AGMARKNET is the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare's national portal that collects and publishes daily commodity arrival and price data reported by officials from regulated market yards (APMCs) across India. It is the standard public reference for mandi-level price movement.

What is Agnipath scheme / Agniveer?

Agnipath is the Government of India's recruitment scheme, introduced in 2022, under which personnel below officer rank are enrolled in the armed forces for a four-year term of engagement, with a proportion retained afterwards for regular service. A soldier enrolled under the scheme is designated an Agniveer, and Army enrolment is conducted through the Join Indian Army portal.

What is Agniveer (Agnipath scheme)?

Agniveer is the rank and entry category created under the Agnipath scheme, through which the Indian Navy enrols sailors for a fixed four-year term of service. A proportion of Agniveers may subsequently be selected for regular enrolment in the Navy on completion of that term.

What is Air Force Act, 1950?

The Air Force Act, 1950 (Act No. 45 of 1950) is the central statute that governs the Indian Air Force, setting out its constitution, the conditions of service of its personnel, and its system of military discipline and courts-martial. It is administered by the Ministry of Defence and is supplemented by Air Force Rules and Regulations issued under it.

What is Airports Authority of India (AAI)?

AAI is a Miniratna Category-1 public sector enterprise under the Ministry of Civil Aviation that manages and operates airports across India and provides air navigation services over Indian airspace. It is the ministry's main operating arm for airport infrastructure not handed to private concessionaires.

What is AISHE (All India Survey on Higher Education)?

AISHE is the annual survey run by the Department of Higher Education, begun in 2011, that captures data from all higher-education institutions in India. It covers teachers, student enrolment, programmes, examination results, education finance and infrastructure, and is published as an annual AISHE report.

What is All India Services?

The All India Services are the services common to the Union and the States — the Indian Administrative Service, the Indian Police Service and the Indian Forest Service — constituted under the All-India Services Act, 1951. Officers are recruited centrally but allotted to state cadres and serve both the state and, on deputation, the Union.

What is AMASR Act, 1958?

The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 is the principal Indian statute governing the preservation of monuments and archaeological sites declared to be of national importance. It empowers the Archaeological Survey of India to regulate all archaeological activity, excavation and construction around protected sites.

What is AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation)?

AMRUT is a Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs mission that funds basic urban infrastructure — water supply, sewerage and septage management, storm-water drains, urban transport and green spaces — in selected cities. Its second phase, AMRUT 2.0, extends the focus to universal water-supply coverage and sewerage in statutory towns along with water-body rejuvenation and recycled-water reuse.

What is Army Act, 1950?

The Army Act, 1950 (Act No. 46 of 1950) is the central statute that consolidates the law relating to the government of India's regular Army, defining who is subject to military law, the offences triable by military courts and the punishments available. It is administered by the Ministry of Defence and is supplemented by the Army Rules, 1954.

ATMP (Assembly, Testing, Marking and Packaging) and OSAT (Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test) refer to the back-end stage of chipmaking, where fabricated wafers are cut, packaged and tested into finished chips. Most units approved under India's semiconductor programme to date are ATMP/OSAT facilities rather than fabs.

What is Atomic Energy Act, 1962?

The Atomic Energy Act, 1962 (Act No. 33 of 1962) is the central statute governing atomic energy in India, giving the Central Government powers to control the production, development, use and disposal of atomic energy. Among other powers, it lets the government prohibit the working of specified mines or minerals except under a licence it grants.

What is Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB)?

The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board is India's nuclear and radiation safety regulator, constituted by the President on 15 November 1983 under Section 27 of the Atomic Energy Act, 1962. Headquartered in Mumbai, its mandate is to ensure that the use of ionising radiation and nuclear energy in India does not cause undue risk to health or the environment.

What is Attached and Subordinate Offices?

In Indian government structure, attached offices execute a ministry's field functions and advise it on technical matters, while subordinate offices carry out detailed field-level execution under their direction. The Ministry of Culture works through 2 attached offices, 7 subordinate offices and 34 fully funded autonomous organisations.

What is Benchmark disability?

Under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, a person with benchmark disability is one certified as having not less than forty per cent of a specified disability where that disability is not defined in measurable terms, or as certified by the assessing authority where it is. Benchmark status is the statutory threshold that unlocks reservation in education and government employment and most disability-linked entitlements.

What is Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC)?

BARC, at Trombay in Mumbai, is the Department of Atomic Energy's principal multidisciplinary nuclear research centre. It carries out research and development across the nuclear fuel cycle, reactor technology and radiation applications for the Indian atomic energy programme.

What is Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023?

The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 is India's principal criminal code, which replaced the Indian Penal Code of 1860 and took effect on 1 July 2024. It is administered by the Ministry of Home Affairs and defines substantive offences and their punishments.

What is Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024?

The Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024 (Act 16 of 2024) is India's principal civil aviation statute, providing for the regulation and control of the design, manufacture, maintenance, possession, use, operation, sale, export and import of aircraft. It replaced the Aircraft Act, 1934, and received presidential assent in December 2024.

Bhuvan is the geoportal run by ISRO's National Remote Sensing Centre that publishes Indian earth-observation imagery, thematic maps and geospatial datasets. It is the main public access point for satellite-derived data used across Indian government programmes.

What is Border Defence Cooperation Agreement (BDCA), 2013?

The Border Defence Cooperation Agreement is a 2013 India-China accord setting out procedures for the two militaries along the Line of Actual Control, including border personnel meetings, communication links and rules for handling face-offs. It sits alongside the 1993 and 1996 agreements on peace and tranquillity and on confidence-building measures in the military field.

What is Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS)?

BCAS is the attached office of India's Ministry of Civil Aviation that lays down and audits aviation security standards for airports, airlines and cargo operators. It is the national regulator for civil aviation security, distinct from DGCA's safety mandate.

What is Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE)?

The Bureau of Energy Efficiency is a statutory agency under the Ministry of Power, set up in 2002 under the Energy Conservation Act, 2001, to reduce the energy intensity of the Indian economy. It runs the appliance star-labelling programme, the Energy Conservation Building Code, and industrial efficiency schemes.

What is Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995?

The Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 is the central law regulating the operation of cable television networks in India, requiring cable operators to register and to carry only programmes and advertisements conforming to prescribed codes. It is administered by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and its Programme and Advertising Codes are the basis for content advisories issued to broadcasters.

A cadre is the state or joint state grouping to which an All India Service officer is permanently allotted at recruitment, and which holds the sanctioned strength of posts the officer is borne against for the whole career. Cadre allocation is done by the Department of Personnel & Training under cadre allocation policy, and cadre strength is fixed by periodic cadre review.

What is Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR)?

The Cash Reserve Ratio is the share of a scheduled bank's net demand and time liabilities that it must maintain as an average daily balance with the Reserve Bank of India, under Section 42(1) of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934. Banks earn no interest on these balances, so changing the ratio directly adjusts the amount of money banks have available to lend.

What is Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs)?

The Central Armed Police Forces are the central government's uniformed forces under the Ministry of Home Affairs — including the CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP, SSB and Assam Rifles — used for internal security, border guarding and installation protection. They are distinct from the armed forces under the Ministry of Defence and from state police, which is a State subject.

What is Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC)?

The Central Board of Film Certification is a statutory body under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting that certifies films for public exhibition in India under the Cinematograph Act, 1952. It issues category certificates — U, UA, A and S — and may require cuts or modifications before a film can be shown publicly.

What is Central Electricity Authority (CEA)?

The Central Electricity Authority is the statutory technical body under India's Ministry of Power, first constituted under the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1948 and continued under the Electricity Act, 2003. It advises government on power policy, sets technical and safety standards, prepares the National Electricity Plan, and publishes India's official power generation and capacity statistics.

What is Central Ground Water Board (CGWB)?

The Central Ground Water Board is the subordinate office of the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation responsible for surveying, assessing and monitoring India's groundwater resources. It is headquartered at Bhujal Bhawan, Faridabad, and its assessments classify assessment units as safe, semi-critical, critical or over-exploited.

What is Central Public Works Department (CPWD)?

The Central Public Works Department is an attached office of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs responsible for constructing and maintaining central government buildings and infrastructure, including offices, residential estates, hospitals, laboratories and stadia. Established in 1854, it acts as the principal technical and works agency for the central government's built assets.

What is Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies (CRCS)?

The Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies is the statutory authority under the Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act, 2002 responsible for registering multi-state cooperative societies and overseeing their governance, amendments, elections and winding-up. The office sits within the Ministry of Cooperation.

What is Centrally Protected Monument?

A centrally protected monument is an ancient monument or archaeological site declared to be of national importance under the AMASR Act and maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India. The ASI currently protects more than 3,600 such monuments and sites across India.

What is Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS)?

The Chief of the Naval Staff is the professional head of the Indian Navy and its senior-most serving officer, holding the rank of Admiral. The office is responsible for the Navy's operational readiness, force development and advice to the government on maritime military matters.

What is Civil Services Examination (CSE)?

The Civil Services Examination is the annual competitive examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission for recruitment to the All India Services and the Central Civil Services (Group A and some Group B). It runs in three stages: an objective Preliminary examination, a descriptive Main examination, and a Personality Test (interview).

What is Coast Guard Act, 1978?

