1. Describe the role of Dr BR Ambedkar in the Constituent Assembly of India.
Answer.
Role of Dr BR Ambedkar in the Constituent Assembly of India.
(i) He served as Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constitution.
(ii) He plead for the abolition of untouchability
(iii) He wanted “a strong and united Centre’
(iv) He asked for equal rights.
(v) He was in favour of Parliamentary Democracy
(vi) Any other relevant point
2. Critically analyse the Fifth Report which was submitted to the British Parliament in 1813.
OR
Examine the policies adopted by the British towards Paharias during 18th century.
Answer.
Critically analyse the Fifth Report of 1813.
(i) It was the fifth series of report on the administration and
activities of the East India Company in India.
(ii) . It ran into1002 pages of which over 800 pages were
appendices that reproduced petitions of zamindars and riots, reports of collectors and districts.
(iii) It contained information on company’s misrule and maladministration.
(iv) Many British traders wanted a share in Company’s trade
in India and emphasised for openness for British manufactures in India
(v) Any other relevant point
OR
Policies adopted by the British towards Paharias during 18th century.
(i) British adopted policy of extermination.
(ii) British proposed policy of pacification with Paharia chiefs
to ensure proper conduct.
(iii) Paharia went into mountains and deep forests and
continued their war against outsiders
(iv) Many Paharia chiefs who accepted allowances came to
be perceived as subordinate employees or stipendiary chiefs so they lost their authority within the community.
(v) Any other relevant point
3. Rumours and Prophecies played a part in moving people to action.’ Explain the statement in the context of the Revolt of 1857.
Answer.
Rumours and Prophecies in the Revolt of 1857.
(i) There was a rumour that the new cartridges were greased with the fat of cows and pigs which would pollute their castes and religion.
(ii) The rumours about the British trying to destroy the
religion of Indians by mixing the bone dust of cows and pigs into the flour
(iii) There was fear and suspicion that the British wanted
to convert Indians to Christianity.
(iv) There were rumours that British had mixed the bone
dust of cows and pigs into the flour that was sold in the market.
(v) Prophecy:The response to the call for action was
reinforced by the prophecy that British rule would come to an end on the centenary of the Battle of Plassey, on 23 June, 1857.
(vi) Any other relevant point
4. Why have many scholars written the months after Independence as being Gandhiji’s “finest hours? Explain.
Answer.
Months after Independence as being Gandhiji’s “finest hours
(i) He plead for cooperation and communal harmony.
(ii) He urged that the two parts respect and befriend one another
(iii) He tried to build a spirit of mutual trust and confidence between the communities.
(iv) He was worried for the displaced people in India and
Pakistan.
(v) Any other relevant point
5. Describe the role of any six prominent leaders of northern India who fought against the British in the Revolt of 1857.
Answer.
Role of prominent leaders of the Revolt of 1857.
(i) In Kanpur, Nana Sahib, the successor of Peshwa Baji
Rao II became the leader of the revolt.
(ii) In Jhansi, Rani Lakshmi Bai assumed the leadership of
the uprising.
(iii) In Arrah in Bihar, Kunwar Singh, a local zamindar
became leader under popular pressure
(iv) In Lucknow, BIrjis Qadr, the young son of nawab Wajid
Ali Shah became the leader of the revolt against the annexation of the state
(v) Gonoo, a tribal cultivator of Singhbhum in Chotanagpur,
became a rebel leader of the Kol tribals of the region .
(vi) Shah Mal organized the villagers of pargana Barout
(vii) Any other relevant point
6.Quit India movement was genuinely a mass movement bringing into its ambit hundreds of thousands of ordinary Indians. Elucidate the statement with suitable examples.
OR
‘Gandhiji had mobilized a wider discontentment against the British rule in the Salt Satyagraha.’ Elucidate the statement with suitable examples
Answer.
Quit India movement
(i) Activists organised strikes and protests
(ii) Students left their colleges to go to jail.
(iii) Socialist resisted for the cause
(iv) Women across the country participated
(v)Thousands of Indians joined the mass movement
(vi) Strikes, boy-cott and picketing
(vii) Attacks on government buildings or any other visible
symbol of colonial authority.
(viii) Any other relevant point
(To be evaluated as a whole.)
OR
Salt Satyagraha
i. Gandhiji announced a march to break the Salt Law
ii. Salt law gave the state a monopoly in the manufacture and
sale of salt.
iii. The state monopoly on salt was deeply unpopular as in
every Indian household salt was indispensable and the people
were forbidden for making salt even for domestic use.
iv. Gandhiji hoped to mobilize a wider discontent against British
rule and started Dandi March. Once he reached Dandi he broke
the salt law.
v. Parallel Salt Marches were organized in other parts of the
country.
vi. Peasants breached the colonial forest laws which restricted
their access to forests.
vii. Factory owners went on strike.
viii. Lawyers boycotted British courts.
ix. Students refused to attend educational Institutions and
schools run by government.
x. Indians were arrested.
xi. Gandhiji made a plea to the upper caste to serve
untouchables.
xii. Hindus, Muslims, Parsees and Sikhs were told to unite.
xiii. Thousands of Volunteers joined for the cause.
xiv. Many officials resigned from their posts.
xv. Gandhiji’s meetings were attended by all sections of people.
xvi. Women participated in large number.
xvii. Dandi March brought Gandhi to world attention. The March
was covered by European and American press.
xviii. Salt march made British realized that they would have to
devolve some powers to Indians.
xix. Any other relevant point To be evaluated as a whole
7. Abul Fazal describes the ideal of Sulh- i -Kul (absolute peace) as the cornerstone of Akbar enlightened rule”. Support the statement with few examples.
OR
‘The officer corps of the Mughals were described as bouquet of flowers held together by loyalty to the emperor.’ Justify the statements with suitable arguments
Answer.
