Class 10 Social Studies: Half Yearly Exam Papers Set- 1

Table of Contents
1. Section A
2. Section B
3. Section C
4. Section D
5. Section E
6. Section F
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Time Allowed: 3 hours
Maximum Marks: 80
General Instructions:

Read the following instructions carefully and follow them :

• This question paper contains 37 questions. All questions are compulsory.
• Question paper is divided into SIX sections - Section A, B, C, D, E and F.
• Section A - question number 1 to 20 are multiple choice type questions. Each question carries 1 mark.
• Section B - question number 21 to 24 are Very Short Answer type questions. Each question carries 2 marks. Answer to these questions should not exceed 40 words.
• Section C - question number 25 to 29 are Short Answer type questions. Each question carries 3 marks. Answer to these questions should not exceed 60 words.
• Section D - question number 30 to 33 are Long Answer(LA) type questions. Each question carries 5 marks. Answer to these questions should not exceed 120 words.
• Section E - question number 34 to 36 are Case-based/Source-based questions with three sub-questions. Each question carries 4 marks.
• In Section F - question number 37 is Map skill based question with two parts - 37(i) History (2 marks) and 37(ii) Geography (3 marks). This question carries total 5 marks.

Syllabus: The half-yearly question paper is framed from the following chapters: The Rise of Nationalism in Europe, Nationalism in India, Resources and Development, Forest and Wildlife Resources, Water Resources, Power Sharing, Federalism, Development, Sectors of the Indian Economy.

Section A 

Multiple Choice Questions

Q1. The World Bank uses which criterion to classify different countries? (1 Mark)
(a) Literacy rate
(b) Per capita income
(c) Health status
(d) Population

Q2. Which of the following is an example of a renewable resource? (1 Mark)
(a) Crude oil
(b) Coal
(c) Groundwater
(d) Iron ore

Q3. Resources are classified as Biotic or Abiotic on the basis of their: (1 Mark)
(a) Origin
(b) Exhaustibility
(c) Ownership
(d) Status of development

Q4. The Tertiary sector is also known as the: (1 Mark)
(a) Industrial sector
(b) Agricultural sector
(c) Service sector
(d) Public sector

Q5. What was the central idea of Mahatma Gandhi's 'Satyagraha'? (1 Mark)
(a) Use of physical force
(b) Revenge
(c) Power of truth
(d) Aggression

Q6. Who was the architect of German unification? (1 Mark)
(a) Giuseppe Mazzini
(b) Otto von Bismarck
(c) William I
(d) Napoleon

Q7. Federalism is a system of government in which power is divided between: (1 Mark)
(a) The King and subjects
(b) Central authority and constituent units
(c) Two individuals
(d) Only local bodies

Q8. Which list in the Indian Constitution includes subjects like 'Defence' and 'Foreign Affairs'? (1 Mark)
(a) Union List
(b) State List
(c) Concurrent List
(d) Residuary List

Q9. Majoritarianism was a policy adopted in which country? (1 Mark)
(a) Belgium
(b) India
(c) Sri Lanka
(d) France

Q10. Black soil is also known as: (1 Mark)
(a) Alluvial soil
(b) Regur soil
(c) Laterite soil
(d) Arid soil

Q11. Project Tiger was launched in India in the year: (1 Mark)
(a) 1962
(b) 1980
(c) 1973
(d) 1991

Q12. MGNREGA 2005 guarantees how many days of employment in a year? (1 Mark)
(a) 50 days
(b) 150 days
(c) 100 days
(d) 200 days

Q13. In which state do 90 per cent of people in rural areas use ration shops (PDS)? (1 Mark)
(a) West Bengal
(b) Tamil Nadu
(c) Haryana
(d) Bihar

Q14. The Human Development Report is published by which organization? (1 Mark)
(a) World Bank
(b) IMF
(c) UNDP
(d) UNESCO

Q15. The Civil Code of 1804 in France is popularly known as the: (1 Mark)
(a) French Code
(b) Napoleonic Code
(c) Citizen's Code
(d) Revolution Code

Q16. New alluvial soil is specifically called: (1 Mark)
(a) Bangar
(b) Kankar
(c) Khadar
(d) Humus

Q17. Power to legislate on 'Residuary' subjects lies with: (1 Mark)
(a) State Governments
(b) Union Government
(c) Local Bodies
(d) High Courts

Q18. Disguised unemployment is most commonly found in which sector? (1 Mark)
(a) Service sector
(b) Industrial sector
(c) Agricultural sector
(d) IT sector

Q19. Sacred groves are patches of forest preserved due to: (1 Mark)
(a) Government laws
(b) Tribal beliefs / Nature worship
(c) Industrial needs
(d) Tourism

