BharatNotes Jurisdiction
noun (countable and uncountable)Usage in a UPSC answer
The Supreme Court's original jurisdiction under Article 131, being exclusive in Centre-State and inter-State disputes, is distinguished from the concurrent writ jurisdiction it shares with High Courts under Articles 32 and 226.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word Family
jurisdictional (adjective), jurisdictionally (adverb), jurisprudence (cognate noun), jurist (cognate noun), dictate (cognate verb)
Root
Latin jurisdictio ← jus, juris (law, right) + dictio (a saying, declaration) ← dicere (to say)
Etymology
From Latin jurisdictio (the administration of justice), a compound of juris (genitive of jus = law) and dictio (act of saying), thus literally 'the declaring of the law'. Used in Roman legal texts to describe the praetor's authority; entered English in the 14th century.
Memory Hook
JURISDICTION = JURIS (law) + DICTION (saying). The court's JURISDICTION is its authority to say the law in a given area. When a court lacks jurisdiction, it cannot speak the law — it has no diction over that matter.
Seen in UPSC Question Papers
- Prelims 2025 — Constitutional Bodies
- Prelims 2025 — Internal Security
- Prelims 2016 — Internal Security
- Prelims 2012 — Judiciary
- Prelims 2010 — Judiciary
- Mains 2021 · GS2 · 15 marks — Indian Polity
- Mains 2018 · GS2 · 15 marks — Indian Polity
- Mains 2018 · GS2 · 15 marks — Social Justice
- Mains 2016 · GS2 · 12.5 marks — Indian Polity
Real UPSC previous-year questions whose text uses “Jurisdiction” — proof this word earns its place on your list.
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