing swelling and pain before medical review.

Swachh Bharat Abhiyan

Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is the national cleanliness campaign launched in 2014; NCC cadets take part in cleanliness drives, tree plantation and village adoption under it.

Agnipath scheme

The Agnipath scheme, launched in 2022, recruits Agniveers into the three services for a four-year tenure, after which a proportion is retained in the regular cadre.

INS Vikrant

INS Vikrant, commissioned in 2022, is India's first indigenously designed and built aircraft carrier; it was built at Cochin Shipyard and is named after the earlier Vikrant.