1. This is a combined Social Science paper of 100 marks covering History, Political Science, Geography and Economics — each question is tagged with its subject.
2. Section A (Q1–20) carries 1 mark each — MCQ and assertion–reason.
3. Section B (Q21–27) carries 2 marks each — very short answers (≤40 words).
4. Section C (Q28–35) carries 3 marks each — short answers (≤60 words).
5. Section D (Q36–41) carries 5 marks each — long answers (≤120 words).
6. Section E (Q42–44) are source/case-based, 4 marks each (1+1+2).
7. These questions are set deliberately harder than the board paper. Attempt all, then open "Show answer". Assertion–Reason key: (a) Both A and R true and R is the correct explanation of A; (b) Both true but R is not the correct explanation; (c) A true, R false; (d) A false, R true.
Section A — Objective (20 × 1 = 20)
MCQ and assertion–reason across all four subjects. Distractors are deliberate misconceptions.
1Q1.HISTORY The 1832 treaty that recognised Greece as an independent nation was the:
Treaty of Constantinople
Treaty of Vienna
Treaty of Versailles
Treaty of Frankfurt
Show answer
(a) Treaty of Constantinople, 1832 — it recognised Greece as an independent nation after its war of independence (1821-32), which mobilised nationalist feeling across Europe.
1Q2.Assertion (A):HISTORY The Rowlatt Act (1919) provoked a nationwide satyagraha. Reason (R): The Act allowed detention of political prisoners without trial, which Indians saw as unjust.Show answer
(a) Both true and R explains A. The Rowlatt Act's provision for detention without trial was seen as repressive, which is exactly why Gandhiji launched a countrywide satyagraha against it.
1Q3.HISTORY The repeal of the Corn Laws in Britain led to:
Cheaper food imports and British farmers leaving the land for cities/abroad
Higher grain prices in Britain
A ban on all food imports
The start of the Bretton Woods system
Show answer
(a) After the Corn Laws were scrapped, cheap imported food undercut British agriculture; unable to compete, workers left the land for cities or emigrated — deepening global interconnection.
1Q4.HISTORY ‘Proto-industrialisation’ refers to:
Large-scale industrial production in the countryside before factories
Factory production in large towns
The decline of handicrafts after 1850
Export of machinery from India
Show answer
(a) Proto-industrialisation was large-scale production for an international market carried out in the countryside by merchants, before the coming of factories.
1Q5.POL SCI In Belgium, the ‘Community Government’ is elected by people belonging to one language community — Dutch, French or German — and has power over:
cultural, educational and language-related issues
defence and currency
the entire federal budget
the state's police
Show answer
(a) Belgium's innovative Community Government has power over cultural, educational and language matters, chosen by people of each language group — a key device that prevented ethnic conflict.
1Q6.Assertion (A):POL SCI India is called a ‘holding together’ federation. Reason (R): In India, a large country divided its power between the central government and the states, which do not have equal powers.Show answer
(a) Both true and R explains A. In a ‘holding together’ federation a big country shares power between the centre and states (often unequally — e.g. special provisions), unlike a ‘coming together’ federation of equal units.
1Q7.POL SCI A party is recognised as a ‘national party’ by the Election Commission if it secures at least:
6% of votes in four states and wins 4 Lok Sabha seats
the most seats in one state
50% votes nationally
any 2 Lok Sabha seats
Show answer
(a) A national party must secure at least 6% of total votes in Lok Sabha/Assembly elections in four states and win at least four Lok Sabha seats.
1Q8.GEOGRAPHY The new, finer and more fertile alluvial soil of the floodplains is called:
Khadar
Bhangar
Regur
Laterite
Show answer
(a) Khadar — the newer, finer, more fertile alluvium deposited by floods each year; bhangar is the older alluvium with kanker nodules.
1Q9.Assertion (A):GEOGRAPHY Minerals are considered finite, non-renewable resources. Reason (R): Their geological formation is extremely slow compared with the present rate of consumption.Show answer
(a) Both true and R explains A. Minerals take millions of years to form while we consume them rapidly, so replenishment is negligible — hence finite and non-renewable.
