Chapter 3: Water Resources

Important questions — the ones the board asked most (18)

1. Q1Case-based4 marksAsked: 2026

   18. Read the given source carefully and answer the questions that follow : Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana Floods have not only devastated life and property but also caused extensive soil erosion. Sedimentation also meant that the flood plains were deprived of silt, a natural fertilizer, further adding on to the problem of land degradation. It was also observed that the multipurpose projects induced earthquakes, caused water-borne diseases and pests and pollution resulting from excessive use of water. Irrigation has also changed the cropping pattern of many regions with farmers shifting to water intensive and commercial crops. This has great ecological consequences like salinisation of the soil. Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana has been started which ensures access to some means to protective irrigation for all agricultural farms in the country, thus bringing much desired rural prosperity. Some of the broad objectives of this programme are to enhance the physical access of water on the farm and expand cultivable area under assured irrigation (har khet ko pani), improve on farm water, use efficiency to reduce wastage and increase availability both in duration and extent, irrigation and other water saving technologies (per drop more crop) and introduce sustainable water conservation practices, etc. (18.1) Explain the role of floods in land degradation. 1 (18.2) How has irrigation changed cropping pattern ? 1 (18.3) Explain any two objectives of the ‘Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana’. 2

   

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   Model answer · floods, land degradation, PMKSY

   1. 1.Floods caused sedimentation in the reservoirs created by dams. This sedimentation meant that the flood plains were deprived of silt, a natural fertiliser, which further added on to the problem of land degradation.1 mark
   2. 2.Irrigation has changed the cropping pattern of many regions with farmers shifting to water intensive and commercial crops.1 mark
   3. 3.One objective of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana is to enhance the physical access of water on the farm and expand cultivable area under assured irrigation (har khet ko pani).1 mark
   4. 4.The second objective of this scheme is to improve on-farm water use efficiency to reduce wastage and increase availability both in duration and extent, through irrigation and other water saving technologies (per drop more crop).1 mark

   • Write 'silt, a natural fertiliser' and 'sediment' when explaining land degradation from floods.
   • Use the exact phrase 'water intensive and commercial crops' when describing the change in cropping pattern.
   • Give both objectives with their exact slogans: 'assured irrigation (har khet ko pani)' and 'per drop more crop'.

   Marks split from a structure derived from past papers (checked twice); not CBSE’s official scheme

2. Q2Case-based4 marksAsked: 2026

   Read the given source and answer the questions that follow : Sardar Sarovar Project Sardar Sarovar Dam has been built over the Narmada river in Gujarat. This is one of the largest water resources projects of India covering four states - Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan. The Sardar Sarovar Project would meet the requirement of water in drought prone and desert areas. Sardar Sarovar Project will provide irrigation facilities to 18.45 lakh hectare of land, covering 3112 villages in 15 districts of Gujarat. It will also irrigate 2,46,000 hectare of land in the strategic desert districts of Barmer and Jalore in Rajasthan and 37,500 hectare in the tribal hilly tract of Maharashtra through lift. About 75% of the command area in Gujarat is drought prone while entire command in Rajasthan is drought prone. Assured water supply will soon make this area drought proof. 18.1 Why is Sardar Sarovar Project considered important for Gujarat ? 18.2 Why is Sardar Sarovar Project designed to cover four states ? 18.3 In what ways does this project promote sustainability ?

   

   Medha Ma’am

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   Model answer · Sardar Sarovar Project, water resources

   1. 1.Sardar Sarovar Project is considered important for Gujarat because it provides irrigation facilities to 18.45 lakh hectare of land, covering 3112 villages in 15 districts of Gujarat.1 mark
   2. 2.Sardar Sarovar Project is designed to cover four states - Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan - because it would meet the requirement of water in drought-prone and desert areas of these states.1 mark
   3. 3.This project promotes sustainability because assured water supply will soon make the drought-prone areas drought proof, as about 75 per cent of the command area in Gujarat is drought prone while the entire command in Rajasthan is drought prone.1 mark
   4. 4.This project also promotes sustainability by ensuring water security for the future generations through efficient management of water resources.1 mark

   • Mention the exact figures: 18.45 lakh hectare, 3112 villages, 15 districts of Gujarat for the first point.
   • Name all four states - Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan - and link them to drought-prone and desert areas for the second point.
   • Use the phrase 'drought proof' and the 75 per cent figure to show sustainability for the third point, and separately mention water security for future generations for the fourth point.

