Social Science
Section – A
Q.1. Explain the aim to form ‘Zollverein’ a Customs Union, in 1834 in Germany.
OR
Q.1. Explain the main reason responsible for the eruption of a major protest in Saigon Native Girls School in Vietnam in 1926.
Answer: Zollverein was a customs union formed in 1834 at the initiative of Prussia. The union abolished tariff barriers and internal custom dues and was willing to establish free trade with neighbouring states. It reduced the number of currencies from thirty to two. Most German states joined the Zollverein.
OR
Answer: A major protest occurred in Saigon Native Girls School in 1926. This protest erupted because a Vietnamese girl sitting in one of the front seats was asked to move back and make space for a French student. She was expelled when she refused to obey the order of the Principal. Other students supporting her were also expelled by the principal who was a colon. This led to spread of open protests.
Q.2. Why was printing of textbooks sponsored by the Imperial State in China?
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Q.2. Why did Chandu Menon give up the idea of translation of ‘English Novels’ in Malayalam?
Answer: The printing of textbooks were sponsored by the Imperial State in China because China possessed a large bureaucratic system, which recruited their personnel through Civil service examinations. That is why, textbooks were printed in large numbers to provide them study material.
OR
Answer: The readers in Kerala were not familiar with the lifestyle of the characters portrayed in english Novels. Direct translation of english novels into Malayalam was thus making the novels boring because the readers could not relate. Thus, Chandu menon gave up the idea of translating them and wrote a story in Malayalam instead.
Q.3. How has Shillong solved the problem of acute shortage of water?
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Q.3. How has Tamil Nadu solved the problem of acute shortage of water ?
Answer: Shillong has been able to deal with the problem of acute shortage of water by setting up Bamboo drip irrigation systems.
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Answer: Tamil Nadu has been able to deal with the problem of acute shortage of water by adopting Rooftop water harvesting techniques.
Q.4. Why is power sharing desirable?
Answer: Power-sharing is desirable because it helps to reduce the possibility of struggles between social groups or communities. Since social conflicts lead to violence and political instability, power-sharing is a good way to ensure the establishment of political order. This helps in establishing a harmonious relationship between different power groups.
Q.5. What may be a developmental goal of farmers who depend only on rain for growing crops?
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Q.5. What may be a developmental goal of urban unemployed youth?
Answer: The developmental goal for a farmer who depends only on rain for irrigating his crops might be to have access to better water harvesting and irrigation techniques.
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Answer: The developmental goal for an urban unemployed youth would be to get a decent job suitable to his/her qualifications and skills.
Q.6. Give one example each of modem currency and older currency.
Answer: An example of modem currency is the plastic money that we use in the form of debit and credit cards.
An example of older currency is the bronze coins that were used in earlier times.
Q.7. If you want to purchase an electrical valuable good, what logo would you like to see to confirm its quality?
Section -B
Q.8. Describe the great economic hardship that prevailed in Europe during the 1930s.
OR
Q.8. Describe the serious problem faced by the modem part of Hanoi in 1903.
Answer: Great economic hardships were faced by the people of Europe in the 1930s. Some of the difficulties that they faced are:
- The ratio of the rise of the population was larger than that of employment generation. People from rural areas were migrating to cities in search of employment, which was not as easily available because of overcrowding.
- Small producers in towns (especially textile-producing industries) were often overthrown by the cheap machines. They faced stiff competition from imports from England.
- Peasants still suffered under the burden of feudal dues and obligations in some regions of Europe. Rise of food prices and unemployment led to widespread pauperism in the country.
OR
Answer: The French sought to create a modem Vietnam and decided to rebuild Hanoi. The latest ideas about architecture and modem engineering skills were employed to build a new and ‘modem’ city.
(i) However, in 1903, the modem part of Hanoi was struck by bubonic plague.
(ii) The French part had wide avenues and well-planned sewer system, while the native quarter was not provided with any modem facilities. Thus, the refuse from the old city drained straight out into the river or, during heavy rains of floods, overflowed into the streets which become the cause of the plague.
(iii) Large sewers became a breeding ground for rats which began to enter the well-cared-for homes of the French through the sewage pipes, followed by massive rat hunt programme. This deteriorated the conditions. The whole city was under severe influence of this plague.
