CBSE Class 10 · Social Science · board exam 2027
CBSE Class 10 Social Science Question Paper 2025
The board’s 2025 question paper, set 32/1/1 — all 37 questions as printed; 20 objective answers from the board’s own key; full model answers for 3 written questions, how the answer begins for 13 more. Each question names its chapter, where that chapter’s most-asked questions are.
Full marks 80 · Time 3 h
Section A · Objective questions (20)
Which one of the following regions became a part of unified Italy in 1866?
- (A) Sardinia-Piedmont
- (B) Venetia ✓
- (C) Sicily
- (D) Papal State
Answer (the board’s key): (B)
Read the following reasons for people moving from Europe to America until the nineteenth century and select the correct option: I. Poverty and hunger II. Buying and selling of slaves III. Prevalence of diseases IV. Religious conflict and persecution Options:
- (A) Only I, II and III are correct.
- (B) Only II, III and IV are correct.
- (C) Only I, III and IV are correct. ✓
- (D) Only I, II and IV are correct.
Answer (the board’s key): (C)
The author of 'Book of Marvels' is :
- (A) Marco Polo ✓
- (B) Columbus
- (C) Vasco da Gama
- (D) Alfred Crosby
Answer (the board’s key): (A)
Suppose you are researching the print culture of the 15th century. Which of the following would be the most significant benefit of your research?
- (A) Easy access to rare manuscripts
- (B) Reduction in the need for libraries
- (C) Increase in the ability to copy texts by hand
- (D) Increase in speed and accuracy in printing ✓
Answer (the board’s key): (D)
Arrange the following categories of forests in India from the largest to the smallest in terms of area and choose the correct option : I. Reserved II. Protected III. Unclassed
- (A) III, II, I
- (B) I, II, III ✓
- (C) II, III, I
- (D) III, I, II
Answer (the board’s key): (B)
'Sariska Tiger Reserve' is located in which one of the following states ?
- (A) Madhya Pradesh
- (B) Rajasthan ✓
- (C) Uttar Pradesh
- (D) Maharashtra
Answer (the board’s key): (B)
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 (the board’s key): (C)
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 (the board’s key): (B)
Imagine you are travelling from Delhi to Chandigarh to attend a wedding, by road in January. Which of the following crops will you notice prominently in the fields during the journey ?
- (A) Paddy
- (B) Maize
- (C) Wheat ✓
- (D) Jowar
Answer (the board’s key): (C)
Two statements are given below. They are Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Read both the statements carefully and choose the correct option : Assertion (A) : Minerals are an indispensable part of our lives. Reason (R) : All living things need minerals.
- (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.
Answer (the board’s key): (A)
Match Column I with Column II and choose the correct option : Column I (Minerals) Column II (Major Mines) a. Iron ore i. Gaya b. Mica ii. Singarauli c. Bauxite iii. Chandrapur d. Coal iv. Maikala
- (A) a-iii, b-i, c-iv, d-ii ✓
- (B) a-iii, b-i, c-ii, d-iv
- (C) a-ii, b-iii, c-i, d-iv
- (D) a-ii, b-iii, c-iv, d-i
Answer (the board’s key): (A)
Belgium solved the problem of majoritarianism by strengthening which of the following forms of government ?
- (A) Unitary
- (B) Presidential
- (C) Federal ✓
- (D) Parliamentary
Answer (the board’s key): (C)
Choose the correctly matched pair from the following : (Country) (System)
- (A) Canada - Unitary
- (B) Bolivia - Federal
- (C) Australia - Unitary
- (D) Spain - Federal ✓
Answer (the board’s key): (D)
Which of the following are the main components of a political party ? Choose the correct option : I. Leader II. Active members III. Supporters IV. Pressure groups
- (A) Only I, II and III are correct. ✓
- (B) Only II, III and IV are correct.
- (C) Only I, III and IV are correct.
- (D) Only I, II and IV are correct.
