CBSE Class 10 Social Science: 2026 board paper, set 32/2/1

1. The potato blight of 1845–49 destroyed Ireland's staple crop, causing famine and mass death and emigration. Option (C) Ireland.

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Answer: (C) Ireland

1. Diamond Sutra, printed in China in 868 CE, comes first. Marco Polo returned to Italy in 1295. Gutenberg's Bible was printed around 1450s. The Bengal Gazette began in 1780. Order: II, IV, III, I, which is option (D).

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Answer: (D) II, IV, III, I

1. Mazzini was an Italian revolutionary, so A is true. He founded Young Italy in Marseilles and Young Europe in Berne, so R is true. R explains why he is called a revolutionary, so R correctly explains A. Option (A).

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Answer: (A)

1. The Poona Pact (1932) was signed between B. R. Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi. It gave reserved seats to the Depressed Classes in the central legislature. Option (A).

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Answer: (A) Bhimrao Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi

1. The picture shows a woman with a crown of oak leaves and a sword, standing in a landscape. This is Germania, the allegory of the German nation. Option (C).

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Answer: (C) Germania

1. Smallpox was carried to America by Portuguese and Spanish conquerors in the mid-16th century. It killed millions of native people who had no immunity. Option (B).

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Answer: (B) Smallpox

1. After Russia took over Poland, the Polish language was forcibly removed from schools and Russian was imposed everywhere.

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2. Many Polish priests made the language a weapon of national resistance. The Church used Polish in its gatherings and in all religious instruction.

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3. Polish came to be seen as a symbol of the struggle against Russian dominance. Using it kept national feeling alive and united the Poles.

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Answer: Language became a weapon of resistance and a symbol of Polish identity against Russian rule.

1. The Bourbon dynasty was restored to power in France, and monarchy was re-established there.

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2. France lost the territories it had annexed under Napoleon. A set of states was set up on France's borders to check future French expansion, including the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the north, which included Belgium.

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3. Genoa was added to Piedmont in the south. Prussia received new territories on its western frontier and part of Saxony. Austria got control of northern Italy. Russia was given part of Poland.

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Answer: Bourbon restoration, containment of France by new border states, and territorial gains for Prussia, Austria and Russia.

1. During Gandhiji's Salt March, thousands of women came out of their homes to listen to him.

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2. They took part in protest marches and in the manufacture of salt.

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3. They boycotted foreign cloth and picketed liquor shops.

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4. Many women, from both urban and rural areas, went to jail.

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5. They began to see service to the nation as a sacred duty, which shows their important role.

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Answer: Women joined marches, made salt, boycotted foreign cloth, picketed liquor shops and went to jail.

1. In the late nineteenth century, nationalists felt that folklore had to be revived to resist British cultural domination and to show the real Indian culture.

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2. Nationalists began recording folk tales sung by bards and travelled from village to village collecting folk songs and legends.

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3. They believed these stories gave a true picture of traditional culture, and preserving them was necessary to discover a national identity and restore pride in the past.

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4. Rabindranath Tagore led the movement for folk revival in Bengal, collecting ballads, nursery rhymes and myths.

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5. In Madras, Natesa Sastri published the four-volume 'The Folklore of Southern India'. Folklore was seen as national literature and the most trustworthy expression of people's thoughts.

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Answer: Folklore revival built national identity and pride, with Tagore and Natesa Sastri as examples.

1. (9.1) The Irish Press Laws.

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2. (9.2) Vernacular newspapers had become assertively nationalist after 1857. The government feared the spread of nationalist and revolutionary ideas.

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3. (9.3) It gave the government the right to censor reports and editorials in the vernacular press.

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4. It also allowed the government to seize the press and confiscate printing machinery if a warning against a seditious report was ignored.

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Answer: (9.1) Irish Press Laws; (9.2) it feared nationalist ideas in the press; (9.3) power to censor reports and power to seize the press and confiscate its machinery

1. A: Calcutta (Kolkata), where the Congress session of September 1920 was held.

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2. B: Champaran in Bihar, where Gandhiji led the peasant movement against indigo cultivation.

