important questions for Board exam

Date : 20-02-2025 STD 10 Social Studies Total Marks : 100

important questions

SECTION - A

➤ Answer The Following Questions In Brief.[5 Marks Each] [100]

1. 'The silk routes are a good example of vibrant pre-modern trade and cultural
links between distant parts of the world. 'Substantiate the statement with
illustrations.
Ans. : The silk routes are a good example of vibrant pre-modern trade and cultural
links between distant parts of the world. There were several silk routes, over land
and by sea that brought together regions of Asia, and linked Asia with Europe and
northern Africa. They existed since before the Christian Era and thrived almost till
the 15th century. The name 'silk routes' points to the importance of West-bound
Chinese silk cargoes along this route.

1. Chinese pottery, textiles and spices from India and Southeast Asia also travelled
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the same route. In return, precious metals - gold and silver - flowed from Europe
to Asia.
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2. Trade and cultural exchange went hand in hand. Buddhism from India spread in
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several directions through intersecting points on the silk routes. Early Christian
missionaries travelled this route to reach Asia and Muslim preachers took the
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same route a few centuries later.

2. "New crops can significantly impact survival and well-being." Provide evidence to
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support this statement.

Ans. : 1. Europe's poor began to eat better and live longer with the introduction of
the humble potato.
2. Ireland's poorest peasants became so dependent on potatoes that when disease
destroyed the potato crop in the mid-1840s, hundreds of thousands died of
starvation. Thus new crops can significantly impact survival and well-being.
3. India with vast population and diversity represents a classic example of power
sharing that exemplifies the very spirit of democracy. Justify the statement.
Ans. : Power sharing is the very spirit of democracy. A democratic rule involves
sharing power with those affected by its exercise, and who have to live with its
effects. People have a right to be consulted on how they are to be governed. A
legitimate government is one where citizens, through participation, acquire a stake
in the system.
4. "Local Government is an effective way to uphold the democratic principle of
decentralization." Justify this statement with valid points.

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 Ans. : When power is taken away from Central and State governments and given
to local government, it is called decentralisation. The basic idea behind
decentralisation is that there are many problems and issues which are best settled
at the local level.
1. People have better knowledge of problems in their localities.
2. They also have better ideas on where to spend money and how to manage
things more efficiently.
3. Besides, at the local level it is possible for the people to directly participate in
decision making.
4. This helps to inculcate a habit of democratic participation. Local government is
the best way to realise one important principle of democracy, namely local self-
government, or self-rule. Local Government is thus an effective way to uphold the
democratic principle of decentralization.
5. 'By the seventeenth century, as urban culture bloomed in China, the uses of
print diversified'. Explain the statement by giving suitable examples.
Ans. : [Link] was no longer used just by scholar officials. Merchants used print in
their everyday life, as they collected trade information.
2. Reading increasingly became a leisure activity. The new readership preferred
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fictional narratives, poetry, autobiographies, anthologies of literary masterpieces,
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and romantic plays.

3. Rich women began to read, and many women began publishing their poetry and
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plays. Wives of scholar-officials published their works and courtesans wrote about
their lives.
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6. "Agriculture and industry are not exclusive of each other. They move hand in
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hand". Justify your answer with examples.

Ans. : "Agriculture and industry are not exclusive of each other. They move hand in
hand". Justify your answer with examples.
Agriculture and industry are not exclusive of each other. They move hand in hand.
For instance, the agro-industries in India have given a major boost to agriculture
by raising its productivity. They depend on the latter for raw materials and sell
their products such as irrigation pumps, fertilisers, insecticides, pesticides, plastic
and PVC pipes, machines and tools, etc. to the farmers.
7. Mr.Y from a city in India visits a rural area and finds five people working in a
small agricultural farm. More than two people are not required to work in the
farm and removing the other three will not affect production. How can one
solve this problem of underemployment in rural areas? Explain.
Ans. : If more men are working than required is called as disguised unemployment.
In this 3 case the other three who are not required should take up different jobs
that would increase the total family income. For example, they can be employed in
projects like building of dams, canals or roads in the village.

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 1. Government can invest some money in transportation and storage of crops or
make better rural roads so that mini-trucks reach everywhere.
2. Promotion of industries like setting up a dal mill, opening a cold storage could
give an opportunity for farmers to store their products like potatoes and onions
and sell them when the price is good.
[Link] villages near forest areas, they can start honey collection centres where
farmers can come and sell wild honey. It is also possible to set up industries that
process vegetables and agricultural produce like potato, sweet potato, rice, wheat,
tomato, fruits, which can be sold in outside markets and thus generate
employment.
4. Government can plan to give loans at lower rates of interest to people in rural
areas to start something new thereby solving problems of underemployment.
8. Sunil and Raman did their graduation from the same college. Sunil got employed
in an unorganised sector and was not satisfied whereas Raman got employed in
an organised sector and was happy and satisfied. Identify three reasons for
Sunil's dissatisfaction as compared to Raman.
Ans. : 1. Raman was happy because in the organised sector they enjoy security of
employment. They are expected to work only a fixed number of hours. If they work
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more, they have to be paid overtime by the employer. They also get several other
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benefits from their employers as they get paid leave, payment during holidays,
provident fund, gratuity etc. They are supposed to get medical benefits, and, under
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the laws, the factory manager must ensure facilities like drinking water and a safe
working environment. When they retire, these workers get pensions as well.
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2. Whereas Sunil was unhappy because the unorganised sector is characterised by

