CBSE SAMPLE PAPER-01
CBSE Class – XII
HISTORY
Time allowed: 3 hours, Maximum Marks: 80
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
1. Answer all the questions. Some questions have choice. Marks are indicated against
eachquestion.
2. Answer to questions no. 1 to 3 carrying 2marks should not exceed 30 words each
3. Answer to questions no. 4 to 9 carrying 4marks should not exceed 100 words. Students
should attempt only five questions in this section
4. Question 10 ( for 4 marks) is a value based question and compulsory question
5. Answer to questions 11 to 13 carrying 8 marks should not exceed 350 words.
6. Questions 14-16 are source based questions and have no internal choice
7. Questions 17 is a Map question includes identification and significant test items. Attach the
map with the answer sheet.
PART-A
Answer all the questions given below:
1. Why did Akbar show high respect towards the inter-faith debates? Give two reasons
Ans. Akbar and inter-faith debate
i. Akbar’s Quest for religious knowledge
ii. Wanted to acquire knowledge about religious doctrines
iii. He was a divinely aspired individual
2. How did Kushanas of first century BCE exemplify themselves with high status? State
any two significant ways.
Ans. Kushanas
i. They projected themselves through coins and sculpture
ii. Colossal statue of kushana rulers were installed in Mathura and Afghanistan
iii. They projected themselves godlike
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iv. They adopted the title of devputra
3. Compare the racial divide of ‘Black Town’ and ‘White Town’ in colonial India .
Ans.
‘Black Town’ and ‘White Town’
i. Black areaswere full of filth and diseases
ii. It was full of chaos and anarchy
iii. Epidemics spread easily
iv. Sanitation was in poor condition
White town
i. Cleaned areas
ii. Sanitation and health were considered important
iii. Underground water pipe supply was there
iv. sewerage and drainage systems were put
PART-B
Section-I
Answer any five of the following questions:
4. ‘Epigraphy alone does not provide a full understanding of political and economic
history. ’Justify the statement with its four limitations
Ans. ‘Epigraphy
i. There are technical limitations in studying the Inscriptions. In some inscriptions letters are
very faintly engraved.
ii. Some inscriptions are damaged and in some inscriptions letters are missing. So
reconstructions are uncertain.
iii. Besides, it is not always easy to be sure about the exact meaning of the words used in
inscriptions, some of which may be specific to a particular place or time. This has to be done
carefully, to ensure that the intended meaning of the author is not changed.
iv. Several thousand inscriptions were made but only some hundreds have been discovered
in which all are not deciphered, published and translated.
v. There is another more fundamental problem. Politically and economically significant
matters are recorded in inscriptions but routine agricultural practices and the joys and
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sorrows of daily existence are not found in inscriptions.
vi. Historians and Epigraphists have to constantly assess statements made in inscriptions to
judge whether they are true, plausible or exaggerations.
5. How have archaeologists used evidence from material remains to piece together
parts of a fascinating Harappa history? Explain
Ans. . Piecing together parts of Harappa history
i. Cunningham’s confusion-Harappan artifacts were found fairly often during the nineteenth
century and some of these reached Cunningham, he did not realise how old these were but
unsuccessfully tried to place it within the time-frame of c. sixth century BCE-fourth century
CE.
ii. John Marshall`s Ignorance- Marshall tended to excavate along regular horizontal units,
measured uniformly throughout the mound, ignoring the stratigraphy of the site. This meant
that all the artefacts recovered from the same unit were grouped together, even if they were
found at different stratigraphic layers. As a result, valuable information about Harappan
civilisation was irretrievably lost.
iii. R.E.M. Wheeler`s problems- R.E.M. Wheeler took over as Director-General of the ASI in
1944, rectified many problems. Wheeler recognized that it was necessary to follow the
stratigraphy of the mound rather than dig mechanically along uniform horizontal lines.