Answer (the board’s key): (A)
Study the following table related to the 'World Human Development Index' and answer the question given below it : | S. No. | Country | Rank of Human Development Index in the World | | --- | --- | --- | | 1. | India | 130 | | 2. | Myanmar | 148 | | 3. | Nepal | 149 | | 4. | Pakistan | 150 | Among the given countries, which one of the following countries has the highest rank in the 'Human Development Index' ?
- (A) Pakistan
- (B) India ✓
- (C) Nepal
- (D) Myanmar
Answer (the board’s key): (B)
'X' lives in a town. He cultivates flowers along with animal husbandry. The work of 'X' will fall under which sector of the economy ?
- (A) Primary ✓
- (B) Secondary
- (C) Tertiary
- (D) Quaternary
Answer (the board’s key): (A)
Look at the given picture and answer the question that follow : The work being done in the picture falls under which sector of the economy ? Note: The following question is for the Visually Impaired Candidates only, in lieu of Q. No. 17. The work of which of the following comes in the secondary sector of the economy ? (A) Bee-keeper (B) Moneylender (C) Basket weaver (D) Fisherman
- (A) Primary
- (B) Quaternary
- (C) Secondary
- (D) Tertiary ✓
Answer (the board’s key): (D)
Why does it become difficult for farmers in rural areas to take loans from government banks ? Read the following reasons and choose the most appropriate option : I. Lack of collateral II. Complicated procedure III. Higher cost of borrowing IV. Lack of awareness
- (A) Only I, II and III are correct.
- (B) Only II, III and IV are correct.
- (C) Only I, II and IV are correct. ✓
- (D) Only I, III and IV are correct.
Answer (the board’s key): (C)
Which of the following groups in urban India depend on informal sources to meet their credit needs ?
- (A) Poor households
- (B) Households with few assets
- (C) Both poor households and households with few assets ✓
- (D) Both well-off households and households with few assets
Answer (the board’s key): (C)
Two statements I and II are given below. Read both the statements carefully and choose the correct option : Statement I: Rapid improvement in technology has been one major factor to stimulate the globalisation process. Statement II: This has made much faster delivery of goods across long distances possible at lower costs.
- (A) Both statements I and II are correct and statement II is the correct explanation of statement I. ✓
- (B) Both statements I and II are correct, but statement II is not the correct explanation of statement I.
- (C) Statement I is correct, but statement II is incorrect.
- (D) Statement I is incorrect, but statement II is correct.
Answer (the board’s key): (A)
Section B · Written questions (17)
21. (a) Explain the role of anti-colonial movement in the rise of 'modern nationalism' in India. OR (b) Why did Gandhiji say 'Satyagraha is pure soul-force' ? Explain by giving two arguments.
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Model answer · idea of satyagraha, Gandhiji
- 1.(a) Modern nationalism in India grew with the anti-colonial movement: different social groups, all oppressed by colonial rule, came together in a common struggle. OR (b) Satyagraha means insisting on truth without violence: the satyagrahi relies on the inner strength of the soul, not physical force.1 mark
- 2.Symbols, images, songs and folklore created a sense of collective belonging, making diverse groups feel part of one nation. OR Gandhiji believed that one who stays firm for truth, without force or hatred, wins by appealing to the oppressor's conscience — so satyagraha could win over even the oppressor.1 mark
Marks split from a structure derived from past papers (checked twice); not CBSE’s official scheme
Explain any two problems caused by the indiscriminate use of resources leading to 'global ecological crisis'.
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Model answer · Problems of indiscriminate resource use
- 1.(i) Human beings believed that resources are free gifts of nature, so they used them indiscriminately. This has led to major problems, such as the depletion of resources for satisfying the greed of a few individuals.1 mark
- 2.(ii) Indiscriminate exploitation of resources has also led to global ecological crises such as global warming and ozone layer depletion.1 mark
- Write that human beings "used them indiscriminately" and that this "has led to major problems", and name one problem, such as depletion of resources.
- Name "global warming" as an example of global ecological crises.