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small and scattered units which are largely outside the control of the government.
There are rules and regulations, but these are not followed. Jobs here are low-paid
and often not regular. There is no provision for overtime, paid leave, holidays,
leave due to sickness etc. Employment is not secure. People can be asked to leave
without any reason. When there is less work, such as during some seasons, some
people may be asked to leave.
3. A lot also depends on the whims of the employer. This sector includes many
people who are employed on their own doing small jobs such as selling on the
street or doing repair work.
9. Define agricultural term used for cultivation of fruits and vegetables? Write its
features with reference to India.
Ans. : Horticulture is a term used for the cultivation of fruits and vegetables. Some
features are-
1. India is one of the major producers of fruits and vegetables in the world
2. It is a producer of tropical and temperate fruits.
3. India produces 13% of the world's vegetables.

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10. Women empowerment has greatly improved their status in society over the
years. Give any three examples to prove the statement.
Ans. : Women empowerment has taken leaps and bounds from yesteryears to the
present. We can see the following developments:
a. Passing of Women Reservation Bill, 2023
b. Improved literacy rates
c. Women have equal rights as men on their father's property.
d. Women could be seen in all the fields of development- science, economy,
education, media, corporate etc.
11. Over the forty years between 1973-74 and 2013-14, while production in all the
three sectors has increased, it has increased the most in the tertiary sector. As a
result, in the year 2013-14, the tertiary sector has emerged as the largest
producing sector in India replacing the primary sector. Why do you think tertiary
sector has become so popular in India? Support your answer giving any 3
reasons
Ans. : 1. In any country several services such as hospitals, educational institutions,
post and telegraph services, police stations, courts, village administrative offices,
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municipal corporations, defence, transport, banks, insurance companies, etc. are
required, these can be considered as basic services. In a developing country the
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government must take responsibility for the provision of these services.

2. The development of agriculture and industry leads to the development of
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services such as transport, trade, storage and the like, as we have already seen.
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Greater the development of the primary and secondary sectors, more would be
the demand for such services.
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3. As income levels rise, certain sections of people start demanding many more
services like eating out, tourism, shopping, private hospitals, private schools,
professional training etc. You can see this change quite sharply in cities, especially
in big cities.
4. Over the past decade or so, certain new services such as those based on
information and communication technology have become important and essential.
The production of these services has been rising rapidly.
Nevertheless, the service sector in India employs many different kinds of people. At
one end there are a limited number of services that employ highly skilled and
educated workers. At the other end, there are a very large number of workers
engaged in services such as small shopkeepers, repair persons, transport persons,
etc. These people barely manage to earn a living and yet they perform these
services because no alternative opportunities for work are available to them.
Hence, only a part of this sector is growing in importance.
12. Study the map thoroughly and mention the languages that are dominantly
spoken in Belgium.

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 Ans. : The languages that are dominantly spoken in Belgium are Dutch and French.
13. Explain any three provisions of the Treaty of Vienna of 1815.
Ans. : The provisions of Treaty of Vienna were as follows:
i. There was restoration of the power of the Bourbon dynasty in France.
ii. France lost all the territories that it had annexed while under the rule of
Napoleon.
iii. Genoa was added to Piedmont in the South and the kingdom of Netherlands
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was set-up in North.
iv. New territories were added to Prussia on its western frontier.
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v. Austria was granted control over Northern Italy.

vi. Russia was given part of Poland and Prussia was given a part of Saxony.
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14. What changes were brought due to Napoleon's reforms and code? What were
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the reactions to these changes?

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Ans. : Napoleon introduced the following changes in order to make the

administrative system in Europe much more efficient.
i. By the Civil Code of 1804, also known as the Napoleonic Code, all such privileges
that were based on birth were done away with.
ii. There was a much more efficient administrative system.
iii. The Right to Property was secured.
iv. The administrative divisions were simplified.
v. The feudal system was abolished.
vi. The peasants were freed from serfdom and dues.
vii. Guild restrictions were removed in the towns as well.
viii. There was improved transport and communication.
ix. Peasants, artisans, workers and new businessmen enjoyed new-found freedom
uniform laws, standardised weights and the measures facilitated the movement of
goods and capital from one region to another.
Reactions to these changes: Businessmen and small scale producers of goods, in
particular, began to realise.
15. Write down the features of Intensive Subsistence agriculture.