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Answer: A: Calcutta (Kolkata); B: Champaran

1. Bamboo drip irrigation is a 200-year-old system used in Meghalaya, where bamboo pipes carry water from hill springs to the plants. Option (D).

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Answer: (D) Meghalaya

1. The largest wind farm cluster in India lies from Nagercoil to Madurai in Tamil Nadu. Option (A).

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Answer: (A) Nagercoil to Madurai

1. Wheat, bajra and rice are food crops. Rubber is a plantation crop grown on a large estate. Option (D).

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Answer: (D) Rubber

1. In India, forests are home to some traditional communities. In Sariska Tiger Reserve, villagers fought against mining by citing the Wildlife Protection Act. Five villages in Alwar district of Rajasthan have declared 1,200 hectares of forest as the 'Bhairodev Dakav Sonchuri' and made their own rules.

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2. Communities protect wildlife from outside interference. Movements such as Chipko, Beej Bachao Andolan and Navdanya have helped save forests.

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Answer: Communities protect forests through local rules and movements such as Chipko and Beej Bachao Andolan.

1. The Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act was implemented in 1972. A list of protected species was published and hunting was banned.

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2. Project Tiger was launched in 1973, and many tiger reserves were set up. In 1988, Odisha passed the first Joint Forest Management resolution.

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Answer: Wildlife Protection Act 1972 with protected species lists and a hunting ban, and Project Tiger 1973.

1. Mining: after mining is over, sites are left open with deep scars and heaps of overburden. Deforestation due to mining also causes land degradation, as in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha.

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2. Overgrazing: in states such as Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, overgrazing is a main cause of land degradation.

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3. Over-irrigation: in Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, over-irrigation causes waterlogging, which raises soil salinity and alkalinity. Mineral processing, such as grinding limestone for cement, also releases dust which hinders water infiltration.

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Answer: Mining, overgrazing and over-irrigation (waterlogging, salinity)

1. Proximity of the jute-producing areas gives easy access to raw jute.

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2. Cheap and efficient water transport is available on the Hugli.

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3. A dense network of railways and roads helps movement of goods.

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4. There is plenty of water to process raw jute, and cheap labour is available from Bihar, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh.

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5. Kolkata is a large urban centre providing banking, insurance and port facilities for exporting jute goods.

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Answer: Nearness to raw jute, cheap water transport, rail and road network, water, cheap labour and Kolkata's port and banking facilities.

1. Hot water and effluents should be treated before being discharged into water bodies. Primary treatment should be by mechanical means, secondary by biological processes, and tertiary by biological, chemical and physical processes.

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2. Industries should install electrostatic precipitators, scrubbers and gaseous pollutant separators in tall chimneys to reduce air pollution.

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3. Using oil and gas instead of coal in factories reduces smoke.

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4. Silencers should be fitted in generators, and machinery should be redesigned for energy efficiency and less noise. Noise-absorbing equipment should be used.

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5. Waste generation should be minimised, and green belts raised to keep the ecological balance. Regular monitoring and review should be ensured.

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Answer: Treat effluents, fit precipitators and scrubbers, use cleaner fuel, reduce noise, minimise waste and plant green belts.

1. (17.1) Rice is a kharif crop.

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2. (17.2) Wheat, barley, peas, gram or mustard (any one rabi crop).

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3. (17.3) Watermelon and muskmelon (also cucumber and vegetables).

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Answer: (17.1) Kharif; (17.2) Wheat; (17.3) Watermelon and cucumber

1. (18.1) Hirakud Dam, in Odisha on the Mahanadi.

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2. (18.2) Noida, the Software Technology Park in Uttar Pradesh.

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3. (18.3) Tuticorin or Chennai, major sea ports in Tamil Nadu.

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4. (18.4) Silchar, in Assam, the eastern terminal of the East-West Corridor.

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Answer: Any three: Hirakud; Noida; Tuticorin/Chennai; Silchar

1. Parties shape public opinion, act as the opposition and present their programmes. Foreign policy is made by the government, not by parties as such, so IV is wrong. Option (A).

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Answer: (A) Only I, II and III are correct.

