Social Science · CBSE Class 9 · Model Question Paper Set 1 · 80 Marks · 3 Hours · 25 Quiz
Social Science — Model Question Paper (Set 1 · Board-level)
Class: 9 · Subject: Social Science (Understanding Society: India and Beyond) · Max Marks: 80 · Time: 3 hours
General Instructions
(i) The paper has six sections — A to F and 37 questions; all are compulsory. (ii) Section A (Q1–20) carries 1 mark each (objective/MCQ). (iii) Section B (Q21–24) very short answer, 2 marks each. (iv) Section C (Q25–29) short answer, 3 marks each. (v) Section D (Q30–33) long answer, 5 marks each. (vi) Section E (Q34–36) case/source-based, 4 marks each. (vii) Section F (Q37) map/skill, 5 marks. (viii) Internal choice is provided in a few questions.
SECTION A — Objective Type (20 × 1 = 20)
1. Which discipline studies the Earth, its environments and people–surroundings relationships? (a) History (b) Geography (c) Economics (d) Political Science
2. The theory of plate tectonics was given by — (a) W.J. Morgan (b) Alfred Wegener (c) Varāhamihira (d) Kauṭilya
3. U-shaped valleys, cirques and fjords are landforms made by — (a) rivers (b) wind (c) glaciers (d) waves
4. The ozone layer that filters UV radiation lies in the — (a) troposphere (b) stratosphere (c) mesosphere (d) exosphere
5. The south-west (summer) monsoon blows — (a) sea to land, Jun–Sep (b) land to sea, Oct–Feb (c) only over the Himalaya (d) east to west only
6. The first hominin to migrate out of Africa was — (a) Homo habilis (b) Homo erectus (c) Homo sapiens (d) Neanderthals
7. The Sumerian wedge-shaped writing is called — (a) hieroglyphics (b) Brahmi (c) cuneiform (d) logographic
8. The oldest Neolithic agricultural village in the Indian subcontinent is — (a) Mohenjo-daro (b) Mehrgarh (c) Lothal (d) Dholavira
9. Kauṭilya’s seven constituents of the state are called the — (a) Saptāṁga (b) Puruṣhārtha (c) Varṇa (d) Āśhrama
10. The Chola ‘ballot-pot’ system of village elections was the — (a) Kudavolai (b) Variyam (c) Agrahāra (d) Brahmadeya
11. The Constitution of India came into force on — (a) 26 Jan 1950 (b) 26 Nov 1949 (c) 15 Aug 1947 (d) 2 Oct 1950
12. Switzerland is an example of — (a) direct democracy (b) presidential democracy (c) monarchy (d) dictatorship
13. The right of every citizen 18+ to vote is called — (a) Rule of Law (b) Universal Adult Franchise (c) Sovereignty (d) Federalism
14. India uses which system for Lok Sabha & Vidhan Sabha elections? (a) FPTP (b) Proportional Representation (c) single-party list (d) nomination
15. The body that conducts elections in India is the — (a) Supreme Court (b) Parliament (c) Election Commission of India (d) CAG
16. The value of the next-best alternative given up is — (a) demand (b) opportunity cost (c) profit (d) inflation
17. In a market economy, prices are decided mainly by — (a) the government (b) demand and supply (c) a planning commission (d) the army
18. A maximum price set by the government is a — (a) price ceiling (b) price floor (c) subsidy (d) tax
19. Assertion (A): The demand curve slopes downward. Reason (R): As price rises, quantity demanded falls. — (a) Both A and R true and R explains A (b) Both true, R does not explain A (c) A true, R false (d) A false, R true
20. Assertion (A): Rivers were important for early civilisations. Reason (R): They provided water, fertile soil and transport routes. — (a) Both true and R explains A (b) Both true, R not explanation (c) A true, R false (d) A false, R true
SECTION B — Very Short Answer (4 × 2 = 8)
21. Differentiate between weathering and erosion.
22. What is meant by ‘opportunity cost’? Give one example.
23. State any two differences between a need and a want.
24. What is market equilibrium? OR What is the Rule of Law?
SECTION C — Short Answer (5 × 3 = 15)
25. Explain the three types of plate boundaries with one example each.
26. Describe the mechanism of the south-west monsoon.
27. How did the four early river-valley civilisations develop common features independently?
28. Explain any three principles of democracy upheld by the Indian Constitution.
29. State the Law of Demand and list any two of its other determinants. OR Explain the three key questions of economics.
SECTION D — Long Answer (4 × 5 = 20)
30. Describe the agents of gradation and the landforms created by rivers, glaciers and wind. OR Explain the structure (layers) of the atmosphere.
