CBSE Class 10 Social Science: 2023 board paper, set 32/4/1

1. The Napoleonic wars (1799-1815) came first, then the Treaty of Vienna (1815). The Greek struggle for independence followed (1821-32), and Slav nationalism in the Ottoman Empire came later in the century. The order is I, II, III, IV.

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Answer: B (I, II, III and IV)

1. Kailashbashini Debi, Tarabai Shinde and Pandita Ramabai wrote about women's experiences, such as their lives in the family and the discrimination they faced.

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Answer: B

1. The three flows that shrank the pre-modern world were trade, labour (migration) and capital. Technology is not one of the three, so it is the incorrect option.

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Answer: D

1. James Watt improved Newcomen's steam engine, which made it far more efficient.

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Answer: A

1. Ferrous metals contain iron or are used with iron, such as iron, manganese and nickel. Copper and tin are non-ferrous, and bauxite is an ore of aluminium. So nickel is the ferrous metal in the options.

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Answer: D (Nickel)

1. Wildlife is a biological resource, solar energy is renewable and coal is non-renewable. This gives I-2, II-3, III-1.

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Answer: C

1. Alluvial soil is made up of sand, silt and clay deposited by rivers. The other pairings are wrong: black soil is formed from lava, arid soil has high salt content, and laterite soil has iron oxide.

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Answer: A

1. Among the four countries, India has the best HDI rank, ahead of Myanmar, Nepal and Afghanistan, according to the NCERT data.

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Answer: C (India)

1. The tertiary (service) sector contributes the largest share of India's GDP.

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Answer: C (Tertiary)

1. The 1991 liberalisation removed trade barriers so that Indian producers would compete in the world market and become more efficient.

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Answer: C

1. Statement I is true because UNDP prepares the HDI. Statement II is true because the parameters are longevity (health), literacy (education) and per capita income. Statement III is wrong because countries are ranked, not simply divided into developed and low-developing groups. Statement IV is wrong because the report is prepared by UNDP, not the World Bank. So the answer is I and II.

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Answer: A (I and II)

1. Net absence ratio = 100 - net attendance ratio = 100 - 61 = 39.

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Answer: A (39)

1. Factory workers' developmental goal is a better income, that is, better wages. Technology and longer hours are not their goals.

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Answer: A (Better wages)

1. A flower cultivator works on a natural product, so belongs to the primary sector. A milk vendor and a fisherman do not match their given sectors, and a gardener is not in manufacturing.

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Answer: A

1. Majoritarianism is not the spirit of democracy, so I is false. Power sharing creates balance and harmony, reduces conflict and is the essence of democracy, so II, III and IV are true.

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Answer: B (II, III and IV)

1. Assertion is false because Sri Lanka adopted Sinhala as the only official language in 1956 and ignored Tamil.

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2. Reason is true because the government adopted majoritarian measures. So A is false and R is true.

Answer: D

1. Banks are on the Union List, agriculture on the State List, education on the Concurrent List, and computer software is a residuary subject. The matching is I-2, II-3, III-1, IV-4.

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Answer: C

1. Sharing power with local governments, and the three-tier structure, describe decentralisation.

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Answer: C (Decentralized System)

1. America has a two-party system, with the Democratic and Republican parties. China has one party, and India and Russia have multiparty systems.

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Answer: C (America)

1. A democratic government is accountable and legitimate and respects people's dignity and freedom, so it is the most acceptable.

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Answer: A (Democratic)

1. Recruitment was done through agents hired by employers, who were paid a small commission for every migrant they enlisted.

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2. Agents tempted prospective migrants with false information about the destination, mode of travel, nature of work and living conditions. Some less willing migrants were even abducted.

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Answer: Recruitment through commission-paid agents; false promises or abduction by agents.

1. The Spanish carried smallpox germs on their bodies. The native Americans had no immunity or previous exposure, so the disease killed them in large numbers.

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2. Once introduced, it spread deep into the continent ahead of the Europeans themselves and wiped out whole communities. This paved the way for conquest, since guns could be captured and turned on the invaders but disease could not, as the Europeans were largely immune.

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Answer: Smallpox, to which Americans had no immunity, decimated communities and made Spanish conquest easy.

1. Agro-industries have boosted agriculture by raising its productivity. Industries depend on agriculture for raw materials such as cotton, jute, sugarcane and oilseeds.