1. Union list: defence. State list: police. Concurrent list: adoption. Residuary: computer software. This gives a-iv, b-i, c-iii, d-ii, option (C).

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Answer: (C) a-iv, b-i, c-iii, d-ii

1. The 1956 Act made Sinhala the only official language, ignoring Tamil. This created alienation among Tamils and led to civil war. The scheme also accepts the preference for Sinhalese in government jobs, so options (B) and (D) are both marked. The question wants the change to the 1956 law, so (B).

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Answer: (B) Declaring Sinhala as the official language

1. In a coming-together federation, independent states join to form a bigger unit, as in the USA, Switzerland and Australia. India, Belgium and Spain are holding-together or other types. Option (D).

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Answer: (D) Australia

1. Internal democracy should be strengthened. Parties should hold regular organisational elections and give ordinary workers a fair chance to rise.

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2. It should be made compulsory for parties to give at least one-third of tickets to women candidates, and the role of money and criminals in parties should be checked.

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Answer: Strengthen internal democracy; reserve one-third of tickets for women and curb money and criminals

1. In a democracy people have higher expectations and many complaints. They demand more and want democracy to become even better.

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2. This shows that people have become aware of their rights and can criticise the powerful. For example, people now believe their vote can influence how the government functions.

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Answer: Complaints show awareness and the ability to question the powerful, which signals the success of democracy.

1. Some national leaders feared that creating linguistic states would break the country apart, so the Centre initially put off the demand.

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2. The boundaries of many old states were changed to create new states, so that people speaking one language could live in the same state.

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3. Experience shows that linguistic states made the country more united, made administration easier and strengthened people's trust in democracy.

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Answer: Linguistic states tested democracy but ended up strengthening unity and trust.

1. Belgium followed the accommodation model, while Sri Lanka adopted majoritarianism. Belgium recognised regional and cultural differences, but the Sri Lankan government ignored them.

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2. Belgium amended its constitution four times between 1970 and 1993 so that all could live together. Sri Lanka passed an Act in 1956 to satisfy the Sinhala majority.

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3. Belgium gave equal representation to Dutch and French ministers in the central government, with the same number at state level in Brussels. Sri Lanka made Sinhala the only official language, with preference for Sinhalese in jobs and universities.

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4. Belgium has a third kind of government, the community government, which is elected by each language community and decides on cultural, educational and language matters. Sri Lanka's Constitution said the state would protect and foster Buddhism.

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5. In Belgium, power sharing created trust, no community can take unilateral decisions, and the state governments are not subordinate to the central government. In Sri Lanka, Tamils felt alienated, and distrust led to a civil war that ended in 2009.

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Answer: Belgium's accommodation brought peace and unity; Sri Lanka's majoritarianism led to alienation and civil war.

1. Power sharing reduces the chance of conflict between social groups. When every group gets a share in power, resentment falls and social peace is kept.

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2. It ensures the stability of the political order. Imposing the will of the majority may work for a while, but it breeds tension that can break the country apart, as in Sri Lanka.

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3. It accommodates diverse groups. Majority and minority communities are both included in governance, as in Belgium's accommodation model.

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4. It is the very spirit of democracy. People have a right to be consulted on how they are to be governed, and a legitimate government is one in which citizens take part and gain a stake in the system.

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5. It strengthens national unity and people's trust in democracy. It also prevents the tyranny of the majority, because power is spread among different organs and levels of government.

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Answer: Power sharing reduces conflict, ensures stability, accommodates diversity, is the spirit of democracy, and strengthens unity and trust.

1. (i) In a multi-party system, more than two parties compete for power. Each has a reasonable chance of coming to power either on its own strength or in alliance with others.

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2. (ii) A one-party system denies citizens a choice of governments, because only one party is allowed to run the government. There is no competition, so it functions like a dictatorship.

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3. (iii) In a coalition government, when no single party wins a majority, several parties join together to form the government.

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4. (iii) It represents varied interests and views. It also checks the arbitrariness of any one party, and it depends on mutual agreement among the partners.