Q.9. How had the printing press created a new culture of reading in Europe? Explain with examples.
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Q.9. How did Charles Dickens depicted the terrible effects of industrialisation on people’s lives and characters? Explain with examples.
Answer: With the introduction of the Printing Press, a new wave of print culture began in Europe. It was defined by accelerated production of books and printed material. The mass production of books lead to decrease in the prices of the books and their circulation increased. The reading culture was not restricted only to the elites but now, even the common people began to have easy access to these books.
Printers also focused on publishing the folk tales and ballads, well illustrated with pictures so that the books could be enjoyed even by a less educated audience of the villages. The books gave an opportunity to more and more people to come in contact with the ideas of philosophers and leading thinkers of the time. Thus, this changed the reading culture of Europe widely.
OR
Answer: Hard times was the tenth novel written by Charles Dickens. It was published in 1854. The process of industrialization and its effect on the labour force was the main theme of this novel. Set in the backdrop of a fictitious industrial city of Coketown, the novel sketches the condition of the then cities that were full of machinery, chimneys and smoke. The labours of the industries were considered to be ‘hands’ of the industries.
The economic pressures of the time had reduced human beings to mere instruments of production. One of his other novels, Oliver Twist also revolves around the same theme of consequences of industrialisation. Thus, Dickens proved that the prevailing idea of Utilitarianism which believed in the “the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest number of people” actually lead to the misery of several other or the happiness of the influential lead to the misery of the labourers.
Q.10. Describe any three main features of ‘Alluvial soil’ found in India.
OR
Q.10. Describe any three main features of ‘Black soil’ found in India.
Answer: Major characteristics of Alluvial Soil are:
- Alluvial soil is considered as one of the most fertile soils. Alluvial soil covers the entire northern plains in India.
- Alluvial soil contains sand, silt and clay mainly due to silt deposited by Indo-Gangetic-Brahmaputra rivers.
According to age, it is classified into Bangar (old alluvial) and Khadar (new alluvial).
- Alluvial soil contains an ample amount of potash, phosphoric acid and lime. This soil is ideal for the growth of crops like sugarcane, wheat and rice etc.
OR
Answer: Major characteristics of Black soil are:
- Black soil is fine textured and clayey in nature.
- Black soil has high amount of lime, iron, magnesium and generally low quantities of ‘Phosphorus, Nitrogen and organic matter.
- It is formed from weathered lava rocks, thus is black in colour.
- It has a high clay content and therefore is highly retentive of water. It is extremely fertile in most of the places where it is found.
Q.11. “Irrigation has changed the cropping pattern of many regions in India.” Analyse the statement.
Answer: A well-developed irrigation facility reduces, the dependence of farmers on monsoons and ensures regular supply of water. Irrigation facilities also ensure the installation of tube wells, pumps in the farmlands that enable the farmer to irrigate large portions of land more effectively. They also facilitate the construction of dams that help in generating electricity. Better irrigation has Contributed in the increased production of maize in states like Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh. Water intensive cropping is now done in places like Ganganagar and Hanumangash region of Rajasthan where Indira Gandhi canal has facilitated easier and better irrigation.
Q.12. Name any two subjects that are included in the Concurrent List. How are laws made on these subjects? Explain.
OR
Q.12. How is the sharing of power between the Union and the State Governments basic to the structure of the Constitution of India? Explain.
Answer: Concurrent List includes subjects of common interest to both the Union and State government. These subjects are education, forest, trade unions, marriage, adoption and succession etc.
Both the state and the Union governments can make laws on these subjects. But if the laws made by both the government contradict each other, or a deadlock is created, then the law made by the Union government will prevail.
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Answer: Sharing of power between the Union and the State governments is very basic to the structure of the Constitution. The Constitution has distributed the legislative powers between the state government and Union government by dividing the subjects in Union list and State list, on which, these governments can make laws respectively. There is a Concurrent list as well on which, both the governments can make laws.
Also, State governments enjoy their own power in the states like Jammu and Kashmir. Many provisions of the Indian Constitution are not applicable in the states without the approval of the state government. On the other hand, the Union government enjoys its own hold over some of the union territories. This distribution of power is well embedded in the provisions of the constitution and is thus is its basic structure.