The Coast Guard Act, 1978 (Act No. 30 of 1978) is the statute that constitutes and regulates the Indian Coast Guard as an armed force of the Union for ensuring the security of India's maritime zones and protecting maritime and other national interests in those zones. It came into force on 19 August 1978 and provides for the force's duties, discipline, offences and Coast Guard courts.

The Collegium is the body of senior Supreme Court judges, headed by the Chief Justice of India, that recommends appointments and transfers of judges to the Supreme Court and the High Courts. Its recommendations are processed by the executive under the Memorandum of Procedure, and a reiterated recommendation is binding on the government.

What is Commission of Railway Safety?

The Commission of Railway Safety is the statutory inspectorate that sanctions the opening of new railway lines and inquires into serious train accidents, acting through Commissioners of Railway Safety appointed under the Railways Act, 1989. It reports to the Ministry of Civil Aviation rather than the Ministry of Railways, so that safety oversight is independent of the operator it inspects.

What is Constitution Bench?

A Constitution Bench is a bench of at least five judges of the Supreme Court of India, constituted under Article 145(3) of the Constitution to decide cases involving a substantial question of law as to the interpretation of the Constitution, or presidential references under Article 143. Ordinary Supreme Court matters are otherwise heard by benches of two or three judges.

What is Core Statistics?

Core Statistics are those statistics designated under the Collection of Statistics Act, 2008 as being of national importance, over which the Central Government holds special powers of collection and coordination. The designation determines which datasets carry statutory backing rather than being purely administrative.

What is Court martial?

A court martial is a military court constituted under the Army Act, 1950 to try persons subject to military law for offences under that Act. The Act provides for four types — General, District, Summary General and Summary Court Martial — which differ in composition and in the severity of sentence they may award.

Reference

Glossary

222 terms across India's ministries, services and institutions — each defined in plain language, sourced, and linked to the desk that maintains it.

A

AGMARKNET: AGMARKNET is the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare's national portal that collects and publishes daily commodity arrival and price data reported by officials from regulated market yards (APMCs) across India. It is the standard public reference for mandi-level price movement. Agriculture · source
Agnipath scheme / Agniveer: Agnipath is the Government of India's recruitment scheme, introduced in 2022, under which personnel below officer rank are enrolled in the armed forces for a four-year term of engagement, with a proportion retained afterwards for regular service. A soldier enrolled under the scheme is designated an Agniveer, and Army enrolment is conducted through the Join Indian Army portal. Army · source
Agniveer (Agnipath scheme): Agniveer is the rank and entry category created under the Agnipath scheme, through which the Indian Navy enrols sailors for a fixed four-year term of service. A proportion of Agniveers may subsequently be selected for regular enrolment in the Navy on completion of that term. Navy · source
Air Force Act, 1950: The Air Force Act, 1950 (Act No. 45 of 1950) is the central statute that governs the Indian Air Force, setting out its constitution, the conditions of service of its personnel, and its system of military discipline and courts-martial. It is administered by the Ministry of Defence and is supplemented by Air Force Rules and Regulations issued under it. IAF · source
Airports Authority of India (AAI): AAI is a Miniratna Category-1 public sector enterprise under the Ministry of Civil Aviation that manages and operates airports across India and provides air navigation services over Indian airspace. It is the ministry's main operating arm for airport infrastructure not handed to private concessionaires. Civil Aviation · source
AISHE (All India Survey on Higher Education): AISHE is the annual survey run by the Department of Higher Education, begun in 2011, that captures data from all higher-education institutions in India. It covers teachers, student enrolment, programmes, examination results, education finance and infrastructure, and is published as an annual AISHE report. Education Ministry · source
All India Services: The All India Services are the services common to the Union and the States — the Indian Administrative Service, the Indian Police Service and the Indian Forest Service — constituted under the All-India Services Act, 1951. Officers are recruited centrally but allotted to state cadres and serve both the state and, on deputation, the Union. Civil Service · source
AMASR Act, 1958: The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 is the principal Indian statute governing the preservation of monuments and archaeological sites declared to be of national importance. It empowers the Archaeological Survey of India to regulate all archaeological activity, excavation and construction around protected sites. Ministry of Culture · source
AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation): AMRUT is a Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs mission that funds basic urban infrastructure — water supply, sewerage and septage management, storm-water drains, urban transport and green spaces — in selected cities. Its second phase, AMRUT 2.0, extends the focus to universal water-supply coverage and sewerage in statutory towns along with water-body rejuvenation and recycled-water reuse. Housing & Urban Affairs · source
Army Act, 1950: The Army Act, 1950 (Act No. 46 of 1950) is the central statute that consolidates the law relating to the government of India's regular Army, defining who is subject to military law, the offences triable by military courts and the punishments available. It is administered by the Ministry of Defence and is supplemented by the Army Rules, 1954. Army · source
ATMP / OSAT: ATMP (Assembly, Testing, Marking and Packaging) and OSAT (Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test) refer to the back-end stage of chipmaking, where fabricated wafers are cut, packaged and tested into finished chips. Most units approved under India's semiconductor programme to date are ATMP/OSAT facilities rather than fabs. Semiconductors · source
Atomic Energy Act, 1962: The Atomic Energy Act, 1962 (Act No. 33 of 1962) is the central statute governing atomic energy in India, giving the Central Government powers to control the production, development, use and disposal of atomic energy. Among other powers, it lets the government prohibit the working of specified mines or minerals except under a licence it grants. DAE · source
Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB): The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board is India's nuclear and radiation safety regulator, constituted by the President on 15 November 1983 under Section 27 of the Atomic Energy Act, 1962. Headquartered in Mumbai, its mandate is to ensure that the use of ionising radiation and nuclear energy in India does not cause undue risk to health or the environment. DAE · source
Attached and Subordinate Offices: In Indian government structure, attached offices execute a ministry's field functions and advise it on technical matters, while subordinate offices carry out detailed field-level execution under their direction. The Ministry of Culture works through 2 attached offices, 7 subordinate offices and 34 fully funded autonomous organisations. Ministry of Culture · source

B

Benchmark disability: Under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, a person with benchmark disability is one certified as having not less than forty per cent of a specified disability where that disability is not defined in measurable terms, or as certified by the assessing authority where it is. Benchmark status is the statutory threshold that unlocks reservation in education and government employment and most disability-linked entitlements. Social Justice · source
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC): BARC, at Trombay in Mumbai, is the Department of Atomic Energy's principal multidisciplinary nuclear research centre. It carries out research and development across the nuclear fuel cycle, reactor technology and radiation applications for the Indian atomic energy programme. DAE · source
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023: The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 is India's principal criminal code, which replaced the Indian Penal Code of 1860 and took effect on 1 July 2024. It is administered by the Ministry of Home Affairs and defines substantive offences and their punishments. Home · source
Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024: The Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024 (Act 16 of 2024) is India's principal civil aviation statute, providing for the regulation and control of the design, manufacture, maintenance, possession, use, operation, sale, export and import of aircraft. It replaced the Aircraft Act, 1934, and received presidential assent in December 2024. Civil Aviation · source
Bhuvan: Bhuvan is the geoportal run by ISRO's National Remote Sensing Centre that publishes Indian earth-observation imagery, thematic maps and geospatial datasets. It is the main public access point for satellite-derived data used across Indian government programmes. ISRO · source
Border Defence Cooperation Agreement (BDCA), 2013: The Border Defence Cooperation Agreement is a 2013 India-China accord setting out procedures for the two militaries along the Line of Actual Control, including border personnel meetings, communication links and rules for handling face-offs. It sits alongside the 1993 and 1996 agreements on peace and tranquillity and on confidence-building measures in the military field. India–China · source
Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS): BCAS is the attached office of India's Ministry of Civil Aviation that lays down and audits aviation security standards for airports, airlines and cargo operators. It is the national regulator for civil aviation security, distinct from DGCA's safety mandate. Civil Aviation · source
Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE): The Bureau of Energy Efficiency is a statutory agency under the Ministry of Power, set up in 2002 under the Energy Conservation Act, 2001, to reduce the energy intensity of the Indian economy. It runs the appliance star-labelling programme, the Energy Conservation Building Code, and industrial efficiency schemes. Power · source

