Drill, Ceremonial and Map Reading
This domain tests drill vocabulary and ceremonial detail, plus the map skills that appear as numerical questions.
Drill
Drill builds coordination, smartness and instant obedience. A word of command has a cautionary part (the warning, e.g. "Squad") and an executive part (the action, e.g. "Attention").
- Savdhan - attention; Vishram - stand at ease; Aram Se - stand easy.
- Turns: Dahine Mur (right), Bayen Mur (left), Peeche Mur (about turn).
- Tez Chal (quick march), Dheere Chal (slow march), Kadam Tal (mark time), Visarjan (dismiss).
Ceremonial
Guard of honour, presentation of colours, wreath-laying, the Beating Retreat ceremony on 29 January, and the national salute of 21 guns.
Map reading
- Scale as a representative fraction, e.g. 1:50,000 - 1 cm on the map equals 500 m on the ground.
- Grid references: eastings (vertical lines) are read first, then northings. A six-figure reference gives 100 m accuracy on a 1:50,000 sheet.
- Contours join points of equal height; the contour interval is the fixed vertical gap between successive contours; closely spaced contours mean a steep slope.
- Bearings are measured clockwise from north, 0–360°; back bearing = bearing ± 180°.
Worked example
Magnetic bearing 060°, magnetic variation 4° east. True bearing = 060° + 4° = 064°. Reasoning: the compass needle points to magnetic north, which lies east of true north here, so the true direction is further clockwise - add easterly variation, subtract westerly.
Traps
- Reading northings before eastings.
- Subtracting easterly variation instead of adding it.
- Forgetting that on 1:50,000, 1 cm is 0.5 km, not 5 km.