Pariksha SaathiPedagogy
CTET Social Studies (SST) MCQ with Answers, Paper 2
756 practice questions on Social Studies and its Pedagogy (Paper II) for CTET Paper II (Social Studies/Social Science), with answers; most also have an explanation or a worked solution. Try each one before you open its answer.
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Q.101
Industries owned and operated by the producers or suppliers of raw materials, by workers, or by both, such as Anand Milk Union Limited in Gujarat, belong to the:
- A cooperative sector
- B public sector
- C joint sector
- D private sector
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) cooperative sector
Cooperative-sector industries are owned and run by the producers or suppliers of raw materials, workers or both; Anand Milk Union Limited and Sudha Dairy are well-known examples. Public-sector industries are owned by the government, and joint-sector industries by the state together with individuals.
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Q.102
Assertion (A): Fundamental Rights protect citizens against the arbitrary and absolute use of power by the State.
Reason (R): Fundamental Rights cannot be enforced through the courts.
- A Both A and R are true; R explains A
- B Both A and R are true; R does not explain A
- C A is true; R is false
- D A is false; R is true
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) A is true; R is false
Fundamental Rights limit the power of the State and protect all citizens, including minorities. They are enforceable: a citizen can move the High Court or the Supreme Court under the Right to Constitutional Remedies, so R is false.
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Q.103
Abanindranath Tagore and other artists of the Bengal school rejected Raja Ravi Varma's art as imitative and Westernised. To create a genuinely Indian style, they drew inspiration from:
- A European history paintings that celebrated British victories
- B the photographs of Indian landscapes taken by British travellers
- C medieval Indian miniatures and the ancient murals of the Ajanta caves
- D the neo-Gothic public buildings that were rising in Bombay
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) medieval Indian miniatures and the ancient murals of the Ajanta caves
The Bengal school turned to non-Western traditions, especially medieval Indian miniatures and the mural paintings of Ajanta, and was also influenced by Japanese artists who visited India. They felt Ravi Varma's style was unsuitable for depicting the nation's ancient myths and legends.
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Q.104
In 1318 the poet Amir Khusrau noted that there was a different language in every region of the land, such as Sindhi, Lahori, Kashmiri, Gujari, Gauri and Hindawi. What did he say about Sanskrit?
- A It was the spoken language of Delhi and of the whole area around the city
- B It belonged to no region; it was an old language known only to the brahmanas
- C It had replaced Persian as the language of the Sultan's court and its records
- D It was spoken only by the people of the Tamil country in the far south
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) It belonged to no region; it was an old language known only to the brahmanas
Amir Khusrau explained that, unlike the regional languages, Sanskrit did not belong to any region; it was an old language that common people did not know and only the brahmanas did. Hindawi was his name for the language of the area around Delhi.
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Q.105
Under Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE), values and attitudes such as respect for diversity and cooperation in a social science class are best assessed through:
- A A written end-of-term test
- B Marks obtained in the unit test
- C Observation of behaviour, anecdotal records and checklists over time
- D They cannot be assessed at all
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) Observation of behaviour, anecdotal records and checklists over time
Attitudes and values show in behaviour, not in written answers. Systematic observation, anecdotal records, rating scales and checklists maintained over time are the appropriate tools under CCE.
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Q.106
Match the Fundamental Rights with what they include:
A. Right to Equality B. Right to Freedom C. Right to Freedom of Religion D. Right against Exploitation
1. Freedom to profess, practise and propagate one's religion
2. Ban on human trafficking and forced labour
3. Freedom of speech and expression and to practise any profession
4. Equality before the law and the abolition of untouchability
- A A-4, B-3, C-1, D-2
- B A-3, B-4, C-1, D-2
- C A-4, B-3, C-2, D-1
- D A-1, B-3, C-4, D-2
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) A-4, B-3, C-1, D-2
The Right to Equality covers equality before the law and the abolition of untouchability; the Right to Freedom covers speech and the choice of profession; the Right to Freedom of Religion covers professing, practising and propagating a faith; the Right against Exploitation bans trafficking and forced labour.