   Marks split from a structure derived from past papers (checked twice); not CBSE’s official scheme

3. Q3Case-based4 marksAsked: 2026

   Read the given source and answer the questions that follow : Sardar Sarovar Project Sardar Sarovar Dam has been built on the Narmada river in Gujarat. It is a major water resource project of India in which four states – Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan are included. Sardar Sarovar project will meet the water requirement of drought-prone and desert areas. The Sardar Sarovar project will provide irrigation facilities to 18.45 lakh hectares of land in 3112 villages of 15 districts of Gujarat. This will also irrigate 2,46,000 hectares of land in the strategically important desert districts of Barmer and Jalore in Rajasthan and 37,500 hectares of land in the tribal hilly areas of Maharashtra through lift. About 75 percent of the command area in Gujarat is drought-prone while the entire command area in Rajasthan is drought-prone. Assured water availability will soon make this area drought-proof. 18.1 Why is the Sardar Sarovar project considered important for Gujarat ? 18.2 Why were four states included in the Sardar Sarovar project ? 18.3 How does this project promote sustainable development ?

   

   Medha Ma’am

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   Model answer · Sardar Sarovar Project

   1. 1.The Sardar Sarovar project is considered important for Gujarat because it will provide irrigation facilities to 18.45 lakh hectare of land, covering 3112 villages in 15 districts of Gujarat.1 mark
   2. 2.Four states were included in the Sardar Sarovar project because it is a major water resource project covering Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan, and it would meet the requirement of water in drought-prone and desert areas of these states.1 mark
   3. 3.This project promotes sustainable development because assured water availability will soon make the drought-prone command areas of Gujarat and Rajasthan drought proof.1 mark
   4. 4.The objective of such a project, in keeping with sustainable development, is to utilise water resources in a way that meets the current water needs of the people without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.1 mark

   • Write the exact figures: 18.45 lakh hectare, 3112 villages, 15 districts for point 1.
   • Name all four states Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan for point 2.
   • Use the phrase 'drought proof' and 'assured water availability' for point 3, and mention 'future generations' for point 4.

   Marks split from a structure derived from past papers (checked twice); not CBSE’s official scheme

4. Q4Case-based4 marksAsked: 2023

   Read the given source and answer the questions that follow : (35.1) Name the movement against the river project in Gujarat. (35.2) How have the big dams mostly been unsuccessful in controlling floods at the time of excessive rainfall ? (35.3) Analyse any two merits of multi-purpose river projects.

   How the model answer begins

   1. 35.1 The movement against the river project in Gujarat is the Narmada Bachao Andolan. It opposed the Sardar Sarovar Dam, which has been built over the Narmada River in Gujarat.

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5. Q5Case-based4 marksAsked: 2023

   Read the given source and answer the questions that follow : Most of the objections to the projects arose due to their failure to achieve the purposes for which they were built. Ironically, the dams that were constructed to control the floods have triggered floods due to sedimentation in the reservoir. Moreover, the big dams have mostly been unsuccessful in controlling floods at the time of excessive rainfall. You may have seen or read how the release of water from the dams during heavy rains aggravated the flood situation in Maharashtra and Gujarat in 2006. The floods have not only devastated life and property but also caused extensive soil erosion. Sedimentation also meant that the flood plains were deprived of silt, a natural fertiliser, further adding on to the problem of land degradation. It was also observed that the multi-purpose projects induced earthquakes, caused water-borne diseases and pests and pollution resulting from excessive use of water. (36.1) Name the movement against the river project in Gujarat. (36.2) How have the big dams mostly been unsuccessful in controlling floods at the time of excessive rainfall ? (36.3) Analyse any two merits of multi-purpose river projects.

   How the model answer begins

   1. (36.1) The movement against the river project (the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada River) in Gujarat is the Narmada Bachao Andolan.

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6. Q6Case-based4 marksAsked: 2023

   36. Read the given source and answer the questions that follow : RAINWATER HARVESTING Many thought that given the disadvantages and rising resistance against the multi purpose projects, water harvesting system was a viable alternative, both socio-economically and environmentally. In ancient India, along with the sophisticated hydraulic structures, there existed an extraordinary tradition of water harvesting system. People had in-depth knowledge of rainfall regimes and soil types and developed wide ranging techniques to harvest rainwater, groundwater, river water and flood water in keeping with the local ecological conditions and their water needs. In hill and mountainous regions, people built diversion channels like the 'guls' or 'kuls' of the Western Himalayas for agriculture. 'Rooftop rainwater harvesting' was commonly practised to store drinking water, particularly in Rajasthan. In the flood plains of Bengal, people developed inundation channels to irrigate their fields. In arid and semi-arid regions, agricultural fields were converted into rain fed storage structures that allowed the water to stand and moisten the soil like the 'khadins' in Jaisalmer and 'Johads' in other parts of Rajasthan. (I) Why is water harvesting system a viable alternative ? (II) Describe the process of 'rooftop rainwater harvesting.' (III) Mention any two methods adopted by ancient India for water conservation.