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Answer: (i) More than two parties have a real chance of power, alone or in alliance. (ii) It offers no choice and no competition. (iii) Several parties join to form a government when no party has a majority, and it represents diverse interests.

1. Life expectancy: Odisha 68.4, Bihar 68.9, Haryana 69.7, Kerala 75.2. In increasing order this is Odisha, Bihar, Haryana, Kerala, option (C).

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Answer: (C) Odisha, Bihar, Haryana, Kerala

1. Agriculture belongs to the primary sector, so A is false. The tertiary sector is the service sector, so R is true. Option (D).

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Answer: (D)

1. A tariff is a tax on imports. It makes imports costlier, so it protects local industries from foreign competition. Option (B).

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Answer: (B) To protect local industries

1. The Reserve Bank of India issues rupee notes on behalf of the Central Government. The law makes them legal tender, so no one can refuse them. Option (B).

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Answer: (B)

1. Indian Railways is owned and run by the government, so it is public sector. The other options are private companies. Option (D).

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Answer: (D) Indian Railways

1. Developed countries have high per capita income. High infant mortality, low literacy and low attendance mark less developed countries. Option (B).

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Answer: (B) High Per Capita Income

1. Collateral is an asset pledged against a loan. If the borrower fails to repay, the lender can sell it, so it secures the loan for the lender. Option (B).

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Answer: (B) To secure the loan for the lender

1. Disguised unemployment means more people are working than are actually needed. Everyone appears to be employed, but some are in effect unemployed, and removing them would not reduce output.

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2. Example: a farm of 2 hectares needs 5 workers, but 8 family members work on it. The 3 extra workers are disguised unemployed. It is mostly found in agriculture.

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Answer: Disguised unemployment: more workers than needed are engaged, so removing the extra ones does not affect output. Example: 8 family members working on a farm that needs 5.

1. Fair and minimum wages should be fixed and enforced by law for unorganised workers.

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2. Employers should provide safe working conditions and equipment, and the labour laws should be enforced through regular inspection.

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3. Workers should get health insurance, cheap medical care, pension and maternity benefits, and be made aware of their rights.

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Answer: Minimum wages by law, safe working conditions with inspection, and health and social security benefits with awareness of rights.

1. Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measure nutritionists use to judge whether a person is getting proper nutrition, that is, whether the person is underweight, normal or overweight.

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2. It is calculated as $BMI=\frac{\text{weight (kg)}}{(\text{height in m}{)}^2}$.

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3. If the height is in centimetres, convert it to metres first. Then divide the weight in kg by the square of the height.

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Answer: BMI = weight (kg) ÷ height² (m²); it shows whether a person is adequately nourished.

1. Supervision: formal credit is supervised by the RBI, while informal credit has no supervision.

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2. Interest: formal credit carries a lower interest rate, while informal credit carries a high one.

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3. Sources: formal sources are banks and cooperatives, while informal sources are moneylenders, traders, employers and friends.

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4. Debt burden and trap: the burden is lower with formal credit and the borrower is less likely to be trapped, while informal credit is a heavy burden and often a debt trap.

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5. Terms and collateral: formal credit has fixed terms and needs collateral, while informal credit may have no fixed terms and needs no collateral.

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Answer: Formal credit: RBI-supervised, low interest, banks and cooperatives, lower burden, fixed terms with collateral. Informal credit: unsupervised, high interest, moneylenders and others, debt trap, flexible terms.

1. A Self-Help Group (SHG) organises poor villagers, especially women, into a small group.

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2. It typically has 15-20 members from one neighbourhood, who meet regularly and save.

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3. Members save Rs 25 to Rs 100 or more, according to what they can afford, and the group's savings are kept in a bank account.

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4. Members decide on loans, the purpose, the amount, the interest rate and repayment. Small loans are given to members for needs such as releasing mortgaged land, working capital or housing, at an interest rate lower than the moneylender's.

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5. After a year or two of regular savings, the group becomes eligible for a bank loan without collateral. Meetings also discuss social issues, and this reduces dependence on informal lenders.

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Answer: An SHG is a group of 15-20 members who save regularly, lend to each other at low interest, decide loan terms themselves and later get collateral-free bank loans.