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Q.107
A Class 7 student with dyslexia discusses historical events with good understanding but struggles to read long textbook passages. The most suitable adaptation is to:
- A Give the student extra reading homework every day until the difficulty disappears
- B Offer audio material and graphic organisers, and allow oral answers in tests
- C Grade the student's answers mainly on spelling and handwriting
- D Excuse the student from history lessons for the rest of the year
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) Offer audio material and graphic organisers, and allow oral answers in tests
Dyslexia is a specific difficulty with reading, not with understanding. Offering other ways to access content and to show learning lets the student take part fully, as inclusive education requires.
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Q.108
In a Class 6 class, many children speak languages such as Bhojpuri, Maithili or Santhali at home and struggle with textbook terms. In line with NCF 2005, the teacher should:
- A Forbid the use of home languages in class so that children learn faster
- B Avoid explaining difficult terms and expect children to catch up with them on their own
- C Fine children who speak their home language during the social science lesson
- D Use home languages as a resource to explain ideas while building textbook vocabulary
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) Use home languages as a resource to explain ideas while building textbook vocabulary
NCF 2005 treats multilingualism as a resource. Drawing on home languages helps children grasp concepts and feel respected, while the teacher gradually builds the subject vocabulary of the textbook.
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Q.109
Rural settlements in which dwellings are spread over a large area are called scattered settlements. They are mostly found in:
- A hilly tracts, thick forests and regions of extreme climate
- B flat, fertile river plains with a good supply of water
- C big cities with many industries and offices
- D areas along major highways and railway junctions
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) hilly tracts, thick forests and regions of extreme climate
Where flat land is available, houses are usually built close together as compact settlements. Hilly tracts, thick forests and regions of extreme climate offer little suitable land, so dwellings there are spread out.
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Q.110
In 1230, King Anangabhima III of Orissa dedicated his kingdom to Jagannatha and proclaimed himself the deity's 'deputy'. Later conquerors of Orissa, such as the Mughals, the Marathas and the English East India Company, also tried to control the temple at Puri. Why?
- A The temple collected all the land revenue of Orissa
- B The Delhi Sultans had made control of the temple a condition for granting any iqtas
- C They felt control over the temple would make their rule acceptable to local people
- D Only the ruler of Puri was allowed to trade with Southeast Asia
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) They felt control over the temple would make their rule acceptable to local people
As the Jagannatha temple grew in importance as a centre of pilgrimage, its authority in social and political matters also increased. All who conquered Orissa tried to control it because they felt this would make their rule acceptable to the local people.
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Q.111
In a Class 8 lesson on how the East India Company expanded its territory, each group member studies one policy (direct war, subsidiary alliance or the doctrine of lapse), discusses it with members of other groups who studied the same policy, and then teaches it to the home group. This is the:
- A Programmed instruction method
- B Jigsaw technique of cooperative learning
- C Lecture-cum-demonstration method
- D Drill and practice method
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) Jigsaw technique of cooperative learning
In jigsaw, each learner becomes an 'expert' on one part and is responsible for teaching it to peers, so every member's contribution is needed. It builds interdependence, communication and deeper understanding.
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Q.112
Consider the following:
1. Constructing and maintaining water sources, roads, drainage and school buildings
2. Appointing the Patwari for the villages of the panchayat
3. Levying and collecting local taxes
Which of these are functions of a Gram Panchayat?
- A 1 and 3 only
- B 1 and 2 only
- C 2 and 3 only
- D 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) 1 and 3 only
A Gram Panchayat builds and maintains local facilities such as water sources, roads, drains and school buildings, levies and collects local taxes, and carries out government schemes. The Patwari is a government revenue official; the Panchayat does not appoint him.
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Q.113
Kanta, a domestic worker who lives in a slum, stands in the same queue as her wealthy employer to vote, and each casts one vote. Yet the next day she cannot get leave to take her sick son to a doctor. What does this contrast mainly highlight?
- A Domestic workers are not entitled to vote in elections
- B Once every adult can vote, inequality disappears from everyday social life
- C Equality in voting exists, but inequality persists in everyday life
- D Voting is compulsory for all adults in India
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) Equality in voting exists, but inequality persists in everyday life
Universal adult franchise gives every adult one equal vote, a basis of political equality. But, as Kanta's case shows, poverty and unequal treatment continue in daily life, so equality in voting alone does not end inequality.
