Class 10 Social Science: CBSE (Official) Marking Scheme with Solution (2025-26) | Social Studies (SST) Class 10 PDF Download

 Page 1


1 
 
MARKING SCHEME 
SOCIAL SCIENCE (087) 
CLASS-X (2025-26) 
   Time Allowed: 3hrs                                                                                                     Max. Marks:80 
 
 SECTION A 
HISTORY (20 marks) 
 
1 1- A-4, B-1, C-2, D-3                                         1 
2 B- Bal Gangadhar Tilak                                                  
 
V.I candidates –  
B - To return to Council Politics 
1 
3 A - Widespread poverty and deadly diseases 1 
4 B - Absolutist institutions like monarchy and church 1 
5A. 1. Chinese pottery, textiles and spices from India and Southeast Asia also travelled 
the same route. In return, precious metals - gold and silver - flowed from Europe to 
Asia. 
2.  Trade and cultural exchange went hand in hand. Buddhism from India spread 
in several directions through intersecting points on the silk routes. 
3. Early Christian missionaries travelled this route to reach Asia and Muslim 
preachers took the same route a few centuries later.                 (Any 2  points) 
2 
 OR  
5B. 1. Sometimes new crops like potatoes could make the difference between life and 
death. It was with the introduction of the humble potato that Europe’s poor began 
to eat well, eat better and live longer. 
2.  Ireland’s poor peasants became so dependent on potatoes that when the 
potato crop was destroyed by disease in the mid-1840s, hundreds of thousands of 
peasants died of starvation                                       
 
6A. 1. Figure or Image – The identity of India came to be visually associated with the 
image of Bharat Mata. This image was created by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.  
Rabindranath Tagore painted his famous image of Bharat Mata. In this painting, 
Bharat Mata is portrayed as an ascetic figure; she is calm, composed, divine and 
spiritual. 
2. Songs – Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay wrote ‘VandeMataram’ as a hymn to 
the motherland. It was included in his novel Anandmath and widely sung during the 
Swadeshi Movement in Bengal.   
3. Folklore – Indian folklore was revived. In late-nineteenth-century India, 
nationalists began recording folk tales sung by bards and they toured villages to 
gather folk songs and legends. These tales gave a true picture of traditional culture. 
It helped to restore a sense of pride in our past. In Bengal, Rabindranath Tagore 
himself began collecting ballads, nursery rhymes and myths, and led the movement 
3 
Page 2


1 
 
MARKING SCHEME 
SOCIAL SCIENCE (087) 
CLASS-X (2025-26) 
   Time Allowed: 3hrs                                                                                                     Max. Marks:80 
 
 SECTION A 
HISTORY (20 marks) 
 
1 1- A-4, B-1, C-2, D-3                                         1 
2 B- Bal Gangadhar Tilak                                                  
 
V.I candidates –  
B - To return to Council Politics 
1 
3 A - Widespread poverty and deadly diseases 1 
4 B - Absolutist institutions like monarchy and church 1 
5A. 1. Chinese pottery, textiles and spices from India and Southeast Asia also travelled 
the same route. In return, precious metals - gold and silver - flowed from Europe to 
Asia. 
2.  Trade and cultural exchange went hand in hand. Buddhism from India spread 
in several directions through intersecting points on the silk routes. 
3. Early Christian missionaries travelled this route to reach Asia and Muslim 
preachers took the same route a few centuries later.                 (Any 2  points) 
2 
 OR  
5B. 1. Sometimes new crops like potatoes could make the difference between life and 
death. It was with the introduction of the humble potato that Europe’s poor began 
to eat well, eat better and live longer. 
2.  Ireland’s poor peasants became so dependent on potatoes that when the 
potato crop was destroyed by disease in the mid-1840s, hundreds of thousands of 
peasants died of starvation                                       
 