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2. Agriculture gets inputs from industry such as irrigation pumps, fertilisers, pesticides, PVC pipes, machines and tools. Thus both sectors grow together and depend on each other.

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Answer: Industry takes raw materials from agriculture and supplies it with inputs such as fertilisers and machines, so they move together.

1. The statement is true because each person's needs and aspirations differ, so what is a goal for one may not be for another.

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2. Example: a landless rural labourer may want more days of work and better wages, while a prosperous farmer's daughter may want freedom to study and to have a career. One person may value income and another security or freedom.

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Answer: Developmental goals differ with people's needs and situations, e.g. a labourer wants better wages while a rich farmer's daughter wants education and freedom.

1. Many parents prefer to spend more resources on their sons' education and upbringing than on their daughters'. Women also often face domestic violence at home.

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2. Women are underrepresented in highly paid jobs, and in many private-sector areas they are not paid equal wages for equal work.

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Answer: Discrimination: preference for sons in spending, domestic violence, fewer well-paid jobs and unequal wages.

1. The term liberalism comes from the Latin word liber, meaning free. For the new middle classes it meant freedom for the individual and equality of all before the law.

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2. Politically it stood for government by consent. But equality before the law did not mean universal suffrage; the right to vote and be elected was given only to property-owning men, and liberals stressed the inviolability of private property.

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3. Economically it meant freedom of markets and the abolition of state-imposed restrictions on movement of goods and capital. This led to demand for a unified economic area, such as the Zollverein, which supported national unity.

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Answer: Liberalism's demands for freedom, constitutional government and a unified market were tied to the idea of a nation-state.

1. Provision of crop insurance against drought, flood, cyclone, fire and disease protects farmers from losses.

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2. Establishment of Grameen Banks, cooperative societies and banks to give loans to farmers at low interest rates, and the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) and Personal Accident Insurance Scheme (PAIS).

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3. Announcement of Minimum Support Price and procurement prices for important crops, and weather bulletins and farm programmes on radio and TV, which protect farmers from speculators and middlemen.

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Answer: Crop insurance; Grameen banks, cooperatives, KCC and PAIS; MSP and weather bulletins.

1. Technology in telecommunications, computers and the Internet has changed rapidly. Telegraph, telephone, mobile phones and fax help people contact one another across the world, aided by satellite communication.

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2. The Internet lets people obtain and share information instantly, and e-mail and voice mail are available worldwide at negligible cost.

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3. IT has helped spread the production of services across countries, e.g. designing, printing and e-banking and call centres. This integrates economies and so promotes globalisation.

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Answer: IT gives fast communication and enables spread of production and services across countries, thereby driving globalisation.

1. A political party is a group of people who contest elections and hold power in government. Parties are the most visible institutions of a democracy, and for many citizens democracy means parties.

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2. Parties arose with representative democracy. As societies grew large and complex, they needed an agency to gather views on different issues and present them to the government.

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3. They bring representatives together to form a responsible government and provide a mechanism to support or restrain the government, make policies and justify or oppose them. Hence parties are a necessary condition for democracy.

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Answer: Parties are needed to contest elections, aggregate views, form governments and make or oppose policies, so they are essential for democracy.

1. The tertiary or service sector includes transport, storage, communication, banking and trade. It helps the development of the primary and secondary sectors.

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2. As these sectors develop, the demand for services such as transport, trade and banking rises. Incomes also rise, so demand for tourism, shopping, private schools and hospitals increases, especially in big cities.

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3. Services such as software and call centres have grown through external demand, and liberalisation and globalisation have created a favourable environment for faster growth.

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Answer: The tertiary sector helps other sectors, faces rising demand and benefits from globalisation, so it is growing in importance.

1. Workers in the unorganised sector are paid very low wages and are often exploited. Their jobs are not secure.

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2. They do not regularly get benefits such as medical leave, gratuity or paid holidays. Casual workers in rural and urban areas need protection.

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3. They also need protection from social discrimination. Many enterprises evade taxes and laws, so protection is necessary for economic and social development.

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Answer: Unorganised sector workers face low pay, insecurity, no benefits and discrimination, so they need protection.

1. In the countryside, rich peasant communities such as the Patidars of Gujarat and the Jats of Uttar Pradesh were active in the movement.

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2. As producers of commercial crops, they were hard hit by the trade depression and falling prices.

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3. Their cash income disappeared and they could not pay the government's revenue demand. The government's refusal to reduce it caused widespread resentment.