Marks split as in the board’s published marking scheme
23. Suggest any two measures to remove gender inequality.
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Model answer · Measures against gender inequality
- 1.Girls' education should be promoted, and their enrolment and retention in schools should be ensured. Then girls will not drop out because parents prefer to spend their resources on their sons' education.1 mark
- 2.The principle of equal pay for equal work, as provided in the Equal Remuneration Act, 1976, should be implemented. Women should also be given equal opportunities as men to take part in politics and in the economy.1 mark
- For the first measure, write both "enrolment and retention in schools" of girls.
- For the second measure, write "equal pay for equal work" and also equal opportunities for women in politics and in the economy.
Marks split from a structure derived from past papers (checked twice); not CBSE’s official scheme
24. How did the process of liberalisation initiated in India in the 1990s, promote globalisation ? Explain.
How the model answer begins
1. The process of liberalisation, i.e. removing barriers or restrictions set by the government, was started in India in the 1990s. Barriers on foreign trade and foreign investment were removed to a large extent. Goods…
The full answer from Medha Ma’am →25. "Tribal peasants interpreted the message of Mahatma Gandhi and the idea of 'Swaraj' in yet another way." Explain the statement in the context of Non-Cooperation Movement.
How the model answer begins
1. In the Gudem Hills of Andhra Pradesh, a militant guerrilla movement spread among tribal peasants in the early 1920s under the leadership of Alluri Sitaram Raju, a form of struggle that the Congress could not approve.
The full answer from Medha Ma’am →Read the story of Rinza and answer the question given below : The story of Rinza. Rinza lives in a small village with her family in the outer area of Diphu in Assam. She feels happy to see the vegetation on a piece of land being cut and burnt by her family members. She helps to irrigate her field by bringing water from a nearby stream through bamboo channels. She is attached to her place and wants to live here as long as possible. But this little girl does not know anything about the decreasing fertility of the soil in her field, due to which her family will have to look for a new piece of land next year. What type of farming is Rinza's family doing ? Describe any two of its features.
How the model answer begins
1. Rinza's family is doing primitive subsistence farming. They cut and burn the vegetation on a piece of land, grow crops there, and move to a new piece of land when the soil loses its fertility.
The full answer from Medha Ma’am →27. "That democratic system of government is considered good in which maximum number of citizens are made stakeholders in political power." Explain the statement with suitable arguments.
How the model answer begins
1. A democracy is good when most citizens are stakeholders in power because the government becomes accountable and responsive. Citizens who take part in decision making that affects them all have control over the rulers.…
The full answer from Medha Ma’am →28. (a) Explain the importance of political parties in democracy. OR (b) Why did India adopt the multiparty system ? Explain with suitable arguments.
How the model answer begins
1. (b) India adopted the multiparty system because a party system is not something any country can choose. It evolves over a long time, depending on the nature of society, its social and regional divisions, its history of…
The full answer from Medha Ma’am →29. Explain the difference between public and private sector of Indian economy with example.
How the model answer begins
1. The public sector and the private sector are divided on the basis of who owns assets and is responsible for the delivery of services. Ownership — Public sector: the government owns most of the assets and provides all…
The full answer from Medha Ma’am →30. (a) Analyse the significance of the 'Napoleonic Code' in making the administrative system rational and efficient. OR (b) How was liberalism allied to national unity in Europe in the early decades of the 19th century ? Analyse.
How the model answer begins
1. The Civil Code of 1804, usually known as the Napoleonic Code, made the administrative system more rational and efficient because Napoleon built revolutionary principles into it. First, it did away with all privileges…
The full answer from Medha Ma’am →31. (a) "Manufacturing industries are considered the backbone of the economic development of a country." Justify the statement. OR (b) "Agriculture and industries complement each other." Justify the statement.
How the model answer begins
1. Manufacturing industries are considered the backbone of economic development because the economic strength of a country is measured by the development of manufacturing industries. Countries that transform their raw…
The full answer from Medha Ma’am →32. (a) Explain any five bases for assessing the outcomes of democracy. OR (b) Explain any five values of democracy.