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Q.114
Forests in which trees shed their leaves in the dry season to conserve water, and which have hardwood trees such as sal, teak, neem and shisham, are called:
- A tropical evergreen forests
- B tropical deciduous forests
- C coniferous forests
- D mangrove forests
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) tropical deciduous forests
Tropical deciduous forests, also called monsoon forests, cover large parts of India; their trees shed leaves in the dry season to save water. Evergreen forests have no single season of leaf fall, and coniferous forests have softwood trees such as pine.
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Q.115
Consider these statements about the Ahoms: 1. They migrated to the Brahmaputra valley from present-day Thailand in the eighteenth century. 2. Their state depended on forced labour, and those forced to work for the state were called paiks. 3. In 1662 the Mughals under Mir Jumla attacked the Ahom kingdom but could not keep direct control over it for long. Which are correct?
- A 1 only
- B 1 and 2 only
- C 1 and 3 only
- D 2 and 3 only
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) 2 and 3 only
The Ahoms came to the Brahmaputra valley from present-day Myanmar in the thirteenth century and built a new state by suppressing the older system of the bhuiyans (landlords), so statement 1 is wrong. Their state relied on paiks, and although the Mughals under Mir Jumla defeated them in 1662, the Mughals could not hold the region directly for long.
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Q.116
Humayun's tomb, with its central towering dome and tall gateway (pishtaq), stands in the middle of a huge formal chahar bagh and follows the tradition called 'hasht bihisht'. This term refers to:
- A a garden divided into four parts by water channels
- B a tall gateway placed in the middle of each side
- C a central hall surrounded by eight rooms
- D eight minarets placed around the main dome
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) a central hall surrounded by eight rooms
Hasht bihisht, or 'eight paradises', is a plan with a central hall surrounded by eight rooms. A garden divided into four quarters by water channels is a chahar bagh; the tomb was built of red sandstone edged with white marble.
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Q.117
Which of the following crop–requirement pairs is NOT correctly matched?
- A Rice – high temperature, high humidity and rainfall
- B Wheat – moderate temperature and rainfall, bright sunshine at harvest
- C Millets – can grow on less fertile and sandy soils
- D Tea – hot, dry climate and waterlogged soil
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) Tea – hot, dry climate and waterlogged soil
Tea needs a cool climate, high rainfall well distributed through the year, and well-drained loamy soil on gentle slopes, so a hot, dry climate and waterlogged soil do not suit it. The other pairs correctly state the needs of rice, wheat and millets.
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Q.118
A teacher reads aloud an extract from the autobiography of a Dalit writer who describes being treated unequally in school as a child. The main purpose of using such an extract is to help students:
- A Learn the important dates and events of the writer's whole life
- B Learn the rules for writing an autobiography
- C Believe that such events happened only in the distant past
- D See discrimination through the eyes of a person who faced it
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) See discrimination through the eyes of a person who faced it
A first-person account makes the experience of discrimination real and builds empathy and sensitivity, which NCF 2005 sees as an aim of social science. Its main purpose is not biographical facts or writing skills.
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Q.119
In a school, girls are always asked to sweep the classroom and decorate the board, while boys carry furniture and represent the school in sports. Such everyday practices are part of the:
- A Formal curriculum laid down by the board
- B Hidden curriculum, which can reinforce gender stereotypes
- C Co-scholastic assessment scheme of the school
- D Remedial teaching programme of the school
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) Hidden curriculum, which can reinforce gender stereotypes
The hidden curriculum is what children learn from a school's routines and practices rather than from the syllabus. Assigning tasks by gender silently teaches stereotypes; duties should be shared by all.
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Q.120
Very large sea waves that can sweep far inland and cause great destruction along coasts are called tsunamis. They are mainly caused by:
- A strong winds blowing over the sea surface on a stormy day
- B earthquakes, volcanic eruptions or landslides under the ocean
- C the combined pull of the Sun and the Moon on full moon days
- D warm and cold ocean currents meeting each other near the coast
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) earthquakes, volcanic eruptions or landslides under the ocean
Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions or underwater landslides suddenly shift a huge mass of ocean water, setting off tsunami waves. Ordinary waves are raised by winds, and the pull of the Sun and the Moon causes tides.
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Q.121
A teacher is planning a Class 7 visit to a local museum. Which of the following is NOT good practice for such a visit?