Q20. Vertical division of power is another name for: (1 Mark)
(a) Checks and balances
(b) Community government
(c) Federal division of power
(d) Majoritarianism

Section B

Very Short Answer Questions

Q21. Define 'Sustainable Development'. (2 Marks)

Q22. What are 'Final Goods'? (2 Marks)

Q23. Mention the powers given to the British government by the Rowlatt Act. (2 Marks)

Q24. Explain the concept of 'Community Government' in Belgium. (2 Marks)

Section C 

Short Answer Questions

Q25. Distinguish between 'Bangar' and 'Khadar' soils. (3 Marks)

Q26. Why do different people have different developmental goals? Explain with an example. (3 Marks)

Q27. Describe the three lists of legislative powers in the Indian Constitution. (3 Marks)

Q28. Why is the Tertiary sector becoming important in India? Give three reasons. (3 Marks)

Q29. How did folklore and songs contribute to the making of nationalism in India? (3 Marks)

Section D

Long Answer Questions

Q30. Describe the measures introduced by French revolutionaries to create a sense of collective identity. (5 Marks)

Q31. Explain the key features of federalism. (5 Marks)

Q32. What are 'Multi-purpose River Projects'? Discuss their benefits and reasons for opposition. (5 Marks)

Q33. Distinguish between the Organised and Unorganised sectors in terms of employment conditions. (5 Marks)

Section E 

Case-Based Questions

Q34. Read the text on 'Groundwater in India' and answer the following:
Recent evidence suggests that groundwater in India is facing a serious threat due to excessive withdrawal and unregulated use. In many regions, people depend heavily on groundwater for drinking, irrigation, and industrial purposes because surface water sources like rivers and lakes are either seasonal or polluted. Official reports show that around 300 districts in the country have recorded a fall in groundwater level of more than 4 metres over the last two decades, which is an alarming sign. This decline is largely the result of over-pumping of tube-wells, increasing population pressure, urbanization, industrial expansion, and intensive irrigation practices. Today, nearly one-third of India's regions are extracting groundwater faster than it is being replenished, turning groundwater into a stressed and endangered resource.

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(i) Why is groundwater considered a renewable resource? (1 Mark)
(ii) In which regions of India is groundwater overuse particularly high? (1 Mark) 
(iii) What are the consequences of continued over-exploitation of water? (2 Marks)

Q35. Read the following on 'Belgium' and answer the questions:
Belgium is a small European country with a highly diverse population. About 59% of the people live in the Flemish region and speak Dutch, while 40% live in the Wallonia region and speak French. A small minority speaks German. The situation becomes more complex in Brussels, the capital city, where 80% of the people speak French even though the Dutch-speaking community is numerically larger in the country as a whole. These linguistic differences led to tension and distrust, especially during the 1950s and 1960s. To prevent conflict and keep the country united, Belgian leaders decided to modify the Constitution several times between 1970 and 1993. These amendments introduced a unique power-sharing arrangement, ensuring that different communities received fair representation in the government and protecting everyone's cultural and political rights.

(i) How many times was the Belgian constitution amended for power-sharing? (1 Mark)
(ii) Mention one innovative element of the Belgian model regarding the Central Government. (1 Mark)
(iii) Why did French-speaking people in Brussels accept equal representation? (2 Marks)

Q36. Read the source on the 'Salt March' and answer the following:
By the late 1920s, the Indian National Congress felt that British rule could no longer be reformed and must instead be opposed through mass struggle. Mahatma Gandhi believed that the movement needed a symbol that ordinary Indians could easily relate to. He chose salt, because it was a basic necessity used by the poorest people. Yet the British imposed a tax on salt and controlled its production, forcing Indians to buy heavily taxed salt. On 31 January 1930, Gandhiji wrote to Viceroy Irwin listing eleven demands, including the abolition of the salt tax. When these demands were ignored, Gandhiji launched the historic Salt March to Dandi. He walked 240 km with followers from Sabarmati Ashram to the coastal village of Dandi, attracting nationwide attention.

(i) Why was the demand to abolish the salt tax considered the 'most stirring'? (1 Mark)
(ii) What was the significance of 6 April in the Dandi March? (1 Mark)
(iii) How did the Salt March mark the beginning of the Civil Disobedience Movement? (2 Marks)

Section F

Map Skill-Based Question

Q37.
(i) History: On the given political map of India, locate and label the following: (2 Marks)
(a) The place where Gandhiji violated the salt law.
(b) The site of the first peasant satyagraha movement in 1917.

(ii) Geography: On the same map, locate and label: (3 Marks)
(a) Hirakud Dam.
(b) A major region of Black soil.
(c) A major region of Alluvial soil.

You can see the solutions here.