iv. Daya Ram Sahni- Seals were discovered at Harappa by archaeologists such as Daya Ram
Sahni in the early decades of the twentieth century, in layers that were definitely much older
than Earl y Historic levels. It was then that their significance began to be realized.
v. Rakhal Das Banerji-in 1924,John Marshall, Director-General of the ASI, announced the
discovery of a new civilization in the Indus valley to the world.
vi. S.N. Roy- As S.N. Roy noted in The Story of Indian Archaeology, “Marshall left India three
thousand years older than he had found her.”This was because similar, till-then-unidentified
seals were found at excavations at Mesopotamian sites. It was then that the world knew not
only of a new civilization interesting results in the future.
6. Why were agricultural tracts incorporated within the fortified area of the
Vijayanagara Empire? Give reasons.
Ans. Fortified area of the Vijayanagara Empire
i. Abdur Razzaq, an ambassador of Persia was greatly mentioned seven lines of forts. These
encircled notonly the city but also its agricultural hinterland and forests.
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ii. The outermost wall linked the hills surrounding the city. The massive masonry
construction was slightly tapered.
iii. No mortar or cementing agent was employed anywhere in the construction. The stone
blocks were wedge shaped, which held them in place, and the inner portion of the walls was
of earth packed with rubble.
iv. Between the first, second and the third walls there are cultivated fields, gardens and
houses.
v. Agricultural tract between the sacred centre and the urban core.
7. Abu’l Fazl had shaped and articulated the ideas associated with the reign of Akbar‘.
Substantiate the statement in the context Mughal court.
Ans. Mughal court
i. The physical arrangement of the court, focused on the sovereign, mirrored his status as the
heart of society.
ii. The throne gave physical form to the function of the sovereign as axis mundi.
iii. The canopy was believed to separate the radiance of the sun from that of the sovereign.
iv. In court, status was determined by spatial proximity to the king.
v. The place accorded to a courtier by the ruler was a sign of his importance in the eyes of
the emperor.
vi. Once the emperor sat on the throne, no one was permitted to move
vii. After spending an hour at the jharoka, the emperor walked to the public hall of audience
(diwan-i am) toconduct the primary business of his government.
viii. State officials presented reports and made requests.
ix. diwan-i khas to hold private audiences and discuss confidential matters. High ministers of
state placed their petitions before him
x. Occasionally, the emperor viewed the works of highly reputed artists or building plans of
architects
xi. Id, Shab-i barat and Holi, the court was full of life. Perfumed candles set in rich holders
and palace walls.
8. What was the Limitation Law of 1859? State its impacts on the ryots.
Ans. Limitation Law of 1859
I. It stated that the loan bonds signed between the moneylenders and ryots would have
validity for only three years.
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II. It was to check the accumulation of interest over time
its impacts on the ryots
I. Moneylenders forced the ryots to sign new bonds
II. Money lenders useda variety of other means to short change the ryots
III. Moneylenders refused to give receipts to ryots when they paid their loans
IV. They entered fictitious figures.
9. Critically evaluate Governor General Lord Dalhousie’s policy towards Awadh during
1850s.
Ans. Dalhousie’s policy towards Awadh
i. He called Awadh as a cherry that will drop into their mouth one day
ii. Subsidiary system was imposed on it
iii. He wanted it due to its soil fertility and market
iv. Followed the policy of territorial annexation
v. Nawab Wazid Ali Shah was dethroned on the pretext of misgovernanace
vi. Displaced and dispossessed taluqdars
vii. Any other relevant point.
SECTION-II
VALUE BASED QUESTION (Compulsory)
Read the following lines and answer the question that follows:
A poem by Karaikkal Ammaiyar in which she describes herself:
The female Pey (demoness) with . . . bulging veins,
protruding eyes, white teeth and shrunken stomach,
red haired and jutting teeth, lengthy shins extending till the ankles,
shouts and wails while wandering in the forest.
10. Karaikkal Ammaiyar’s poetry dismantles the paradigm of human order and duty
rooted in the household not by focusing on gender roles, but by extolling devotion.