- A Keeping the purpose secret so that the visit comes as a surprise
- B Discussing what students want to find out before the visit
- C Giving students observation tasks to complete at the museum
- D Holding a discussion and reflection session after the visit
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) Keeping the purpose secret so that the visit comes as a surprise
A field visit is a learning activity, so students should know its purpose, have tasks to guide their observation and reflect afterwards. A visit without a clear purpose tends to become an outing with little learning.
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Q.122
Before a class discussion on 'Why do people move from villages to cities?', the teacher asks each student to think alone for a minute, then talk it over with a partner, and only then share with the whole class. The main advantage of this strategy is that it:
- A Lets every student form and test ideas before speaking in class
- B Lets the teacher finish the topic faster, without any real discussion
- C Ensures that only the brightest students give the answers
- D Removes the need for the teacher to guide the discussion
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) Lets every student form and test ideas before speaking in class
Think-pair-share gives all students, including shy ones, time to think and to try out their ideas with a partner, so more of them take part in the whole-class discussion.
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Q.123
A Class 7 student is puzzled to read that in medieval times a city-dweller might call a forest-dweller a 'foreigner'. The teacher explains that the word then meant any stranger who was not part of one's own society. The skill being developed is:
- A Locating places accurately on a political map of India
- B Understanding words and ideas in their own historical context
- C Converting dates from the BCE system to the CE system
- D Classifying sources as archaeological or literary
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) Understanding words and ideas in their own historical context
Meanings of terms change over time; NCERT's Our Pasts II notes that in the medieval period a 'foreigner' could be any stranger who was not part of that society. Reading the past through today's meanings leads to misunderstanding.
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Q.124
Under the Delhi Sultans, territories assigned to military commanders, who collected revenue from them to pay their soldiers and maintain themselves, were called:
- A iqta
- B khalisa
- C brahmadeya
- D shalabhoga
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) iqta
An iqta was a territory given to a military commander (iqtadar or muqti), who led campaigns, maintained law and order and paid his soldiers from its revenue. Brahmadeya and shalabhoga were land grants of the Chola period.
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Q.125
The word 'India' is derived from:
- A The river Indus, called Sindhu in Sanskrit
- B Bharata, a group of people mentioned in the Rigveda
- C The Indian Ocean, as named by Arab sailors
- D Indra, an important god of the Rigveda
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) The river Indus, called Sindhu in Sanskrit
Iranians and Greeks who came through the north-west about 2500 years ago knew the Indus (Sindhu) and called it the Hindos or the Indos; the land east of it came to be called India. The name Bharata, used in the Rigveda for a group of people in the north-west, gave rise to 'Bharat', not 'India'.
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Q.126
Consider the following statements about the indigo rebellion: 1. In March 1859, thousands of ryots in Bengal refused to grow indigo. 2. The Indigo Commission set up by the government held the ryots guilty and ordered them to keep growing indigo in future. 3. After the rebellion, indigo production collapsed in Bengal, and many planters shifted their operations to Bihar. Which of these are correct?
- A 1 and 2 only
- B 1 and 3 only
- C 2 and 3 only
- D 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) 1 and 3 only
Statement 2 is wrong: the Indigo Commission held the planters guilty, criticised their coercive methods and declared that ryots could refuse to grow indigo in future, though they had to fulfil existing contracts. Statements 1 and 3 are correct.
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Q.127
Under Lord Hastings, Governor-General from 1813 to 1823, the Company claimed that its authority was supreme and its power greater than that of Indian states, so it could annex any kingdom. This policy was called:
- A subsidiary alliance
- B doctrine of lapse
- C Permanent Settlement
- D paramountcy
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) paramountcy
The policy of 'paramountcy', begun under Lord Hastings, held that the Company's authority was paramount, so it could annex or threaten to annex any Indian kingdom to protect its interests. The subsidiary alliance and the doctrine of lapse were different policies.
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Q.128
Land owned by a village community for common uses, such as grazing cattle and collecting fodder, fruits and medicinal herbs, is known as:
- A private land
- B wasteland
- C common property resources
- D reclaimed land
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) common property resources
Land can be private (owned by individuals) or community land (owned by the community for common uses); community lands are also called common property resources. Because they are shared, they need collective care to avoid overuse.