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 Ans. : Some features of Intensive Subsistence agriculture are
i. It is practiced in areas of high population.
ii. It is labour intensive farming, where high doses of biochemical inputs and
irrigation are used for obtaining higher production.
iii. The right of inheritance leading to division of land among successive
generations has rendered land holding size uneconomical.
iv. The farmers continue to take maximum output from the limited land in the
absence of alternative source of livelihood. Thus there is enormous pressure on
agricultural land.
v. It is practised by majority of the farmers in the country.
vi. It is characterised by small and scattered land holdings and use of primitive
tools.
vii. Most of the food production is consumed by the farmers and their families.
16. Explain the factors that make federal government in India so attractive.
Ans. : India is a vast country where many states are bigger than countries in
Europe. Soon after Independence, the constitution declared India as a union of
states. The success of Federalism in India is due to the following reasons:
i. The formation of linguistic states has made the country more united and has also
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made administration easier.
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ii. Mobilisation.
iii. Flexibility in following the language policy.
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iv. New culture of power sharing and respect for the autonomy of state
governments.
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v. Administrative knowledge of the people at all the levels.

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vi. Efficacy to solve all kinds of issues at respective levels.

17. Why do you think that solar energy has a bright future in India?
Ans. : • Remote and rural places are rapidly becoming more and more popular with
solar energy.
• Given that it is a tropical nation. India has enormous potential for using solar
energy. (Many parts (regions) of the country receive sunlight at least 300 days
annually so, it becomes possible to generate 20 MW solar energy per square
kilometre in such areas.)
• With the use of photovoltaic technology, electricity is produced straight from
sunshine.
• It is easy to establish solar plants in urban and rural areas.
• Large power plants are being developed in India.
• This will significantly lessen the reliance of rural households on firewood and
dung cakes. This will contribute to environmental preservation and provide an
adequate supply of manure for agricultural use.

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18. Study the map thoroughly and mention which ethnic community is concentrated
in the north and east of the country.

Ans. : Sri Lankan Tamils are concentrated in the north and east of the country.
19. What were the effects of revolutionary upheaval in France in 1830?
Ans. : The effects of revolutionary upheaval in France in 1830 were as follows:
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1. The Bourbon dynasty which was restored in 1815 was overthrown by the liberal
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revolutionaries.
2. Louis Philippe became the head of the constitutional monarchy that was
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installed.
3. Belgium broke away from the United Kingdom of Netherlands following an
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uprising in
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Brussels.
20. Define the term Romanticism. How did it facilitate the promotion of nationalist
sentiment?
Ans. : Romanticism was a movement in literature and arts, that originated in the
late 18th century, emphasizing subjectivity, inspiration and the supremacy of the
individual.
a. Critical approach towards science and reason: Glorification of reason and
science was criticised by the romantic artists, rather they favoured emotions,
intuitions and mystical feelings.
b. Folk culture as the spirit of the nation: Romantics like the German philosopher
Johann Gottfried Herder claimed that the true spirit of the nation could be
popularised through folk songs, folk poetry and folk dances. He held the view that
true German culture could be discovered only among the common people, the Das
Volk
c. Emphasis on vernacular language: They gave emphasis on vernacular language

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 to carry the modern nationalist message to a large audience who were mostly
illiterate and to recover the national spirit.
21. What are the different names gives to the primitive cultivation in different parts
of India?
Ans. : i. In India, primitive form of cultivation is called Bewar or Dahiya in Madhya
Pradesh.
ii. Podu or Pennda in Andhra Pradesh
iii. Pama dabi or Koan or Bringa in Orissa.
iv. Kumari in Western Ghats.
v. Valre or Waltre in South eastern Rajasthan.
vi. Khil in Himalayan belt.
vii. Kuruwa in Jharkhand and Jhumming in the North eastern region.
22. Describe any three features of federal government.
Ans. : The main features of a federal form of government are:
i. The power is divided between the central authority and its various constituent
units.
ii. All levels of governance will govern the same citizens, but their jurisdiction will
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be different.
iii. Any change in the fundamental provisions of the Constitution has to be passed
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by both the houses of the Parliament and then ratified by the legislatures of at
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least half the number of states.