6A. 1. Figure or Image – The identity of India came to be visually associated with the 
image of Bharat Mata. This image was created by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.  
Rabindranath Tagore painted his famous image of Bharat Mata. In this painting, 
Bharat Mata is portrayed as an ascetic figure; she is calm, composed, divine and 
spiritual. 
2. Songs – Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay wrote ‘VandeMataram’ as a hymn to 
the motherland. It was included in his novel Anandmath and widely sung during the 
Swadeshi Movement in Bengal.   
3. Folklore – Indian folklore was revived. In late-nineteenth-century India, 
nationalists began recording folk tales sung by bards and they toured villages to 
gather folk songs and legends. These tales gave a true picture of traditional culture. 
It helped to restore a sense of pride in our past. In Bengal, Rabindranath Tagore 
himself began collecting ballads, nursery rhymes and myths, and led the movement 
3 
2 
 
for folk revival. In Madras, Natesa Sastri published a massive four-volume collection 
of Tamil folk tales, The Folklore of Southern India. 
4. – Flag (A). During the Swadeshi movement in Bengal, a tricolour flag (red, green 
and yellow) was designed. It had eight lotuses representing eight provinces of 
British India, and a crescent moon, representing Hindus and Muslims.  
(B). By 1921, Gandhiji had designed the Swaraj flag. It was again a tricolour (red, 
green and white) and had a spinning wheel in the centre, representing the Gandhian 
ideal of self-help. Carrying the flag, holding it aloft, during marches became a 
symbol of defiance.   
5. Re – interpretation of History – Indians began looking into the past to discover 
India’s great achievements. They wrote about art and architecture, Science and 
Maths, religion and culture, law, philosophy etc. Indians were asked to take pride in 
India’s great achievements in the past and struggle to change the miserable 
conditions of life under British rule.                   (Any three points to be considered)                                                                                      
 OR  
6B. 1. Salt became an effective tool of resistance against colonialism because of the 
following reasons:  Gandhiji found in salt a powerful bond that would unite the 
nations as it – was consumed by all rich and poor alike. 
2. Gandhiji’s letter to Viceroy Irwin stated eleven demands. Most of them were of 
general interest but the most stirring was to abolish the salt tax imposed by the 
colonial government.  
3. Irwin’s unwillingness to negotiate forced Gandhiji to start his salt March which 
was joined by thousands. It developed the feeling of nationalism.  
4. People in different parts of the country broke salt law and manufactured salt and 
demonstrated in front of government salt factories.  
5. People unitedly followed Gandhiji’s words. They refused to pay taxes, revenues, 
picketed liquor shops, boycotted foreign clothes, resigned from government jobs 
and violated forest laws.                                    (Any three points to be considered)]  
 
7A. 1. In Britain the formation of the nation-state was not the result of a sudden upheaval 
or revolution. The primary identities of the people who inhabited the British Isles 
were ethnic ones - such as English, Welsh, Scot or Irish. 
2. The Act of Union (1707) between England and Scotland resulted in the formation 
of the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain' meant that England was able to impose its 
influence on Scotland. Scotland's distinctive culture and political institutions were 
systematically suppressed. 
3. The Scottish Highlanders were forbidden to speak their Gaelic language or wear 
their national dress and large numbers were forcibly driven out of their homeland. 
4. The English helped the Protestants of Ireland to establish their dominance over 
a largely Catholic country. Catholic revolts against British dominance were 
suppressed. Ireland was forcibly incorporated into the United Kingdom in 1801. 
5. The symbols of the new Britain - the British flag, the national anthem, the English 
language were actively promoted and the older nations survived only as 
subordinate partners in this union. 
5 
 OR  
Page 3


1 
 
MARKING SCHEME 
SOCIAL SCIENCE (087) 
CLASS-X (2025-26) 
   Time Allowed: 3hrs                                                                                                     Max. Marks:80 
 
 SECTION A 
HISTORY (20 marks) 
 
1 1- A-4, B-1, C-2, D-3                                         1 
2 B- Bal Gangadhar Tilak                                                  
 
V.I candidates –  
B - To return to Council Politics 
1 
3 A - Widespread poverty and deadly diseases 1 
4 B - Absolutist institutions like monarchy and church 1 
5A. 1. Chinese pottery, textiles and spices from India and Southeast Asia also travelled 
the same route. In return, precious metals - gold and silver - flowed from Europe to 
Asia. 
2.  Trade and cultural exchange went hand in hand. Buddhism from India spread 
in several directions through intersecting points on the silk routes. 
3. Early Christian missionaries travelled this route to reach Asia and Muslim 
preachers took the same route a few centuries later.                 (Any 2  points) 
2 
 OR  
5B. 1. Sometimes new crops like potatoes could make the difference between life and 
death. It was with the introduction of the humble potato that Europe’s poor began 
to eat well, eat better and live longer. 
2.  Ireland’s poor peasants became so dependent on potatoes that when the 
potato crop was destroyed by disease in the mid-1840s, hundreds of thousands of 
peasants died of starvation                                       
 