31. How did political organisation evolve from the Vedic janas to the great empires? Explain the administrative system.
32. Explain the main functions of the Election Commission of India and how it ensures free and fair elections.
33. Compare planned, market and mixed economies. OR Explain the role and limitations of government in the economy.
SECTION E — Case/Source-Based (3 × 4 = 12)
34. Read: “The Neolithic Revolution brought the domestication of plants and animals, pottery and the first villages.” (a) What change marks the Neolithic? (b) Name one Indian Neolithic site. (c) Why is it called a ‘revolution’? (2 marks)
35. Read: “An Emergency was imposed in 1975–77; rights were suspended and the press censored, yet in 1977 the government was voted out.” (a) When was the Emergency? (b) Name one effect. (c) What does its end show about Indian democracy? (2 marks)
36. Read the demand schedule — at ₹150/kg 1 kg is bought, at ₹100/kg 2 kg, at ₹50/kg 3 kg. (a) What relationship does this show? (b) Name the curve derived. (c) Why does the quantity rise as price falls? (2 marks)
SECTION F — Map / Skill (5)
37. On an outline map of the Indian subcontinent (or in a table), locate/identify any five of the following and state their significance: (i) Mehrgarh (ii) the Ganga plains (iii) Magadha (iv) a Harappan site (Dholavira/Lothal) (v) the Thar/Deccan region (vi) a major trade route (Uttarāpatha/Dakṣhiṇāpatha).
Answers & Marking Scheme (Set 1)
Full answers for Section A (objective) and model answers / key points with marking scheme for Sections B–F.
Sec ASection A — Objective (1–20) answers (20×1)
1-(b) Geography; 2-(a) W.J. Morgan; 3-(c) glaciers; 4-(b) stratosphere; 5-(a) sea to land, Jun–Sep; 6-(b) Homo erectus; 7-(c) cuneiform; 8-(b) Mehrgarh; 9-(a) Saptāṁga; 10-(a) Kudavolai; 11-(a) 26 Jan 1950; 12-(a) direct democracy; 13-(b) Universal Adult Franchise; 14-(a) FPTP; 15-(c) Election Commission of India; 16-(b) opportunity cost; 17-(b) demand and supply; 18-(a) price ceiling; 19-(a) both true, R explains A; 20-(a) both true, R explains A.
21Weathering vs erosion (2)
Weathering is the breaking down of rocks in place with no movement of the material; erosion is the wearing away AND movement/transport of the broken material by water, wind, ice or waves.
22Opportunity cost (2)
Opportunity cost is the value of the next-best alternative given up when a choice is made. Example: if a farmer uses land to grow barley instead of wheat, the wheat given up is the opportunity cost.
23Need vs want — two differences (2)
(i) A need is essential for survival (food, water, shelter), while a want is a desire beyond essentials (gadgets, luxuries). (ii) Needs are limited and basic; wants are unlimited and keep changing.
24Market equilibrium / Rule of Law (2)
Market equilibrium is the point where quantity demanded equals quantity supplied — no shortage or surplus, and price is stable. OR — Rule of Law: the principle that everyone is equal before the law and no one is above it; disputes are settled by courts through due procedure.
25Three types of plate boundaries (3)
Convergent — plates move towards each other (continent-continent collision forms fold mountains like the Himalaya). Divergent — plates move apart; magma forms new crust and mid-ocean ridges (Mid-Atlantic Ridge). Transform — plates slide past each other causing earthquakes (San Andreas Fault).
26Mechanism of the south-west monsoon (3)
In summer the Indian landmass heats faster than the ocean, creating a low-pressure area over land while the cooler Indian Ocean has high pressure. Since wind blows from high to low pressure, moisture-laden winds blow from the sea onto the land (Jun–Sep); as they rise over land and mountains, the vapour condenses and falls as rain, giving India most of its annual rainfall.