C

Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995: The Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 is the central law regulating the operation of cable television networks in India, requiring cable operators to register and to carry only programmes and advertisements conforming to prescribed codes. It is administered by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and its Programme and Advertising Codes are the basis for content advisories issued to broadcasters. MIB · source
Cadre: A cadre is the state or joint state grouping to which an All India Service officer is permanently allotted at recruitment, and which holds the sanctioned strength of posts the officer is borne against for the whole career. Cadre allocation is done by the Department of Personnel & Training under cadre allocation policy, and cadre strength is fixed by periodic cadre review. Civil Service · source
Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR): The Cash Reserve Ratio is the share of a scheduled bank's net demand and time liabilities that it must maintain as an average daily balance with the Reserve Bank of India, under Section 42(1) of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934. Banks earn no interest on these balances, so changing the ratio directly adjusts the amount of money banks have available to lend. RBI · source
Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs): The Central Armed Police Forces are the central government's uniformed forces under the Ministry of Home Affairs — including the CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP, SSB and Assam Rifles — used for internal security, border guarding and installation protection. They are distinct from the armed forces under the Ministry of Defence and from state police, which is a State subject. Home · source
Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC): The Central Board of Film Certification is a statutory body under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting that certifies films for public exhibition in India under the Cinematograph Act, 1952. It issues category certificates — U, UA, A and S — and may require cuts or modifications before a film can be shown publicly. MIB · source
Central Electricity Authority (CEA): The Central Electricity Authority is the statutory technical body under India's Ministry of Power, first constituted under the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1948 and continued under the Electricity Act, 2003. It advises government on power policy, sets technical and safety standards, prepares the National Electricity Plan, and publishes India's official power generation and capacity statistics. Power · source
Central Ground Water Board (CGWB): The Central Ground Water Board is the subordinate office of the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation responsible for surveying, assessing and monitoring India's groundwater resources. It is headquartered at Bhujal Bhawan, Faridabad, and its assessments classify assessment units as safe, semi-critical, critical or over-exploited. Jal Shakti · source
Central Public Works Department (CPWD): The Central Public Works Department is an attached office of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs responsible for constructing and maintaining central government buildings and infrastructure, including offices, residential estates, hospitals, laboratories and stadia. Established in 1854, it acts as the principal technical and works agency for the central government's built assets. Housing & Urban Affairs · source
Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies (CRCS): The Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies is the statutory authority under the Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act, 2002 responsible for registering multi-state cooperative societies and overseeing their governance, amendments, elections and winding-up. The office sits within the Ministry of Cooperation. Cooperation · source
Centrally Protected Monument: A centrally protected monument is an ancient monument or archaeological site declared to be of national importance under the AMASR Act and maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India. The ASI currently protects more than 3,600 such monuments and sites across India. Ministry of Culture · source
Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS): The Chief of the Naval Staff is the professional head of the Indian Navy and its senior-most serving officer, holding the rank of Admiral. The office is responsible for the Navy's operational readiness, force development and advice to the government on maritime military matters. Navy · source
Civil Services Examination (CSE): The Civil Services Examination is the annual competitive examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission for recruitment to the All India Services and the Central Civil Services (Group A and some Group B). It runs in three stages: an objective Preliminary examination, a descriptive Main examination, and a Personality Test (interview). Civil Service · source
Coast Guard Act, 1978: The Coast Guard Act, 1978 (Act No. 30 of 1978) is the statute that constitutes and regulates the Indian Coast Guard as an armed force of the Union for ensuring the security of India's maritime zones and protecting maritime and other national interests in those zones. It came into force on 19 August 1978 and provides for the force's duties, discipline, offences and Coast Guard courts. Coast Guard · source
Collegium: The Collegium is the body of senior Supreme Court judges, headed by the Chief Justice of India, that recommends appointments and transfers of judges to the Supreme Court and the High Courts. Its recommendations are processed by the executive under the Memorandum of Procedure, and a reiterated recommendation is binding on the government. Judiciary · source
Commission of Railway Safety: The Commission of Railway Safety is the statutory inspectorate that sanctions the opening of new railway lines and inquires into serious train accidents, acting through Commissioners of Railway Safety appointed under the Railways Act, 1989. It reports to the Ministry of Civil Aviation rather than the Ministry of Railways, so that safety oversight is independent of the operator it inspects. Railways · source
Constitution Bench: A Constitution Bench is a bench of at least five judges of the Supreme Court of India, constituted under Article 145(3) of the Constitution to decide cases involving a substantial question of law as to the interpretation of the Constitution, or presidential references under Article 143. Ordinary Supreme Court matters are otherwise heard by benches of two or three judges. Judiciary · source
Core Statistics: Core Statistics are those statistics designated under the Collection of Statistics Act, 2008 as being of national importance, over which the Central Government holds special powers of collection and coordination. The designation determines which datasets carry statutory backing rather than being purely administrative. Statistics (MoSPI) · source
Court martial: A court martial is a military court constituted under the Army Act, 1950 to try persons subject to military law for offences under that Act. The Act provides for four types — General, District, Summary General and Summary Court Martial — which differ in composition and in the severity of sentence they may award. Army · source
Credit Guarantee Scheme for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGSMSE / CGTMSE): The Credit Guarantee Scheme, operated through the Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises, provides lenders a guarantee against default on collateral-free loans to micro and small enterprises. It is intended to let banks lend to MSEs without third-party guarantee or security, with the trust absorbing a defined share of any loss. Ministry of MSME · source
Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS): CCTNS is a Ministry of Home Affairs project, implemented through the National Crime Records Bureau, that networks police stations across India on a common platform for recording and sharing crime and criminal records. It underpins nationwide police data collection and citizen-facing police services. Home · source
Crime in India: Crime in India is the annual statistical report published by the National Crime Records Bureau under the Ministry of Home Affairs, compiling crime data reported by state and union territory police. It is the standard official reference for national and state-wise crime counts and rates. Home · source

D

Data Fiduciary: Under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, a Data Fiduciary is any person who alone or in conjunction with other persons determines the purpose and means of processing personal data — the Indian analogue of a data controller. Data Fiduciaries carry the Act's core duties, including obtaining valid consent, ensuring data accuracy, implementing reasonable security safeguards and reporting personal data breaches. MeitY · source
Data Protection Board of India (DPBI): The Data Protection Board of India is the adjudicatory body established under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 to determine non-compliance with the Act and impose monetary penalties. It functions as an independent body whose chairperson and members are appointed by the Central Government, and its orders are appealable to the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal. MeitY · source
DAY-NRLM: The Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission is the Ministry of Rural Development's poverty-reduction mission built on mobilising rural women into self-help groups and their federations. It channels financial and livelihood support through these groups, including the Lakhpati Didi campaign. Rural Development · source
Defence indigenisation: Defence indigenisation is the policy of substituting imported weapons, sub-systems and components with items designed and manufactured in India. The Ministry of Defence pursues it through positive indigenisation lists, domestic procurement categories and the SRIJAN portal that matches services' import items to Indian vendors. Strategic Autonomy · source
Defence Public Sector Undertaking (DPSU): A Defence Public Sector Undertaking is a state-owned company under the Ministry of Defence's Department of Defence Production that manufactures defence equipment, weapons systems and platforms. The Department administers 16 DPSUs, including seven created in 2021 out of the 41 erstwhile Ordnance Factories. Defence · source
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO): DRDO is the research and development wing of India's Ministry of Defence, charged with designing and developing defence technologies and systems for the armed forces. It operates through a countrywide network of specialised laboratories grouped into technology clusters covering aeronautics, armaments, electronics, missiles, naval systems, life sciences and materials. DRDO · source
Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT): DPIIT is one of the two departments of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, constituted in 1995 and restructured in 2000, and is the Government of India's nodal authority for national industrial policy. Its remit covers foreign direct investment policy, intellectual property rights, startup promotion, internal trade and logistics. Commerce · source
Department of Atomic Energy (DAE): The Department of Atomic Energy is the Government of India department responsible for nuclear power, nuclear research and radiation technologies, set up by a Presidential Order on 3 August 1954 and placed under the direct charge of the Prime Minister. It comprises research centres, industrial organisations, public sector undertakings and service organisations, and applies radiation technology in agriculture, medicine, industry and basic research. DAE · source
Department of Defence (DoD): The Department of Defence is the department within India's Ministry of Defence that administers the three armed services, including the Indian Navy, along with defence budgeting and policy. The Navy operates under its administrative control rather than as a standalone ministry. Navy · source
Department of Defence Production (DDP): The Department of Defence Production is the arm of India's Ministry of Defence set up to build defence production infrastructure and achieve self-reliance in the design, development and production of defence equipment. It oversees the Defence PSUs, indigenisation programmes and defence export promotion. Defence · source
Department of Health and Family Welfare (DoHFW): The Department of Health and Family Welfare is the larger of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's two departments and handles health policy, the National Health Mission, immunisation, disease-control programmes and central health institutions. Its Annual Report is the ministry's principal published account of the year's health programmes. Health · source
Department of Health Research (DHR): The Department of Health Research is one of the two departments of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, created by amendment to the Allocation of Business Rules in 2007 and functional from 2008. It administers the Indian Council of Medical Research and funds research on diagnostics, treatment methods and vaccines. Health · source
Department of Posts (DoP): The Department of Posts is the constituent department of the Ministry of Communications that operates India Post, the country's postal network of over 150 years' standing. Beyond delivering mail, it accepts deposits under Small Savings Schemes and provides life cover through Postal Life Insurance and Rural Postal Life Insurance. Ministry of Communications · source
Department of Space (DOS): The Department of Space is the Government of India department that houses the Indian Space Research Organisation and reports directly to the Prime Minister. It executes the national space programme through ISRO's centres and its associated autonomous and commercial bodies. ISRO · source
Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD & GR): DoWR, RD & GR is one of the two departments of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, handling water resources policy, irrigation and command-area development, inter-state river matters and the Ganga rejuvenation programme. The Ministry's other arm is the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation. Jal Shakti · source
Deposit insurance (DICGC cover): Deposit insurance in India is provided by the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Reserve Bank of India, which insures deposits held in banks up to a limit of five lakh rupees per depositor per bank. The cover applies to savings, current, recurring and fixed deposits together, and is paid out if a bank is liquidated or placed under an all-inclusive direction. RBI · source
Design Linked Incentive (DLI): The Design Linked Incentive scheme offers financial support to companies designing semiconductor chips in India, covering part of design infrastructure costs and a share of net sales turnover. It sits alongside production-linked support within the Semicon India Programme. Semiconductors · source
Digital Bharat Nidhi: Digital Bharat Nidhi is the fund created under the Telecommunications Act, 2023 to finance telecom services in underserved and rural areas, succeeding the Universal Service Obligation Fund. It is financed by contributions from authorised telecom entities and credited to the Consolidated Fund of India before appropriation. Ministry of Communications · source
DILRMP: The Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme is a Department of Land Resources programme to computerise land records, digitise cadastral maps and integrate registration with the record of rights. Its stated aim is to move India towards a conclusive land-titling system in place of the present presumptive titles. Rural Development · source
Director General Indian Coast Guard (DGICG): The Director General Indian Coast Guard is the office that commands the Indian Coast Guard, exercising general superintendence and direction of the force from Coast Guard Headquarters in New Delhi under the Ministry of Defence. The post is created under the Coast Guard Act, 1978. Coast Guard · source
Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA): The DGCA is the attached office of India's Ministry of Civil Aviation that acts as the country's civil aviation regulator, primarily on safety. It regulates air transport services and enforces civil air regulations, air safety and airworthiness standards, and issues licences to pilots, engineers and operators. Civil Aviation · source
Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT): The DGFT is the attached office of the Department of Commerce responsible for formulating and implementing India's Foreign Trade Policy. It issues the Importer-Exporter Code (IEC) and the licences and authorisations that traders need to import or export regulated goods. Commerce · source
Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH): The Directorate General of Hydrocarbons is the upstream technical body established in 1993 under the administrative control of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. It oversees exploration and production of oil and natural gas, manages exploration bid rounds, and advises on sound management of hydrocarbon resources. Petroleum · source
Directorate of Economics and Statistics (DES): The Directorate of Economics and Statistics is the statistical arm of the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, responsible for India's official estimates of crop area, production and yield. Its releases, including Agricultural Statistics at a Glance, are the primary government source for agricultural output figures. Agriculture · source
Directorate of Indian Army Veterans (DIAV): The Directorate of Indian Army Veterans is the Indian Army directorate responsible for the welfare of retired Army personnel and their dependants, acting as the single point of contact for veterans' pension, records and grievance issues. It operates a veterans' portal and publishes the SAMMAAN magazine and veterans' handbook. Army · source
District Mineral Foundation (DMF): A District Mineral Foundation is a non-profit trust established under Section 9B of the MMDR Act, 1957 in every district affected by mining operations, funded by contributions from mining leaseholders. Its funds are spent on the welfare of people and areas affected by mining, largely through the Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana (PMKKKY). Mines Ministry · source
DRDO: The Defence Research and Development Organisation is the Ministry of Defence's research agency, responsible for designing indigenous missile, aeronautical, naval, armament and electronics systems. Its programmes are the principal domestic source of the defence technology underpinning strategic autonomy. Strategic Autonomy · source
DRDO laboratory / establishment: A DRDO laboratory (or establishment) is a constituent research unit of DRDO located in a specific city and dedicated to a defined technology domain, such as missiles at Hyderabad or aeronautics at Bengaluru. Each lab executes sanctioned projects within a technology cluster headed by a Chief Controller of R&D. DRDO · source