6A. 1. Figure or Image – The identity of India came to be visually associated with the 
image of Bharat Mata. This image was created by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.  
Rabindranath Tagore painted his famous image of Bharat Mata. In this painting, 
Bharat Mata is portrayed as an ascetic figure; she is calm, composed, divine and 
spiritual. 
2. Songs – Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay wrote ‘VandeMataram’ as a hymn to 
the motherland. It was included in his novel Anandmath and widely sung during the 
Swadeshi Movement in Bengal.   
3. Folklore – Indian folklore was revived. In late-nineteenth-century India, 
nationalists began recording folk tales sung by bards and they toured villages to 
gather folk songs and legends. These tales gave a true picture of traditional culture. 
It helped to restore a sense of pride in our past. In Bengal, Rabindranath Tagore 
himself began collecting ballads, nursery rhymes and myths, and led the movement 
3 
2 
 
for folk revival. In Madras, Natesa Sastri published a massive four-volume collection 
of Tamil folk tales, The Folklore of Southern India. 
4. – Flag (A). During the Swadeshi movement in Bengal, a tricolour flag (red, green 
and yellow) was designed. It had eight lotuses representing eight provinces of 
British India, and a crescent moon, representing Hindus and Muslims.  
(B). By 1921, Gandhiji had designed the Swaraj flag. It was again a tricolour (red, 
green and white) and had a spinning wheel in the centre, representing the Gandhian 
ideal of self-help. Carrying the flag, holding it aloft, during marches became a 
symbol of defiance.   
5. Re – interpretation of History – Indians began looking into the past to discover 
India’s great achievements. They wrote about art and architecture, Science and 
Maths, religion and culture, law, philosophy etc. Indians were asked to take pride in 
India’s great achievements in the past and struggle to change the miserable 
conditions of life under British rule.                   (Any three points to be considered)                                                                                      
 OR  
6B. 1. Salt became an effective tool of resistance against colonialism because of the 
following reasons:  Gandhiji found in salt a powerful bond that would unite the 
nations as it – was consumed by all rich and poor alike. 
2. Gandhiji’s letter to Viceroy Irwin stated eleven demands. Most of them were of 
general interest but the most stirring was to abolish the salt tax imposed by the 
colonial government.  
3. Irwin’s unwillingness to negotiate forced Gandhiji to start his salt March which 
was joined by thousands. It developed the feeling of nationalism.  
4. People in different parts of the country broke salt law and manufactured salt and 
demonstrated in front of government salt factories.  
5. People unitedly followed Gandhiji’s words. They refused to pay taxes, revenues, 
picketed liquor shops, boycotted foreign clothes, resigned from government jobs 
and violated forest laws.                                    (Any three points to be considered)]  
 
7A. 1. In Britain the formation of the nation-state was not the result of a sudden upheaval 
or revolution. The primary identities of the people who inhabited the British Isles 
were ethnic ones - such as English, Welsh, Scot or Irish. 
2. The Act of Union (1707) between England and Scotland resulted in the formation 
of the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain' meant that England was able to impose its 
influence on Scotland. Scotland's distinctive culture and political institutions were 
systematically suppressed. 
3. The Scottish Highlanders were forbidden to speak their Gaelic language or wear 
their national dress and large numbers were forcibly driven out of their homeland. 
4. The English helped the Protestants of Ireland to establish their dominance over 
a largely Catholic country. Catholic revolts against British dominance were 
suppressed. Ireland was forcibly incorporated into the United Kingdom in 1801. 
5. The symbols of the new Britain - the British flag, the national anthem, the English 
language were actively promoted and the older nations survived only as 
subordinate partners in this union. 
5 
 OR  
3 
 
7B 1. The Bourbon dynasty, which had been deposed during the French Revolution, 
was restored to power, and France lost the territories it had annexed under 
Napoleon. 
2.  A series of states were set up on the boundaries of France to prevent French 
expansion in future. Thus the kingdom of the Netherlands, which included 
Belgium, was set up in the north and Genoa was added to Piedmont in the south. 
3. Prussia was given important new territories on its western frontiers, while Austria 
was given control of northern Italy.  
4. The German confederation of 39 states that had been set up by Napoleon was 
left untouched. In the east, Russia was given part of Poland while Prussia was 
given a portion of Saxony.  
5. The main intention was to restore the monarchies that had been overthrown by 
Napoleon, and create a new conservative order in Europe.                                                                  
 
