IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS (05-11DEC21)

1. Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, (AFSPA), 1958 (noun) – In

simple terms, Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) gives
armed forces the power to maintain public order in “disturbed areas”.
They have the authority to prohibit a gathering of five or more persons
in an area, can use force or even open fire after giving due warning if
they feel a person is in contravention of the law. If reasonable suspicion

OM
exists, the army can also arrest a person without a warrant; enter or
search a premises without a warrant; and ban the possession of firearms.
2. 21 Para Commando Unit (noun) – Para Commandos commonly known

.C
as Para SF (Special Forces), is the special operations unit of the Indian
Army attached to the Parachute Regiment. Para Commandos are trained

DS
to carry out intelligence collection, subversion and sabotage of vital
enemy infrastructure and communications through deep penetration and
surgical strikes behind enemy lines. Currently the Para Special Forces

OR
consists of 9 battalions (1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 12 & 21 PARA (SF)). 21
PARA (SF) or the Waghnakhs’, as they are well known, is a unique
Special Forces (SF) battalion, as it is the only SF battalion that has been
W
converted from an existing infantry battalion.
3. The National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) (noun) – a Naga
AL

nationalist separatist group operating mainly in Northeast India, with

minor activities in northwest Myanmar (Burma) until 2012. The
National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) is the mother of all
RI

insurgent groups that sprang up in the Northeast in the 1950s. Earlier,

NSCN had split into NSCN (Isak-Muivah) or NSCN (IM) and NSCN
TO

(Khaplang) or NSCN (K) due to differences between two top leaders.

However, their training and modus operandi are common.
DI

4. Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) (noun) – Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) is

a single-point military advisor to the government, and to coordinate
long-term planning, procurements, training and logistics of the three
.E

services. The CDS is a four star General and functions as the Principal
W

Military Adviser to the Defence Minister and also as the Permanent

Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) which has the three
W

service chiefs as members. India being a nuclear weapons state, the CDS
will also act as the military advisor to the Prime Minister on nuclear
W

issues. General Bipin Rawat was appointed as the first Chief of Defence
Staff (CDS) on 31 December 2019.
5. Flight Data Recorder (FDR) (noun) – a device used to record specific
aircraft performance parameters. The purpose of an FDR is to collect
and record data from a variety of aircraft sensors onto a medium
designed to survive an accident.

Note:
1. Click each one of the words above for their definition, more synonyms, pronunciation,
example sentences, phrases, derivatives, origin and etc from
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/.
2. Definitions (elementary level) & Synonyms provided for the words above are my personal
work and not that of Oxford University Press. Tentative definitions/meanings are provided for
study purpose only and they may vary in different context.
3. This word list is for personal use only. Reproduction in any format and/or Commercial use of
it is/are strictly prohibited
 IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS (05-11DEC21)
6. Mi-17V5 helicopter (noun) – Mi-17V-5 (domestic designation Mi-
8MTV-5) is a military transport variant in the Mi-8/17 family of
helicopters. It is produced by Kazan Helicopters, a subsidiary of Russian
Helicopters. Mi-17V5 is a 13 tonne-class helicopter. With this whopping
2700hp engine, it can quickly climb to an altitude of 18,000 feet and
perform its task. It can transport 36 armed soldiers or 4,500kg of load on

OM
a sling. This is probably the only helicopter in the IAF’s inventory with
full-authority digital control system (FADEC). The Mi-17V5 has a
maximum speed of 250km/h. With two auxiliary fuel tanks, it has a

.C
range of 1000+ kms and without it nearly 600 kms.
7. Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) (noun) – a device used to record the

DS
audio environment in the flight deck for accidents and incident
investigation purposes. The CVR records and stores the audio signals of
the microphones and earphones of the pilots’ headsets and of an area

OR
microphone installed in the cockpit.
8. State Councillor of Myanmar (noun) – The state counsellor of
Myanmar was the title of the de facto (effective/actual) head of
W
government of Myanmar, equivalent to a prime minister. The office is
currently vacant following the arrest of the first and only state
AL

counsellor, Aung San Suu Kyi, in the 2021 Myanmar coup d’état.
9. National League for Democracy (NLD) (noun) – a political party in
Myanmar, currently serving as the governing party. Founded on 27
RI