33. (a) "Recent evidence suggests that overuse of groundwater is becoming a serious threat in many parts of the country." Evaluate the statement in the context of sustainability of development. OR (b) "The development goals of different categories of people may differ." Evaluate the statement.
How the model answer begins
1. The statement is true, because groundwater is being used faster than nature can refill it. Groundwater is an example of renewable resources, which are replenished by nature, here by rain. Even a renewable resource can…
The full answer from Medha Ma’am →Read the given source and answer the questions that follow : Print and Censorship [passage] (34.1) Explain the meaning of 'censor'. (34.2) Why did the colonial administration keep an eye on books and newspapers ? (34.3) Why did Gandhiji start a nationwide Satyagraha against the Rowlatt Act ? Explain any two reasons.
How the model answer begins
1. (34.1) To censor means to examine printed matter, such as books, newspapers, reports and editorials, before it is released, and to restrict or remove any part the government does not approve of. Censorship is the…
The full answer from Medha Ma’am →Read the given source and answer the questions that follow : An Experiment in Brazil [passage] (35.1) Explain the meaning of 'participative democracy'. (35.2) In terms of the sharing of powers, what kind of governance system does the given example define ? (35.3) Describe the formation of a system in India that is quite similar to the Brazil example given above.
How the model answer begins
1. (35.1) Participative democracy means that ordinary citizens directly and actively take part in the decision making of their government, especially on budgets and matters that concern them. In Porto Alegre, local…
The full answer from Medha Ma’am →36. Read the given source and answer the questions that follow : Loans From Cooperatives Besides banks, the other major source of cheap credit in rural areas are the cooperative societies (or cooperatives). Members of a cooperative pool their resources for cooperation in certain areas. There are several types of cooperatives possible such as farmers cooperatives, weavers cooperatives, industrial workers cooperatives, etc. Krishak Cooperative functions in a village not very far away from Sonpur. It has 2300 farmers as members. It accepts deposits from its members. With these deposits as collateral, the Cooperative has obtained a large loan from the bank. These funds are used to provide loans to members. Once these loans are repaid, another round of lending can take place. Krishak Cooperative provides loans for the purchase of agricultural implements, loans for cultivation and agricultural trade, fishery loans, loans for construction of houses and for a variety of other expenses. (36.1) Cooperative societies come under which source of credit ? (36.2) Mention any two sources of capital of cooperative societies. (36.3) Explain the role of cooperative societies in increasing the income of farmers.
How the model answer begins
1. (36.1) Cooperative societies come under the formal sources of credit. Formal sector loans include loans from banks and cooperatives.
The full answer from Medha Ma’am →37. (a) Two places 'A' and 'B' have been marked on the given political outline map of India (on page 27). Identify them with the help of the following information and write their correct names on the lines drawn near them : A. The place where the session of Indian National Congress was held in 1920. B. The place where Gandhiji started Dandi March. Note: The following questions are for the Visually Impaired Candidates only, in lieu of Q. No. 37 (a). (a) (i) Name the place where the session of Indian National Congress was held in 1920. (ii) Name the place where Gandhiji started Dandi March. (b) On the same political outline map of India, locate and label any three of the following with suitable symbols : (i) Leading state in production of Jute (ii) Atomic Power Plant located in Gujarat (iii) Iron and Steel Plant located in Jharkhand (iv) Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport Note: The following questions are for the Visually Impaired Candidates only, in lieu of Q. No. 37 (b). (b) Attempt any three questions. (i) Name the leading state in production of Jute. (ii) Name the place where an Atomic Power Plant is located in Gujarat. (iii) Name the place where an Iron and Steel Plant is located in Jharkhand. (iv) Name the place where Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport is located.
How the model answer begins
1. (a) A – Nagpur: the place in Maharashtra where the session of the Indian National Congress was held in 1920. On the map, the name "Nagpur" is written on the line drawn near A. B – Sabarmati: the place in Gujarat where…
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