1Q10.GEOGRAPHY Which is a non-conventional source of energy?
Solar energy
Coal
Petroleum
Natural gas
Show answer
(a) Solar energy — a renewable, non-conventional source; coal, petroleum and natural gas are conventional (fossil) fuels.
1Q11.GEOGRAPHY ‘Golden Quadrilateral’ super highways connect:
Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata
only Delhi and Mumbai
the four southern state capitals
India and its neighbours
Show answer
(a) The Golden Quadrilateral links the four mega-cities — Delhi–Mumbai–Chennai–Kolkata — by six-lane highways to cut time and distance.
1Q12.ECONOMICS While computing GDP, only final goods and services are counted because:
the value of intermediate goods is already included in the final good
intermediate goods have no value
services cannot be counted
only exports matter
Show answer
(a) Counting intermediate goods (e.g. wheat and flour used to make biscuits) separately would be double counting; their value is already in the final good's price.
1Q13.Assertion (A):ECONOMICS Per capita income alone is an inadequate measure of development. Reason (R): It is only an average that hides the distribution of income and ignores health, education and the environment.Show answer
(a) Both true and R explains A. An average conceals inequality and non-material goals, so the UNDP's HDI adds health and education to income.
1Q14.ECONOMICS Under COPRA's three-tier system, a claim of ₹5 crore is filed before the:
State Commission
District Commission
National Commission
Supreme Court
Show answer
(a) State Commission — it handles claims between ₹1 crore and ₹10 crore (District ≤₹1 crore; National >₹10 crore).
1Q15.HISTORY The first printed book in the world, using Gutenberg's press, was the:
Bible
Quran
Rigveda
Gita
Show answer
(a) the Bible — Gutenberg printed about 180 copies of the Bible (c. 1450s), the first book produced with his movable-type press.
1Q16.POL SCI Which is a feature of ‘communalism’?
Belief that one religion's followers form one community with common political interests
Keeping religion separate from the state
Equal treatment of all religions
Banning all religions
Show answer
(a) Communalism treats the followers of a religion as a single community with common secular/political interests and sets one religious community against another — the opposite of secularism.
1Q17.GEOGRAPHY Jhum is a type of:
shifting (slash-and-burn) cultivation
intensive subsistence farming
plantation agriculture
commercial dairy farming
Show answer
(a) shifting (‘slash-and-burn’) cultivation — locally called jhum in north-east India, where a plot is cleared, cropped for a few years and then left fallow.
1Q18.Assertion (A):ECONOMICS Modern currency is accepted as a medium of exchange though it has no value of its own. Reason (R): It is authorised by the government and the rupee is legal tender that cannot be refused.Show answer
(a) Both true and R explains A. Notes have no intrinsic worth; they are accepted only because the RBI issues them on the government's authority as legal tender.
1Q19.HISTORY The Bretton Woods institutions set up in 1944 were the IMF and the:
World Bank
World Trade Organisation
League of Nations
United Nations
Show answer
(a) the World Bank (IBRD). The Bretton Woods Conference (1944) created the IMF and the World Bank to manage the post-war international economy.
1Q20.POL SCI ‘Residuary powers’ (subjects not in any list) in the Indian federation are given to the:
Union (central) government
State governments
Local governments
Election Commission
Show answer
(a) the Union government — unlike some federations, India's Constitution gives residuary subjects to the Centre, reflecting its strong-centre, ‘holding together’ character.
Section B — Very Short Answer (7 × 2 = 14)
Answer in about 40 words each.
2Q21.HISTORY What was the ‘Rinderpest’ and why was it significant in colonising Africa?Show answer
Rinderpest was a fast-spreading cattle plague that struck Africa in the 1890s, killing about 90% of cattle. By destroying Africans' livelihoods, it forced them into the labour market and strengthened European colonisers' control over scarce cattle and land resources.
2Q22.HISTORY How did the First World War help boost Indian industries?Show answer
With British factories busy on war supplies, imports to India fell, so Indian mills got a vast home market. Indian factories also supplied war needs (jute bags, cloth, rails). New factories opened, old ones ran multiple shifts and output and employment rose.