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Q.129
Akbar's revenue minister Todar Mal carried out a careful survey of crop yields, prices and areas cultivated over a ten-year period, and tax was then fixed on each crop in cash. This revenue system was known as:
- A zabt
- B iqta
- C mahalwari
- D ryotwari
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) zabt
Under zabt, each province was divided into revenue circles, each with its own schedule of revenue rates for individual crops. The iqta belonged to the Delhi Sultanate, while mahalwari and ryotwari were revenue systems introduced under British rule.
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Q.130
Under the Mahalwari system devised by Holt Mackenzie and introduced in 1822, the revenue demand was fixed:
- A for the whole village (mahal), and collected by the village headman
- B permanently, with the rajas and taluqdars, who were recognised as zamindars
- C directly with each individual cultivator (ryot) of the village
- D with the iqtadars appointed by the Sultan in each province
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) for the whole village (mahal), and collected by the village headman
In the Mahalwari system, the estimated revenue of each plot was added up to fix the demand of the village (mahal), which was to be revised periodically, and the village headman collected and paid it. Settlement with zamindars was the Permanent Settlement, and with cultivators the ryotwari system.
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Q.131
In the past, manuscripts in the subcontinent were usually written on:
- A Copper plates and slabs of stone or rock
- B Palm leaf or the prepared bark of the birch tree
- C Clay tablets that were baked hard in kilns
- D Silk cloth stiffened with a thin coating of lime paste
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) Palm leaf or the prepared bark of the birch tree
Manuscripts were written by hand, usually on palm leaf or on the specially prepared bark of the birch tree (bhurja). Writing on hard surfaces such as stone or copper plates is called an inscription, not a manuscript.
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Q.132
A Class 8 teacher uses a political cartoon about the working of the government in a lesson. The main pedagogical value of such cartoons is that they:
- A Provide exact statistics about elections and the economy of the country
- B Are meant only for entertainment during a break between two lessons
- C Provoke critical thinking by presenting an issue through humour and exaggeration
- D Remove the need to study how institutions such as Parliament and courts actually work
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) Provoke critical thinking by presenting an issue through humour and exaggeration
Cartoons compress a point of view into an image and invite readers to interpret and question it. Students have to identify the issue, the cartoonist's message and whether they agree with it.
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Q.133
Each state is divided into areas called constituencies. The representative elected by the people of one such constituency to the state's Legislative Assembly is called a/an:
- A Member of Parliament (MP) in the Lok Sabha
- B Ward councillor
- C District Collector
- D Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA)
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA)
Voters in each Assembly constituency elect one MLA. A Member of Parliament represents a Lok Sabha constituency, a ward councillor is elected to a municipal body, and a District Collector is an appointed officer.
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Q.134
The rules of the Buddhist sangha were written down in the Vinaya Pitaka. Consider these statements: 1. Both men and women could join the sangha, in separate branches. 2. Children needed their parents' permission to join, and slaves their masters'. 3. Monks and nuns had to stay inside the monastery and could never visit towns or villages. Which are correct?
- A 1 only
- B 2 and 3 only
- C 1 and 2 only
- D 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) 1 and 2 only
The Vinaya Pitaka shows separate branches for men and women, and lays down that children needed their parents' permission, slaves their masters', those working for the king his permission and debtors their creditors'. Monks and nuns went to towns and villages to beg for food at fixed hours, so statement 3 is wrong.
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Q.135
Assertion (A): A person can float easily in the waters of the Dead Sea.
Reason (R): The Dead Sea has a very high salinity, which makes its water very dense.
Choose the correct option.
- A A and R are both correct, and R explains A
- B A and R are both correct, but R does not explain A
- C A is correct, but R is wrong
- D A is wrong, but R is correct
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) A and R are both correct, and R explains A
Salinity is the amount of salt, in grams, in 1,000 grams of water; the average for the oceans is about 35. The Dead Sea's salinity is many times higher, and the extra salt makes the water dense enough for swimmers to float.