Highlight the values that provide the potential space for women in this emerging
tradition.
Ans. Values cherished by KARAIKKAL AMMAIYAR
i. Devotion as rhythm of life
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ii. model of a dutiful woman
iii. protested orthodoxy
iv. promoted social and religious reform movements
v. worked for the promotion and potential space for women
vi. Rejected the entire social and domestic world of rules and obligations
vii. Wanted to pursue personal salvation
viii. denied caste or gender privileges
ix. talked about real egalitarianism
x. relocated her sphere of activity on the periphery of the social world
PART-C
LONG QUESTIONS
Answer all the questions given below:
11. How did Siddhartha come to be known as the Buddha? Explain his philosophy
mentioned in the Sutta-Pitaka.
OR
Describe the sculptural aspects of Sanchi Stupa . State the reasons for the survival of
this Stupa.
Ans. Buddha
i. Siddhartha, as the Buddha was named at birth, was the son of a chief of the Sakya clan.
ii. He had a sheltered upbringing within the palace, insulated from the harsh realities of life.
iii. One day he persuaded his charioteer to take him into the city, he saw an old man, a sick
man and a corpse.
iv. He realised in that moment that the decay and destruction of the human body was
inevitable.
v. He left the palace and set out in search of hisown truth., he meditated for several days and
finally attained enlightenment.
vi. After this he came to be known as the Buddha or the Enlightened One.
vii. For the rest of his life, he taught dhamma or the path of righteous living
To be assessed as a whole
The Buddha’s teachings have been reconstructed fromstories, found mainly in the Sutta
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Pitaka.
i. According to Buddhist philosophy, the world is transient (anicca) and constantly changing;
it is also soulless (anatta) as there is nothing permanent or eternal in it.
ii. Within this transient world, sorrow (dukkha) is intrinsic to human existence.
iii. By following the path of moderation between severe penance and self-indulgence that
human beings can come out of these worldly troubles.
iv. The Buddha regarded the social world as the creation of humans rather than of divine
origin. Therefore, he advised kings and gahapatis to be humane and ethical
towards common people.
v. Individual effort was expected to transform socialrelations.
vi. The Buddha emphasized individual agency and righteous action as the means to escape
from the cycle of rebirth and attain self-realisation. vii. Any other relevant point
OR
Sculptural aspects of Sanchi Stupa . State the reasons for the survival of this Stupa Sculpture
i. Depiction of rural scene, with thatched huts and trees.
ii. The empty seat to indicate the meditation of the Buddha, and The Stupa was meant to
represent the mahaparinibbana.
iii. Another frequently used symbol was the wheel .it stood for the first sermon of the
Buddha, delivered at Sarnath..
iv. The shalabhanjika motif suggests that many people who turned to Buddhism enriched it
with their own preBuddhist and even non-Buddhist beliefs, practices and ideas..
v. Animals like elephants, horses, monkeys and cattle, Elephants were depicted to signify
strength and wisdom..
vi. Maya, the mother of the Buddha, others identify her with a popular goddess, Gajalakshmi
– literally, the goddess of good fortune
Sanchi’s preservation
i. When Sanchi was “discovered” in 1818, three of its four gateways were still standing, the
fourth was lying on the spot where it had fallen and the mound was in good condition.
ii. Nineteenth-century Europeans like the French and English sought Shahjehan Begum’s
permission to take away the eastern gateway, which was the best preserved, to be displayed
in museums in France and England. But she refused.
iii. The rulers of Bhopal, Shahjehan Begum and her successor Sultan Jehan Begum, provided
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money for the preservation of the ancient site.
iv. She funded the museum that was built there as well as the guesthouse where John
Marshall lived and wrote the volumes.
v. She also funded the publication of the volumes written by John Marshall.