E

e-Courts Project: The e-Courts Project is the Government of India's programme to computerise the Indian judiciary, funded by the Department of Justice and monitored by the e-Committee of the Supreme Court of India. It underpins electronic case filing, digital case records, online case status and the National Judicial Data Grid. Judiciary · source
e-Shram: e-Shram is the Government of India's national database of unorganised workers, maintained by the Ministry of Labour and Employment. Workers who register receive a Universal Account Number (UAN) intended to link them to social-security and welfare schemes. Labour · source
eAnudaan: eAnudaan is the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment's online portal through which voluntary organisations apply for grants-in-aid under the ministry's schemes and through which sanctions and releases are processed and tracked. It is the ministry's principal channel for routing scheme money to NGO implementers. Social Justice · source
Economic Survey: The Economic Survey is the Ministry of Finance's annual review of the Indian economy, normally presented to Parliament shortly before the Union Budget. It surveys developments across sectors, reports performance on major programmes, and is published by the Department of Economic Affairs. Finance · source
ECR (Emigration Check Required): ECR is a passport endorsement category applied to Indian passport holders who have not met a prescribed educational qualification, requiring emigration clearance before taking up employment in certain countries. Passports without the endorsement are described as ECNR or "non-ECR", and applicants submit non-ECR proof to obtain that status. MEA · source
Electricity Act, 2003: The Electricity Act, 2003 is the central law consolidating the rules for generation, transmission, distribution, trading and use of electricity in India. It created the framework of central and state electricity regulatory commissions, delicensed generation, and mandated open access and consumer protection measures. Power · source
Employees' State Insurance (ESI) Scheme: The ESI Scheme is a contributory social-security scheme under the Employees' State Insurance Act, 1948, funded by employer and employee contributions. It is administered by the Employees' State Insurance Corporation and provides insured workers with medical care and cash benefits during sickness, maternity, disablement and other contingencies. Labour · source
ENCORE: ENCORE (Enabling Communications on Real-time Environment) is the Election Commission of India's internal election-management system, used by Returning Officers for candidate nomination, voter turnout entry, counting and index-card filing. It is the system of record from which the Commission's statistical reports are produced. ECI · source
Environment (Protection) Act, 1986: The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 is India's umbrella environmental law, enacted after the Bhopal gas disaster to provide for the protection and improvement of the environment. Its Section 3 empowers the Central Government to take all measures it deems necessary to protect and improve environmental quality and to control pollution, which is the legal basis for most environmental rules and notifications issued by MoEFCC. MoEFCC · source
Environmental Clearance (EC): Environmental Clearance is the prior approval a listed project or activity must obtain from the Union environment ministry or a State-level authority before construction or expansion can begin. It is granted after an appraisal of the project's environmental impact, and applications are made and tracked through the PARIVESH portal. MoEFCC · source
eSankhyiki: eSankhyiki is the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation's data platform, launched on Statistics Day 2024, intended as a single point of access to India's official statistics. It hosts datasets and macro indicators previously scattered across separate ministry publications. Statistics (MoSPI) · source
Essential Commodities Act, 1955: The Essential Commodities Act, 1955 empowers the central government to control the production, supply, distribution, trade and commerce of commodities it declares essential. It is the statutory basis for measures such as stock limits and price controls intended to counter hoarding and black-marketing. Ministry of Food & Public Distribution · source

F

Fair Price Shop (FPS): A Fair Price Shop is a licensed retail outlet in India's Public Distribution System through which ration cardholders draw their entitled foodgrains at subsidised prices. Fair Price Shops are licensed and supervised by state governments and tracked centrally on the NFSA portal. Ministry of Food & Public Distribution · source
Fiscal deficit: The fiscal deficit is the gap between the Union Government's total expenditure and its total receipts excluding borrowings, and it therefore measures how much the government must borrow in a year. It is conventionally expressed as a percentage of GDP and is reported each year in the Budget at a Glance document. Finance · source
Flexible Inflation Targeting: Flexible inflation targeting is the statutory framework, introduced into the Reserve Bank of India Act in 2016, under which the central government sets an inflation target in consumer price index terms for the Reserve Bank to achieve, currently 4 per cent with a tolerance band of plus or minus 2 percentage points. It is 'flexible' because the Reserve Bank may accommodate growth considerations while remaining accountable for keeping inflation within the band. RBI · source
Foreign Trade Policy (FTP): The Foreign Trade Policy is the Government of India's framework document governing exports and imports, notified by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992. It sets out the schemes, authorisations and conditions under which goods and services may be traded across India's borders. Commerce · source
Forest cover: Forest cover, as used in India's official forest statistics, means all land more than one hectare in area with a tree canopy density of at least 10 percent, irrespective of ownership or legal status. It is assessed by the Forest Survey of India from satellite data and reported biennially in the India State of Forest Report, and is distinct from "recorded forest area", which is a legal category. MoEFCC · source
Foundation Course: The Foundation Course is the common induction training that newly recruited officers of the All India Services and the Group A Central Civil Services undergo together, anchored at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie. Its purpose is to give entrants across services a shared grounding in administration, law, economics and public policy before they move to their service-specific academies. Civil Service · source
FRBM Act (Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, 2003): The Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, 2003 is the central statute that requires the Union Government to follow fiscal discipline, limit deficits and debt, and lay statements of fiscal policy and medium-term targets before Parliament along with the Budget. It is administered by the Ministry of Finance's Department of Economic Affairs. Finance · source
Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC): A Functional Household Tap Connection is the unit of measurement used by Jal Jeevan Mission: a rural household counted as covered only when it has a working tap supplying potable water in adequate quantity on a regular basis. FHTC counts, not pipeline length or scheme sanctions, are the headline metric on the mission's dashboard. Jal Shakti · source