8. 8.1 Krishnaji wanted to publish significant information about societal developments 
in the areas of politics, science, and other fields in order to inform the public. 
8.2 The media used to criticise and analyse government policies were local 
newspapers and political organisations. As a result, both of these served as the 
government's opposition. 
8.3 Reasons for popularity of newspapers during 19th century are: 
i. The political developments in the country began to interest a sizable portion of 
society, and this information was skillfully presented in the newspapers. 
ii. Newspapers started to serve as a source for societal advancements in social, 
cultural, and scientific 
(1+1+
2=4) 
9. Marked on the map. 
(Answers to the questions for the V.I candidates are also the same-though only 
naming of the locations is required.) 
(1+1=
2) 
 SECTION B 
GEOGRAPHY (20 marks)  
 
10. C - echnological development and institutional changes.                                 1 
11. D - Black soil & Laterite soil.                          1 
12. A. Reduction in the prey species leading to the tiger's dwindling food supp          1 
13. A - These places have a significant portion of forests managed as reserved or 
protected forests for conservation.                 
1 
14. D – Tamil Nadu                                                                   1 
15. B - To provide better irrigation systems and sustainable water conservation 
practices for farmers. 
1 
16. Climate and Irrigation: 
? Haryana and Punjab have a well-developed irrigation system (e.g., canal 
irrigation from the Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal), which allows for large-scale 
2 
Page 4


1 
 
MARKING SCHEME 
SOCIAL SCIENCE (087) 
CLASS-X (2025-26) 
   Time Allowed: 3hrs                                                                                                     Max. Marks:80 
 
 SECTION A 
HISTORY (20 marks) 
 
1 1- A-4, B-1, C-2, D-3                                         1 
2 B- Bal Gangadhar Tilak                                                  
 
V.I candidates –  
B - To return to Council Politics 
1 
3 A - Widespread poverty and deadly diseases 1 
4 B - Absolutist institutions like monarchy and church 1 
5A. 1. Chinese pottery, textiles and spices from India and Southeast Asia also travelled 
the same route. In return, precious metals - gold and silver - flowed from Europe to 
Asia. 
2.  Trade and cultural exchange went hand in hand. Buddhism from India spread 
in several directions through intersecting points on the silk routes. 
3. Early Christian missionaries travelled this route to reach Asia and Muslim 
preachers took the same route a few centuries later.                 (Any 2  points) 
2 
 OR  
5B. 1. Sometimes new crops like potatoes could make the difference between life and 
death. It was with the introduction of the humble potato that Europe’s poor began 
to eat well, eat better and live longer. 
2.  Ireland’s poor peasants became so dependent on potatoes that when the 
potato crop was destroyed by disease in the mid-1840s, hundreds of thousands of 
peasants died of starvation                                       
 
6A. 1. Figure or Image – The identity of India came to be visually associated with the 
image of Bharat Mata. This image was created by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.  
Rabindranath Tagore painted his famous image of Bharat Mata. In this painting, 
Bharat Mata is portrayed as an ascetic figure; she is calm, composed, divine and 
spiritual. 
2. Songs – Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay wrote ‘VandeMataram’ as a hymn to 
the motherland. It was included in his novel Anandmath and widely sung during the 
Swadeshi Movement in Bengal.   
3. Folklore – Indian folklore was revived. In late-nineteenth-century India, 
nationalists began recording folk tales sung by bards and they toured villages to 
gather folk songs and legends. These tales gave a true picture of traditional culture. 
It helped to restore a sense of pride in our past. In Bengal, Rabindranath Tagore 
himself began collecting ballads, nursery rhymes and myths, and led the movement 
3 
2 
 
