Quick Study Tips
- Finance & International categories carry highest weightage in bank and SSC exams — prioritise these.
- For UPSC: connect each abbreviation to a current affairs event or news story for better retention.
- Revise 10–15 abbreviations daily. Use spaced repetition — review on day 1, 3, 7, and 14.
- Use Ctrl+F (or the search box above) to quickly locate any abbreviation during revision.
- Print this page (Print/PDF button) for offline study or to annotate key entries.
Finance & Banking
| Abbreviation | Full Form | Key Note |
|---|---|---|
| RBI | Reserve Bank of India | Central bank; formulates India’s monetary policy |
| SEBI | Securities and Exchange Board of India | Regulates capital markets and protects investors |
| UPI | Unified Payments Interface | Real-time digital payment system built by NPCI |
| NEFT | National Electronic Funds Transfer | Electronic fund transfer settled in hourly batches |
| RTGS | Real Time Gross Settlement | Instant high-value interbank fund transfer (min ₹2L) |
| GST | Goods and Services Tax | Unified indirect tax across India since July 2017 |
| FDI | Foreign Direct Investment | Investment by a foreign entity in Indian companies |
| FII | Foreign Institutional Investment | Portfolio investment by overseas institutions |
| NPA | Non-Performing Asset | Loan classified as default after 90 days |
| EMI | Equated Monthly Installment | Fixed monthly loan repayment amount |
| IPO | Initial Public Offering | First sale of company shares to the general public |
| MSME | Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises | Backbone of India’s economy; employs ~110 million |
| NABARD | National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development | Apex development bank for rural India |
| SIDBI | Small Industries Development Bank of India | Bank providing finance to MSME sector |
| NPS | National Pension System | Voluntary retirement savings scheme by Government |
| EPF | Employees’ Provident Fund | Mandatory retirement savings for salaried employees |
| IRDAI | Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India | India’s insurance sector regulator |
| PFRDA | Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority | Regulates pension sector and NPS |
| NHB | National Housing Bank | Apex institution for housing finance regulation |
| ESG | Environmental, Social and Governance | Framework for sustainable and ethical investing |
| LOC | Line of Credit | Pre-approved borrowing limit extended by a bank |
| CIBIL | Credit Information Bureau India Limited | India’s oldest credit information company |
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Economy & Trade12 entries
| Abbreviation | Full Form | Key Note |
|---|---|---|
| GDP | Gross Domestic Product | Total market value of goods/services produced in a country |
| GNP | Gross National Product | GDP plus income earned by residents abroad |
| WPI | Wholesale Price Index | Measures average price change at wholesale level |
| CPI | Consumer Price Index | Measures retail-level price changes; headline inflation |
| CAD | Current Account Deficit | When a country imports more than it exports |
| BoP | Balance of Payments | Record of all economic transactions with the world |
| PLI | Production Linked Incentive | Govt scheme boosting domestic manufacturing output |
| MSP | Minimum Support Price | Guaranteed govt price for farmers’ produce |
| APMC | Agricultural Produce Market Committee | Regulates trade of agricultural produce in mandis |
| FTA | Free Trade Agreement | Treaty reducing tariffs between two/more countries |
| SEZ | Special Economic Zone | Designated area with relaxed tax/trade regulations |
| EXIM | Export-Import Bank of India | Finances India’s international trade and investment |
International Organizations
| Abbreviation | Full Form | Key Note |
|---|---|---|
| UNO | United Nations Organization | Global intergovernmental body for peace & security |
| UNESCO | UN Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organization | Promotes education, science & culture globally |
| UNICEF | UN International Children’s Emergency Fund | Protects children’s rights and welfare worldwide |
| WHO | World Health Organization | UN agency leading global public health efforts |
| IMF | International Monetary Fund | Promotes global monetary cooperation & stability |
| WTO | World Trade Organization | Sets rules governing international trade |
| WEF | World Economic Forum | Annual global summit held in Davos, Switzerland |
| NATO | North Atlantic Treaty Organization | Military alliance of 32 nations (est. 1949) |
| BRICS | Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa | Emerging economies bloc; now includes 5 new members |
| SAARC | South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation | Regional bloc of 8 South Asian nations |
| ASEAN | Association of Southeast Asian Nations | 10-member Southeast Asian economic-political bloc |
| G20 | Group of Twenty | Forum of 19 nations + EU on global economic policy |
| G7 | Group of Seven | Alliance of 7 major advanced economies |
| SCO | Shanghai Cooperation Organisation | Eurasian political and security organization |
| QUAD | Quadrilateral Security Dialogue | India, US, Australia, Japan strategic security forum |
| COP | Conference of the Parties | Annual UN summit on climate change action |
| SDG | Sustainable Development Goals | UN’s 17 goals for a sustainable world by 2030 |
| IPCC | Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change | UN body assessing climate science and risks |
| UNFCCC | UN Framework Convention on Climate Change | International treaty to combat climate change |
| ICC | International Criminal Court | Tries individuals for war crimes and genocide |
Science & Technology
| Abbreviation | Full Form | Key Note |
|---|---|---|
| ISRO | Indian Space Research Organisation | India’s national space agency (est. 1969, Bengaluru) |
| BARC | Bhabha Atomic Research Centre | India’s premier nuclear research facility (Mumbai) |
| CSIR | Council of Scientific and Industrial Research | India’s largest publicly funded R&D organisation |