12. Analyze the condition of forest dwellers in theMughal agrarian society.
OR
Examine the role of the village Panchayats in the Mughal period
Ans. Forest dwellers in the Mughal agrarian
i. An average of 40 per cent of Mughal Empire was covered by forests
ii. Their livelihood came from the gathering of forest produce, hunting and shifting
agriculture.
iii. Collection of livelihood was largely season specific. Spring was reserved for collecting
forest produce, summer for fishing, the monsoon months for cultivation, and autumn and
winter for hunting.
iv. For the state, the forest was a place of rebels and troublemakers.
v. State required elephants for the army. Elephants were captured from forest and sold.
vi. Rulers went for regular hunting expeditions which enabled the emperor to travel across
the extensive territories of his empire and personally attend to the grievances of its
inhabitants.
vii. The spread of commercial agriculture was an important external factor that impinged on
the lives of those who lived in the forests.
viii. Forest products –like honey, beeswax and gumlac – were in great demand. Some, such as
gum lac, became major items of overseas export from India in the seventeenth century.
ix. Social factors too brought changes in the lives of forest dwellers. Like the head men of the
villages, tribes also had their chieftains. Many tribal chiefs had become zamindars, some
even became kings.
x. Tribal Kings recruited people from their lineage groups or demanded that their fraternity
provide military service. Tribes in the Sind region had armies comprising 6,000 cavalry and
7,000 infantry.
OR
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Role of Mughal Panchayats
i. The village panchayat was an assembly of elders, with hereditary rights
ii. In mixed-caste villages, the panchayat was usually a heterogeneous body
iii. The panchayat was headed by a headman known as muqaddam or mandal. ,chosen
through the consensus of the elders and zamindar
iv. Headmen held office as long as they enjoyed the confidence of the village elders.
v. The chief function of the headman was to supervise the preparation of village accounts,
assisted by theaccountant or patwari
vi. The panchayat derived its funds from common financial pool.
vii. Expenses for community welfare activities such as digging a canal, tiding over floods
were also met from these funds.
viii. They ensured conduct of the members of the village community.
ix. Panchayats also had the authority to levy fines and inflict more serious forms of
punishment like expulsion from the community.
x. Caste or jati in the village had its own jati panchayat.
xi. In Rajasthan Jati Panchayats arbitrated civil disputes between members of different
castes..
xii. Rajasthan and Maharashtra – contain petitions presented to the panchayat complaining
about extortionate taxation
13. ‘Non cooperation became the epoch in the life of India and of Gandhiji‘. Justify this
statement with examples
OR
Buried under the debris of the violence and pain of Indian partition is an enormous
history of help, humanity & harmony’. Explain
Ans. Gandhiji
i. The repressive attitude of the British Government led Mahatma Gandhi to launch Non-
Cooperation Movement against it.
ii. He knitted popular movement
iii. He served notice to the Viceroy on 1 July thatsince the issue of Khilafat and Jallianwala
Bagh massacre had not been satisfactorily solved, he would resort to Non-Cooperation
Movement
iv. The Non-Cooperation Movement included Swadeshi as its prime move.
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v. It introduced 20 lakhs of Charkhas in Indian family
vi. The programme of Non-Cooperation Movement was multidimensional.
vii. Surrender of all titles and Government posts
viii. Boycott of Government schools and colleges
ix. Boycott of all functions of the British Government
x. Boycott of law courts,. Non-cooperation with the Act of 1919, Boycott of all foreign articles
xi. Development of communal harmony
xii. Use of Swadeshi articles
xiii. Establishment of national schools
xiv. End of untouchability and caste-system
xv. This movement unleashed a surge of popular action against colonial India
xvi. For a short period, it gave a challenge to the British authority.