   How the model answer begins

   1. (I) Water harvesting system is a viable alternative because of the disadvantages of, and the rising resistance against, the multipurpose projects. It is suitable both socio-economically and environmentally, and it uses…

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7. Q7Case-based4 marksAsked: 2023

   Read the given source and answer the questions that follow : RAINWATER HARVESTING [passage] (I) Why is water harvesting system a viable alternative ? 1 (II) Describe the process of 'rooftop rainwater harvesting.' 1 (III) Mention any two methods adopted by ancient India for water conservation. 2

   How the model answer begins

   1. Water harvesting system is a viable alternative because it recharges the groundwater, checks the declining water table, and is both socio-economically and environmentally beneficial compared to large multipurpose…

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8. Q8Case-based4 marksAsked: 2023

   Read the given passage and answer the questions that follow: [Passage about water harvesting structures in ancient India, Gul/Kul, roof rainwater harvesting] (35.1) Mention any two traditional methods of water harvesting used in India. (35.2) How do the people of Rajasthan use rainwater ? (35.3) Explain any two benefits of rainwater harvesting.

   How the model answer begins

   1. Two traditional methods of water harvesting used in India are the 'guls' or 'kuls' of the Western Himalayas, which are diversion channels built in hill and mountainous regions for agriculture, and the 'khadins' in…

   The full answer from Medha Ma’am →
9. Q9Case-based4 marksAsked: 2023

   Read the given extract and answer the questions that follow : In ancient India, along with the sophisticated hydraulic structures, there existed an extraordinary tradition of water-harvesting system. People had an in-depth knowledge of rainfall regimes and soil types and developed wide ranging techniques to harvest groundwater, rainwater, river water and flood water in keeping with the local ecological conditions and their water needs. In hilly and mountainous regions, people built diversion channels like the ‘kuls’ and ‘guls’ of Western Himalayas for agriculture. Rooftop rainwater harvesting was very commonly practised to store drinking water, particularly in Rajasthan. (36.1) Mention any two methods of traditional water-harvesting used in India. (36.2) How do people of Rajasthan utilise rainwater ? (36.3) Explain any two benefits of rainwater harvesting.

   How the model answer begins

   1. (36.1) Two traditional water-harvesting methods used in India are: (i) Inundation channels: in the flood plains of Bengal, people built inundation channels to irrigate their fields. (ii) Khadins and Johads: in the arid…

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10. Q10Short answer3 marksAsked: 2025

    How have industrialisation and urbanisation impacted water supply ? Explain.

    How the model answer begins

    1. Industrialisation has created a huge pressure on our water resources. The ever-increasing number of industries exerts pressure on existing freshwater resources, because industries are heavy users of water. They also…

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11. Q11Short answer3 marksAsked: 2025

    Describe any three ways of water conservation used in ancient India.

    How the model answer begins

    1. (i) Archaeological and historical records show that from ancient times we have been constructing sophisticated hydraulic structures to conserve and manage water. One example is dams built of stone rubble, which stopped…

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12. Q12Short answer3 marksAsked: 2025

    Explain any three aims of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM).

    How the model answer begins

    1. One aim of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) is to provide adequate quantity of prescribed quality drinking water to every rural household through functional household tap connections (FHTC) by the year 2024. This means that…

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13. Q13Short answer3 marksAsked: 2025

    (a) Explain any three factors responsible for water pollution. OR (b) Explain any three factors responsible for air pollution.

    How the model answer begins

    1. (a) The first factor is industrial waste. Water pollution is caused by organic and inorganic industrial waste and effluents that are discharged into rivers. Domestic wastes, and the chemicals, pesticides and fertilisers…

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14. Q14Short answer3 marksAsked: 2024

    Suggest any three ways to protect fresh water from industrial pollution.

    How the model answer begins

    1. Industries should minimise the use of water for processing by reusing and recycling it in two or more successive stages. This way they take in less freshwater and release less dirty water.

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15. Q15Short answer3 marksAsked: 2024

    How can fresh water be saved from the industrial pollution ? Suggest any three ways.

    How the model answer begins

    1. Fresh water can be saved from industrial pollution, first, by minimising the use of water for processing. Industries can do this by recycling and reusing the same water in two or more successive stages of production.…

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16. Q16Map1 markAsked: 2026

    Write the name of a major dam situated on the Mahanadi river. (18.

    How the model answer begins

    1. The major dam situated on the Mahanadi river is the Hirakud Dam. It is part of the Hirakud project in the Mahanadi basin. This multi-purpose project integrates conservation of water with flood control.

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17. Q17Map1 markAsked: 2026

    Write the name of the largest dam built on the river Narmada in Gujarat. (18.

    How the model answer begins

    1. The largest dam built on the river Narmada in Gujarat is the Sardar Sarovar Dam. It is one of the largest water resource projects of India, and it covers four states: Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan.

