CBSE EXAMINATION PAPER-2023

Answer: Chief Minister Cavour played a crucial role in the unification of Italy. He was a skilled diplomat and politician, who unlike revolutionaries, used alliances and wars strategically to unite Italy. Cavour aligned Sardinia-Piedmont with France and successfully defeated Austrian forces in 1859, which controlled many Italian regions. He was a member of the elite and was more French-speaking than Italian, yet he worked tirelessly to expand Sardinia-Piedmont’s territory, laying the groundwork for a united Italy. He focused on practical politics rather than revolutionary methods. His diplomatic efforts and war strategies helped pave the way for Victor Emmanuel II to become the king of a unified Italy in 1861.

Answer: Liberal nationalism in nineteenth-century Europe combined the ideas of national unity with liberalism, which emphasized individual freedom and equality before the law. The new middle classes supported this ideology, seeking governments that protected these rights. Initially, nationalism was linked with democratic and revolutionary ideals, promoting freedom and unity. However, after 1848, nationalism often aligned with conservative powers to strengthen state control, such as in the unification of Germany and Italy. By the late nineteenth century, nationalism became more exclusive and aggressive, losing its earlier liberal and democratic spirit.

Answer: Two effective ways to conserve wildlife in India are: first, the government has enacted strict laws to prevent the hunting and trading of wild animals and birds. Such legal protection helps reduce the threats to endangered species. Second, awareness programs like social forestry and Vanamahotsava are promoted to encourage community participation in planting trees and protecting habitats. Additionally, educating school children through bird watching and nature camps helps them appreciate and protect wildlife.

Answer: The feeling of alienation among the Sri Lankan Tamils increased in 1956 due to government policies that favored the Sinhala majority. The Sinhala leaders made laws and decisions that ignored Tamil language and culture. The Tamils felt discriminated against in political rights, jobs, and education. The constitution and government actions did not protect their interests, which led to strained relations between the Tamil and Sinhala communities. The Tamils demanded recognition of their language and more autonomy, but these were repeatedly denied, increasing their sense of exclusion and alienation.

Answer: Credit can sometimes lead borrowers into a difficult situation known as a debt trap. For example, when Swapna took credit hoping to improve her earnings, a crop failure led her to struggle with repayment. To repay her loan, she had to sell part of her land, making her worse off than before. Thus, credit can be helpful only if the borrower can manage risks and has support in case of losses; otherwise, it can push the borrower into painful recovery.

Answer: Print came into existence in Europe due to the increasing need for faster and cheaper reproduction of texts. Earlier, manuscripts were copied by hand, which was time-consuming and expensive. A major breakthrough occurred in the 1430s in Strasbourg, Germany, when Johann Gutenberg developed the first known printing press. This new print technology allowed mechanical printing, making book production quicker and cheaper. Paper had reached Europe from China via the Silk Route earlier, enabling manuscript production. With Gutenberg’s invention, printing presses spread rapidly across Europe between 1450 and 1550, leading to the production of millions of copies of printed books. Printers from Germany helped establish presses in other countries, fueling the growth of printed literature. This shift significantly influenced the spread of knowledge and helped create the modern world.

Answer: Access to books created a new culture of reading by making books more affordable and widely available. Before the printing press, reading was limited to the elite, while common people relied on oral traditions to receive knowledge. The invention of the printing press reduced the cost and labor of producing books, enabling the production of multiple copies that reached a large readership. This allowed individuals to own and read books on their own, fostering a habit of silent and individual reading. As literacy rates increased and schools became more common in European countries, booksellers produced various types of literature targeting different audiences. This spread of books led to a reading mania, where many people actively sought out books for knowledge and pleasure, thus creating a new culture of reading society-wide.

Answer: To improve the literacy rate among women in India, three important steps can be taken. First, increasing access to education for girls by providing more schools near their homes and making schooling affordable will encourage enrollment and attendance. Second, improving the quality of education with better trained teachers and relevant curriculum will help retain girls in schools and ensure they learn well. Third, promoting awareness about the importance of female education among parents and communities can change social attitudes that often limit girls' education. Additionally, addressing health and nutrition issues can support girls' regular school attendance. These combined measures will help bridge the gender gap in literacy and empower women.

Answer: The primary sector involves activities that directly use natural resources. It includes agriculture, mining, fishing, forestry, and raising livestock. These activities focus on extracting raw materials from nature. For example, farming crops or catching fish are primary sector activities. The secondary sector involves activities that process raw materials into finished goods. This includes manufacturing, construction, electricity production, water supply, and solar power. Examples are manufacturing steel from iron ore or baking bread from wheat. While the primary sector provides raw materials, the secondary sector adds value by turning them into useful products.