September 1988, it has become one of the most influential parties in

Myanmar’s pro-democracy movement.
TO

10. Summit for Democracy (noun) – On December 9-10, 2021, President

Biden will host the first of two Summits for Democracy, which will
DI

bring together leaders from government, civil society, and the private
sector to set forth an affirmative agenda for democratic renewal and to
tackle the greatest threats faced by democracies today through collective
.E

action.
W

11. sanctions (noun) – action taken, or an order given to force a country to

obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with that country,
W

by not allowing economic aid for that country, etc.

12. assault rifle (noun) – assault weapon; It is originally built for military
W

special operations as a fully automatic/semiautomatic weapon/firearm.

(semi-automatic gun/rifle is a firearm (like AR-15, AK-47) which fires
one round for each trigger pull, whereas “automatic rifle” is a firearm
(such as MG-34, M16) which fires more than one cartridge with a single
pull of the trigger. These firearms are often referred to as
“assault weapons or rifles, based on their rapid-fire capability).

Note:
1. Click each one of the words above for their definition, more synonyms, pronunciation,
example sentences, phrases, derivatives, origin and etc from
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/.
2. Definitions (elementary level) & Synonyms provided for the words above are my personal
work and not that of Oxford University Press. Tentative definitions/meanings are provided for
study purpose only and they may vary in different context.
3. This word list is for personal use only. Reproduction in any format and/or Commercial use of
it is/are strictly prohibited
 IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS (05-11DEC21)
13. Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act
(CAATSA) (noun) – CAATSA is a specifically enacted legislation that
aims to prevent revenue from flowing to Russia. This legislation
provides for economic and travel sanctions against countries and
officials that transacted significant military and intelligence contracts
with Russia, North Korea and Iran.

OM
14. S-400 Triumf missile defence system (noun) – Developed by Russia,
the S-400 (Triumph/Triumf) air defence system integrates a
multifunction radar, autonomous detection and targeting systems, anti-

.C
aircraft missile systems, launchers, and command and control centre. It
is capable of firing three types of missiles to create a layered defence.

DS
The S-400 is capable of destroying incoming hostile aircraft, missiles
and even drones within a range of up to 400 km. It has a tracking
capability of nearly 600 km.

OR
15. strategic autonomy (noun) – the ability of a state (country) to pursue its
national interests and adopt its preferred foreign policy without being
constrained in any manner by other states (countries). In its pure form,
W
strategic autonomy presupposes the state (country) in question
possessing overwhelmingly superior power. This is what would enable
AL

that state (country) to resist the pressures that may be exerted by other
states (countries) to compel it to change its policy or moderate its
interests.
RI

16. South & North Block (noun) – South Block is a metonym of the Prime
Minister’s Office. North Block is a metonym of the Ministry of
TO

Finance, India. (The Secretariat Building (consists North & South

Block) or Central Secretariat is where the Cabinet Secretariat is housed,
DI

which administers the Government of India. The South Block houses the
Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Defence, and the Ministry of
External Affairs). The North Block primarily houses the Ministry of
.E

Finance and the Home Ministry). (Metonym is used as an alternative for

W

something else with which it is closely related/associated).

17. Quad/Quadrilateral (noun) – The ‘Quadrilateral’ is described as four
W

democracies (the United States, Japan, Australia and India) with a

shared objective to ensure and support a “free, open and prosperous”
W

Indo-Pacific region.
18. The Indo-Pacific (region) (noun) – the Indo-Pacific region refers to the
confluence (convergence) of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, which
interconnect in Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand,
Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, and more).