for folk revival. In Madras, Natesa Sastri published a massive four-volume collection 
of Tamil folk tales, The Folklore of Southern India. 
4. – Flag (A). During the Swadeshi movement in Bengal, a tricolour flag (red, green 
and yellow) was designed. It had eight lotuses representing eight provinces of 
British India, and a crescent moon, representing Hindus and Muslims.  
(B). By 1921, Gandhiji had designed the Swaraj flag. It was again a tricolour (red, 
green and white) and had a spinning wheel in the centre, representing the Gandhian 
ideal of self-help. Carrying the flag, holding it aloft, during marches became a 
symbol of defiance.   
5. Re – interpretation of History – Indians began looking into the past to discover 
India’s great achievements. They wrote about art and architecture, Science and 
Maths, religion and culture, law, philosophy etc. Indians were asked to take pride in 
India’s great achievements in the past and struggle to change the miserable 
conditions of life under British rule.                   (Any three points to be considered)                                                                                      
 OR  
6B. 1. Salt became an effective tool of resistance against colonialism because of the 
following reasons:  Gandhiji found in salt a powerful bond that would unite the 
nations as it – was consumed by all rich and poor alike. 
2. Gandhiji’s letter to Viceroy Irwin stated eleven demands. Most of them were of 
general interest but the most stirring was to abolish the salt tax imposed by the 
colonial government.  
3. Irwin’s unwillingness to negotiate forced Gandhiji to start his salt March which 
was joined by thousands. It developed the feeling of nationalism.  
4. People in different parts of the country broke salt law and manufactured salt and 
demonstrated in front of government salt factories.  
5. People unitedly followed Gandhiji’s words. They refused to pay taxes, revenues, 
picketed liquor shops, boycotted foreign clothes, resigned from government jobs 
and violated forest laws.                                    (Any three points to be considered)]  
 
7A. 1. In Britain the formation of the nation-state was not the result of a sudden upheaval 
or revolution. The primary identities of the people who inhabited the British Isles 
were ethnic ones - such as English, Welsh, Scot or Irish. 
2. The Act of Union (1707) between England and Scotland resulted in the formation 
of the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain' meant that England was able to impose its 
influence on Scotland. Scotland's distinctive culture and political institutions were 
systematically suppressed. 
3. The Scottish Highlanders were forbidden to speak their Gaelic language or wear 
their national dress and large numbers were forcibly driven out of their homeland. 
4. The English helped the Protestants of Ireland to establish their dominance over 
a largely Catholic country. Catholic revolts against British dominance were 
suppressed. Ireland was forcibly incorporated into the United Kingdom in 1801. 
5. The symbols of the new Britain - the British flag, the national anthem, the English 
language were actively promoted and the older nations survived only as 
subordinate partners in this union. 
5 
 OR  
3 
 
7B 1. The Bourbon dynasty, which had been deposed during the French Revolution, 
was restored to power, and France lost the territories it had annexed under 
Napoleon. 
2.  A series of states were set up on the boundaries of France to prevent French 
expansion in future. Thus the kingdom of the Netherlands, which included 
Belgium, was set up in the north and Genoa was added to Piedmont in the south. 
3. Prussia was given important new territories on its western frontiers, while Austria 
was given control of northern Italy.  
4. The German confederation of 39 states that had been set up by Napoleon was 
left untouched. In the east, Russia was given part of Poland while Prussia was 
given a portion of Saxony.  
5. The main intention was to restore the monarchies that had been overthrown by 
Napoleon, and create a new conservative order in Europe.                                                                  
 
8. 8.1 Krishnaji wanted to publish significant information about societal developments 
in the areas of politics, science, and other fields in order to inform the public. 
8.2 The media used to criticise and analyse government policies were local 
newspapers and political organisations. As a result, both of these served as the 
government's opposition. 
8.3 Reasons for popularity of newspapers during 19th century are: 
i. The political developments in the country began to interest a sizable portion of 
society, and this information was skillfully presented in the newspapers. 
ii. Newspapers started to serve as a source for societal advancements in social, 
cultural, and scientific 
(1+1+
2=4) 
9. Marked on the map. 
(Answers to the questions for the V.I candidates are also the same-though only 
naming of the locations is required.) 
(1+1=
2) 
 SECTION B 
GEOGRAPHY (20 marks)  
 
10. C - echnological development and institutional changes.                                 1 
11. D - Black soil & Laterite soil.                          1 
12. A. Reduction in the prey species leading to the tiger's dwindling food supp          1 
13. A - These places have a significant portion of forests managed as reserved or 
protected forests for conservation.                 
1 
14. D – Tamil Nadu                                                                   1 
15. B - To provide better irrigation systems and sustainable water conservation 
practices for farmers. 
1 
16. Climate and Irrigation: 
? Haryana and Punjab have a well-developed irrigation system (e.g., canal 
irrigation from the Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal), which allows for large-scale 
2 
4 
 