Sulh- I -kul policy of Akbar
(i) Different ethnic and religious communities had freedom
of expression but on condition that they did not
undermine the authority of the state or fight among themselves.
(ii) He ensured that justice and peace.
(iii) The nobility was comprised of Iranis, Turanis,
Afghans,Rajputs, Deccanis, etc who were given positions and awards based on merit and services.
(iv) . Akbar abolished the tax on pilgrimage /Jjizya
(v) He gave grants to support and maintain religious
buildings
(vi) He celebrated festivals like Id, Shab-i-barat and Holi
(vii) He invited Jesuit mission for religious discussions.
(viii)Any other relevant point
OR
‘The officer cops of the Mughals
(i) The Mughal nobility was comprised of Iranis, Turanis,
Afghans,Rajputs, Deccanis, etc
(ii) The Mughal nobility were the main pillars of Mughal state
(iii) The Mughal nobility was chosen from different groups, both
religiously and ethnicity to ensure a balance of power between the various groups.
(iv) They were described as guldasta or a bouquet of flowers
in the official chronicles
(v) It signified their unity, held together by loyalty towards the
Mughal emperor.
(vi) All nobles were ranked or were allotted mansabs
comprising of zat and sawar
(vii) The nobles were also required to perform military service
for the emperor
(viii)Any other relevant point.
8. Read the source given below and answer the questions that follows. The flight of the written word
In Abu’l Fazl’s words: The written word may embody the wisdom of bygone ages and may become a means to intellectual progress. The spoken word goes to the heart of those who are present to hear it. The written
word gives wisdom to those who are near and far. If it was not for the written word, the spoken word would soon die, and no keepsake would be left us from those who are passed away. Superficial observers see in the letter a dark figure, but the deep sighted see in it a lamp of wisdom (chirag-i shinasai ). The written word looks black, notwithstanding the thousand rays within it, or it is a light with a mole on it that wards off the evil eye.
A letter (khat) is the portrait of wisdom; a rough sketch from the realm of ideas; a dark light ushering in day; a black cloud pregnant with knowledge; speaking though dumb; stationary yet travelling; stretched on the sheet, and yet soaring upwards.
8.1 Why were words considered as the lamp of wisdom?
8.2 How has Abul Fazal related words with knowledge?
8.3 How did Abul Fazal refer difference between a ‘common viewer’s observation’ and the ‘observation of a learned person?
Answer.
Read the source given below and answer the questions that
follows. The flight of the written word In Abu’l Fazl’s words:
8.1 Why were words considered as the lamp of wisdom? (1)
(i) According to him the spirit for rational thinking comes
from the words.
8.2 How has Abul Fazal related words with knowledge? (1)
(i) Words have the power to shape and articulate ideas
which in turn helps in enhancing knowledge.
8.3 Difference between a ‘common viewer’s observation’
and the ‘observation of a learned and deep person’? ( 2)
(i) Learned ones can put down their ideas in distinctive
forms
(ii) Learned ones observes things minutely and with vast
vision and can express the same with the power of words.
(iii) Any other relevant point
9. Read the source given below and answer the questions that follows. “There cannot be any divided loyalty” Govind Ballabh Pant argued that in order to become loyal citizens people had to stop focusing only on the community and the self: For the success of democracy one must train himself in the
art of self-discipline. In democracies one should care less for himself and more for others. There cannot be any divided loyalty. All loyalties must exclusively be centred round the State. If in a democracy, you create rival loyalties, or you create a system in which any individual or group, instead of suppressing his extravagance, cares nought for larger or other interests, then democracy is doomed. Cad, Vol.Ii Source from Theme-15 – “Framing the Constitution’
9.1 How did G.B Pant encourage citizens to make a unified nation?
9.2 Why did he urge citizens for loyalty towards nation?
9.3How was loyalty considered as the base of social
pyramid?
Answer.
Read the source given below and answer the questions that
follows. “There cannot be any divided loyalty”
9.1How did G.B Pant try to mould citizens for making a
unified nation?
(i) According to Pant one should care less for himself and more for nation to make it strong and unified
9.2Why did he urge citizens for loyalty towards nation?
(ii) According to him, for making nation successful, Individual should care less for personal gain and focus more on collective benefit and for the development of nation in all perspectives.
9.3How was loyalty considered as the base of social
pyramid?
(i) He suggested that nothing should be done for personal
gain which can harm the interest of other person or large section of people
(ii) This philosophy promotes people centric benefits instead of individual centric.
(iii) Any other relevant point
10. On the given political outline map of India, locate and label ANY ONE of the following with appropriate symbol:
I. The place where Gandhiji withdrew Non-Cooperation
Movement
OR
II. The place where Gandhiji started satyagraha for the
indigo planters
b) On the same outline map of India, a place related to the centres of the Revolt of 1857 is marked as A. Identify it and write its name on the line drawn near them
Note: The following questions are for the Visually Impaired
Candidates only in lieu of Q. No. 10
10.Name any two Capital cities of Mughal empire.
OR
Mention any two places related to the Revolt of 1857.
Answer.
On the given political outline map of India, locate and label
ANY ONE of the following with appropriate symbol:
I. The place where Gandhiji withdrew Non-Cooperation
Movement – Chauri Chaura
OR
II. The place where Gandhiji started satyagraha for the
indigo planters – Champaran
b) On the same outline map of India, a place related to the
centres of the revolt of 1857 is marked as A. Identify it and
write its name on the line drawn near them.- JHANSI
Note: The following questions are for the Visually Impaired
Candidates only in lieu of Q. No. 10
10.Name any two capital cities of Mughal empire.
Agra, Lahore, Delhi Fatehpur (Any two)
OR