2Q23.POL SCI Distinguish between ‘coming together’ and ‘holding together’ federations with one example each.Show answer
Coming together: independent states voluntarily unite to form a bigger unit, all units equally powerful — e.g. USA. Holding together: a large country divides power between the centre and states, with the centre more powerful — e.g. India (also Spain, Belgium).
2Q24.GEOGRAPHY What is rainwater harvesting? Name one traditional method and its region.Show answer
Rainwater harvesting is collecting and storing rainwater locally for later use, reducing dependence on piped supply. A traditional method is the bamboo drip irrigation system of Meghalaya (or khadins/tankas in Rajasthan; rooftop tanks in Shillong).
2Q25.GEOGRAPHY Why is the iron and steel industry called a ‘basic’ and ‘heavy’ industry?Show answer
It is basic because all other industries — machinery, construction, transport — depend on its products (steel). It is heavy because both its raw materials (iron ore, coal, limestone) and its finished products are bulky and need cheap bulk transport.
2Q26.ECONOMICS ‘Average income hides disparities.’ Explain with an example.Show answer
An average can be identical for two very different situations. For example, two countries may have the same per capita income, but in one, income is spread evenly while in the other one person is very rich and the rest are poor — so the average hides inequality.
2Q27.POL SCI State any two constitutional provisions that make India a secular state.Show answer
(1) There is no official state religion — the state does not promote any religion. (2) The Constitution gives every citizen the freedom to profess, practise and propagate any religion, and prohibits discrimination on the ground of religion, ensuring equal treatment of all faiths.
Section C — Short Answer (8 × 3 = 24)
Answer in about 60 words each. At least one question joins two subjects.
3Q28.HISTORY Explain any three effects of the ‘non-cooperation’ idea on the economic front during 1921-22.Show answer
(1) Foreign goods were boycotted and bonfires of foreign cloth were held; imports of foreign cloth halved. (2) Liquor shops were picketed. (3) Indian textile mills and handlooms were encouraged — the demand for Indian cloth and khadi rose. Merchants refused to finance foreign trade, hurting British business and boosting swadeshi.
3Q29.HISTORY How did print culture create conditions for the French Revolution? Give three arguments.Show answer
(1) Print spread Enlightenment ideas of Rousseau and Voltaire, criticising tradition and despotism. (2) It created a new public culture of dialogue and debate, where existing ideas were re-evaluated. (3) By the 1780s print produced cartoons and literature mocking royalty, shaping opinion against the monarchy — though print alone did not ‘cause’ the revolution.
3Q30.POL SCI ‘Democracy produces an accountable, responsive and legitimate government, though it may fall short on economic outcomes.’ Explain.Show answer
Democracy gives regular, free and fair elections, open public debate and a right to information, making government accountable and transparent; citizens' needs make it responsive; and because decisions follow due procedure it is legitimate. However, democracies often show slower economic growth and persistent inequality, so outcomes are mixed.
3Q31.POL SCI Explain three ways to reform political parties in India.Show answer
(1) A law regulating parties' internal affairs — compulsory internal elections and transparent membership. (2) A quota for women (e.g. one-third tickets) to make parties more representative. (3) State funding of elections and audited accounts to curb the role of money and muscle power; pressure from citizens and media also helps.
3Q32.GEOGRAPHY Distinguish between conventional and non-conventional sources of energy with examples, and give one advantage of the latter.Show answer
Conventional sources are traditional, mostly non-renewable fossil fuels — coal, petroleum, natural gas, firewood. Non-conventional sources are renewable and eco-friendly — solar, wind, tidal, geothermal, biogas. Advantage of non-conventional: they are inexhaustible and pollution-free, reducing dependence on depleting, polluting fossil fuels.
3Q33.GEOGRAPHY(Joins Geography & Economics.) How can improved transport, storage and cheap credit in rural areas raise farmers' incomes and reduce underemployment?Show answer
Better rural roads and transport let farmers carry produce to town markets; cold storage lets them hold crops and sell when prices are good; and cheap bank credit (instead of moneylenders) funds seeds, fertilisers and a second crop. Together these create productive work in farming, transport and trade — raising incomes and cutting disguised unemployment.