23. Explain the importance of conservation of minerals. Highlight some of the
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measures to conserve them

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Ans. : The importance of conservation of minerals is explained below:

i. Mineral resources, in the present scenario, are being rapidly consumed. However,
it is important to conserve these resources because the geological processes of
mineral formation are very slow and it takes millions of years for them to be
created and concentrated.
ii. The rates of replenishment are infinitely small in comparison to the present
rates of consumption. The finite and nonrenewable nature of these resources
makes them our country's most valuable possessions.
iii. Recycling of metals, using scrap metals and other substitutes are the important
steps involved in the conservation of mineral resources.
Some of the measures to conserve minerals are as under:
i. Minerals should be used in a planned and sustainable manner.
ii. Improved technology needs to be constantly evolved to allow the use of low-
grade ore at a low cost.
iii. Recycling of metals using scrap metals.
iv. Wastage in mining and processing should be minimized

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24. Which conditions were viewed as obstacles to economic exchange and growth
by the new commercial classes during the nineteenth century Europe?
Ans. : Following were the obstacles viewed by the new commercial classes, to the
economic exchange and growth during the nineteenth century Europe:
i. There was enormous increase in population all over the Europe.
ii. Population from rural areas migrated to the cities to live in overcrowded slums
and
could not afford to fulfill the basic needs.
iii. Increase in unemployment. In most countries, there were more job-seekers than
employment.
iv. Cheap machine-made goods from England were giving stiff competition to small
producers of European towns.
v. The price of food inflated many folds due to bad harvest. It led to a widespread
pauperism in European towns.
25. What happened during the year following 1815 when the fear of repression
drove many liberal-nationalists underground? Explain.
Ans. : During the year following 1815 when the fear of repression drove many
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liberal- nationalists underground the following events happened:
i. Secret societies sprang up in many European states to train revolutionaries and
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spread their ideas.

ii. To be revolutionary at this time meant a commitment to oppose monarchical
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forms that
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had been established after the Vienna Congress, and to fight for liberty and
freedom.
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iii. Most of these revolutionaries also saw the creation of nation-states as a

necessary part of this struggle for freedom.
iv. One such individual was the Italian revolutionary Giuseppe Mazzini. He was an
Italian revolutionary founded two more underground societies, first, Young Italy in
Marseilles, and then, Young Europe in Berne, whose members were like-minded
young men from Poland, France, Italy, and the German states.
v. Giuseppe Mazzini believed that nations are natural units of mankind. In his view,
the creation of nation-states is a necessary part of the struggle for freedom. So,
Italy could not continue to be a patchwork of small states and kingdoms. It had to
be forged into a single unified republic within a wider alliance of nations. This
unification alone could be the basis of Italian liberty Following his model, secret
societies were set-up in Germany France, Switzerland and Poland.
vi. He was opposed to monarchy and believed in the vision of democratic republics.
He did not believe in small states and kingdoms.
vii. Giuseppe Mazzini's relentless opposition to monarchy and his vision of

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 democratic republics frightened the conservatives, Metternich described him as
'the most dangerous enemy of our social order'.
26. Name the national political party which gets inspiration from India's ancient
culture and values. Mention four features of that party.
Ans. : 'Bharatiya Janata Party' (BJP) wants to build a strong and modern India by
drawing inspiration from India's ancient culture and values.
Four important features:
i. Cultural nationalism or Hindutva' is an important element in its conception of
Indian Nationhood and politics.
ii. The party wants full territorial and political integration of Jammu and Kashmir
with India, a uniform civil code for all people living in the country irrespective of
religion, and a ban on religious conversions.
iii. Its support base increased substantially in the 1990s. Earlier limited to north and
west and to urban areas, the party expanded its support in the south, east, the
north-east and to rural areas..
iv. Came to power in 1998 as the leader of the National Democratic Alliance
including several state and regional parties. Lost elections in 2004 and is the
principal opposition party in the Lok Sabha.
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27. Describe the recent efforts that have been made in India to reform political
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parties.
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Ans. : Efforts to reform political parties in India are:

i. A law should be made to regulate the internal affairs of political parties.
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ii. It should be made compulsory for political parties to maintain a register of its
members, to follow its own constitution, to have an independent authority, to act
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as a judge in case of party disputes, to hold open elections to the highest posts.
iii. It should be made mandatory for political parties give a minimum number of
tickets, about 1

3
to its women candidates. There should be a quota for women in
the decision making bodies of the party.
iv. There should be state funding of elections. The government should give parties
money to support their election expenses in kind: petrol, paper, telephone, etc., or
in cash on the basis of the votes secured by the party in the last election.
v. Data regarding caste and religion, OBC, SC, ST should not be utilized during the
election period in any form.
28. Highlight the contribution of the Krishak Cooperative societies to overcome the
problem of credit in rural areas?
Ans. : Besides banks the other major sources provides the cheap credit in rural
areas they known as the cooperative societies. The members of a cooperative
society utilise their resources for cooperation in certain areas.
i. Krishak Cooperatives society functions in a village not very far away from Sonpur.
ii. It has 2300 farmers as members. It accepts deposits from its members.