G

Geological Survey of India (GSI): The Geological Survey of India, established in 1851, is an attached office of the Ministry of Mines and the government's primary provider of geoscientific information. It conducts systematic geological mapping and mineral exploration, and hands over explored mineral blocks to states and the centre for auction. Mines Ministry · source
Government Assurance: A government assurance is an undertaking, promise or commitment given by a minister on the floor of either House in reply to a question or during a debate. Assurances are recorded and tracked until the concerned ministry fulfils them, with the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs running an Online Assurance Monitoring System for the purpose. Parliament · source
Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER): Gross Enrolment Ratio is the total enrolment at a given education stage, regardless of age, expressed as a percentage of the official age-group population for that stage. It is the headline access indicator reported by UDISE+ for school education and by AISHE for higher education, and can exceed 100 percent where over-age or under-age pupils are enrolled. Education Ministry · source

H

Health Management Information System (HMIS): HMIS is the Government of India's web-based reporting system, run by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, through which public health facilities across states and union territories upload monthly service-delivery data. It is the ministry's routine source for health indicators used in facility grading, planning and monitoring of the National Health Mission. Health · source

I

ICCR (Indian Council for Cultural Relations): The Indian Council for Cultural Relations is an autonomous organisation of the Government of India, functioning under the Ministry of External Affairs, that conducts India's cultural relations abroad. Founded in 1950 and headquartered at Azad Bhawan, New Delhi, it runs cultural exchange programmes, cultural centres abroad and scholarship schemes for foreign students. MEA · source
Importer-Exporter Code (IEC): The Importer-Exporter Code is a unique identification number issued by the DGFT that a person or firm must hold to import into or export from India, except where specifically exempted. It is the basic registration that makes an entity eligible to transact cross-border trade under the Foreign Trade Policy. Commerce · source
IN-SPACe: The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) is an autonomous body under the Department of Space that acts as a single-window agency to promote, authorise and supervise space activities by non-government entities. Private launches, satellites and ground stations in India require IN-SPACe authorisation. ISRO · source
Index Card: An Index Card is the consolidated online return that a Returning Officer files after counting, recording a constituency's electors, voters, candidates, parties, votes and returned candidate. Verified index cards are the raw material from which the Election Commission generates its official statistical reports. ECI · source
India Semiconductor Mission (ISM): The India Semiconductor Mission is a specialised, independent business division within the Digital India Corporation under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. It acts as the nodal agency for implementing India's semiconductor and display manufacturing schemes. Semiconductors · source
Indian Judiciary Annual Report: The Indian Judiciary Annual Report is the Supreme Court's yearly account of the functioning of the judiciary, published in two volumes covering the Supreme Court and the High Courts. It is a primary source for judge strength, vacancies, filings and disposal figures. Judiciary · source
Indian Space Policy 2023: Indian Space Policy 2023 is the government's framework defining the roles of ISRO, IN-SPACe, NewSpace India Limited and private operators in India's space sector. It shifts ISRO toward research and advanced technology while opening end-to-end commercial space activity to non-government entities under IN-SPACe authorisation. ISRO · source
Indigenisation (Srijan portal): Indigenisation is the Ministry of Defence's programme to substitute imported defence components with domestically produced ones. The Department of Defence Production monitors it through the Srijan portal, which lists items that Defence PSUs and the services seek to source from Indian industry, MSMEs and startups. Defence · source
Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI): The Inland Waterways Authority of India is the statutory body, established on 27 October 1986, that develops and regulates India's National Waterways for shipping and navigation. It is the nodal agency for inland water transport infrastructure under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, headquartered at Noida with regional offices including Patna, Kolkata, Guwahati and Kochi. Ports & Shipping · source
Intangible Cultural Heritage: Intangible cultural heritage refers to living traditions such as oral expressions, performing arts, social practices, rituals and traditional craftsmanship, as distinct from physical monuments and artefacts. The Ministry of Culture documents and supports it through schemes and the Indian Culture Portal. Ministry of Culture · source
Inter-State River Water Disputes Tribunal: An Inter-State River Water Disputes Tribunal is an adjudicating body constituted by the Central Government under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956, when a dispute between states over the waters of an inter-state river cannot be settled by negotiation. Its award, once notified, has the force of an order of the Supreme Court and binds the party states. Jal Shakti · source
Intermediary: Under India's Information Technology Act, 2000, an intermediary is any person who on behalf of another person receives, stores or transmits an electronic record, or provides any service with respect to that record — including telecom and network service providers, internet service providers, web-hosting providers, search engines, online payment and auction sites, online marketplaces and cyber cafes. Intermediaries receive conditional immunity from liability for third-party content provided they observe due diligence obligations. MeitY · source
Investor Education and Protection Fund (IEPF): The Investor Education and Protection Fund is a statutory fund under section 125 of the Companies Act, 2013 into which dividends, shares and deposits left unclaimed for seven years are transferred. The IEPF Authority administers the fund, processes investor claims for refunds, and runs investor awareness programmes. Corporate Affairs · source
IT Rules, 2021 (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code): The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 are rules framed by MeitY under the IT Act, 2000 that set due-diligence obligations for intermediaries — including grievance officers, takedown timelines and traceability for significant social media intermediaries — and a three-tier ethics code for digital news publishers and online curated content platforms. Failure to observe the due diligence prescribed costs an intermediary its safe-harbour protection. MeitY · source

J

Jal Jeevan Mission: Jal Jeevan Mission is the Government of India programme, run by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, to provide a functional tap water connection to every rural household. It is branded "Har Ghar Jal" and its progress is reported publicly on a state-, district- and village-level dashboard. Jal Shakti · source
Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO): A Junior Commissioned Officer is a rank bracket in the Indian Army — Naib Subedar, Subedar and Subedar Major, and their cavalry/armoured equivalents — sitting between Other Ranks and commissioned officers. JCOs hold a commission from the President and function as the Army's senior supervisory and man-management tier within units. Army · source

L

Labour Codes: The Labour Codes are four consolidated central statutes — the Code on Wages, 2019, and the Industrial Relations Code, Code on Social Security, and Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code of 2020 — that subsume 29 earlier central labour laws. They are administered by India's Ministry of Labour and Employment. Labour · source
Line of Actual Control (LAC): The Line of Actual Control is the de facto boundary separating Indian-controlled territory from Chinese-controlled territory, running roughly 3,488 km across the western, middle and eastern sectors. It is not a mutually agreed or demarcated border, and the two sides hold differing perceptions of its alignment in several areas, which is why patrolling by either army can produce face-offs. India–China · source