OR
History of help, humanity & harmony during partition of India
i. People helped each other
ii. Stories of caring and sharing were also there.
iii. New opportunities were there
iv. Triumph over trauma
v. Humble efforts of people
vi. Kindness of people
vii. Humanity was also shown
viii. Sharing of food shelter and security
ix. Numerous stories-examples to be coded
PART-D
SOURCE BASED QUESTIONS
14. Read the following excerpt carefully and answerthe questions that follow:
. Proper social roles
Here is a story from the Adi Parvan of the Mahabharata:
Once Drona, a Brahmana who taught archery to the Kuru princes, was approached by
Ekalavya, a forest dwelling nishada (a hunting community). When Drona, who knew the
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dharma, refused to have him as his pupil, Ekalavya returned to the forest, prepared an image
of Drona out of clay, and treating it as his teacher, began to practise on his own. In due
course, he acquired great skill in archery. One day, the Kuru princes went hunting and their
dog, wandering in the woods, came upon Ekalavya. When the dog smelt the dark nishada
wrapped in black deer skin, his body caked with dirt, it began to bark. Annoyed, Ekalavya
shot seven arrows into its mouth. When the dog returned to the Pandavas, they were amazed
at this superb display of archery. They tracked down Ekalavya, who introduced himself as a
pupil of Drona. Drona had once told his favourite student Arjuna, that he would be
unrivalled amongsthis pupils. Arjuna now reminded Drona about this. Drona approached
Ekalavya, who immediately acknowledged and honoured him as his teacher. When Drona
demanded his right thumb as his fee,
Ekalavya unhesitatingly cut it off and offered it. But thereafter, when he shot with his
remaining fingers, he was no longer as fast as he had been before. Thus, Drona kept his
word: no one was better than Arjuna.
14.1 Why did Drona refuse to have Eklavya as his pupil?
Ans. Drona refused to have Eklavya as his pupil
i. Ekalavya was the Nishadas.
ii. The Nishadas were jungle tribes and were generally considered to be outcastes.
iii. was not a Kshatriya, and in those days only Kshatriyas were supposed to get a military
education
14.2 What did Drona demand from Eklavya? How did Eklavya react on it?
Ans. What did Drona demand from Eklavya? How did Eklavya react on it?
i. Drona acted in order to protect Arjuna's status as the greatest archer
ii. When Drona demanded his right thumb as his fee, Ekalavya unhesitatingly cut it off and
offered it.
iii. But thereafter, when he shot with his remaining fingers, he was no longer as fast as he
had been before
14.3 Why did Drona ask for such type of gurudakshina? Give reasons.
Ans. Why did Drona ask for such type of gurudakshina
i. Drona kept his promise for Arjuna as Drona had once told his favorite student Arjuna, that
he would be unrivalled amongst his pupils
ii. Drona for keeping his promise for Arjuna compelled Eklavya to cut off his thumb and
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offer it to himself as guru dakshina and Eklavya acknowledged it and honored him the same.
15. Read the following excerpt carefully and answer the questions that follow:
Education and Entertainment
This is what Ibn Juzayy, who was deputed to write what Ibn Battuta dictated, said in his
introduction: A gracious direction was transmitted (by the ruler)that he (Ibn Battuta) should
dictate an account of the cities which he had seen in his travel, and of the interesting events
which had clung to his memory, and that he should speak of those whom he had met of the
rulers of countries, of their distinguished men of learning, and their pious saints.
Accordingly, he dictated upon these subjects a narrative which gave entertainment to the
mind and delight to the ears and eyes, with a variety of curious particulars by the exposition
of which he gave edification and of marvellous things, by referring to which he aroused
interest.
15.1 Who was Ibn Batuta?
Ans. Battuta was a Moroccan traveler. Before he come to India, he had made pilgrimage trips
to Mecca, and had already travelled extensively in Syria, Iraq, Persia, Yemen, Oman and a
few trading ports on the coast of East Africa. Ibn Battuta’s book of travels, called Rihla,
written in Arabic'
15.2 Mention any three exciting things which he noticed in India .
Ans. i. The coconut. – Coconut trees looked like date palms. It resembles a man’s head. Inside
of it looks like a brain. Its fibre looks like human hair. Its fibre used for making rope which is
used for pulling ships.
ii. The paan - It looked like grape plant. It is grown for the sake its leaves. People chew betel
leaves with areca nut and lime.
iii. Indian cities- Ibn Battuta found cities in the subcontinent full of exciting opportunities,
resources and skills. They were densely populated and prosperous, except for the occasional
disruptions caused by wars and invasions.