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 iii. With these deposits as collateral, the cooperative has obtained a large loan from
bank.
iv. These funds are utilise to provide loans to members. Once these loans are
repaid, another round of lending can take place.
v. Krishak cooperatives provide loans for the purchase of agricultural equipments,
loans for cultivation and agricultural trade, fishery loans, loans for construction of
houses and for a variety of other expenses.
29. Explain various functions of banks in India.
Ans. : As a legal institution or organisation, a bank helps the public and the
government manage the money in the economy. There are many state banks and a
central bank in India. The Reserve Bank of India is the central bank that supervises
the functioning of formal sources of loans. Issuing currency notes on behalf of the
central government is the unique function of the RBI. Banks help in management
of finances by providing two chief services to the public:
i. Depositing their savings
ii. Withdrawal of these savings on demand.
The main functions of the banks are:
• Accepting deposits from the public and others.
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• Lending money to the public (Loans) and other institutions.
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• Transferring money from one place to another (Remittances)

• Collecting money on cheques, drafts and bills.
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• Conducting foreign exchange transactions.

• Keeping valuables in safe custody.
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• Issuing letters of credit and guarantee

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• Conducting government transactions (State and Central)

30. What is the significance of 1848 for France and the rest of Europe? What did the
liberals demand?
Ans. : i. There were a number of revolts during 1848 in Europe, like revolts of the
unemployed workers, poor and starving peasants. The educated middle class of
France also started a revolution for the renunciation of the kingship and the
proclamation of a republic based on universal male suffrage was made.
ii. Men and women of the liberal middle classes in other parts of Europe put their
demands together for freedom of constitution with national unification.
iii. They took advantage of the growing popular unrest to put forth their demands
for creating a nation-state on parliamentary principles of a constitution, freedom
of association and freedom of the press.
iv. One of the most controversial subject matters within the liberal movement in
which a large number of women had participated actively, was the issue of
extending political rights to women.

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31. Mention different names by which slash and burn type of farming is known in
India. Name the states where this type of farming is practised in India. Name
any two crops grown in this type of farming.
Ans. : It is known by different names in India like Jhumming, Bewar, Podu, Pamlou,
Dipa etc.
a. Jhumming in north-eastern states like Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland
and the Himalayan state of Sikkim.
b. It is also practised in Chattishgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Andaman and
the
Nicobar Islands.
c. Two crops grown in this type of farming are rice and millet.
32. Describe any three characteristics of distribution of power between the Centre
and States in India.
Ans. : The constitution clearly distributes Legislative Powers between State and
Union Government.
i. Subjects of National Importance like Foreign affairs, banking, defence, currency
come under union list of Central Government.
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ii. Subjects of Local importance like Police, Trade come under state government
under State list.
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iii. Subject of common interest like education/marriage come under Concurrent list
of both Centre and State government.
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33. Why did some people in eighteenth-century Europe think that print culture
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would bring enlightenment and end despotism?

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Ans. : People in eighteenth-century Europe think that print culture would bring
enlightenment and end despotism because:
i. By the mid-eighteenth century, there was a common conviction that books were
a means of spreading progress and enlightenment.
ii. Many believed that books could change the world, liberate society from
despotism and tyranny, and herald a time when reason and intellect would rule.
iii. Louise-Sebastien Mercier, a novelist in eighteenth-century France, declared 'The
printing press is the most powerful engine of progress and public opinion is the
force that will sweep despotism away'.
34. Read the data in the table given below and answer the questions that follow:
Total Production of finished steel in India
Year Production (in million tonnes)
2015-16 106.60
2016-17 120.14
2017-18 126.85
2018-19 101.29

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 2019-20 102.62
i. What are the basic raw materials required in the Iron and Steel Industry?
ii. According to the given data in the table the production of steel has reduced
after 2017-18. Give any two possible reasons for it.
Ans. : i. Iron ore, coking coal and lime stone are required in the ratio of
approximately 4: 2: 1. Some quantities of manganese, are also required to harden
the steel.
ii. Reasons: (a) High costs and limited availability of coking coal (b) Lower
productivity
of labour (c) Irregular supply of energy (d) Poor infrastructure.
35. How would you classify industry on the basis of ownership?
Ans. : Industries can be classified on the basis of ownership in following
categories:
i. Public Sector: Owned and operated by government agencies, e.g., BHEL, SAIL.
ii. Private Sector: Owned and operated by individuals or a group of individuals, e.g.,
Bajaj Auto Ltd., Dabur Industries, TISCO.
iii. Joint Sector: Run jointly by the government and Individual or group of
individuals, e.g. Oil India Ltd. (OIL)
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iv. Cooperative Sector: Owned and operated by the producers or suppliers of raw
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material, workers or both. Resources are pooled and profits and losses are shared,
e.g. Amul India, coir industries in Kerala, Sugar industries in Maharashtra.
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36. Study the table and answer the question given below.
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Share of Sectors in Employment in %

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Year Tertiary Secondary Primary

