Territorial Army Officer key terms

Recent national and international events, usually from the past twelve months, that a candidate is expected to recall with dates, names and places for objective-type questions.

Facts that do not change with time, such as geography, Indian polity, history, art and culture, and basic science, tested independently of news cycles.

Six categories of rights guaranteed to citizens under Part III of the Indian Constitution, enforceable through writs in the Supreme Court and High Courts.

Guidelines in Part IV of the Indian Constitution directing the State towards social and economic welfare; they are not directly enforceable in courts.

The annual statement of estimated receipts and expenditure of the Government of India, presented to Parliament before the start of the financial year.

The gap between total government expenditure and total receipts excluding borrowings, expressed as a percentage of gross domestic product.

The power of the Supreme Court under Article 32 and High Courts under Article 226 to issue orders such as habeas corpus and mandamus for enforcing rights.

The rule that a verb must match its subject in number and person, so a singular subject takes a singular verb despite intervening phrases.

Another name for grammatical agreement, most often between subject and verb, and also between pronoun and antecedent in gender and number.

The noun or noun phrase to which a pronoun refers; clarity of reference is tested through questions on ambiguous or misplaced pronouns.

Balanced grammatical structure in a sentence, where items in a list or comparison share the same form, such as all infinitives or all gerunds.

A descriptive phrase that does not logically attach to the subject of the main clause, producing unintended or absurd meaning in a sentence.

A fixed expression whose meaning cannot be worked out from its individual words, tested through fill-in-the-blank and synonym questions.

A verb combined with an adverb or preposition that creates a new meaning, such as call off or put up with.

Replacing a descriptive phrase with a single precise word, for example replacing a person who speaks many languages with polyglot.

A word with a meaning close to another word; exam questions require choosing the option nearest in sense within the given context.

A word opposite in meaning to another; correct selection often depends on the part of speech and the shade of meaning intended.

A form of deductive reasoning with two premises and a conclusion, tested by checking which conclusions necessarily follow from the given statements.

A technique of drawing overlapping circles to represent sets in syllogism questions and to identify possible and definite relationships between them.

A reasoning question type where a short statement is given and the candidate judges which hidden assumptions are implicit in it.

A question type requiring the candidate to decide whether a conclusion logically follows from a given statement, independent of real-world truth.

A reasoning problem describing family links through sentences or coded symbols, requiring the candidate to trace relationships between people.

A puzzle that places people in a row or around a circle using positional clues, testing the ability to build a consistent single arrangement.

A reasoning task in which words or numbers are converted by a rule or letter shift, and the candidate applies the same rule to a new item.

A sequence of numbers following a hidden pattern of differences, products or squares; the candidate identifies the rule to find the missing term.

A fraction expressed out of one hundred, used to compare quantities and as the base for profit, loss and interest calculations.

Comparison of two quantities of the same kind and the equation stating two ratios are equal, widely used in mixture and partnership problems.

Problems measuring the rate at which people or machines complete a task, often combined with pipes and cisterns filling or emptying tanks.

Interest calculated only on the original principal for the whole period, using the product of principal, rate and time divided by one hundred.

Interest calculated on the principal plus previously earned interest, so the amount grows geometrically over successive periods.

A voluntary reserve component of the Indian Army whose officers train part-time and can be embodied for service during emergencies or operations.

The hierarchy from commissioned officer ranks such as Lieutenant and Captain up to General, together with the corresponding enlisted ranks and insignia.

Armed forces organised on military lines but distinct from the regular army, such as the Assam Rifles and Border Security Force under central control.

A decoration recognising bravery in the face of the enemy, including the Param Vir Chakra, Maha Vir Chakra and Vir Chakra in descending order.

The behavioural factors assessed during the Services Selection Board interview, group tasks and psychological tests to judge suitability for a commission.

The five-day selection process combining psychological tests, group tasks and a personal interview that assesses candidates for officer entry.

An assessed discussion among candidates on a given topic, judged for clarity of thought, listening, cooperation and the ability to influence without dominating.

A group-testing exercise in which a candidate leads subordinates to solve a practical obstacle problem, testing planning, resource use and decisiveness.

The capacity to sustain physical effort over time, built through steady running and marching and tested in distance runs and stamina assessments.

The efficiency of the heart and lungs in supplying oxygen to working muscles, developed by aerobic activity such as running, cycling and swimming.

A qualifying battery of running, jumping and strength items that candidates must clear before proceeding to later stages of selection.

A screening measure obtained by dividing weight in kilograms by the square of height in metres, used alongside other checks in medical standards.

The prescribed physical and clinical requirements, covering height, weight, vision, hearing and general health, that a candidate must satisfy for a commission.

The specified limits on visual acuity, colour perception and refractive error that determine fitness for a particular branch or arm of service.