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18. Q18Map1 markAsked: 2026

    Write the name of the dam built on the Sutlej river. 1

    How the model answer begins

    1. The dam built on the Sutlej river is the Bhakra Nangal Dam. It lies in the Sutluj-Beas river basin and is part of the Bhakra – Nangal project. This is a multi-purpose project, which means the water stored behind the dam…

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Objective questions with the board’s key (10)

1. 1. CBSE 2026

   'Bamboo Drip Irrigation' system is used in which state of India ?

   • (A) Himachal Pradesh
   • (B) Kerala
   • (C) Rajasthan
   • (D) Meghalaya ✓

   Answer: (D)

2. 2. CBSE 2026

   Arrange the location of the following dams of India from North to South and choose the correct option : I. Pravara II. Salal III. Koyna IV. Gandhi Sagar Options :

   • (A) II, IV, III, I
   • (B) II, IV, I, III ✓
   • (C) III, II, IV, I
   • (D) III, IV, II, I

   Answer: (B)

3. 3. CBSE 2025

   Match Column I with Column II and choose the correct option : Column I (River) - Column II (Dam) a. Chambal - i. Salal b. Ganga - ii. Bhakra Nangal c. Chenab - iii. Gandhi Sagar d. Satluj - iv. Tehri

   • (A) a-ii, b-iii, c-i, d-iv
   • (B) a-ii, b-iii, c-iv, d-i
   • (C) a-iii, b-iv, c-i, d-ii ✓
   • (D) a-iii, b-iv, c-ii, d-i

   Answer: (C)

4. 4. CBSE 2025

   Choose the correct option of the states that have been majorly benefitted by the Sardar Sarovar Dam.

   • (A) Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab and Haryana
   • (B) Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan ✓
   • (C) Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh
   • (D) Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka and Chhattisgarh

   Answer: (B)

5. 5. CBSE 2025

   Choose the correct option to fill the blank. An artificial lake built in the 11th century for water conservation is ________.

   • (A) Sambhar Lake
   • (B) Wular Lake
   • (C) Bhopal Lake ✓
   • (D) Chilka Lake

   Answer: (C)

6. 6. CBSE 2025

   Match Column-I with Column-II and choose the correct option : Column-I (Dam) Column-II (River) a. Sardar Sarovar i. Mahanadi b. Salal ii. Chambal c. Gandhi Sagar iii. Narmada d. Hirakud iv. Chenab Option :

   • (A) a-ii b-i c-iv d-iii
   • (B) a-iii b-iv c-i d-ii
   • (C) a-iii b-iv c-ii d-i ✓
   • (D) a-i b-iii c-iv d-ii

   Answer: (C)

7. 7. CBSE 2025

   Choose the correct option regarding major states involved in the Krishna – Godavari issue :

   • (A) Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu
   • (B) Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh ✓
   • (C) Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh
   • (D) Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha

   Answer: (B)

8. 8. CBSE 2025

   Match Column I with Column II and choose the correct option : Column I (Dam) Column II (River) a. Hirakud i. Chambal b. Gandhi Sagar ii. Krishna c. Nagarjuna Sagar iii. Kaveri d. Mettur iv. Mahanadi

   • (A) a-iv, b-i, c-iii, d-ii
   • (B) a-i, b-ii, c-iv, d-iii
   • (C) a-iv, b-i, c-ii, d-iii ✓
   • (D) a-i, b-ii, c-iii, d-iv

   Answer: (C)

9. 9. CBSE 2025

   Choose the correctly matched pair : I (Multi-purpose river project) - II (River)

   • (A) Gandhi Sagar - Chambal ✓
   • (B) Hirakud - Godavari
   • (C) Nagarjun Sagar - Kaveri
   • (D) Salal - Beas

   Answer: (A)

10. 10. CBSE 2025

    Choose the correctly matched pair :

    • (A) Gandhi Sagar - Chambal ✓
    • (B) Hirakud - Godavari
    • (C) Nagarjuna Sagar - Kaveri
    • (D) Salal - Beas

    Answer: (A)

Questions parents and students ask

How many marks does "Water Resources" carry in CBSE Class 10 Social Science?

In the CBSE papers of 2023–2026, this chapter carried about 2 marks and about 1 questions a year; by marks it ranks 18 in Social Science.

Which are the most important (VVI) questions of "Water Resources"?

The 18 questions above are from the board’s real papers, each with the years it was asked; the most-asked come first with their full model answers. All 18 written questions of this chapter, with answers, are in the AskMedha app.

Do the answers follow the board’s marking scheme?

Yes. CBSE publishes its marking schemes; every model answer here is written point by point to the marks the board’s own scheme gives, and checked by a second, independent model.