M

Major mineral: A major mineral is any mineral not notified as a "minor mineral" under the MMDR Act, 1957, and its concessions are regulated by the central government through rules made under that Act. The Ministry of Mines can reclassify minerals between the two categories; barytes, felspar, mica and quartz were moved to the major-mineral category. Mines Ministry · source
Major Port Authorities Act, 2021: The Major Port Authorities Act, 2021 (Act No. 1 of 2021) provides for the regulation, operation and planning of India's major ports and vests their administration in Boards of Major Port Authorities. It came into force on 3 November 2021 and superseded the Major Port Trusts Act, 1963. Ports & Shipping · source
Major Port Authority: A Major Port Authority is the statutory board that administers, controls and manages one of India's major ports under the Major Port Authorities Act, 2021. The Act replaced the older port trust structure with an independent board for each major port, giving them greater autonomy over operations, planning and tariff-setting. Ports & Shipping · source
Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC): A Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre is a Coast Guard-run control centre responsible for organising search and rescue within an assigned maritime search-and-rescue region, tasking ships and aircraft to distress incidents at sea. India's SAR region is covered by MRCCs at the Coast Guard regional headquarters, supported by subordinate Maritime Rescue Sub-Centres. Coast Guard · source
Maritime zones of India: The maritime zones of India are the belts of sea over which India exercises sovereignty or sovereign rights — the territorial waters, the contiguous zone, the exclusive economic zone and the continental shelf. The Indian Coast Guard's statutory remit is defined by reference to these zones rather than to a single coastline boundary. Coast Guard · source
MCA21: MCA21 is the Ministry of Corporate Affairs' electronic registry through which companies and LLPs in India file statutory documents such as incorporation forms, annual returns and financial statements. It is the system of record for company filings and the source of public company master data. Corporate Affairs · source
MGNREGA: The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 is a central law that gives every rural household a legal entitlement to at least 100 days of unskilled manual wage employment in a financial year on demand. It is a statutory guarantee rather than a discretionary scheme, so work must be provided within a fixed period of a valid demand or an unemployment allowance becomes payable. Rural Development · source
Micro and Small Enterprise Facilitation Council (MSEFC): An MSEFC is a state-government-constituted body established under the MSMED Act, 2006 to settle disputes over delayed payments owed to micro and small enterprises. It acts first through conciliation and, failing that, through arbitration, and its awards are enforceable like an arbitral award. Ministry of MSME · source
Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957: The MMDR Act, 1957 (Act No. 67 of 1957) is the central law regulating the mining sector in India, governing the grant of mineral concessions and the development and conservation of mineral resources. It applies to all minerals other than minor minerals, which states regulate, and atomic minerals and petroleum, which sit under separate laws. Mines Ministry · source
Minimum Support Price (MSP): The Minimum Support Price is a price announced by the Government of India for selected crops, at which government agencies stand ready to buy from farmers regardless of market rates. It functions as a price floor for the notified MSP commodities rather than a guarantee that all produce will be procured. Agriculture · source
Ministry of Defence Annual Report: The Ministry of Defence Annual Report is the Government of India's yearly published account of the defence establishment, with dedicated chapters on the Army, Navy and Air Force. It is the standard primary reference for official figures on force modernisation, acquisitions, personnel and training establishments. IAF · source
Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways: The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways is the Union ministry responsible for policy, rules and administration covering ports, shipping and inland waterways in India, including shipbuilding and ship-repair, major ports, National Waterways and inland water transport. It was renamed from the Ministry of Shipping in 2020 and is headquartered at Transport Bhawan, 1 Parliament Street, New Delhi. Ports & Shipping · source
Mission Karmayogi (NPCSCB): Mission Karmayogi, formally the National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building, is a central sector scheme approved in 2020 that seeks to shift civil service training from a rule-based to a role-based, competency-driven framework. It is implemented by the Department of Personnel & Training with the Capacity Building Commission as custodian of the framework, and delivers online learning through the iGOT Karmayogi platform. Civil Service · source
Mission Shakti: Mission Shakti is the Government of India's umbrella scheme for the safety, security and empowerment of women, run by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. It has two sub-schemes: Sambal, covering safety and protection services such as One Stop Centres and the women helpline, and Samarthya, covering empowerment services such as creches, shelter homes and skilling. Women & Child · source
Mission Vatsalya: Mission Vatsalya is the Ministry of Women and Child Development's scheme for child protection services and child welfare, implemented in partnership with state governments. It funds the statutory machinery of the Juvenile Justice Act, including Child Welfare Committees, Juvenile Justice Boards, District Child Protection Units and childcare institutions. Women & Child · source
Model Code of Conduct (MCC): The Model Code of Conduct is a set of norms for the guidance of political parties and candidates that the Election Commission of India enforces from the announcement of an election until results are declared. It restricts appeals to caste or communal feeling, use of places of worship for propaganda, and the announcement of new government schemes or discretionary funds that could influence voters. ECI · source
Monetary Policy Committee (MPC): The Monetary Policy Committee is the six-member statutory body, constituted under Section 45ZB of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, that fixes the policy repo rate required to achieve India's inflation target. It has three Reserve Bank members and three members appointed by the central government, and decisions are taken by majority with the RBI Governor holding a casting vote in a tie. RBI · source
Money Bill: A Money Bill is a bill dealing exclusively with taxation, government borrowing or expenditure from the Consolidated Fund of India, as defined in Article 110 of the Constitution. It can be introduced only in the Lok Sabha, and the Rajya Sabha may recommend changes but cannot reject or amend it. Parliament · source
Motor Vehicles Act, 1988: The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 is the central statute consolidating Indian law on motor vehicles, covering driving licences, vehicle registration, permits, traffic regulation, insurance and penalties. It is administered by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and is implemented on the ground by state transport departments and RTOs. MoRTH · source
MPLADS: The Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) lets each Member of Parliament recommend works for development projects in their constituency, funded from a central allocation. The scheme is administered by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation through the eSAKSHI portal. Statistics (MoSPI) · source
MSME classification (composite criteria): Under the MSMED Act, 2006 an enterprise is classified as micro, small or medium using a composite criterion combining investment in plant and machinery or equipment with annual turnover, applying the same thresholds to manufacturing and service enterprises. An enterprise is placed in the higher category if it breaches either limit, and can move down only if it falls below both. Ministry of MSME · source
MSME Samadhaan: MSME Samadhaan is the Ministry of MSME's online Delayed Payment Monitoring System, where a micro or small enterprise can file a case against a buyer who has not paid within the statutory period. Cases filed on the portal are taken up by the Micro and Small Enterprise Facilitation Councils (MSEFCs) constituted by state governments under the MSMED Act, 2006. Ministry of MSME · source
Multi-State Cooperative Society (MSCS): A Multi-State Cooperative Society is a cooperative whose objects are not confined to a single state and which is therefore registered under the Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act, 2002 by the Central Registrar rather than by a state registrar. It is regulated by the Union government instead of the state in which it operates. Cooperation · source

N

National Career Service (NCS): The National Career Service is the Ministry of Labour and Employment's national ICT-based employment platform, operated through the Directorate General of Employment. It connects jobseekers with employers and offers career counselling, vocational guidance and access to employment exchanges. Labour · source
National Cooperative Database (NCD): The National Cooperative Database is a repository maintained by the Ministry of Cooperation that consolidates information on cooperative societies across India, covering location, membership, economic activity, infrastructure and financial performance. It was built with state and union-territory governments as a single reference point on the sector. Cooperation · source
National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA): The NDMA is the apex body for disaster management in India, constituted under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and chaired by the Prime Minister. It lays down policies and guidelines for disaster mitigation, preparedness and response, and functions under the Ministry of Home Affairs. Home · source
National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020): The National Education Policy 2020 is the Government of India's framework policy for school and higher education, approved in 2020 and replacing the 1986 policy. It is published by the Ministry of Education and drives restructuring of school stages, curriculum and higher-education regulation. Education Ministry · source
National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA): The National Financial Reporting Authority is India's independent audit regulator, constituted under section 132 of the Companies Act, 2013 and operational from 1 October 2018. It recommends accounting and auditing standards, monitors their compliance, and can investigate and penalise auditors of listed and large companies. Corporate Affairs · source
National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA): The National Food Security Act, 2013 is the Indian law that gives up to 75 percent of the rural population and 50 percent of the urban population a legal entitlement to subsidised foodgrains through the Public Distribution System. It is implemented by the Department of Food and Public Distribution together with state governments. Ministry of Food & Public Distribution · source
National Geoscience Data Repository (NGDR): The National Geoscience Data Repository is the Ministry of Mines' national portal for baseline geoscience and mineral-exploration data, conceived under the National Mineral Exploration Policy, 2016. The Geological Survey of India is the nodal agency for its implementation, and datasets are published for public and industry access. Mines Ministry · source
National Health Mission (NHM): The National Health Mission is the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's flagship centrally sponsored programme for strengthening public health systems, combining the National Rural Health Mission and the National Urban Health Mission. It funds state health programmes through annual Programme Implementation Plans covering reproductive and child health, communicable and non-communicable disease control, and health infrastructure. Health · source
National Highways Authority of India (NHAI): NHAI is the statutory authority constituted under the National Highways Authority of India Act, 1988 to develop, maintain and manage India's national highways. It functions under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and executes highway construction, tolling and asset-monetisation programmes. MoRTH · source
National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG): The National Judicial Data Grid is the official online repository of case data — orders, judgments and case details — from India's district courts, High Courts and the Supreme Court. It publishes live counts of cases instituted, pending and disposed of, broken down by court, case type and age of pendency. Judiciary · source
National Medical Commission (NMC): The National Medical Commission is the statutory regulator of medical education and practice in India, constituted under the National Medical Commission Act, 2019 (Act 30 of 2019), which replaced the Medical Council of India. It works through autonomous boards covering undergraduate and postgraduate education, medical assessment and rating, and ethics and medical registration. Health · source
National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC): NRSC is the ISRO centre in Hyderabad responsible for acquiring, processing and disseminating satellite remote-sensing data for India. It also runs aerial survey and disaster-management support services for central and state agencies. ISRO · source
National Statistical Office (NSO): The National Statistical Office is the statistical wing of India's Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation that compiles national accounts and conducts large-scale sample surveys. It is the body that releases India's official GDP estimates, price indices and labour force statistics. Statistics (MoSPI) · source
National Waterway: A National Waterway is an inland river, canal, creek or backwater stretch declared by Parliament as a waterway for shipping and navigation, placing its development and regulation with the central government. National Waterways are developed and maintained by the Inland Waterways Authority of India under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. Ports & Shipping · source
Naval Command: A Naval Command is a top-level operational and administrative formation of the Indian Navy, each headed by a Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief. The Navy's geographic commands are the Western Naval Command (Mumbai), the Eastern Naval Command (Visakhapatnam) and the Southern Naval Command (Kochi), the last being the training command. Navy · source
Navy Act, 1957: The Navy Act, 1957 (Act No. 62 of 1957) is the central statute that consolidates and amends the law relating to the government of the Indian Navy. It sets out the constitution of the naval forces, conditions of service, the Articles of War, punishments, and court-martial procedure. Navy · source
Notified kind or variety (Seeds Act, 1966): Under the Seeds Act, 1966, the Central Government may declare by notification in the Official Gazette that a kind or variety of seed is a "notified kind or variety", which brings it under the Act's quality, certification and labelling controls. Different kinds or varieties may be notified for different States or areas. Agriculture · source
Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL): NPCIL is a public sector undertaking under the Department of Atomic Energy responsible for constructing, commissioning and operating nuclear power plants and implementing nuclear power projects for electricity generation in India. Its plants are subject to safety review by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board. DAE · source