commercial cultivation of rice. The climate is suitable for high-yielding 
varieties, and irrigation ensures water availability. 
? In contrast, Odisha has a more monsoonal climate, and while rice is grown, 
the farming is often rainfed and primarily for local consumption. The lack of 
large-scale irrigation systems limits its commercialization. 
Economic Factors (Market Access): 
? In Punjab and Haryana, rice is grown for commercial purposes to meet 
national and international demand. The proximity to markets, government 
procurement systems, and well-developed transport networks enable these 
states to export surplus rice. 
? In Odisha, rice is mostly grown for personal or local use, with less access to 
large markets for profit-driven farming, making it a subsistence crop. 
Farming Practices: 
? In Punjab and Haryana, the use of modern farming techniques, machinery, 
and high-yielding varieties supports commercial rice cultivation. 
? In Odisha, rice farming is more traditional and focused on family 
sustenance rather than large-scale production, which reflects the 
subsistence nature of cultivation. 
Or any other relevant point(s) (Any 2 point to be considered out of which at least 
one should be related to climate and one economic) 
17A. 1. Odisha was the largest bauxite producing state in India in 2016- 
17. Panchpatmali deposits in Koraput district are the most 
important bauxite deposits in the state. 
2. Aluminium is an important metal because it combines the 
strength of metals such as iron, 
3. It is a good alternative to other metals due to its extreme 
lightness and 
4. also has good conductivity and 
5. great malleability (any other relevant point - 5 points)  
5 
 OR  
17B. Significance: 
 
-It is used for power generation, 
-To supply energy to industry as well as for domestic needs. 
-India is highly dependent on coal for meeting its commercial energy 
requirements.e.g., in metallurgy 
- any other relevant point (at least 2) 
 
Variety of coal types- 
 
Coal, is found in a variety of forms depending on the degrees of compression and 
the depth and time of burial. 
 
Page 5


1 
 
MARKING SCHEME 
SOCIAL SCIENCE (087) 
CLASS-X (2025-26) 
   Time Allowed: 3hrs                                                                                                     Max. Marks:80 
 
 SECTION A 
HISTORY (20 marks) 
 
1 1- A-4, B-1, C-2, D-3                                         1 
2 B- Bal Gangadhar Tilak                                                  
 
V.I candidates –  
B - To return to Council Politics 
1 
3 A - Widespread poverty and deadly diseases 1 
4 B - Absolutist institutions like monarchy and church 1 
5A. 1. Chinese pottery, textiles and spices from India and Southeast Asia also travelled 
the same route. In return, precious metals - gold and silver - flowed from Europe to 
Asia. 
2.  Trade and cultural exchange went hand in hand. Buddhism from India spread 
in several directions through intersecting points on the silk routes. 
3. Early Christian missionaries travelled this route to reach Asia and Muslim 
preachers took the same route a few centuries later.                 (Any 2  points) 
2 
 OR  
5B. 1. Sometimes new crops like potatoes could make the difference between life and 
death. It was with the introduction of the humble potato that Europe’s poor began 
to eat well, eat better and live longer. 
2.  Ireland’s poor peasants became so dependent on potatoes that when the 
potato crop was destroyed by disease in the mid-1840s, hundreds of thousands of 
peasants died of starvation                                       
 
6A. 1. Figure or Image – The identity of India came to be visually associated with the 
image of Bharat Mata. This image was created by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.  
Rabindranath Tagore painted his famous image of Bharat Mata. In this painting, 
Bharat Mata is portrayed as an ascetic figure; she is calm, composed, divine and 
spiritual. 
2. Songs – Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay wrote ‘VandeMataram’ as a hymn to 
the motherland. It was included in his novel Anandmath and widely sung during the 
Swadeshi Movement in Bengal.   
3. Folklore – Indian folklore was revived. In late-nineteenth-century India, 
nationalists began recording folk tales sung by bards and they toured villages to 
gather folk songs and legends. These tales gave a true picture of traditional culture. 
It helped to restore a sense of pride in our past. In Bengal, Rabindranath Tagore 
himself began collecting ballads, nursery rhymes and myths, and led the movement 
3 
2 
 