27Common features of the four river-valley civilisations (3)
Harappan, Mesopotamian, Egyptian and Chinese civilisations arose independently in fertile river plains, yet shared features: surplus food from farming, planned cities, writing systems, bronze metallurgy, trade, and organised administration/social hierarchy. Similar conditions (rivers + farming surplus) led different peoples to build complex urban civilisations.
28Three principles of democracy (3)
Any three: Popular sovereignty (power rests with the people, who vote); Rule of law (all equal before the law); Separation of powers (legislature, executive, judiciary with checks and balances); Fundamental Rights; accountability & transparency; multi-party system.
29Law of Demand + determinants / three key questions (3)
Law of Demand: as price rises, quantity demanded falls, and vice versa (inverse relation). Two other determinants: income, price of related goods (substitutes/complements), taste, seasonality, future expectations. OR — three key questions: What to produce, How to produce, For whom to produce — arising from scarcity.
30Agents of gradation & landforms / atmosphere layers (5)
Agents of gradation (running water, glaciers, wind, waves, groundwater) wear down, transport and deposit material. Rivers: waterfalls & V-valleys (upper), meanders & oxbow lakes (middle), deltas (lower). Glaciers: U-shaped valleys, cirques, moraines, fjords. Wind: yardangs, dunes (barchan/star). OR — Atmosphere layers: Troposphere (weather) → Stratosphere (ozone, aeroplanes) → Mesosphere (meteors burn) → Thermosphere (ionosphere, auroras) → Exosphere (thin air).
31Evolution of political organisation + administration (5)
From kin-based janas (clans) under a rājā (checked by sabhā/samiti) → territorial janapadas → 16 mahājanapadas (monarchies & republics) → empires (Mauryas, Guptas, Cholas). Administration: the king ruled with a council of ministers (Kauṭilya’s Saptāṁga); the empire was divided into provinces → districts → villages, run by governors and officers, with the self-governing village as the base unit (e.g., Chola village assemblies/Kudavolai).
32Functions of the ECI & ensuring free/fair elections (5)
The ECI (Articles 324–329) prepares & revises electoral rolls (SIR), fixes the election schedule, registers parties & allots symbols, enforces the Model Code of Conduct, and ensures free, fair & inclusive elections — using EVMs & VVPAT, security, and inclusivity measures (Braille EVMs, home voting for 85+/PwDs, ETPBS, cVIGIL app). Its independence and impartiality keep elections credible.
33Planned vs market vs mixed / role & limits of government (5)
Planned: government decides what/how/for whom; state owns resources; little competition (USSR, North Korea). Market: demand & supply decide; private ownership; competition drives innovation (USA, Japan). Mixed: both coexist with regulation & welfare (India post-1991). OR — Govt role: regulates unfair practices (price ceiling/floor, curbing monopoly/hoarding) and provides public goods; limits: price distortions reduce incentives, compliance burdens hurt small firms, and over-regulation discourages innovation.
34Case — Neolithic Revolution (4)
(a) The shift from hunting-gathering to agriculture and settled life (domestication of plants & animals). (b) Mehrgarh (or Burzahom, Chirand, etc.). (c) It is called a ‘revolution’ because it transformed life completely — surplus food, permanent villages, pottery and population growth laid the foundation for civilisation. (2)
35Case — Emergency 1975–77 (4)
(a) 1975–77. (b) Most Fundamental Rights were suspended / the press was censored / leaders were arrested. (c) The government being voted out in 1977 shows the resilience of Indian democracy and the power of citizens and the ballot. (2)
36Case — demand schedule (4)
(a) An inverse relationship between price and quantity demanded (Law of Demand). (b) The demand curve (downward-sloping). (c) As price falls, each consumer can buy more and more consumers can afford it (also due to diminishing marginal utility), so quantity demanded rises. (2)
37Map / skill — significance (5)
Any five with significance: Mehrgarh — oldest Neolithic/agricultural village; Ganga plains — centre of mahājanapadas & later empires; Magadha — most powerful mahājanapada → Mauryan Empire; Dholavira/Lothal — major Harappan sites (water management/dockyard); Thar/Deccan — desert/plateau shaping settlement & trade; Uttarāpatha/Dakṣhiṇāpatha — great trade routes linking the subcontinent.