Note:
1. Click each one of the words above for their definition, more synonyms, pronunciation,
example sentences, phrases, derivatives, origin and etc from
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/.
2. Definitions (elementary level) & Synonyms provided for the words above are my personal
work and not that of Oxford University Press. Tentative definitions/meanings are provided for
study purpose only and they may vary in different context.
3. This word list is for personal use only. Reproduction in any format and/or Commercial use of
it is/are strictly prohibited
 IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS (05-11DEC21)
19. winter olympics (noun) – a major international multi-sport event held
once every four years for winter sports. The Summer and Winter
Olympic Games organized by the International Olympic Committee
occur every four years. The Summer Olympics, more popularly known
as just The Olympics is a much bigger event with 204 countries

OM
participating as of 2012. The Winter Olympics is an event on a relatively
smaller scale, with about 88 countries participating in 2014. Even
though these events occur every four years, the summer and winter

.C
events are staggered so that there’s an Olympic event every two years.
20. diplomatic boycott (noun) – it means that while the athletes will still

DS
compete, government representatives/officials will not attend the event.
It simply means no official representation.
21. G-20 (noun) – The G20, formed in 1999, is a group of twenty of the

OR
world’s largest economies that meets regularly to coordinate global
policy on trade, health, climate, and other issues. It brings together the
world’s major advanced and emerging economies. The G20 comprises
W
Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, EU, France, Germany,
India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South
AL
Africa, South Korea, Turkey, UK and USA. The G20 Countries together
represent around 90% of global GDP, 80% of global trade, and two
thirds of the world’s population.
RI

22. Line of Actual Control (LAC) (noun) – the de-facto (effective) border
between India and China. The LAC is a 4,057-km border running
TO

through three areas-Western (Ladakh, Ladakh (Kashmir)), middle

(Uttarakhand, Himachal), and eastern (Sikkim, Arunachal).
DI

23. Shillong Accord (noun) – the Shillong Accord was signed between the
“Representatives of the underground organizations” and L.P. Singh the
Governor of Nagaland on Nov.11, 1975 at Shillong. The Shillong
.E

Accord is as follows: 1. The Representatives of the Underground

Organization conveyed their decision, of their own volition, to accept
W

the Constitution of India; 2. It was agreed that the arms, now

underground, would be brought out and deposited at appointed places.
W

Details for giving effect to this agreement will be worked out between
them and representatives of the government, the security forces, and the
W

Members of the liaison Committee; 3. It was agreed that the

representatives of the Underground Organizations should have
reasonable time to formulate other issues for discussions for Final
Settlement.

Note:
1. Click each one of the words above for their definition, more synonyms, pronunciation,
example sentences, phrases, derivatives, origin and etc from
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/.
2. Definitions (elementary level) & Synonyms provided for the words above are my personal
work and not that of Oxford University Press. Tentative definitions/meanings are provided for
study purpose only and they may vary in different context.
3. This word list is for personal use only. Reproduction in any format and/or Commercial use of
it is/are strictly prohibited
 IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS (05-11DEC21)
24. Iran nuclear deal (or) Joint Comprehensive Plan of
Action (JCPOA) (noun) – JCPOA, known commonly as the Iran
nuclear deal or Iran deal, is an agreement on the Iranian nuclear program
reached in Vienna on 14 July 2015, between Iran and the P5+1 (China,
France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States)

OM
together with the European Union.
25. International Monetary Fund (IMF) (noun) – an international
organization of 189 countries, headquartered in Washington, D.C.,

.C
working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability,
facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable

DS
economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world.
26. GST Compensation (noun) – Under the GST law (In India), state
governments are guaranteed full compensation for any revenue loss for

OR
the first five years after the introduction of the goods and services tax
(GST) in July 2017. The compensation is a gap between actual revenue
collected and projected revenue.
W
27. Gulati Institute of Finance and Taxation(GIFT) (noun) – Gulati
Institute of Finance and Taxation (GIFT), Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala,
AL
formerly Centre for Taxation Studies, was conceived as a premier
national institute to promote theoretically grounded and empirically
based research within an interdisciplinary perspective to aid policy
RI

making at the national and sub-national level.

28. GST Council (noun) – a federal body (established under article 279A of
TO

the Constitution) that aims to bring together states and the Centre on a
common platform for the nationwide rollout of the indirect tax reform.
DI

29. revenue neutrality (noun) – revenue neutrality is a fiscal policy tool

that can be used to overcome political resistance to an increase in
environmental taxes by seeking to have the same proportional reduction
.E

in income tax, pension contributions or possibly even value-added taxes

(VAT), while striving to maintain a net-zero increase in the overall
W

taxation of the economy.