for folk revival. In Madras, Natesa Sastri published a massive four-volume collection 
of Tamil folk tales, The Folklore of Southern India. 
4. – Flag (A). During the Swadeshi movement in Bengal, a tricolour flag (red, green 
and yellow) was designed. It had eight lotuses representing eight provinces of 
British India, and a crescent moon, representing Hindus and Muslims.  
(B). By 1921, Gandhiji had designed the Swaraj flag. It was again a tricolour (red, 
green and white) and had a spinning wheel in the centre, representing the Gandhian 
ideal of self-help. Carrying the flag, holding it aloft, during marches became a 
symbol of defiance.   
5. Re – interpretation of History – Indians began looking into the past to discover 
India’s great achievements. They wrote about art and architecture, Science and 
Maths, religion and culture, law, philosophy etc. Indians were asked to take pride in 
India’s great achievements in the past and struggle to change the miserable 
conditions of life under British rule.                   (Any three points to be considered)                                                                                      
 OR  
6B. 1. Salt became an effective tool of resistance against colonialism because of the 
following reasons:  Gandhiji found in salt a powerful bond that would unite the 
nations as it – was consumed by all rich and poor alike. 
2. Gandhiji’s letter to Viceroy Irwin stated eleven demands. Most of them were of 
general interest but the most stirring was to abolish the salt tax imposed by the 
colonial government.  
3. Irwin’s unwillingness to negotiate forced Gandhiji to start his salt March which 
was joined by thousands. It developed the feeling of nationalism.  
4. People in different parts of the country broke salt law and manufactured salt and 
demonstrated in front of government salt factories.  
5. People unitedly followed Gandhiji’s words. They refused to pay taxes, revenues, 
picketed liquor shops, boycotted foreign clothes, resigned from government jobs 
and violated forest laws.                                    (Any three points to be considered)]  
 
7A. 1. In Britain the formation of the nation-state was not the result of a sudden upheaval 
or revolution. The primary identities of the people who inhabited the British Isles 
were ethnic ones - such as English, Welsh, Scot or Irish. 
2. The Act of Union (1707) between England and Scotland resulted in the formation 
of the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain' meant that England was able to impose its 
influence on Scotland. Scotland's distinctive culture and political institutions were 
systematically suppressed. 
3. The Scottish Highlanders were forbidden to speak their Gaelic language or wear 
their national dress and large numbers were forcibly driven out of their homeland. 
4. The English helped the Protestants of Ireland to establish their dominance over 
a largely Catholic country. Catholic revolts against British dominance were 
suppressed. Ireland was forcibly incorporated into the United Kingdom in 1801. 
5. The symbols of the new Britain - the British flag, the national anthem, the English 
language were actively promoted and the older nations survived only as 
subordinate partners in this union. 
5 
 OR  
3 
 
7B 1. The Bourbon dynasty, which had been deposed during the French Revolution, 
was restored to power, and France lost the territories it had annexed under 
Napoleon. 
2.  A series of states were set up on the boundaries of France to prevent French 
expansion in future. Thus the kingdom of the Netherlands, which included 
Belgium, was set up in the north and Genoa was added to Piedmont in the south. 
3. Prussia was given important new territories on its western frontiers, while Austria 
was given control of northern Italy.  
4. The German confederation of 39 states that had been set up by Napoleon was 
left untouched. In the east, Russia was given part of Poland while Prussia was 
given a portion of Saxony.  
5. The main intention was to restore the monarchies that had been overthrown by 
Napoleon, and create a new conservative order in Europe.                                                                  
 
8. 8.1 Krishnaji wanted to publish significant information about societal developments 
in the areas of politics, science, and other fields in order to inform the public. 
8.2 The media used to criticise and analyse government policies were local 
newspapers and political organisations. As a result, both of these served as the 
government's opposition. 
8.3 Reasons for popularity of newspapers during 19th century are: 
i. The political developments in the country began to interest a sizable portion of 
society, and this information was skillfully presented in the newspapers. 
ii. Newspapers started to serve as a source for societal advancements in social, 
cultural, and scientific 
(1+1+
2=4) 
9. Marked on the map. 
(Answers to the questions for the V.I candidates are also the same-though only 
naming of the locations is required.) 
(1+1=
2) 
 SECTION B 
GEOGRAPHY (20 marks)  
 