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Q.136
Akbar's idea of sulh-i kul, which grew out of his discussions with people of different faiths, meant:
- A a special tax that was collected only from non-Muslim subjects
- B a military alliance made with the Rajput rulers of Rajasthan
- C 'universal peace', based on ethics such as honesty, justice and peace
- D dividing the empire equally among all of the emperor's sons
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) 'universal peace', based on ethics such as honesty, justice and peace
Sulh-i kul did not discriminate between people of different religions; it focused on a system of ethics, such as honesty, justice and peace, that was universally applicable. Abul Fazl helped Akbar frame a vision of governance around this idea.
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Q.137
The Virashaiva movement, which argued strongly for the equality of all human beings and against Brahmanical ideas about caste and the treatment of women, was led in Karnataka in the twelfth century by:
- A Ramanuja
- B Shankara
- C Jnaneshwar
- D Basavanna
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) Basavanna
Basavanna and companions such as Allama Prabhu and Akkamahadevi led the Virashaiva movement in Karnataka in the mid-twelfth century (NCERT says they initiated it, though some scholars think Basavanna revived an existing Shaiva tradition); they also opposed ritual and idol worship. Shankara and Ramanuja were philosophers of Advaita and Vishishtadvaita, and Jnaneshwar was a Marathi saint.
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Q.138
Consider these statements about the Sikhs in the eighteenth century: 1. Their bands met at Amritsar at Baisakhi and Diwali to take collective decisions called gurmatas. 2. Under the rakhi system, they took half of the produce from cultivators in return for protection. 3. Maharaja Ranjit Singh reunited the Sikh groups and made Lahore his capital in 1799. Which are correct?
- A 1 only
- B 2 and 3 only
- C 1 and 3 only
- D 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) 1 and 3 only
The combined Sikh forces, the dal khalsa, met at Amritsar at Baisakhi and Diwali to pass gurmatas (resolutions of the Guru), and Ranjit Singh made Lahore his capital in 1799. The rakhi system offered protection to cultivators for a tax of 20 per cent of the produce, not half, so statement 2 is wrong.
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Q.139
A village sets up a biogas plant that uses cattle dung and kitchen waste. Besides providing fuel for cooking and lighting, what other benefit does it give?
- A It produces coal that can be sold in the market
- B It increases the amount of groundwater in the village
- C The leftover slurry can be used as manure in the fields
- D It removes the need for any cattle in the village
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) The leftover slurry can be used as manure in the fields
Biogas plants turn organic waste such as dung and kitchen waste into a gaseous fuel, and the material left over makes a rich organic manure. They also keep villages cleaner and reduce the burning of firewood.
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Q.140
Why is the government, rather than private companies, mainly responsible for providing public facilities such as water supply, sanitation and public transport?
- A Private companies are not allowed to sell any goods or services
- B Private firms seek profit and may not serve all at affordable prices
- C These facilities cost the government nothing to provide
- D The Constitution bans private companies from the water sector
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) Private firms seek profit and may not serve all at affordable prices
Public facilities must be available to all, including the poor, while private companies operate for profit and may charge more than many can pay or leave out unprofitable areas. The government pays for these facilities through its budget, from the taxes it collects.
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Q.141
Kathak was performed in the courts of the Mughals and later grew into two traditions or gharanas. With which places are these two gharanas associated?
- A Jaipur (Rajasthan) and Lucknow
- B Thanjavur and Madurai in Tamil Nadu
- C Puri and Bhubaneswar in Orissa
- D Imphal in Manipur and Guwahati in Assam
Show answer
Correct answer: (A) Jaipur (Rajasthan) and Lucknow
Kathak developed in two gharanas, one in the courts of Rajasthan (Jaipur) and the other in Lucknow. Under the patronage of Wajid Ali Shah, the last Nawab of Awadh, it grew into a major art form.
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Q.142
Although most of the Earth's surface is covered with water, there is often said to be a shortage of usable fresh water. Which statement best explains this?
- A Most of the water on the Earth is found as water vapour in the atmosphere
- B Rivers hold more water than all the oceans together
- C Groundwater is the largest store of water on the Earth
- D Most water is salty sea water, and much fresh water is frozen as ice
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) Most water is salty sea water, and much fresh water is frozen as ice
About 97 per cent of the Earth's water is salty ocean water. Of the small share that is fresh, most is frozen in ice sheets and glaciers, so only a tiny fraction is easily available for human use.
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Q.143
Consider these statements about assessment in social science. 1. Assessment should mainly test recall of dates, names and definitions. 2. Map work belongs only to geography and has no place in assessing history. Which is/are correct?