30. destination-based tax (noun) – basically a tax can either be origin
W

based or destination based. Origin based tax or production tax is levied

where goods or services are produced. Destination based tax or
W

consumption tax are levied where goods and services are consumed. The
Goods and Services Tax (GST) is a destination-based tax.
31. Revenue Neutral Rates (RNR) (noun) – Revenue neutral rate (RNR) is
a structure of different rates established in order to match the current
revenue generation with revenue under GST.

Note:
1. Click each one of the words above for their definition, more synonyms, pronunciation,
example sentences, phrases, derivatives, origin and etc from
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/.
2. Definitions (elementary level) & Synonyms provided for the words above are my personal
work and not that of Oxford University Press. Tentative definitions/meanings are provided for
study purpose only and they may vary in different context.
3. This word list is for personal use only. Reproduction in any format and/or Commercial use of
it is/are strictly prohibited
 IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS (05-11DEC21)
32. social security (noun) – Social security is the protection that a
society/government provides to individuals and households to ensure
access to health care and to guarantee income security, particularly in
cases of old age, unemployment, sickness, invalidity, work injury,
maternity or loss of a breadwinner; welfare, government/state benefit,

OM
public assistance.
33. monetary policy (noun) – monetary policy refers to the use of monetary
instruments under the control of the central bank to regulate magnitudes

.C
such as interest rates, money supply, and availability of credit with a
view to achieving the ultimate objective of economic policy mentioned

DS
in the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.
34. The monetary policy committee (MPC) (noun) – it is a six-member
panel that is expected to bring “value and transparency” to rate-setting

OR
decisions. It will feature three members from the RBI — the Governor, a
Deputy Governor and another official — and three independent
members to be selected by the Government. The MPC will meet four
W
times a year to decide on monetary policy by a majority vote.
35. headwinds (noun) – (in business) situations or conditions that make
AL
growth harder/difficult. Whereas tailwinds describe a situation or
condition that will move growth, revenues, or profits higher.
36. price stability (noun) – no (drastic) change in the price of goods and
RI

services in an economy over a period of time. It implies avoiding both

prolonged inflation and deflation.
TO

37. Consumer Price Index (CPI) (noun) – The CPI looks at the basket of
consumer goods and services and it measures the change in price of this
DI

basket over a period of time. To put it simply, the CPI monitors retail
prices at a certain level for a particular commodity.
38. Retail or Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation (noun) – The change
.E

in the price index of the basket of consumer goods and services over a
period of time is referred to as CPI-based inflation or retail inflation.
W

39. Wholesale Price Index (WPI) (noun) – The WPI looks at a basket of
wholesale goods (goods purchased in large quantities by businesses
W

directly from manufacturers with the intent of reselling them to

retailers). the WPI tracks prices at the factory gate before the retail level.
W

40. Wholesale or Wholesale price Index (WPI) inflation (noun) – The

change in the price index of the basket of wholesale goods (and no
services) over a period of time is referred to as WPI-based inflation or
wholesale inflation.

Note:
1. Click each one of the words above for their definition, more synonyms, pronunciation,
example sentences, phrases, derivatives, origin and etc from
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/.
2. Definitions (elementary level) & Synonyms provided for the words above are my personal
work and not that of Oxford University Press. Tentative definitions/meanings are provided for
study purpose only and they may vary in different context.
3. This word list is for personal use only. Reproduction in any format and/or Commercial use of
it is/are strictly prohibited
 IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS (05-11DEC21)
41. Inflation Expectations Survey of Households (IESH) (noun) – The
survey, which is a routine exercise undertaken by the central bank, aims
at capturing subjective assessments on price movements and inflation, of
approximately 6,000 households, based on their individual consumption

OM
baskets, across 18 cities, viz., Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhopal,
Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad,
Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, Patna, Raipur, Ranchi and
Thiruvananthapuram.