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4. They became enthusiastic supporters, organising their communities and sometimes forcing reluctant members to join boycotts. For them Swaraj meant a struggle against high revenue.

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5. They were deeply disappointed when the movement was called off in 1931 without the revenue rates being revised.

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Answer: Rich peasants joined the movement because of high revenue and falling prices, and were disappointed when it was withdrawn in 1931.

1. The image of Bharat Mata created a collective identity. Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay wrote 'Vande Mataram' as a hymn to the motherland, later included in Anandamath and widely sung during the Swadeshi movement.

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2. Abanindranath Tagore painted Bharat Mata as a calm, composed, divine and spiritual ascetic figure.

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3. Revival of Indian folklore: nationalists such as Rabindranath Tagore and Natesa Sastri recorded folk tales and songs to discover national identity and restore pride in the past.

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4. Flags: during Swadeshi a tricolour with eight lotuses for the provinces and a crescent moon for Hindus and Muslims was designed; Gandhiji designed the Swaraj flag with a spinning wheel.

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5. Reinterpretation of history: Indians began looking into the past to discover India's great achievements and instil pride in the nation.

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Answer: Bharat Mata image and Vande Mataram, folklore revival, flags, and reinterpretation of history fostered collective belonging.

1. Pipelines are used to transport crude oil, petroleum products and natural gas.

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2. They carry crude oil from oilfields to refineries, e.g. Digboi to Barauni, and products to far inland locations such as Barauni, Mathura and Panipat.

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3. Pipelines have proved beneficial for gas-based fertiliser plants, as the gas pipeline from Hazira supplies them.

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4. Solids can also be transported through pipelines when converted into slurry.

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5. Running cost is minimal and supply is uninterrupted, with no transhipment losses.

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Answer: Pipelines cheaply and continuously carry oil, gas and slurry to refineries, fertiliser plants and inland areas.

1. Northern Plains: level land, high population density and rich agricultural resources favoured the development of railways.

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2. Peninsular and Himalayan regions: the hilly terrain, high relief and sparse population in the Himalayas make laying railway lines difficult. The Sahyadri could be crossed only through gaps or passes.

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3. Desert of Rajasthan: sandy plains make track laying difficult and hinder railway development.

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4. Swamps of Gujarat and forested tracts of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Jharkhand are also unsuitable.

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5. Economic factors: the Konkan railway along the west coast eased movement of people and goods in an important economic region. Railways also carry goods between ports and the interior, while Himalayan areas are not economically viable.

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Answer: Flat, populous, rich plains have dense railways; mountains, deserts, swamps and forests have sparse ones; economic needs led to lines like Konkan.

1. Every individual wants respect from fellow beings, and the passion for respect and freedom is the basis of democracy.

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2. Democracy values individual rights and enhances the dignity of the individual.

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3. Respect for and equal treatment of women are necessary ingredients of a democratic society.

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4. In India, democracy has strengthened the claims of the disadvantaged and discriminated, e.g. Dalits, for equal status and opportunity.

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5. Democracy has the ability to handle social differences, divisions and conflicts peacefully.

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Answer: Democracy promotes dignity and freedom through rights, equality for women and the disadvantaged, and peaceful handling of conflicts.

1. Accountable: democracy creates mechanisms for citizens to hold the government accountable and to take part in decision-making, such as regular, free and fair elections.

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2. It is based on deliberation and negotiation, with open public debate on major policies and laws.

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3. Transparent: citizens have the right to information about government and its functioning, so they know the policies being made.

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4. Responsive: it is responsive to people's needs and provides a method to resolve conflicts and accommodate differences.

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5. Legitimate: it is a government chosen by the people, so it is legitimate, and it promotes equality and dignity of citizens.

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Answer: Democracy ensures accountability through elections and information, responsiveness through debate and negotiation, and legitimacy as people's own government.

1. SHGs mainly help the rural poor, especially women, who find it hard to get credit from banks. A typical SHG has 15-20 members from one neighbourhood who meet and save regularly.

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2. Each member saves about Rs 25 to Rs 100 or more, depending on ability. Members take small loans from the group's own savings to meet their needs.

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3. The group charges interest on these loans, but it is lower than the moneylender's rate. After a year or two of regular saving, the group becomes eligible for a bank loan.