10. C - echnological development and institutional changes.                                 1 
11. D - Black soil & Laterite soil.                          1 
12. A. Reduction in the prey species leading to the tiger's dwindling food supp          1 
13. A - These places have a significant portion of forests managed as reserved or 
protected forests for conservation.                 
1 
14. D – Tamil Nadu                                                                   1 
15. B - To provide better irrigation systems and sustainable water conservation 
practices for farmers. 
1 
16. Climate and Irrigation: 
? Haryana and Punjab have a well-developed irrigation system (e.g., canal 
irrigation from the Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal), which allows for large-scale 
2 
4 
 
commercial cultivation of rice. The climate is suitable for high-yielding 
varieties, and irrigation ensures water availability. 
? In contrast, Odisha has a more monsoonal climate, and while rice is grown, 
the farming is often rainfed and primarily for local consumption. The lack of 
large-scale irrigation systems limits its commercialization. 
Economic Factors (Market Access): 
? In Punjab and Haryana, rice is grown for commercial purposes to meet 
national and international demand. The proximity to markets, government 
procurement systems, and well-developed transport networks enable these 
states to export surplus rice. 
? In Odisha, rice is mostly grown for personal or local use, with less access to 
large markets for profit-driven farming, making it a subsistence crop. 
Farming Practices: 
? In Punjab and Haryana, the use of modern farming techniques, machinery, 
and high-yielding varieties supports commercial rice cultivation. 
? In Odisha, rice farming is more traditional and focused on family 
sustenance rather than large-scale production, which reflects the 
subsistence nature of cultivation. 
Or any other relevant point(s) (Any 2 point to be considered out of which at least 
one should be related to climate and one economic) 
17A. 1. Odisha was the largest bauxite producing state in India in 2016- 
17. Panchpatmali deposits in Koraput district are the most 
important bauxite deposits in the state. 
2. Aluminium is an important metal because it combines the 
strength of metals such as iron, 
3. It is a good alternative to other metals due to its extreme 
lightness and 
4. also has good conductivity and 
5. great malleability (any other relevant point - 5 points)  
5 
 OR  
17B. Significance: 
 
-It is used for power generation, 
-To supply energy to industry as well as for domestic needs. 
-India is highly dependent on coal for meeting its commercial energy 
requirements.e.g., in metallurgy 
- any other relevant point (at least 2) 
 
Variety of coal types- 
 
Coal, is found in a variety of forms depending on the degrees of compression and 
the depth and time of burial. 
 
5 
 
1. Peat - Decaying plants in swamps produce peat. Which has a low carbon and 
high moisture contents and low heating capacity. 
2. Lignite - is a low grade brown coal, which is soft with high moisture content. The 
principal lignite reserves are in Neyveli in Tamil Nadu and are used for 
generation of electricity. 
3. Bituminous coal-Coal that has been buried deep and subjected to increased 
temperatures. It is the most popular coal in commercial use. Metallurgical coal 
is high grade bituminous coal which has a special value for smelting iron in blast 
     furnaces. 
4. Anthracite -is the highest quality hard coal.  
18. 18.1 Due to intensive material production and consumption. 
18.2 Manufacturing industries are a major cause for- 
 
 1)  air pollution – Smoke is emitted by chemical and paper factories, brick kilns, 
refineries and smelting plants, and burning of fossil fuels in big and small factories 
that ignore pollution norms. Toxic gas leaks can be very hazardous with long-term 
effects. 
2) Water pollution is caused by organic and inorganic industrial wastes and 
affluents discharged into rivers. The main culprits in this regard are paper, pulp, 
chemical, textile and dyeing, petroleum refineries, tanneries and electroplating 
industries that let out dyes, detergents, acids, salts and heavy metals like lead 
and mercury pesticides, fertilisers, synthetic chemicals with carbon, plastics and 
rubber, etc. into the water bodies.  
3) Thermal pollution of water occurs when hot water from factories and thermal 
plants is drained into rivers and ponds before cooling.  
4) Dumping of wastes specially glass, harmful chemicals, industrial effluents, 
packaging, salts and garbage renders the soil useless.  
5)Rain water percolates to the soil carrying the pollutants to the ground and the 
ground water also gets contaminated. 
6) Industrial and construction activities, machinery, factory equipment, generators, 
saws and pneumatic and electric drills also make a lot of noise. (Or any other 
relevant point) – Any two points 
18.3 Poor people, cannot afford to protect themselves from the negative impacts 
of pollution, end up suffering the most. This also leads to social disparity/inequality 
due to the ill effects of poverty. (Can be explained with the help of an example) 
(1+2+
1=4) 
19.  Marked on the map. 
(Answers to the questions for the V.I candidates are also the same-though only 
naming of the locations is required.) 
(1+2=
3) 
 SECTION C 
POLITICAL SCIENCE (20 marks) 
 
20. B- III and IV 1 
21. A – Coalition Government.                                                    
V.I candidates – D. II and III 
1