| ICAR | Indian Council of Agricultural Research | Apex body for agricultural research in India |
| ICMR | Indian Council of Medical Research | National body for biomedical & health research |
| DNA | Deoxyribonucleic Acid | Hereditary material carrying genetic instructions |
| RNA | Ribonucleic Acid | Molecule that helps synthesise proteins from DNA |
| LPG | Liquefied Petroleum Gas | Fuel gas (propane/butane) used for cooking |
| CNG | Compressed Natural Gas | Cleaner alternative fuel used in vehicles |
| GHG | Greenhouse Gas | Gas (CO2, CH4) trapping heat in the atmosphere |
| EV | Electric Vehicle | Vehicle powered by electric motor and battery |
| AI | Artificial Intelligence | Machine simulation of human cognitive functions |
| ML | Machine Learning | AI where systems learn patterns from data |
| IoT | Internet of Things | Network of internet-connected physical devices |
| 5G | Fifth Generation | Latest mobile network with ultra-low latency |
| GPS | Global Positioning System | US satellite-based global navigation system |
| URL | Uniform Resource Locator | Address used to access a resource on the internet |
| HTTP | HyperText Transfer Protocol | Foundation protocol for data transfer on the web |
| API | Application Programming Interface | Interface allowing software systems to communicate |
| TRAI | Telecom Regulatory Authority of India | Regulates India’s telecom and broadcasting sector |
Defence & Security
| Abbreviation | Full Form | Key Note |
|---|---|---|
| DRDO | Defence Research and Development Organisation | India’s military R&D agency (est. 1958) |
| BSF | Border Security Force | Guards India’s borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh |
| CISF | Central Industrial Security Force | Secures airports, nuclear plants & critical infra |
| CRPF | Central Reserve Police Force | India’s largest paramilitary force (est. 1939) |
| ITBP | Indo-Tibetan Border Police | Patrols India’s Himalayan border with China |
| NSG | National Security Guard | Elite anti-terrorism commandos (Black Cats) |
| NDRF | National Disaster Response Force | Force deployed in natural/man-made disasters |
| CAPF | Central Armed Police Forces | Collective term for India’s central paramilitary forces |
| AFSPA | Armed Forces Special Powers Act | Special powers for army in ‘disturbed areas’ |
| IAF | Indian Air Force | Aerial warfare branch of India’s armed forces |
| RAW | Research and Analysis Wing | India’s primary external intelligence agency |
| IB | Intelligence Bureau | India’s domestic counter-intelligence agency |
Polity & Governance
| Abbreviation | Full Form | Key Note |
|---|---|---|
| PM | Prime Minister | Head of government in India’s parliamentary system |
| CM | Chief Minister | Head of government of an Indian state/UT |
| MP | Member of Parliament | Elected rep. in Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha |
| MLA | Member of Legislative Assembly | Elected state legislature representative |
| CAG | Comptroller and Auditor General | Constitutional body that audits government accounts |
| CBI | Central Bureau of Investigation | India’s premier federal investigation agency |
| CVC | Central Vigilance Commission | Independent anti-corruption oversight body |
| NHRC | National Human Rights Commission | Quasi-judicial body protecting human rights |
| RTI | Right to Information | Citizen’s right to access government information (Act 2005) |
| RTE | Right to Education | Constitutional right to free education for ages 6-14 |
| PIL | Public Interest Litigation | Legal action filed for broader public interest |
| FIR | First Information Report | Police document registering a cognizable offence |
| IAS | Indian Administrative Service | Premier civil service for governance & administration |
| IPS | Indian Police Service | All-India service for law enforcement |
| IFS | Indian Foreign Service | Elite civil service for India’s diplomacy abroad |
| BJP | Bharatiya Janata Party | India’s ruling national political party (est. 1980) |
| INC | Indian National Congress | India’s oldest national political party (est. 1885) |
| ECI | Election Commission of India | Constitutional body conducting free and fair elections |
Government Schemes & Social
| Abbreviation | Full Form | Key Note |
|---|---|---|
| MNREGA | Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act | Provides 100 days of wage employment to rural households |
| PMAY | Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana | Housing-for-all scheme for urban and rural poor |
| JAM | Jan-Dhan Aadhaar Mobile | Trinity linking bank accounts, Aadhaar & mobile for DBT |
| DBT | Direct Benefit Transfer | Transfers subsidies/benefits directly to beneficiaries |
| UIDAI | Unique Identification Authority of India | Issues 12-digit Aadhaar identity to residents |
| NRLM | National Rural Livelihoods Mission | Empowers rural women through Self Help Groups |
| SHG | Self Help Group | Community-based savings and credit group (typically women) |
| NITI | National Institution for Transforming India | Govt policy think tank (replaced Planning Commission 2015) |
| FSSAI | Food Safety and Standards Authority of India | Regulates food safety and standards in India |
| BIS | Bureau of Indian Standards | India’s national standards body (issues ISI mark) |
| OBC | Other Backward Classes | Socially and educationally disadvantaged communities |
| EWS | Economically Weaker Section | Category for 10% reservation in education & jobs |
| NRI | Non-Resident Indian | Indian citizen residing outside India for 182+ days/year |
| OCI | Overseas Citizen of India | Lifetime visa for foreign nationals of Indian origin |
| CSR | Corporate Social Responsibility | Companies’ obligation to benefit society and environment |
| MoU | Memorandum of Understanding | Non-binding agreement outlining cooperation terms |
| R&D | Research and Development | Systematic activity to create new knowledge or products |
| LGBTQ+ | Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer+ | Umbrella term for non-heterosexual/non-cisgender people |