Q.13. “Every social difference does not lead to social division.” Justify the statement.
Answer: Social differences do not always lead to social division. They sometimes unite very different people and bring them closer by penetrating through their boundaries.
In this connection, we may take the example of the athletes Tommie Smith, Peter Norman and John Carlos who had participated in the 1968 Olympics held in Mexico. Both Smith and Carlos were African-American athletes who tried to gain international attention in the medal ceremony by wearing black gloves and raising clenched fists against racial discrimination. They attended the ceremony bare feet with black socks to represent black poverty. Their demonstration was to symbolise black power. Peter Norman was an Australian but still, he supported his co-athletes and wore a human rights badge during the ceremony. This shows that social difference does not always lead to social divisions.
Q.14. “Women in India still face discrimination in various ways.” Explain with examples.
Answer: Women face disadvantages, discrimination and oppression in various ways:
(i) The literacy rate among women is only 54 per cent as compared to 76 per cent among men. This is because women are deprived of an equal access to education as the males in the society. A very small percentage of girls go for higher education and the drop-out rate is also higher among the girls.
(ii) Proportion of women in highly paid jobs is very small. On an average, an Indian woman works a considerable number of hours more than an Indian man. Yet her wages are less as compared to men.
(iii) The preference to have male child over the female child has led to sex selective abortion. This has lowered sex ratio in India. This is also one of the main evidence of discrimination between the sexes.
(iv) Women are exploited and harassed at the workplace and at home. There are cases of harassment, exploitation in the urban areas as well. They are even subjected to domestic violence at homes. They are not given opportunities to stand up for.
Q.15. “Crude oil reserves are limited all over the world. If people continue to extract it at the present rate, the reserves would last only 35 – 40 years more” Explain any three ways to solve this problem.
Answer: Crude oil is a non- renewable resource of energy. It takes millions of years for the formation of this fuel, because of to which, it must be used judiciously. This type of fuel is being used faster than they are being produced. This causes depletion and scarcity of crude oil.
Steps which can be taken to conserve this non-renewable source of energy are:
- Use of public transport like buses and trains instead of self-owned vehicles will help to conserve petroleum. Carpooling will reduce the consumption of this fuel and thus scarcity will be dealt better with.
- Use of cycles wherever possible instead of using motorbike or car.
- Waxing floors with beeswax instead of petroleum-based commercial wax can also be beneficial.
Q.16. Why is it necessary to increase a large number of banks mainly in rural areas? Explain.
OR
Q.16. Why are service conditions of formal sector loans better than informal sector? Explain. Answer: It is important to open more banks in rural areas as the formal credit sector is missing. The practice of borrowing from an informal sector that exists in rural areas, for example, local money lenders, has a number of disadvantages.
The informal sector charges high rate of interest. Informal sector makes loans very expensive as there are no external organizations controlling the credit activities of lenders.
Informal sector involves a high degree of risk as there are no proper set of rules for repayment and there is a lot of exploitation of the poor farmers.
Lenders may exploit the borrowers, they may engage in threats and intimidation to ensure repayment of loans. There is no written agreement between the lender and the borrower. There is no legal recourse in case of informal sources of credit.
OR
Answer: Formal sector:
- This sector is mainly supervised by the RBI.
- It includes banks and cooperatives and thus every clause is in writing and very clear.</li><li>In this, collateral is required.
- It provides loans comparatively at lower rates.
- It doesn’t lead to a debt trap.
Informal sector:
- No external organisation supervises this sector.
- The lenders are mainly money lenders, friends, relatives, traders and landowners etc.
- Collateral is not required, thus it involves risk.
- This sector charges higher interest rates without any rules or regulation.
- This could lead to a debt trap.
Q.17. “How can the Government of India play a major role to make globalization fairer? Explain with examples.
OR
Q.17. How has globalization affected the life of Indians? Explain with examples.
Answer: Fair globalization would create equal opportunities for all and would ensure that the benefits of globalization are shared better. The government can play a major role in making this possible. The policies of the government must protect the interests of all the people of the country, not only of the rich and powerful. Hence, the government can play a functional role in helping to bridge the gap between the two.