1977-78 18 11 71
2017-18 31 25 44
The primary sector continues to be the largest employing sector even after 70
years of independence. This proves that it is still a relevant sector as most
people are dependent on it. Substantiate your answer.
Ans. : As the most important economic sector in the economy, the primary sector
is critical in contributing to the overall economic growth of a society. In some
instances, economies that are more developed can devote more excellent
resources to primary production. The following points delineate the importance of
the primary sector:
• Primary Sector provides the basic needs of the economy, ie, food and mineral
ores. It produces some of the raw materials (like jute, cotton, coal extracted from
mines) for the industrial sector.
• The agricultural sector provides food for the entire economy. Besides growing
crops, the agricultural sector also includes forestry and fishing which provide food
 and raw
materials for other industries.
• The mining sector provides mineral resources indispensable for the industrial
sector of the economy.
• The agricultural population in the primary sector provides a very large market of
consumers for the secondary sector (for buying finished products like clothes,
goods of daily need, fertilizers, etc.
37. Here are three reactions to the language policy followed in India. Give an
argument and an example to support any of these positions.
Sangeeta: The policy of accommodation has strengthened national unity.
Arman: Language-based States have divided us by making everyone conscious
of their language.
Harish: This policy has only helped to consolidate the dominance of English over
all other languages.
Ans. : From above given all the three reactions Sangeeta's reaction is best because
of our policy of accommodation the unity in our nation has been strengthened.
Unlike Sri Lanka (where the language of the majority has been promoted), the
Indian polity has given equality of status to all the major languages spoken in the
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country. This has led to the avoidance of social conflict on a linguistic basis. The
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policy of accommodation has made the administration of States easier. It has also
ensured a larger participation in the government's activities by people who speak
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various languages.
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38. Study the table and answer the question given below.
Share of Sectors in GDP in %
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YEAR Tertiary Secondary Primary

1973-74 50 10 40
2013-14 68 21 11
It can be observed that comparatively over the last forty years, the tertiary
sector has emerged as the largest producing sector of the three sectors.
Highlight the factors responsible for the rising importance of the Tertiary Sector
in Production.
Ans. : Over the forty years between 1973-74 and 2013-14, while production in all
three sectors has increased, it has increased the most in the tertiary sector. As a
result, in the year 2013- 14, the tertiary sector emerged as the largest producing
sector in India replacing the primary sector. Its development can be attributed to
various factors like:
• Basic services like hospitals, education, post and telegraph, courts, etc. are the
responsibility of the government in developing countries.
• Demand for services such as transport, trade, and storage will increase with the
development of primary and secondary sectors.
 • Demand for tourism, shopping, private schools, private hospitals, etc. increases
with the increase in the level of income.
• Rapid growth of the service sector also benefitted from external demand such as
the software industry and call centre services.
• Liberalisation of the financial sector provided an environment for faster growth
of financial services.
39. What area was known as the Balkans?
Ans. : The vast territory lying between the Adriatic sea and the Black sea
comprising the modern states of Greece, Romania, Albania, Slovenia, Croatia,
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia was known as the Balkans.
All these states were inhabited by people broadly known as Slavs as they were
once the part of the Ottoman Empire,
The disintegration of the Ottoman Empire and the spread of the ideas of Romantic
nationalism made the Balkan region very explosive. The Balkan states were fiercely
jealous of one another and each hoped to gain more territory at the expense of
the others.
40. If we look at the country as a whole, we find that 93% of the workers in India
are
SI
in the unorganized sector. Organized sector employment is available to only
RA

about
7% of the workers in India.
LA

Sector Organised Unorganized Total

HI

Primary 1 232
Secondary 41 74 115
EZ

Tertiary 40 88 172
Total 82
Total in 100%
Percentage
Workers in the unorganized sector work hard, but earn very little. Give reasons.
What problems do they face there? Think why they are forced to work in this
sector.
Ans. : A. The unorganized sector consists of small and scattered units which are
largely outside
the control of the government.
B. These units are owned by private individuals. Their aim is to maximize profit. The
wages are very low and there is no provision for overtime, paid leave etc. Here
workers
have to face social discrimination also besides getting irregular and insecure
employment.
 C. But they continue to do work in this sector because they do not have a better
option.
41. Describe the role of Otto von Bismarck in the making of Germany.
Ans. : The role of Otto von Bismarck in the making of Germany:
i. Prussian Leadership: After the failure of the 1848 liberal initiative, Prussia, under
Bismarck's leadership, took charge of the movement for German unification.
ii. Architect of Unification: Otto von Bismarck, the chief minister of Prussia, played
a crucial role in the unification of Germany by leading the nationalist movement.
iii. Use of Prussian Army: Bismarck utilized the strength of the Prussian army and
bureaucracy to achieve unification through military means.
iv. Wars for Unification: He fought three wars over seven years with Austria,
Denmark and France.
v. Victory: The wars ended with Prussian victory and completed the process of
unification
42. What were the political, social and economic ideas supported by the liberals in
Europe?
Ans. : The political, social and economic ideas supported by the liberals were as
SI
follows:
a. From the political point of view, they demanded constitutionalism with national
RA