.C
42. excise duty (noun) – the taxes levied on the manufacture of goods
within the country, (as opposed to custom duty that is levied on goods

DS
coming from outside the country).
43. Farm Acts, 2000 (noun) – Farm Acts, 2000 refer to three agricultural

OR
bills passed by Indian Parliament in September 2020. The three acts are
“The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and
Facilitation) Act, 2020 (FPTC Act) allows farmers to sell their harvest
W
outside the notified Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC)
mandis without paying any State taxes or fees”, “the Farmers
AL
(Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and
Farm Services Act, 2020 facilitates contract farming and direct
marketing”, and “the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020
RI

deregulates the production, storage, movement and sale of several major

foodstuffs, including cereals, pulses, edible oils and onion, except in the
TO

case of extraordinary circumstances”.

44. Minimum Support Price (MSP) (noun) – it is a form of market
intervention by the Government of India to give guaranteed price and
DI

assured market to the farmers and protect them from the price
fluctuations and market imperfections. The guaranteed price and assured
.E

market are expected to encourage higher investment and in the adoption

of modern farming practices.
W

45. food staple (noun) – A food staple is a food that makes up the dominant
part of a population’s diet. Food staples are eaten regularly-even daily-
W

and supply a major proportion of a person’s energy and nutritional

needs. common staples include cereals (such as rice, wheat, corn
W

(maize), millet (bajra), and sorghum (jowar), starchy tubers or root

vegetables (such as potatoes, cassava, sweet potatoes, yams, or taro),
meat, fish, eggs, milk, and cheese, and dried legumes such as lentils and
other beans.

Note:
1. Click each one of the words above for their definition, more synonyms, pronunciation,
example sentences, phrases, derivatives, origin and etc from
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/.
2. Definitions (elementary level) & Synonyms provided for the words above are my personal
work and not that of Oxford University Press. Tentative definitions/meanings are provided for
study purpose only and they may vary in different context.
3. This word list is for personal use only. Reproduction in any format and/or Commercial use of
it is/are strictly prohibited
 IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS (05-11DEC21)
46. Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) (noun) – the apex body
in India for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical
research, is one of the oldest medical research bodies in the world. As
early as in 1911, the Government of India set up the Indian Research
Fund Association (IRFA) with the specific objective of sponsoring and

OM
coordinating medical research in the country. It was redesignated in
1949 as the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The ICMR is
funded by the Government of India through the Ministry of Health &
Family Welfare.

.C
47. immunisation (noun) – the process whereby a person is made immune
or resistant to an infectious disease, typically by the administration of a

DS
vaccine. Vaccines stimulate the body’s own immune system to protect
the person against subsequent infection or disease.

OR
48. Oxford vaccine/Covishield (noun) – (ChAdOx1 nCoV-19) or
(AZD1222) is named Covishield in India. Serum Institute of India (SII),
a biotechnology company has partnered with global pharma giant
W
AstraZeneca and Oxford University for this vaccine candidate
‘Covidshield’.
AL
49. Covaxin (noun) – India’s first indigenous COVID-19 vaccine candidate
(COVAXIN) developed by a Hyderabad-based company (Bharat
Biotech) in collaboration with the ICMR (The Indian Council of
RI

Medical Research).
50. delta variant/B.1.617.2 (noun) – Formally known as AY.2 or
TO

B.1.617.2, it’s a variant of the coronavirus, first identified in India, is

renamed as the ‘Delta variant’ by the World Health Organization
(WHO) and this variant is reclassified as Variant of Concern (VOC).
DI

The B.1.617.1 strain has been reclassified to a Variant of Interest (VOI)

and labelled variant “Kappa”.
.E

51. Omicron variant (noun) – On 26 November 2021, WHO designated the

(new coronavirus) variant B.1.1.529 a variant of concern, named
W

Omicron, on the advice of WHO’s Technical Advisory Group on Virus

Evolution (TAG-VE). The first known confirmed Omicron infection
W

was from a specimen collected on November 9. In recent weeks,

infections in South Africa have increased steeply, coinciding with the
W

detection.
52. immune escape/evasion (noun) – it occurs when the immune system of
a host, especially of a human being, is unable to respond to an infectious
agent, or in other words that the host’s immune system is no longer able
to recognize and eliminate a pathogen such as a virus.