It is necessary for developing countries to have stronger trade and investment rules. They should negotiate at the WTO for fairer rules and regulations.
OR
Answer: Globalization has contributed to the booming of the Indian economy in the following ways:
- Greater competition among producers resulting from globalisation is a great advantage to consumers as there is greater choice regarding every product before them.
- Due to globalisation, many MNCs have increased their investments in India, this has not only helped in the inflow of capital but also helped largely in employment generation.
- Local companies supplying raw materials to the industries that have been set as a result of globalization have prospered by leaps and bounds.
- Large Indian companies have emerged as multinational companies. This has helped our country to increase bur contacts around the world. Globalisation has helped increase our GDP and per capita income, thus making the living standards better across the globe.
Q.18. How are consumers enjoying the ‘right to be informed’ in their daily life? Explain with examples.
Section – C
Q.19. How had the ‘First World War created economic problems in India? Explain with examples.
OR
Q.19. How had a variety of cultural processes developed a sense of collective belongingness in India during the 19th century? Explain with examples.
Answer: The economic effects of the First World War were:
- The First World War led to huge expenditures in defence. These expenditures were to be financed by increasing the taxes and by raising customs duties.
- During the time of the First World War, crop failure resulted in acute shortage of food.
- During the war, the food prices increased, they almost doubled between 1913 and 1918. This increased the hardships of the people of India.
- Villages were called upon to supply soldiers. At some rural places, the colonial government forced people to join the army. It caused widespread resentment and anger amongst the people. It set the stage for the Great Depression.
- There was spread of influenza epidemic which contributed to the hardships of the people. The war weakened the gold standard.
OR
Answer: Nationalism spreads when people begin to believe that they are all part of the same nation and when they discover some unity, it binds them together. This sense of collective belonging unites people of different communities, regions or languages by the experience of many united struggles.
There were also a variety of cultural processes through which nationalism captured people’s imagination. History and fiction, folklore, and songs, popular poems and symbols, all played a vital role in the awakening of the spirit of nationalism. The identity of a nation is often symbolised by a figure or image. It was in the early 19th century, with the growth of nationalism that the identity of India came to be visually associated with the image of Bharat Mata. The image was first created by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and in the 1870s he wrote ‘Vande Mataram’ as a hymn to the motherland. Moved by Swadeshi movement, Abanindranath Tagore painted his famous image of Bharat Mata. In this painting, Bharat Mata is portrayed as an ascetic figure, she is calm, composed, divine and spiritual.
Ideas of nationalism also developed through a movement to revive Indian folklore. In the late 19th century India, nationalists began recording folk tales sung by bards and they toured villages to gather folk songs and legends.
These tales gave a true picture of traditional culture that had been corrupted and damaged by outside forces. When people would hear these songs, they would be filled with a spirit of belongingness to the country. They felt energised and highly patriotic. It was thus, essential to spread this folk tradition in order to discover citizen’s national identity and restore a sense of pride for their past.
Q.20. Describe the role of ‘technology’ in the transformation of the world in the nineteenth century.
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Q.20. Describe the life of workers during the nineteenth century in England.
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Q.20. Describe various steps taken to clean up London in the nineteenth century.
Answer: The making of modern Global world was characterized by major discoveries and inventions. Technological inventions helped developing in these ways:
- Railways, steamships, telegraphs transformed the trade and led to easy transportation of goods and raw materials.
- Technological advancements stimulated the process of industrialization, which expanded the production of goods and trade.
- Refrigerated ships made transportation of perishable products, like meat, over long distances easy.
- There was also the development of the Printing Press that lead to print revolution.
- Communication was made easy with the invention of telephones, computers and other things like cabels, network towers etc.
OR
Answer: The life of the workers in the 19th century was miserable. They were given lower wages and were made to work for longer hours. This was the reason poverty was more prominent in cities as compared to villages. They had to work in the factories and the working environment was hazardous. They dealt with the machines without proper training and education, which was dangerous.
