Cadre

Comptroller and Auditor General of India — a constitutional authority (Article 148) that audits all receipts and expenditure of the Union and State governments and reports to Parliament.

A parliamentary motion expressing disapproval of government policy. Unlike a no-confidence motion, it must state reasons and can target individual ministers.

A constitutional writ (Article 32/226) issued by a higher court to a lower court or tribunal to transfer a pending case or quash an order passed without jurisdiction.

Conference of the Parties — the supreme decision-making body of the UNFCCC where nations negotiate climate action targets, emissions reductions, and climate finance commitments.

Cash Reserve Ratio — the percentage of total deposits that commercial banks must hold as reserves with the RBI. It is a key monetary policy tool to control liquidity in the economy.

Civil Services Aptitude Test — Paper II of the Preliminary Examination. It is qualifying in nature with a 33% minimum cutoff and tests comprehension, logical reasoning, and decision-making.

Recent national and international events relevant to the UPSC syllabus. Current affairs form a significant portion of both Prelims and Mains questions.

A trade metric where a country's total imports of goods, services, and transfers exceed total exports. A high CAD can put pressure on the exchange rate and foreign reserves.

The minimum marks required to qualify each stage of the UPSC Civil Services Examination. Cut-offs vary by category and year.