3Q34.ECONOMICS Why does the tertiary (service) sector produce the most GVA in India while the primary sector employs the most people?Show answer
Rising incomes, growth of basic services, support to agriculture/industry and new IT services made the tertiary sector the largest producer of GVA. But not enough jobs were created in industry and services, so over half the workforce stays in agriculture (producing only about one-sixth of GVA) — resulting in widespread underemployment.
3Q35.ECONOMICS Explain three terms of credit and how they can be unfavourable for a small farmer.Show answer
Terms of credit are the interest rate, collateral/documentation and mode of repayment. For a small farmer they are often unfavourable: moneylenders charge very high interest (e.g. 3-5% a month); the farmer may be forced to sell his crop to the lender at a low price; and lacking collateral/documents he is barred from cheap bank loans — pushing him toward a debt-trap.
Section D — Long Answer (6 × 5 = 30)
Answer in about 120 words each. Each needs more than one concept.
5Q36.HISTORY ‘The 1860s–1880s were a period of hardship for Indian weavers.’ Explain the problems faced by Indian weavers during colonial rule.Show answer
(1) Collapse of export market: after industrialisation, Britain imposed heavy tariffs so Indian textile exports fell. (2) Flood of cheap Manchester imports: machine-made British cloth undercut handloom cloth in India's home market, so weavers' sales collapsed. (3) Shortage of raw cotton: during the American Civil War raw cotton was exported to Britain, raising its price so Indian weavers were ‘starved of supplies’. (4) Competition from Indian mills from the late 19th century. (5) Weavers' incomes fell, many abandoned the craft, took to agricultural labour or migrated. Thus colonial trade and industrial policy devastated a once-thriving handicraft.
5Q37.HISTORY Explain how various social groups (peasants, tribals, business class) participated in the Non-Cooperation / Civil Disobedience Movements, and how their expectations differed.Show answer
Rich peasants (e.g. Patidars, Jats) joined against high revenue, wanting revenue reduction — and were disappointed when it was not cut. Poor peasants wanted unpaid rent (lagan) to landlords remitted, which Congress hesitated to support. Tribals (e.g. Gudem hills) interpreted swaraj as the right to use forests and launched militant struggle. The business class wanted protection against imports and a rupee-sterling exchange favourable to trade, forming FICCI. Plantation workers took swaraj as the right to move freely. Thus each group read ‘swaraj’ in its own way, giving the movements mass breadth but also internal tension.
5Q38.POL SCI ‘Power sharing is the very spirit of democracy.’ Justify using both prudential and moral reasons, with examples of forms of power sharing.Show answer
Prudential (practical) reasons: power sharing reduces conflict between social groups and ensures political stability — ignoring the majority-minority balance can cause violence, as initial majoritarianism did in Sri Lanka. Moral reasons: democracy means those affected by decisions take part in them, so power sharing is intrinsically good and legitimate. Forms: (1) among organs — legislature, executive, judiciary (horizontal, with checks and balances); (2) among levels — central, state, local (vertical/federal); (3) among social groups — community government in Belgium; (4) among parties, pressure groups and movements. Hence power sharing is the spirit of democracy.
5Q39.GEOGRAPHY ‘Water is a renewable resource, yet India faces water scarcity.’ Explain the causes of water scarcity and how multi-purpose projects both help and harm.Show answer
Causes of scarcity: a large and growing population; over-use for irrigation (water-intensive crops) and industry; falling groundwater from over-pumping; and pollution of rivers and tanks, making water unfit. So scarcity can exist even where rainfall is high. Multi-purpose projects help by giving irrigation, hydel power, water supply, flood control, navigation and recreation (Bhakra-Nangal, Hirakud). But they harm by fragmenting rivers, causing sedimentation, submerging land, displacing people, depriving floodplains of silt and even triggering floods — which is why movements like the Narmada Bachao Andolan arose.