Answer: The tertiary sector, also known as the service sector, has grown significantly in India over the years and has become the largest producing sector by 2013-14, overtaking the primary sector. This rise is due to several factors. Services such as hospitals, educational institutions, postal and telegraph services, and police stations are essential for the functioning of any country. Over the period from 1973-74 to 2013-14, production in the tertiary sector has increased the most compared to the primary and secondary sectors. This trend mirrors the pattern seen in developed countries, where the service sector dominates both production and employment. The growth of the tertiary sector has created more job opportunities, especially in urban areas. Increased demand for services like banking, communication, transport, and education has also contributed to its rising importance. Thus, the tertiary sector plays a crucial role in India's economy by contributing more to production and employment and supporting overall development.

Answer: The business classes played a significant role in the Civil Disobedience Movement. During the First World War, Indian merchants and industrialists had amassed substantial wealth and gained considerable influence. They were eager to expand their enterprises but faced many restrictions imposed by British colonial policies. Consequently, these restrictions motivated them to support the Civil Disobedience Movement as they saw it as a means to challenge colonial economic controls. Leaders like G. D. Birla openly criticized British dominance over the Indian economy and backed the movement from its beginning. Businessmen extended financial help to the movement and participated actively by boycotting imported goods, thus promoting indigenous products. They anticipated that swaraj (self-rule) would remove the economic constraints and create a favorable environment for business growth and industrial development. Their support helped widen the base of the movement beyond peasants and workers, giving it a more robust and widespread appeal. Thus, the business classes were crucial not only for their financial resources but also for providing economic reasoning and legitimacy to the Civil Disobedience Movement.

Answer: The Civil Disobedience Movement marked a significant chapter in India's struggle for independence, with women playing a crucial and transformative role. Initially, Mahatma Gandhi was hesitant to allow women to join the movement, reflecting the prevalent social norms of that time. However, with persuasion from leaders like Sarojini Naidu, women actively participated, making the movement truly inclusive and representative of the entire nation. Women participated in large numbers during protests such as the Salt Satyagraha, challenging imperial forces through acts of non-violent defiance like making salt illegally, boycotting foreign goods, and picketing liquor shops. Their involvement went beyond mere participation; it symbolized a challenge to both colonial authority and traditional gender roles within Indian society. Prominent women leaders emerged, inspiring many others to join and sustain the movement. Women’s courage in facing arrests, police brutality, and imprisonment highlighted their determination and commitment to the freedom struggle. This active engagement of women in the Civil Disobedience Movement not only strengthened the resistance against British rule but also paved the way for greater gender equality in the political sphere. Their role proved that the fight for India’s independence was a collective effort, transcending gender and class barriers, thus making an indelible impact on the success and spirit of the movement.

Answer:

In India, farming systems vary according to the physical environment, technology, and socio-cultural factors. Two important types are primitive subsistence farming and commercial farming.

Primitive Subsistence Farming: This type of farming is still practised in certain pockets of India, generally on small patches of land. It is carried out with primitive tools such as hoe, dao, and digging sticks, relying mainly on family or community labour. It depends heavily on monsoon rainfall, natural soil fertility, and environmental conditions. The output is usually just enough to meet the needs of the farmer's family with little or no surplus for sale. Because it uses minimal technology and inputs, it is often not very productive.

Commercial Farming: On the other hand, commercial farming is done mainly for sale in the market and profit maximization. It involves large-scale production using modern technology, high-yielding variety seeds, chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and mechanized tools. Irrigation facilities are widely employed to ensure high and reliable production. This type of farming is common in areas with better access to markets, infrastructure, and capital. It includes the cultivation of cash crops like cotton, sugarcane, tea, coffee, and rubber.

In summary, primitive subsistence farming focusses on survival and relies on traditional methods, while commercial farming is profit-oriented using modern scientific techniques.