People from countryside rushed to cities in search of new jobs. Only a few of those, whose friends and relatives were already working into the factory could get jobs. The living conditions were so pathetic that it was expected of such people to die in a workhouse, hospital of lunatic asylum rather than in some decent working areas. Nearly 1 million Londoners (about one-fifth of the population of London at the time_ were very poor and living in un-habitable conditions.
The over-congestion was leading to epidemic diseases in the whole city. There was an urgent need to increase the number of rooms these labourers were living in. There was no proper drinking water available sometimes. The life expectancy of these poor people was nearly 29 Years of age while it was near about 55 years of age for the middle and upper-class people.
OR
Answer: The widespread use of coal in homes and industries in 19th century England raised serious problems. Shopkeepers, home owners and others complained about black fog, grey skies and black vegetation. All these factors caused bad temper, smoke related disorders and dirty clothes.
- Congestion in the city also led to a desire for clean air. Therefore, attempts were made to decongest the localities, make the open places greener, reduce pollution and make the city more beautiful.
- Large clocks of apartments were built and methods of control as introduced to ease the impact of an excessive housing shortage.
- A new garden city of new Earswick was made with common gardens, beautiful views where people would live and work. Architects made efforts to plan a green city with a larger number of green belts and gardens.
- Between the world wars, a large number of houses—most of them single-family cottages were built for the working class.
A million new houses were built and people were encouraged to live in them.
Q.21. Name the two most important cereal crops grown in India. Describe the conditions required to grow these two crops.
Answer: Rice and wheat are the two most important cereal crops grown in India.
Rice is the staple food crop of most people in India, especially in coastal regions.
The geographical condition required for the growth of rice are as follows:
- It is a Kharif crop and requires a hot and humid climate for cultivation. Temperature above 25°C and high humidity with annual rainfall above 100 cm are favourable for growth or rice.
- Rich alluvial soils of the floodplains, river basins and deltaic areas which are renewed every year are ideal for rice cultivation.
- Rice requires abundant rainfall or good water supply through irrigation and flooded fields during the earlier part of its growing season in June-July. Ankle deep water in the field helps the crops.
- Plenty of cheap labour is required as most of farming involves manual labour.
Wheat is the main food crop for the people residing in the North and North-western part of the country.
The geographical conditions favourable for the growth of wheat are as follows:
- Wheat is a rabi crop and requires a cool growing season. The average temperature should be between 10°C to 5°C at the time of sowing, but higher temperatures and bright sunshine is required at the time of harvesting for proper ripening of arraigns.
- Wheat requires moderate rainfall of 50 to 75 cm annually, evenly distributed over the growing season. A little winter rain before ripening helps in increasing the yield.
- Deep alluvial clayey soils of Northern Plains and even black soil of Deccan are suitable for the growth of wheat.
There are two important wheat-growing zones in the country-the Ganga-Satluj plains in the North-west and black soil region of the Deccan. Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan and parts of Madhya Pradesh are the major wheat-growing states.
Q.22. How can the industrial pollution of fresh water be reduced? Explain various ways.
Answer: Main causes of water pollution is due to the wastes discharged from factories, refineries into the water bodies. These wastes contain harmful chemicals such as alkalis, acids etc. and toxic metals like mercury, lead, arsenic etc. which kill the aquatic life.
The following steps can be taken to reduce the industrial pollution:
- Restructuring the manufacturing processes to reduce or eliminate pollutants, like, lead, zinc, arsenic through a process called Pollution Prevention. Chimneys for treating of gaseous waste are also important.
- It is necessary to encourage industries to promote “green” methods of production and products. It includes environment-friendly operating processes.
- It is advisable to create cooling ponds which are man made and designed to cool the heated waters of industries by evaporation, condensation and radiation.
- It is very important to attach water treatment plant to the industry for filtration of the sewage before it enters the water bodies. Sewage treatment plants are important for treatment of polluted water.
Q.23. “Democracies do not appear to be very successful in reducing economic inequalities.” Justify the statement.
OR
Q.23. “Democracy is a better form of government than any other form of government.” Justify the statement.
Answer: In most of the democracies, a small number of ultra-rich group of people enjoy a highly disproportionate share of wealth and income. The share of rich class is increasing, whereas those who are at the bottom of the society, have very little to depend upon.