unification, parliamentary administration and a nation-state with a written

LA

constitution. In German regions, a large number of political associations whose

members were middle-class professionals, businessman and prosperous artisans
HI

came together in the city of Frankfurt and decided to vote for all German National
Assembly.
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b. From the social viewpoint, they wanted to free the society of its class-based
biases and rights growing out of births. A large number of women had
participated actively and formed their own political associations founded a
newspaper, took part in political meetings and struggled for the right to vote.
c. Economically, they demanded markets to be free and the right to property.
Abolition of state-imposed restrictions on the movements of goods and capital
were also demanded.
43. What are millets and why are they called coarse grains? Give some examples of
millet crops and areas they are grown in.
Ans. : Jawar, Bajra and ragi are the important Millets grown in India. These are
known as coarse grains but they have very high nutritional value.
i. Jawar: Maharashtra is the largest producer of jawar followed by Karnataka,
Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
ii. Bajra: Rajasthan is the largest producer of Bajra followed by Uttar Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Haryana.
iii. Ragi: Karnataka is the largest producer of ragi followed by Tamil Nadu.
 iv. Millets are also known as dry crops because they are tough and hardy. They are
draught resistant crops and requires less rainfall and high temperatures.
v. Millet crops are favored due to productivity and short growing season under
dry, high- temperature conditions.
44. Describe any three features of unitary government
Ans. : Three features of the unitary government are:
i. Under the unitary system, either there is only one level of government or the
sub-units are subordinate to the central government.
ii. The central government can pass on orders to the provincial or the local
government.
iii. The local governments do not enjoy any freedom or powers. E.g. England,
France, Italy, and Japan have adopted the Unitary system of government.
45. Print popularized the ideas of the enlightenment thinkers. Explain.
Ans. : Print popularized the ideas of the enlightenment thinkers in the following
ways:
a. Collectively the writings of thinkers provided a critical commentary on tradition,
superstition, and despotism.
SI
b. Scholars and thinkers argued for the rule of reason rather than custom and
demanded that everything should be judged through the application of reason and
RA

rationality.
LA

c. They attacked the sacred authority of the church and the despotic power of the
state thus eroding the legitimacy of a social order based on tradition.
HI

d. Print created a new culture of dialogue and debate. All values, norms, and
institutions were re-evaluated and discussed by a public that had become aware of
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the power of reason and recognised the need to question existing ideas and
beliefs.
e. The writings of Voltaire and Rousseau were read widely and those who read
these books saw the world through new eyes, eyes that were questioning critical
and rational.
46. Suggest any three steps to minimize the environmental degradation caused by
the industrial development in India.
Ans. : The following three steps can be taken to minimize environmental
degradation by the industries:
a. Treating hot water and effluents before releasing them in rivers and ponds.
b. Fitting smokestacks to factories with electrostatic precipitators.
c. Smoke can be reduced by using oil or gas instead of coal in the factories.
47. "Industrialization and urbanization go hand in hand." Justify the statement by
giving any three arguments.
 Ans. : The given statement is justified because
a. Industrialization causes growth in available factory jobs. Thus, people from
various places migrate towards the places where industries are located.
b. Movement of people towards cities for jobs gradually develop cities into urban
centres. Sometimes industries are located in or near cities.
c. Cities provide not only markets for the industries but services such as banking.
insurance, transport, labour and financial advice, etc also.
Thus, we can say that industrialization and urbanization go hand in hand.
48. Judiciary plays an important role in Indian federalism. Justify the statement.
Ans. : a. Judiciary with the supreme court at the apex is the sole interpreter of the
Indian
Constitution.
b. Independent judiciary is the essence of the federal government. Here, courts
have the
power to interpret the constitution and the powers of the different levels of
government.
c. Judiciary administers both the union and state laws which are applicable to the
cases
SI
coming up for adjudication.
RA

d. The disputes about the division of powers are settled by the Judiciary. In India,
the
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highest court—the Supreme Court—acts as an umpire if a dispute arises between

the
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different levels of government in the exercise of their respective powers.

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Hence, the judiciary is considered as the guardian of the Indian federalism.

49. Compare and contrast the changes in India with the pattern that was observed
for developed countries. What kind of changes between sectors were desired
but did not happen in India?Table 8: Percentage Share of Sector-wise
Contribution of GDP
Agricultur Manufacturi
Gross domestic Industry % Services
e % of ng % of
product $ billions of GDP % of GDP
Country GDP GDP
200 201 200 201 200 201
2000 2015 2000 2015
0 5 0 5 0 5
China 1,211.30 11,007.70 15 9 46 41 32 30 40 50
India 476.6 2,095.40 23 17 26 30 15 16 51 53
German
1,950.00 3,363.40 1 1 31 30 23 23 68 69
y
Japan 4,731.20 4,123.30 2 1 31 27 21 19 67 72
UK 1,635.40 2,858.00 1 1 25 19 15 10 74 80
 10,284.8
USA 18,036.60 1 1 23 21 16 12 76 78
0
33,391.0
World 73,891.90 5 4 31 28 19 15 64 68
0
Ans. : In case of developed countries, the evolution of the economy happened in
the most logical
pattern. Growth in the primary sector was followed by a growth in the secondary
sector.
After that, the growth of the tertiary sector followed. The employment generation
also kept
pace with related changes in different sectors.
The case of India is somewhat different. Both the Secondary and Tertiary sectors
are
increasing at the expense of the Primary sector, but the increase in Tertiary sector
is more.
The growth of the primary sector was not followed by the growth of the secondary
sector,
rather it was the tertiary sector which took the lead. But employment generation in
SI
either
RA