15.3 How has Ibn Batuta accounted his travelling experience in Rihla?
Ans. i. account of the cities which he had seen in his travel, and of the interesting events
which had clung to his memory, and that he should speak of those whom he had met of the
rulers of countries, of their distinguished men of learning, and their pious saints
ii. Narrative which gave entertainment to the mind and delight to the ears and eyes, with a
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variety of curious particulars by the exposition of which he gave edification and of
marvellous things, by referring to which he aroused interest.
16. Read the following excerpt carefully and answer the questions that follow:
“The real minorities are the masses of this country’
Welcoming the Objectives Resolution introduced by Jawaharlal Nehru, N.G. Ranga said: Sir,
there is a lot of talk about minorities. Who are the real minorities? Not the Hindus in the socalled
Pakistan provinces, not the Sikhs, not even the Muslims. No, the real minorities are the
masses of this country. These people are so depressed and oppressed and suppressed till now
that they are notable to take advantage of the ordinary civil rights. What is the position? You
go to the tribal areas. According to law, their own traditional law, their tribal law, their lands
cannot be alienated. Yet our merchants go there, and in the so-called free market they are
able to snatch their lands. Thus, even though the law goes against this snatching away of
their lands, still the merchants are able to turn the tribal people into veritable slaves by
various kinds of bonds, and make them hereditary bond-slaves. Let us go to the ordinary
villagers. There goes the money-lender with his money and he is able to get the villagers in
his pocket. There is the landlord himself, the zamindar, and the malguzar and there are the
various other people who are able to exploit these poor villagers. There is no elementary
education even among these people. These are the real minorities that need protection and
assurances of
protection. In order to give them the necessary protection, we will need much more than this
Resolution ...
16.1 On which aspect N G Ranga has drawn attention?
Ans. N G Ranga has drawn attention
i. He said real minorities are the masses of this country.
ii. These people are so depressed and oppressed and suppressed t that they are not able to
take advantage of the ordinary civil rights.
iii. The tribal people are the real minorities that need protection and assurances of
protection
16.2 Mention the gulf that separated the broad masses of Indians
Ans. the gulf that separated the broad masses of Indians
i. Merchants, moneylenders snatched their lands.
ii. The merchants were able to turn the tribal people into veritable slaves.
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iii. They compelled them to sign various kinds of bonds, and make them hereditary bond
slaves.
iv. Zamindars, malguzars all exploited them
v. No elementary educational facilities were there.
16.3 What kind of protection was needed for the real minority.
Ans. protection needed for the real minorities
i. By giving elementary education to the minorities
ii. By giving legal protection
iii. Special rights over their land
iv. Advantage of civil rights
v. By giving them proper work to earn their living
PART-E
MAP QUESTIONS
17. 1 On the given political outline map of India, locate and label the following with
appropriate symbols
a. Kot Diji
b. Agra, the imperial capital of Mughal
17. 2 On the same outline map of India , three centres related to the Indian National
Movement have been marked as A, B and C. Identify them and write their correct names on
the lines drawn near them.
NOTE: The following questions are for the visuallyimpaired candidates only in lieu of
Q17
17.1 Name any one mature Harappa Sites..
Ans. Kotdiji, Lothal, Kalibanga, Harappa, Mohanjodaro, Banawali, Dholavira, Nageshwar,
Chaunjodaro, Balakot, Rakhigarhi
17.2 Name any one capital city of Mughal Empire.
Ans. capital city of Mughal Empire.- Agra, Lahore, Delhi Fatehpur Sikri- Anyone to be
mentioned.