Note:
1. Click each one of the words above for their definition, more synonyms, pronunciation,
example sentences, phrases, derivatives, origin and etc from
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/.
2. Definitions (elementary level) & Synonyms provided for the words above are my personal
work and not that of Oxford University Press. Tentative definitions/meanings are provided for
study purpose only and they may vary in different context.
3. This word list is for personal use only. Reproduction in any format and/or Commercial use of
it is/are strictly prohibited
 IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS (05-11DEC21)
53. Variant of Concern (VoC) (noun) – A variant for which there is
evidence of an increase in transmissibility, more severe disease
(e.g., increased hospitalizations or deaths), significant reduction in
neutralization by antibodies generated during previous infection or
vaccination, reduced effectiveness of treatments or vaccines, or

OM
diagnostic detection failures.
54. Variants of Interest (VoI) (noun) – A variant with specific genetic
markers that have been associated with changes to receptor binding,

.C
reduced neutralization by antibodies generated against previous
infection or vaccination, reduced efficacy of treatments, potential

DS
diagnostic impact, or predicted increase in transmissibility or disease
severity.
55. breakthrough infections (noun) – people getting infections after they

OR
are fully vaccinated is when the infections are caused by circulating
virus variants, with potential immune escape mechanism, which might
reduce the efficacy of vaccines. These are called “vaccine breakthrough
infections/cases”. W
56. coronavirus (CoV) (noun) – a large family of viruses that cause illness
AL
ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases. common signs
of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of
breath, and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, the infection can
RI

cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure, and

even death.
TO

57. epicentre (noun) – This word doesn’t come from the field of public
health; it is the most prominent area with an outbreak (of a disease).
DI

Similarly, “hot spot” is not a public health term but has been used to
describe areas with a particularly large cluster of cases.
58. antibody (noun) – it is also called ‘immunoglobulin’; a
.E

protective protein produced mainly by plasma (blood) cells in

the immune system in response to the presence of antigens (disease
W

causing organisms (bacteria & viruses) and other harmful/toxic foreign

substances like insect venom).
W

59. Article 356 (of Indian constitution) (noun) – Article 356 of the
Constitution of India deals with imposition of President’s rule in States
W

in a certain situation. It empowers the President to withdraw from the

Union the executive and legislative powers of any state “if he is satisfied
that a situation has arisen in which the government of the state cannot be
carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution”.

Note:
1. Click each one of the words above for their definition, more synonyms, pronunciation,
example sentences, phrases, derivatives, origin and etc from
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/.
2. Definitions (elementary level) & Synonyms provided for the words above are my personal
work and not that of Oxford University Press. Tentative definitions/meanings are provided for
study purpose only and they may vary in different context.
3. This word list is for personal use only. Reproduction in any format and/or Commercial use of
it is/are strictly prohibited
 IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS (05-11DEC21)
60. Article 370 of Indian Constitution (noun) – It had “temporary
provisions with respect to the State of Jammu and Kashmir” which gave
special powers to the state. The article allowed the state a certain amount
of autonomy – its own constitution, a separate flag and freedom to make
laws. Foreign affairs, defence and communications remained the
preserve (domain) of the central government. It also allowed Jammu and

OM
Kashmir to make its own rules relating to permanent residency,
ownership of property and fundamental rights. It did also bar Indians
from outside the state from purchasing property or settling there.

.C
61. constitutional court (noun) – The Supreme Court of India is
the supreme judicial body of India and the highest court of India under

DS
the constitution. It is the most senior constitutional court, and has the
power of judicial review. The high courts that deal primarily
with constitutional law are also called as the constitutional courts.

OR
62. Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) (noun) – The Citizenship
(Amendment) Bill, 2019 seeks to grant citizenship to religious
minorities of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, who had to flee
W
their homeland facing persecution. The six minority groups that have
been specifically identified are Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, Buddhists,
AL

Christians, and Parsis.

63. Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) (noun) – an Indian law
aimed at effective prevention of unlawful activities associations in India.
RI

Its main objective was to make powers available for dealing with
activities directed against the integrity and sovereignty of India.
TO

64. Part III Rights/Fundamental Rights (noun) – The Fundamental

Rights, embodied in Part III of the Constitution, guarantee civil rights to
DI

all Indians and prevent the State from encroaching an individual’s

liberty while simultaneously placing upon it an obligation to protect the
citizens’ rights from encroachment by society. Seven fundamental rights
.E

were originally provided by the Constitution – the right to equality, right

W

to freedom, right against exploitation, right to freedom of religion,

cultural and educational rights, right to property and right to
W

constitutional remedies. However, the right to property was removed

from Part III of the Constitution by the 44th Amendment in 1978.
W

65. electoral bond (noun) – an electoral bond is designed to be a bearer

instrument like a Promissory Note — in effect, it will be similar to a
bank note that is payable to the bearer on demand and free of interest. It
can be purchased by any citizen of India or a body incorporated in India.
it allows limitless, secret donations to political parties, including (and
especially) by corporations.

Note:
1. Click each one of the words above for their definition, more synonyms, pronunciation,
example sentences, phrases, derivatives, origin and etc from
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/.
2. Definitions (elementary level) & Synonyms provided for the words above are my personal
work and not that of Oxford University Press. Tentative definitions/meanings are provided for
study purpose only and they may vary in different context.
3. This word list is for personal use only. Reproduction in any format and/or Commercial use of
it is/are strictly prohibited
 IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS (05-11DEC21)
66. Right to Education (RTE) Act (noun) – the Right of Children to Free
and Compulsory Education Act or Right to Education Act (RTE) is
an Act, of the Parliament of India enacted on 4 August 2009 under
Article 21-A in the Constitution of India, which provides free and

OM
compulsory education of all children in the age group of six to fourteen
years as a Fundamental Right.
67. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) (noun) – Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA)
is Government of India’s flagship programme for achievement of

.C
Universalization of Elementary Education (UEE) in a time bound
manner, as mandated by 86th amendment to the Constitution of India

DS
making free and compulsory Education to the Children of 6-14 years age
group, a Fundamental Right. Ministry of Human Resource Development

OR
(MHRD), Government of India (GoI) anchors the SSA Programme. The
SSA has been operational since 2000-2001. With passage of the Right to
Education (RTE) Act, 2009 changes are incorporated into SSA
approach, strategy and also norms.
W
68. Vipla Foundation (noun) – formerly known as Save The Children India
AL
(STCI) up until April, 2021; a non-profit organization that envisions
India as a Child Friendly Nation. It is committed to preventing
exploitation and all other forms of discrimination against children and
RI

vulnerable women and has been working towards empowering them to

lead a life of dignity, self-respect and independence.
TO

69. National Commission for Protection of Child Rights

(NCPCR) (noun) – it is a statutory body under the Commissions for
Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005 under the administrative
DI

control of the Ministry of Women & Child Development, Government

of India. The Commission’s Mandate is to ensure that all Laws, Policies,
.E

Programmes, and Administrative Mechanisms are in consonance with

the Child Rights perspective as enshrined in the Constitution of India
W

and also the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

70. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
W

Organization (UNESCO) (noun) – UNESCO is the United Nations

Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It seeks to build peace
W

through international cooperation in Education, the Sciences and

Culture. UNESCO’s programmes contribute to the achievement of the
Sustainable Development Goals defined in Agenda 2030, adopted by the
UN General Assembly in 2015.

Note:
1. Click each one of the words above for their definition, more synonyms, pronunciation,
example sentences, phrases, derivatives, origin and etc from
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/.
2. Definitions (elementary level) & Synonyms provided for the words above are my personal
work and not that of Oxford University Press. Tentative definitions/meanings are provided for
study purpose only and they may vary in different context.
3. This word list is for personal use only. Reproduction in any format and/or Commercial use of
it is/are strictly prohibited