5Q40.GEOGRAPHY Explain, with reasons, the factors that influence the location of industries, using the cotton textile and IT industries as examples.Show answer
Industries locate where the cost of production is lowest. Key factors: availability of raw material, labour, capital, power, market and transport, plus government policy and agglomeration economies. Cotton textiles first concentrated in Maharashtra and Gujarat (Mumbai, Ahmedabad) because of raw cotton, humid climate, port facilities, capital and a large market. The IT industry clusters in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune etc. because it needs skilled knowledge workers, good telecom, a pleasant climate and institutions rather than heavy raw materials. Thus different industries weigh these factors differently, but all seek least-cost, profit-maximising locations.
5Q41.ECONOMICS ‘Globalisation's impact has not been uniform.’ Examine who gained and who lost, and suggest how the government can make globalisation fairer.Show answer
Gainers: well-off consumers (more choice, better quality, lower prices); MNCs and skilled producers; top Indian companies that became MNCs (Tata Motors, Infosys); and IT-enabled service workers. Losers: many small producers whose units shut under cheap imports/MNC competition (e.g. Ravi's capacitors) and workers pushed into insecure ‘flexible' jobs on low wages (e.g. Sushila). Fairer globalisation — government steps: enforce labour laws; support small producers with roads, power, credit and technology; use trade/investment barriers where needed; negotiate ‘fairer rules' at the WTO; and ally with other developing countries. People's movements also help. The aim: opportunities for all and better-shared benefits.
Section E — Source / Case-Based (3 × 4 = 12)
Read each source and answer the sub-parts (1 + 1 + 2 marks).
4Q42.
HISTORY ‘The war created a dramatically new economic situation. Boom-time profits of the war years gave way to a slump. To meet the war-time expenses Britain borrowed and ended the war burdened with huge debts. Agricultural economies were also in crisis as wheat prices crashed after 1925.’
(42.1) Which war is referred to here? (1) (42.2) Name the worldwide crisis of 1929 that followed. (1) (42.3) How did this crisis affect Indian peasants and farmers? (2)Show answer
(42.1) The First World War (1914-18). (42.2) The Great Depression (which began around 1929). (42.3) Agricultural prices (e.g. wheat, jute) crashed, roughly halving by 1934, but colonial revenue demands were not reduced; peasants who had borrowed and produced for the world market were hit hardest, fell deeper into debt, used up savings and mortgaged land — fuelling rural anger that fed the Civil Disobedience Movement.
4Q43.
GEOGRAPHY ‘Resource planning is a widely accepted strategy for the judicious use of resources. India has regions rich in certain resources but deficient in others: Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh are rich in minerals and coal, Arunachal Pradesh has abundant water but lacks infrastructure, Rajasthan is rich in solar and wind energy but short of water.’
(43.1) Define a ‘resource’. (1) (43.2) Why is resource planning essential in India? (1) (43.3) State the three stages of resource planning. (2)Show answer
(43.1) A resource is anything in our environment that can be used to satisfy our needs, provided it is technologically accessible, economically feasible and culturally acceptable. (43.2) Because resources are unevenly distributed (some regions rich, others deficient), planning ensures balanced, judicious use and avoids over-exploitation. (43.3) (1) Identification and inventory of resources (surveying, mapping, estimation); (2) evolving a planning structure with technology, skill and institutions; (3) matching resource development with national development plans.
4Q44.
ECONOMICS ‘Reji Mathew, a healthy Class IX boy, was admitted to a private clinic for a tonsil operation. Due to improper anaesthesia he suffered brain abnormalities and was crippled for life. His father's claim was dismissed by the State Commission but the National Commission held the hospital responsible for medical negligence and ordered compensation.’
(44.1) Which consumer right was violated? (1) (44.2) Name the three-tier bodies set up under COPRA. (1) (44.3) What does the father's eventual success show about the redressal system? (2)Show answer
(44.1) The Right to Safety — a service hazardous to life caused permanent harm through negligence. (44.2) The District, State and National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions. (44.3) It shows the system gives a right to appeal up the tiers — even after the State Commission dismissed the case, the National Commission could re-examine it and award compensation — so consumers can obtain justice, though it demands persistence and time.
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