CBSE Class 10 Social Science 2026: question 36
Set in the CBSE Class 10 board exam of 2026, paper 32/1/1, section D, question 36, for 3 marks. Try it first; the hints and our step-by-step solution are below.
Q36 · 3 marks · Short answerMoney and Credit
Differentiate between formal and informal sources of credit.
Source: official question paper from cbse.gov.in (PDF). See it in the full 2026 board paper, set 32/1/1.
Hints
Open one hint at a time and try again before the next.
Hint 1
Think of who regulates each source.
Hint 2
Compare interest rates and what happens when borrowers cannot repay.
Step-by-step solution
Each step shows the marks it earns, as an examiner would award them. Checked by an independent re-solve from the question paper.
- 1 mark
Supervision: The RBI supervises formal sources (banks, cooperatives). No agency supervises informal sources (moneylenders, traders, relatives, employers).
- 1 mark
Interest rate and cost: Formal sources charge a low interest rate, so the cost of borrowing is low. Informal sources charge a much higher rate, so the cost is high.
- 1 mark
Debt trap: The chance of a debt trap is low with formal credit, but high interest in informal credit may lead borrowers into a debt trap.
Answer: Formal credit is RBI-supervised, cheaper and has a low debt-trap risk; informal credit is unsupervised, costly and risks a debt trap.
Where the marks are
- Difference in supervision (1 mark)
- Difference in interest and cost (1 mark)
- Difference in debt-trap risk or examples of sources (1 mark)
Revise the chapter
- Chapter: Money and Credit (notes, formulas, where marks are lost and every past question)
- Topic: Formal and Informal Sources of Credit
More questions from Money and Credit
- 2023 board paper, set 32/6/1, Q27 · 3 marksDistinguish between formal and informal sources of credit.
- 2026 board paper, set 32/2/1, Q38(a) · 5 marksDifferentiate between the formal and informal sources of credit.
- 2026 board paper, set 32/2/1, Q38(b) · 5 marksExplain the functioning of 'Self-Help Groups'.
The question is transcribed from the official paper; figures are described in words. The solution, hints and chapter tag are ours. Spotted an error? Write tosupport@questionbuddy.in.