O

Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV): An Offshore Patrol Vessel is a medium-sized long-endurance surface ship used for patrolling a country's exclusive economic zone, carrying out surveillance, anti-smuggling, fisheries protection and search-and-rescue tasks. OPVs form the backbone of the Indian Coast Guard fleet and are largely built at Indian yards such as Goa Shipyard Limited. Coast Guard · source
Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Act, 1948: The Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Act, 1948 is the central law providing for the regulation of oilfields and the development of mineral oil resources in India. It is the statutory basis for granting petroleum exploration and mining leases and for the rules made under it. Petroleum · source
One Stop Centre: A One Stop Centre is a facility under the Ministry of Women and Child Development's Mission Shakti scheme that provides women affected by violence with integrated support at a single location, including police assistance, medical aid, legal aid, psychosocial counselling and temporary shelter. Centres are set up at district level and are commonly known as Sakhi centres. Women & Child · source
Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP): The Open Acreage Licensing Policy lets companies study India's national exploration data and themselves nominate any acreage they want to explore, rather than waiting for the government to carve out and offer blocks. Nominated areas are then put to competitive bid rounds run by the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons. Petroleum · source
Operating Ratio: The operating ratio is the headline efficiency measure of Indian Railways, expressing working expenses as a percentage of gross traffic receipts. A ratio below 100 means the railway earns more than it spends on operations; the higher the ratio, the less is left for capital investment from internal resources. Railways · source
Operation Sindoor: Operation Sindoor was the codename for the Indian Armed Forces' strikes on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir launched on 7 May 2025. The Indian Air Force was one of the services involved in the operation. IAF · source
Other Backward Classes (OBC): Other Backward Classes are socially and educationally backward communities notified in a central or state list, distinct from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, and eligible for reservation and welfare schemes on that basis. Central-list OBC welfare, scholarships and economic-empowerment schemes fall to the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment. Social Justice · source

P

PARIVESH: PARIVESH is the Government of India's single-window online portal for submitting, processing and monitoring proposals seeking Environmental (EC), Forest (FC), Wildlife (WL) and Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearances. Project proponents file and track approvals through it, and the ministry publishes related notifications and committee decisions on the same portal. MoEFCC · source
Passports Act, 1967: The Passports Act, 1967 is the Indian statute governing the issue of passports and travel documents, administered by the Ministry of External Affairs. It defines the passport authority's powers to issue, refuse, impound or revoke a passport and provides the grounds on which each may be done. MEA · source
Peak power demand: Peak power demand is the highest instantaneous electricity load, measured in gigawatts, that the Indian grid is called on to serve in a given period. It is the headline figure the Ministry of Power and the Central Electricity Authority use to judge whether generation and transmission capacity is adequate, and is reported alongside any peak shortage. Power · source
Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS): The Periodic Labour Force Survey is the household survey through which India's National Statistical Office measures employment and unemployment. It is published as monthly and quarterly bulletins alongside an annual report. Statistics (MoSPI) · source
Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB): The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board is the statutory regulator for India's downstream oil and gas sector, covering refining, transportation, distribution and marketing of petroleum products and natural gas. It authorises and regulates pipelines and city gas distribution networks and protects consumer interests. Petroleum · source
Petroleum Planning & Analysis Cell (PPAC): The Petroleum Planning & Analysis Cell is an attached office of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas that collects, compiles and publishes data on India's oil and gas sector. It assists the ministry on petroleum product pricing and on the administration of subsidy schemes. Petroleum · source
PM-KISAN (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi): PM-KISAN is a central sector scheme under which eligible landholding farmer families receive an income-support payment transferred directly to their bank accounts in instalments. Eligibility and payment status are maintained on a central beneficiary database run by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. Agriculture · source
POCSO Act: The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 is the special central law that defines sexual offences against persons under 18 and prescribes child-friendly procedures for reporting, recording evidence, investigation and trial through designated Special Courts. It is administered by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. Women & Child · source
Positive Indigenisation List: A Positive Indigenisation List is a list notified by India's Ministry of Defence naming defence items that may no longer be imported after a stated date, so that they must be procured from domestic industry. Five such lists have been issued, covering over 5,500 items, of which about 3,000 had been indigenised by February 2025. IAF · source
Positive Indigenisation List (PIL): A Positive Indigenisation List is a Ministry of Defence notification of defence items that may only be procured from Indian sources after a stated embargo date. Successive lists cover both service-level platforms and DPSU sub-systems, and are administered by the Department of Defence Production. Strategic Autonomy · source
Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana - Urban (PMAY-U): Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban is the Government of India's urban housing mission, run by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, which provides central assistance to states and urban local bodies to build or subsidise pucca houses for eligible urban households. It operates through verticals including beneficiary-led construction, affordable housing in partnership, in-situ slum redevelopment and an interest-subsidy scheme for home loans. Housing & Urban Affairs · source
Prasar Bharati: Prasar Bharati is India's public service broadcaster, an autonomous statutory body created by an Act of Parliament and operating under the aegis of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. It runs Doordarshan (television) and Akashvani/All India Radio, and is mandated to provide a balanced flow of information free from opinion or bias. MIB · source
Press Information Bureau (PIB): The Press Information Bureau is the nodal agency of the Government of India, under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, for disseminating information on government policies, programmes and achievements to the print and electronic media. Its press releases are the primary official record of central government announcements. MIB · source
Price Monitoring Division (PMD): The Price Monitoring Division in the Department of Consumer Affairs tracks the retail and wholesale prices of selected essential commodities on a daily basis from designated reporting centres across India. Its data feeds the department's assessment of price and availability conditions. Ministry of Food & Public Distribution · source
Primary Agricultural Credit Society (PACS): A Primary Agricultural Credit Society is a village-level cooperative that forms the lowest tier of India's short-term cooperative credit structure, lending to farmer members and supplying inputs such as seed and fertiliser. PACS are the main unit the Ministry of Cooperation targets for computerisation and for diversification into new services. Cooperation · source
Programme and Advertising Codes: The Programme Code and the Advertising Code are sets of content standards prescribed under the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994 that all television channels carried on cable in India must observe. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting cites these codes when issuing advisories or acting against broadcasters for content violations. MIB · source
Prohibited and Regulated Area: Under the AMASR Act, the 100 metres immediately around a centrally protected monument is a prohibited area where construction is barred, and the next 200 metres beyond it is a regulated area where construction requires clearance. Permissions in these zones are routed through the National Monuments Authority. Ministry of Culture · source
Public Distribution System (PDS): The Public Distribution System is India's network for distributing subsidised foodgrains through Fair Price Shops, run jointly by the centre and the states. The Department of Food and Public Distribution handles procurement, allocation and transport to state depots, while states manage identification of beneficiaries and last-mile delivery. Ministry of Food & Public Distribution · source
Public financial management (Department of Expenditure remit): Public financial management refers to the systems by which the Central Government sanctions, releases, accounts for and audits public spending. The Department of Expenditure is the nodal department for this system and also handles matters connected with state finances, including implementation of Finance Commission and Central Pay Commission recommendations. Finance · source

Q

Question Hour: Question Hour is the first hour of every sitting of each House of Parliament — typically 11:00 to 12:00 — reserved for members to ask questions of ministers and for those questions to be answered. It is one of the principal parliamentary devices by which members seek information from the government on matters of public importance. Parliament · source

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Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA): The Rail Land Development Authority is a statutory authority established under Chapter IIA of the Railways Act, 1989 to develop railway land entrusted to it by the central government for commercial use. It exists to generate revenue from railway land holdings outside of core transport operations. Railways · source
Railway Board: The Railway Board is the apex executive body of the Ministry of Railways, headed by a Chairman & CEO and composed of functional Members who exercise the powers of the central government over the running of Indian Railways. It sits in Rail Bhawan, New Delhi, and directs the zonal railways, production units and attached offices. Railways · source
Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (RERA): The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 is the central law that requires real estate projects and agents to register with a state Real Estate Regulatory Authority before marketing or selling, and sets rules on disclosure, escrow of buyer funds, and timely completion. It also creates state-level regulatory authorities and appellate tribunals to adjudicate disputes between promoters and homebuyers. Housing & Urban Affairs · source
Registrar of Companies (RoC): A Registrar of Companies is the statutory officer appointed under the Companies Act, 2013 who registers companies and LLPs in a state or region and maintains their filings. RoC offices are field formations of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. Corporate Affairs · source
Repo rate: The repo rate is the interest rate at which the Reserve Bank of India lends money overnight to commercial banks against the collateral of government securities under the liquidity adjustment facility. It is the Reserve Bank's principal policy rate, and changes to it are decided by the Monetary Policy Committee and transmitted to lending and deposit rates across the banking system. RBI · source
Representation of the People Act, 1951: The Representation of the People Act, 1951 is the principal statute governing the actual conduct of elections to Parliament and the State legislatures, enacted under Article 327 of the Constitution. It sets out qualifications and disqualifications for membership, the registration of political parties, corrupt practices and electoral offences, and the mechanism for resolving election disputes. ECI · source
Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS): The Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme is the Ministry of Power's central scheme providing conditional financial assistance to state electricity distribution companies for loss-reduction works, prepaid smart metering and system strengthening. Funding is tied to a discom meeting agreed performance benchmarks on losses and cost recovery. Power · source
Right to Education Act (RTE Act, 2009): The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 gives every child aged 6 to 14 the right to free and compulsory elementary education, giving effect to Article 21A of the Constitution. It took effect on 1 April 2010 and sets duties for governments, local authorities and schools. Education Ministry · source
Road Accidents in India (annual report): 'Road Accidents in India' is the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways' annual statistical report on road crashes, compiled from data reported by state and union territory police departments in calendar-year format. It is the official national reference for accident, fatality and injury counts and for cause and road-category breakdowns. MoRTH · source