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4. The bank loan is sanctioned in the name of the group. It creates self-employment, for example loans for releasing mortgaged land, buying seeds, fertilisers, bamboo or cloth, and assets like sewing machines, handlooms and cattle.

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5. The group itself decides the purpose, amount, interest and repayment schedule of loans. Poor households lack collateral for formal loans, so SHGs give them easy credit and save them from moneylenders' clutches.

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Answer: SHGs promote savings, give cheap collateral-free credit, create self-employment, empower women and free the rural poor from moneylenders.

1. Cheap and affordable credit raises people's incomes, because borrowers keep more of their earnings after paying low interest.

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2. When credit is affordable, many people can borrow for a variety of needs.

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3. They can grow crops, run businesses and set up small-scale industries, which adds to production and employment.

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4. Banks and cooperatives should increase their lending, especially in rural areas, so that dependence on informal sources such as moneylenders, who charge high interest, falls.

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5. Formal credit must be distributed more equally so that the poor also benefit from cheaper loans. This makes development broad-based and reduces debt traps.

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Answer: Cheap credit raises income, encourages investment in farming, trade and industry, reduces dependence on moneylenders and spreads development to the poor.

1. (i) Krishnaji wanted to publish the newspaper to give useful information on every topic of local interest, and to allow free discussion of subjects of general utility, such as science, history, geography and statistics.

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2. (ii) Like the Opposition in the House of Commons, native newspapers and associations critically examined government policy and suggested improvements, removing parts not beneficial to the people.

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3. (iii) Newspapers shaped and spread new ideas, including social reform, and shaped the nature of public debate.

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4. (iii) They carried different interpretations of faith and critically examined government policies, thereby becoming a medium for gathering diverse knowledge and suggesting improvements.

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Answer: (i) To give useful local information and allow free discussion. (ii) Both critically examine government policy and suggest improvements. (iii) Newspapers spread new ideas, shaped debate and scrutinised government.

1. (i) Water harvesting is inexpensive, affordable to common people, and environmentally friendly, without the disadvantages of multipurpose projects.

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2. (ii) Rainwater from the roof is collected through a PVC pipe, filtered through sand and bricks, and sent by an underground pipe to a sump for immediate use. Excess water goes to a well, which recharges groundwater.

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3. (iii) In hilly regions people built diversion channels such as guls or kuls in the Western Himalayas for agriculture.

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4. (iii) Rooftop harvesting was practised in Rajasthan for drinking water. Other methods were inundation channels in Bengal and khadins and johads in Rajasthan (any one more).

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Answer: (i) It is cheap, affordable and eco-friendly. (ii) Roof water is collected, filtered, stored in a sump, and the excess recharges groundwater through a well. (iii) Guls or kuls, rooftop harvesting, inundation channels, khadins or johads (any two).

1. (i) Language diversity has helped unite the country, and most Indians understand more than one language. It shows India's rich cultural heritage.

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2. (ii) Scheduled languages are the 22 languages included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. Non-scheduled languages are those not included in it.

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3. (iii) The blend of languages has united the country into one cultural unit. India's language history and linguistic geography integrate the nation.

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4. (iii) Example: Hindi absorbs Bhojpuri, Magadhi and Rajasthani and mixes with other languages, so people of different regions communicate and share culture.

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Answer: (i) Diversity unites the country and promotes multilingualism. (ii) Scheduled languages are in the Eighth Schedule and non-scheduled are not. (iii) Blending of languages integrates the nation culturally, as with Hindi absorbing many dialects.

1. (i)(a) Place A is Champaran (Bihar), where Gandhiji began the Satyagraha for indigo peasants in 1917.

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2. (i)(b) Place B is Nagpur (Maharashtra), the venue of the December 1920 Congress session.

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3. (ii) Tehri Dam: locate it on the Bhagirathi river in Uttarakhand and mark it with a dam symbol.

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4. (ii) Naraura Atomic Power Station: locate it in western Uttar Pradesh on the Ganga and mark it with an atomic symbol.

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5. (ii) Haldia Sea Port: locate it on the West Bengal coast near Kolkata, and Pune Software Technology Park in Maharashtra, and mark them with suitable symbols. Any three of the four are required.

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Answer: A: Champaran (Bihar); B: Nagpur (Maharashtra). Any three of Tehri Dam (Uttarakhand), Naraura (Uttar Pradesh), Pune STP (Maharashtra), Haldia (West Bengal) correctly marked and labelled.