Answer: Intensive subsistence farming in India is mainly practiced in regions with high population density, where small plots of land are cultivated with great care and attention. This type of farming is labour-intensive, involving the use of simple tools and a large amount of manual labour. Farmers often use high doses of biochemical inputs and irrigation to increase productivity. The climate, characterized by a large number of sunny days and fertile soil, allows for multiple crops to be grown on the same plot annually. Major crops include rice, wheat, maize, pulses, and oilseeds. The system sustains the livelihood of many small farmers who depend mostly on their own produce. Plantation farming, on the other hand, is a form of commercial agriculture where a single crop is cultivated over large areas. It is capital intensive and uses modern technology and hired labour. Plantations serve as an interface between agriculture and industry. Common plantation crops in India include tea, coffee, rubber, sugarcane, and spices. This type of farming requires substantial investment and is mostly found in regions with favorable climatic conditions, such as the Western Ghats and Northeastern states. Both farming types play significant roles in India’s agriculture but differ in scale, inputs, and purpose.

Answer: Democracies accommodate social diversities effectively under several important conditions. Firstly, democracy must allow political expression of social differences, enabling various groups to participate in decision-making processes. This political expression is crucial for managing social divisions and inequalities peacefully. Secondly, democratic systems should provide mechanisms to recognize and protect minority rights, ensuring that minority communities receive fair representation and share in political power. Thirdly, democracies need to have frameworks that allow differences of opinion and interests to be expressed and resolved through dialogue and negotiation rather than conflict. This is especially important in societies with diverse social, religious, and linguistic groups. Finally, democracy's capacity to provide peaceful conflict resolution and promote social harmony depends on institutions that uphold the rule of law, equal rights, and justice for all citizens regardless of their backgrounds. Therefore, democracies accommodate social diversity when they create inclusive, fair, and representative political structures that respect differences and promote cooperation among diverse groups.

Answer:

Democracy promotes dignity and freedom of citizens primarily through the principle of political equality, which recognizes every individual's equal status regardless of their social or economic background. For democracies to effectively uphold these values, certain conditions must be met. Firstly, there should be recognition that all individuals, including the poorest and least educated, have equal rights and respect. Citizens must have the opportunity to participate in decision-making processes, ensuring that they are not subjects but rulers in their own country. Secondly, democratic societies need to overcome historical conditions of subordination and domination where inequalities were deeply entrenched. This requires a legal and moral framework that protects basic freedoms and rights, preventing abuse or discrimination. Thirdly, citizens must be aware of their democratic rights and take advantage of these rights to demand respect and equality. Democracies function well when they are capable of accommodating diverse demands and pressures from various social groups, fostering an environment where freedom of expression, thought, and association is guaranteed. By fulfilling these conditions, democracy enhances the dignity of individuals by affirming their value and freedom, distinguishing itself from other forms of government. Therefore, the promotion of dignity and freedom in democracies depends on political equality, active citizen participation, respect for rights, and the ability to address social inequalities.

Answer:

Multinational Corporations (MNCs) interlink production across countries by strategically setting up offices, factories, and other operations in multiple nations to optimize costs and resources. MNCs typically establish production units in countries where labour—both skilled and unskilled—is available at low costs, and where other factors such as raw materials and government policies favor their interests. This enables them to reduce production costs and increase profitability while catering to global markets.

Production is spread across various countries and involves working closely with local companies either by forming partnerships, competing, using them as suppliers, or even acquiring them. For example, an MNC might manufacture components in one country, assemble products in another, and provide customer support services from yet another country like India, where call centers handle global customer care.

This global distribution and interaction cause production activities in these different locations to become interconnected. The finished products and services are not only sold worldwide, but their manufacturing itself is a global process. Such interlinking enables MNCs to leverage unique advantages each country offers, ensuring cost efficiency and access to diverse markets. For example, the practice of having call centers in India while manufacturing is done elsewhere exemplifies this interlinked production system, highlighting how MNCs use the strengths of various countries to run their operations smoothly at a global level.

Answer: To attract foreign investments, both Central and State Governments in India have taken several important steps. First, they have established Special Economic Zones (SEZs), which are industrial zones with world-class facilities such as electricity, water, roads, transportation, storage, recreational, and educational amenities. These zones offer tax exemptions for the first five years to companies setting up production units, encouraging investment. Second, the government has provided flexibility in labour laws to make India a more attractive destination for foreign companies, easing some rules that may otherwise discourage investment. Third, they have consistently improved infrastructure to support business operations, including better roads, ports, and power supply. Fourth, policies have been introduced to simplify procedures for business approvals and to reduce bureaucratic hurdles for foreign investors. Lastly, the government has focused on promoting sectors like automobiles, electronics, and information technology by providing incentives and facilitating collaborations with multinational companies. Together, these steps have helped increase foreign direct investment by creating a more business-friendly environment.