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Sahkar se Samriddhi: "Sahkar se Samriddhi" — literally "prosperity through cooperation" — is the guiding formulation under which the Ministry of Cooperation frames its mandate to strengthen the cooperative movement as a people-based, grassroots economic model. It is the ministry's stated organising principle rather than a named scheme. Cooperation · source
Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0: Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 is the Ministry of Women and Child Development's integrated nutrition scheme, delivered through the country's anganwadi centre network. It merges the earlier Anganwadi Services, Poshan Abhiyaan and the scheme for adolescent girls into a single programme addressing malnutrition in children, pregnant women, lactating mothers and adolescent girls. Women & Child · source
Sanchar Saathi: Sanchar Saathi is a citizen-facing portal run by the Department of Telecommunications that lets users block and trace lost or stolen mobile handsets, check the mobile connections issued in their name, and report suspected fraudulent communications. It is operated under the department's Digital Intelligence Unit project. Ministry of Communications · source
SARATHI: SARATHI is the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways' national driving-licence system, handling learner's licences, driving licences, renewals and driver records through RTOs on the Parivahan platform. Licence issuance statistics from SARATHI are published on the Parivahan Data Analytics Portal. MoRTH · source
SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act: The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 is a special criminal law that defines a list of offences called atrocities committed against members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes by persons outside those groups, and provides for Special Courts, exclusive public prosecutors and victim and witness rights. It is administered by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, which also lays annual reports on its working before Parliament. Social Justice · source
Section 69A blocking: Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000 empowers the Central Government to direct any agency or intermediary to block public access to information through a computer resource on grounds such as the sovereignty and integrity of India, defence, security of the State, friendly relations with foreign States, public order, or preventing incitement to a cognisable offence. Directions are issued through a committee procedure prescribed by rules, and non-compliance by an intermediary is a punishable offence. MeitY · source
Semicon India Programme: The Semicon India Programme is the Government of India's umbrella programme, approved in 2021 with an outlay of Rs 76,000 crore, to develop a semiconductor ecosystem covering design, fabrication, assembly, testing and packaging. It is administered by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology through the India Semiconductor Mission. Semiconductors · source
Semiconductor Fab: A semiconductor fab is a fabrication plant that manufactures integrated circuits on silicon wafers. Under India's fab scheme, approved applicants setting up a silicon CMOS-based fab receive fiscal support of 50% of project cost on a pari-passu basis, disbursed over six years. Semiconductors · source
Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO): The Serious Fraud Investigation Office is a multi-disciplinary investigation agency established under section 211 of the Companies Act, 2013 and attached to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. It investigates serious corporate frauds referred to it by the Central Government and can arrest and prosecute under the Act. Corporate Affairs · source
Smart Cities Mission: The Smart Cities Mission is an urban renewal programme of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs under which selected cities implement area-based development and technology-enabled pan-city projects through dedicated Special Purpose Vehicles. Projects are financed jointly by central and state/urban-local-body contributions and monitored against work orders issued and projects completed. Housing & Urban Affairs · source
Special Intensive Revision (SIR): A Special Intensive Revision is an exercise by which the Election Commission of India rebuilds an electoral roll from scratch rather than merely amending it, requiring electors to submit enumeration forms and supporting documents to be re-included. Phase III of the current SIR covers 19 States and Union Territories. ECI · source
Special Representatives (SR) Mechanism: The Special Representatives mechanism is the highest-level India-China channel dedicated to the boundary question, established in 2003, with each side nominating a senior figure (India's National Security Adviser and a Chinese State Councillor/Foreign Minister). It negotiates a political settlement of the boundary rather than day-to-day border incidents. India–China · source
Starred and Unstarred Question: A starred question is one to which a member seeks an oral answer on the floor of the House, and it may be followed by supplementary questions; an unstarred question receives a written answer that is laid on the table and admits no supplementaries. A member of the Lok Sabha may give no more than ten notices of questions, starred and unstarred combined, for any one day. Parliament · source
Strategic and Cooperative Partnership for Peace and Prosperity: This is the formal designation India and China gave their bilateral relationship in 2005, framing engagement across political, economic and people-to-people tracks. It remains the MEA's standing description of the relationship's official architecture, independent of periodic border tensions. India–China · source
Strategic autonomy: Strategic autonomy is the doctrine that India retains independent decision-making on foreign, defence and economic policy rather than binding itself to any single bloc or alliance. In practice it is pursued through multi-alignment abroad and reduced dependence on imported defence and critical technology at home. Strategic Autonomy · source
SVAMITVA: SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) is a Department of Land Resources scheme that uses drone survey to map inhabited village land and issue property cards to rural residents. It is intended to give村 households a formal record of ownership for the abadi area, which historically lacked surveyed records. Rural Development · source

T

Tatkaal passport: Tatkaal is the out-of-turn passport scheme under which an applicant can obtain a fresh or re-issued passport on an expedited timeline for a higher fee. It requires additional documents beyond the ordinary address, birth and non-ECR proofs, and eligibility is decided against criteria published by the Passport Seva portal. MEA · source
Technology Development Fund (TDF): The Technology Development Fund is a Ministry of Defence scheme executed by DRDO that gives grant-in-aid to Indian industry, especially MSMEs and start-ups, to develop defence technologies and components. It is aimed at building domestic capability and reducing import dependence for systems required by the tri-services, defence production units and DRDO. DRDO · source
Technology Focus: Technology Focus is a DRDO periodical that documents specific defence technologies the organisation has developed, and is published alongside the DRDO Newsletter and DRDO Samachar on the organisation's publications page. It is one of the primary open-record sources describing DRDO's technical output. DRDO · source
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI): TRAI is the statutory regulator for India's telecom and broadcasting sectors, established under the TRAI Act, 1997. It issues tariff orders, quality-of-service regulations and recommendations to the Department of Telecommunications, and publishes periodic telecom subscription and performance indicator data. Ministry of Communications · source
Telecommunications Act, 2023: The Telecommunications Act, 2023 (Act 44 of 2023) is the Indian law governing telecom authorisation, spectrum assignment, right of way, and national-security powers over telecom networks. It replaced colonial-era statutes including the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 and the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933. Ministry of Communications · source
TRADESTAT (Export Import Data Bank): TRADESTAT is the Department of Commerce's official statistics portal publishing India's merchandise export and import figures. It allows the data to be queried commodity-wise, country-wise and region-wise, and is the primary government source for headline trade numbers. Commerce · source

U

UDAN / Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS): UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) is the Ministry of Civil Aviation's Regional Connectivity Scheme, under which airlines bid for routes to underserved and unserved airports and receive viability gap funding in exchange for capping fares on a share of seats. It is the ministry's principal instrument for extending scheduled air service to smaller cities. Civil Aviation · source
UDISE+ (Unified District Information System for Education Plus): UDISE+ is the Ministry of Education's annual administrative data system for school education in India, collecting information on schools, teachers and student enrolment from every recognised school. Its dashboard publishes national, state and district figures such as enrolment, gross enrolment ratio and dropout rates. Education Ministry · source
Udyam Registration: Udyam Registration is the Government of India's free, paperless, self-declaration based system for formally registering a micro, small or medium enterprise, run by the Ministry of MSME. A registered enterprise receives a permanent Udyam Registration Number and an e-certificate, which is the basis for claiming MSME-specific benefits such as priority sector lending and public procurement preference. Ministry of MSME · source
Union Budget: The Union Budget is the Government of India's annual statement of estimated receipts and expenditure for a financial year, laid before Parliament under Article 112 of the Constitution as the Annual Financial Statement. It is prepared by the Department of Economic Affairs and published with its supporting documents on indiabudget.gov.in. Finance · source
Unique Disability ID (UDID): The Unique Disability ID is a single national identity card and certificate issued to a person with disability through a state-notified competent medical authority, backed by a countrywide database maintained by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities. It is intended to replace multiple state-issued disability certificates as the single document for claiming disability benefits across India. Social Justice · source

V

VAHAN: VAHAN is the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways' national vehicle-registration database and application, operated with the National Informatics Centre, that records registrations, taxes, permits and fitness for vehicles across participating RTOs. Its aggregate figures are published on the Parivahan Data Analytics Portal and are widely used as a proxy for vehicle sales in India. MoRTH · source
VB-G RAM G Act, 2025: Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Aajeevika Mission (Gramin) is the 2025 statute that succeeds the MGNREGA framework as the Ministry of Rural Development's rural wage-employment guarantee law. The Department of Rural Development is the administering department and is coordinating state-level rollout. Rural Development · source

W

Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC): The WMCC is a diplomatic-level India-China body created in 2012 to manage border affairs and consult on maintaining peace and tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control. It operates below the Special Representatives and handles operational and de-escalation issues rather than the boundary settlement itself. India–China · source

Z

Zero Hour: Zero Hour is the period immediately following Question Hour in which members may, with the permission of the Chair, raise matters of urgent public importance that are not on the day's listed business. In the Rajya Sabha the matters to be raised are selected by ballot and published in a daily list of notices. Parliament · source
Zonal Railway: A zonal railway is a territorial railway administration into which Indian Railways is divided for operational and administrative purposes, each headed by a General Manager and further subdivided into divisions. Zones are constituted by the central government under the Railways Act, 1989, which vests each railway administration with the statutory duties of a carrier. Railways · source