- A Only 1
- B Only 2
- C Both 1 and 2
- D Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) Neither 1 nor 2
Assessment should test understanding, interpretation and application, not mainly recall. Maps are just as useful in history, for example to show the spread of empires or trade routes, so both statements are wrong.
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Q.144
Under Section 16 of the RTE Act as amended in 2019, if a child fails the regular examination held at the end of Class 8, the child must first be:
- A Held back in Class 8 straightaway, to repeat the whole year
- B Expelled from the school for failing the end-of-year examination
- C Given additional instruction and a re-examination within two months
- D Transferred to a different school so that the child can make a fresh start
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) Given additional instruction and a re-examination within two months
The 2019 amendment provides for a regular examination in Classes 5 and 8. A child who fails gets additional instruction and a re-examination within two months; only if the child fails again may the appropriate Government allow schools to hold the child back. Using this power, rules notified by the Centre in December 2024 provide for holding back such a child in schools run by the Central Government, such as Kendriya Vidyalayas and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas; each state decides for its own schools.
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Q.145
Government in India works at the local, state and national levels. Which of the following decisions is taken at the national level?
- A How India will conduct its relations with other countries
- B Where a new handpump will be installed in a village
- C Which lanes of a city ward will get new streetlights this year
- D When the gram sabha of a panchayat will meet
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Correct answer: (A) How India will conduct its relations with other countries
The national government deals with matters that concern the whole country, such as defence and relations with other countries. Handpumps, streetlights and gram sabha meetings are matters of local government.
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Q.146
Class 7 students walk around their school neighbourhood, sketch a map of the shops and note the kinds of goods sold and where they come from. This activity is an example of:
- A A classroom debate
- B Field work or local area study
- C Role play
- D Lecture-cum-demonstration
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Correct answer: (B) Field work or local area study
Field work and local area surveys let children collect first-hand geographical and economic data, practise observation, mapping and recording, and relate textbook concepts to their immediate environment.
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Q.147
Which of the following best ensures the independence of the judiciary in India?
- A Judges are hard to remove, and other organs cannot interfere
- B Judges are chosen by the political party that wins the elections
- C Judges must get the Chief Minister's approval before a judgment
- D Judges are transferred whenever the government disagrees with them
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Correct answer: (A) Judges are hard to remove, and other organs cannot interfere
Independence means the legislature and executive cannot interfere in the judiciary's work, judges are appointed with very little interference from the other branches, and once appointed they are very difficult to remove. This lets the courts check misuse of power by the government.
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Q.148
Assertion (A): Mountaineers often carry oxygen cylinders when they climb very high peaks.
Reason (R): Air pressure increases as we go higher in the atmosphere.
Choose the correct option.
- A Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
- B Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
- C A is true, but R is false
- D A is false, but R is true
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Correct answer: (C) A is true, but R is false
A is true but R is false: air pressure is highest at sea level and decreases with height, so the air at great heights is thin and gives less oxygen with each breath. That is why climbers carry oxygen.
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Q.149
A teacher wants to show the houses, wells, temple and fields of a single village in detail. Which kind of map is most suitable?
- A A small-scale map, because it shows a small area in great detail
- B A small-scale map, because it shows a large area with more information
- C A large-scale map, because it shows a small area in greater detail
- D A large-scale map, because it shows a large area such as a continent
Show answer
Correct answer: (C) A large-scale map, because it shows a small area in greater detail
Large-scale maps show small areas such as a village or town and give more detailed information. Small-scale maps are used for large areas such as countries and continents, with less detail.
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Q.150
Sheep rearing is an important occupation in the velds of South Africa. Which breed of sheep, valued for its very warm wool, is popular there?
- A Pashmina
- B Jersey
- C Angora
- D Merino
Show answer
Correct answer: (D) Merino
Merino sheep, known for their very warm wool, are widely reared in the velds. Pashmina comes from goats, Angora is a breed of goat (and of rabbit) rather than of sheep, and Jersey is a breed of dairy cattle.
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How these questions were made
Authored by an AI assistant (Claude) from its own general knowledge of stable, well-established facts (no live lookup) - not reviewed by a subject-matter expert; verify against an official source before relying on any fact.