the secondary or tertiary sector could not keep pace. For India, to become a strong
industrialised nation, the Secondary sector should have increased more but this is
LA

not
happening due to a variety of reasons.
HI

50. Many of our spinners export cotton yarn while apparel manufacturers have to
EZ

import fabric. Explain this statement with appropriate reasons.

Ans. : i. We have a large share in the world trade of cotton yarn, accounting for
one-fourth of the total trade. However, our trade-in garments is only 4 percent of
the world's total. Our spinning mills are competitive at the global level and capable
of using all the fibres we produce.
ii. The weaving, knitting and processing units cannot use much of the high-quality
yarn that is produced in the country.
iii. Therefore, many of our spinners export cotton yarn while apparel/garment
manufacturers have to import fabric.
iv. If weaving sector is improved, then yarn can be used in the country and
garments can be exported to earn foreign exchange for the country.
51. Read the data in the table given below and answer the questions that follow:

i. What do mini steel plant produce?

ii. What are integrated steel plants? Write one example.
Ans. : i. Mini steel plants are smaller, have electric furnaces, use steel scrap, and
sponge iron. They have re-rollers that use steel ingots as well. They produce mild
and alloy steel of given specifications.
SI
ii. An integrated steel plant is large, handles everything in one complex from
putting together raw material to steel making, rolling and shaping. Examples Tata
RA

steel power limited, Bhilai steel limited, Bokaro steel limited (mention any one)
LA

52. Details of funds released for farmers during the last five years are as under for
loans and the development of irrigation and transportation facilities.
HI

2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21

EZ

13,000 13,397.13 13,045.72 11,495.67 16218.75 12744.11

How would income and employment increase if farmers are provided with loans,
irrigation and transportation facilities?
Ans. : i. Loan provided can be used to construct a well, or to buy better quality of
seeds and pesticides.
ii. Irrigation facilities can help a farmer to take a second crop, say wheat, during a
rabi season which will help provide employment to more persons and lead to
increase in income.
iii. Transportation facility will facilitate taking their produce to the market to sell.
53. "India has a large cultural, regional and religious diversity but there is unity
among people". What factors are responsible for this? Elaborate.
Ans. : India is basically known as a land of unity in diversity. Although it is a vast
country with people following different religions and speaking different languages,
it has succeeded in maintaining the unity and integrity due to the following
reasons:
i. Right to equality.
 ii. No discrimination on the basis of caste, creed, region or religion.
iii. SCs and STs have some seats reserved and do get representation.
iv. Right to freedom of religion and cultural and educational rights.
v. No official religion or language followed in the country. All religions are treated
equally.
54. Compare the workforce in three sectors and answer the question given below.
WORKERS IN DIFFERENT SECTORS (IN MILLIONS)
Sector Organised Unorganised TOTAL
Primary 1 231 232
Secondary 41 74 115
Tertiary 40 88 128
TOTAL 82 393 475
TOTAL IN %AGE 17.2 82.7 100%
The organised sector follows formal processes and procedures. They abide by
government rules and regulations and provide job security, yet the grim
percentage of workers employed in this sector tells a different story altogether.
Analyse the possible reasons for this distorted figure.
Ans. : Although the organised sector offers jobs that are the most sought-after, yet
SI
it contributes only a meager 17% of employment. This can be due to various
RA

reasons like:
• The employment opportunities in the organised sector have been expanding very
LA

slowly. This causes the workforce to rely on unorganised sectors for employment.
HI

• It is also common to find many organised sector enterprises in the unorganised

sector.
EZ

They adopt such strategies to evade taxes and refuse to follow laws that protect
labourers. As a result, a large number of workers are forced to enter the
unorganised sector jobs, which pay a very low salary.
• Since 1990s a large no of workers are losing their jobs in the organised sector.
These workers Are forced to take up jobs in unorganised sector with low earnings.
55. It is difficult for us to imagine a world without printed matter. Justify the
statement giving any three suitable arguments.
Ans. : It is difficult for us to imagine a world without printed matter because:
a. We find print everywhere around us in books, newspapers, journals, magazines,
famous paintings, official circulars, calendars, diaries, advertisements and cinema
posters.
b. We read printed literature, books, novels and stories. Newspapers are being
read every day and track public debates.
c. Printed matter helps in preservation and dissemination of history, scientific
knowledge and culture, etc.
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HI
LA
RA
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