Even in India, the poor constitute a large proportion of the voters and no party will like to lose their votes. Yet, democratically elected government does not appear to be keen on addressing the question of poverty as is expected of them. The situation is much worse in some other countries, like in Bangladesh more than half of its population live in poverty. People in several poor countries are now dependent on the rich countries even for basic food supplies.
Democracies are based on political equality. All citizens have equal rights in electing representatives, but this is not so in the economic field. Economic equality comes by the equitable distribution of wealth, but this is not true in democracy. The poor are becoming poorer, and sometimes they find it difficult to even meet the basic needs of life like food, shelter, health and education. There can be many factors that are prevailing in a country that make it incapable to bring about equitable distribution of wealth.
Large population: Rise in population leads to rise in family size. But, because the family income is less the people have to adjust and manage with meagre pay.
Unemployment: Because of the population explosion, the number of job opportunities are very less compared to the people. A ‘ large number of still educated people are without jobs.
Vicious circle of poverty: Poor people still have to be dependent on money-lenders to fulfill their basic needs as their income doesn’t substitute their needs.
Low literacy rate: Education is still considered to be a dream for many.
All of these factors make it difficult for a democratic government to function and work efficiently.
OR
Answer: Democracy is better than other forms of government because:
- People are their own masters. In a democracy, every individual has a right to vote and choose his representatives in the government. Thus, it is more representative and popular.
- The government is of the people and the laws are made by the people (or the chosen representatives) in the government. Laws are made to protect the liberty and freedom of the people. Thus, the laws are popular opinion of the citizens on the whole.
- In a democracy, no particular religion, region, race or language is given special preference.
All individuals are given equal rights and freedom, and there is no discrimination.
- The government is not by force. The opposition parties are allowed to criticise the government. Hence, there is a system of checks and balances in the form of democratic government.
- Since every individual is given equal rights, there is less danger of conflicts in society. There are less conflicts based on caste, religion or region and less social tensions in society. Equitable distribution of opportunities is encouraged.
Q.24. Explain any five needs to have political parties in a democratic country.
Answer: Political party is an organised group of people having a common ideology and its aim is to contest elections and some to power.
Political Parties are very important because:
- Parties frame their own policies in the form of manifestos which includes their vision on the basis of which they would establish governance in the country.
- Existence of political parties in a representative democracy ensures that the country runs as per its policies and ideologies and has a responsible accountable government which is answerable to the people.
- Parties give representation to diverse interests in society, they give recognition to minorities, thus ensuring an all round development of the country.
- Parties help in forming and shaping public opinion. This educates the people politically and helps them by spreading awareness regarding their rights and duties.
- Political parties form links between the government administrators of the country and the common people. Their needs and aspirations are conveyed to them through these parties only.
Q.25. Explain any five differences between the public and private sectors.
Answer:
| S.No. | Private Sector | Public Sector |
| 1. | Ownership of assets and delivery of services is in the hands of private individuals or companies. | The govt owns most of the assets and provides all services. |
| 2. | Their main motive is to earn a profit. | Their main motive is public welfare rather than to earn a profit. |
| 3. | The decision regarding production and distribution are taken by managers or owners of the company. | The decision regarding production and distribution are taken by the government. |
| 4. | Due to the movie of earning a profit, it does not invest funds to construct infrastructures for public utility/facility. | Due to motives of public welfare, it invests fund to construct infrastructures for public utility/ facility, like the construction of road, bridges, etc |
| 5. | Examples: Tata iron and steel company Ltd. (TISCO), Reliance industries Ltd., Etc. | Examples: Railways, post office, police station, etc. |
Q.26. (A) Two features ‘a’ and ‘b’ are marked on the given political outline map of India. Identify these features with the help of the following information and write their correct names on the lines marked near them:
(a) The place where the Indian National Congress Session was held.
(b) The place where Gandhiji violated the salt law.
(B) Locate and label any three of the following with appropriate symbols on the same given outline political map of India:
(i) Bokaro – Iron and Steel Plant
(ii) Gandhinagar – Software Technology Park
(iii) Tarapur – Nuclear Power Plant
(iv) Salal – Dam
(v) Tuticorin – Seaport
Answer :