17.3 Name any three centres related with Indian National Movement .
Ans. Any three centres related with Indian National Movement -Champaran, Dandi. Bombay
CBSE Class – XII
HISTORY
Time allowed: 3 hours, Maximum Marks: 80
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
1. Answer all the questions. Some questions have choice. Marks are indicated against
eachquestion.
2. Answer to questions no. 1 to 3 carrying 2marks should not exceed 30 words each
3. Answer to questions no. 4 to 9 carrying 4marks should not exceed 100 words. Students
should attempt only five questions in this section
4. Question 10 ( for 4 marks) is a value based question and compulsory question
5. Answer to questions 11 to 13 carrying 8 marks should not exceed 350 words.
6. Questions 14-16 are source based questions and have no internal choice
7. Questions 17 is a Map question includes identification and significant test items. Attach the
map with the answer sheet.
PART-A
Answer all the questions given below:
1. Why did Akbar show high respect towards the inter-faith debates? Give two reasons
Ans. Akbar and inter-faith debate
i. Akbar’s Quest for religious knowledge
ii. Wanted to acquire knowledge about religious doctrines
iii. He was a divinely aspired individual
2. How did Kushanas of first century BCE exemplify themselves with high status? State
any two significant ways.
Ans. Kushanas
i. They projected themselves through coins and sculpture
ii. Colossal statue of kushana rulers were installed in Mathura and Afghanistan
iii. They projected themselves godlike
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iv. They adopted the title of devputra
3. Compare the racial divide of ‘Black Town’ and ‘White Town’ in colonial India .
Ans.
‘Black Town’ and ‘White Town’
i. Black areaswere full of filth and diseases
ii. It was full of chaos and anarchy
iii. Epidemics spread easily
iv. Sanitation was in poor condition
White town
i. Cleaned areas
ii. Sanitation and health were considered important
iii. Underground water pipe supply was there
iv. sewerage and drainage systems were put
PART-B
Section-I
Answer any five of the following questions:
4. ‘Epigraphy alone does not provide a full understanding of political and economic
history. ’Justify the statement with its four limitations
Ans. ‘Epigraphy
i. There are technical limitations in studying the Inscriptions. In some inscriptions letters are
very faintly engraved.
ii. Some inscriptions are damaged and in some inscriptions letters are missing. So
reconstructions are uncertain.
iii. Besides, it is not always easy to be sure about the exact meaning of the words used in
inscriptions, some of which may be specific to a particular place or time. This has to be done
carefully, to ensure that the intended meaning of the author is not changed.
iv. Several thousand inscriptions were made but only some hundreds have been discovered
in which all are not deciphered, published and translated.
v. There is another more fundamental problem. Politically and economically significant
matters are recorded in inscriptions but routine agricultural practices and the joys and
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sorrows of daily existence are not found in inscriptions.
vi. Historians and Epigraphists have to constantly assess statements made in inscriptions to
judge whether they are true, plausible or exaggerations.
5. How have archaeologists used evidence from material remains to piece together
parts of a fascinating Harappa history? Explain
Ans. . Piecing together parts of Harappa history
i. Cunningham’s confusion-Harappan artifacts were found fairly often during the nineteenth
century and some of these reached Cunningham, he did not realise how old these were but
unsuccessfully tried to place it within the time-frame of c. sixth century BCE-fourth century
CE.
ii. John Marshall`s Ignorance- Marshall tended to excavate along regular horizontal units,
measured uniformly throughout the mound, ignoring the stratigraphy of the site. This meant
that all the artefacts recovered from the same unit were grouped together, even if they were
found at different stratigraphic layers. As a result, valuable information about Harappan
civilisation was irretrievably lost.
iii. R.E.M. Wheeler`s problems- R.E.M. Wheeler took over as Director-General of the ASI in
1944, rectified many problems. Wheeler recognized that it was necessary to follow the
stratigraphy of the mound rather than dig mechanically along uniform horizontal lines.
iv. Daya Ram Sahni- Seals were discovered at Harappa by archaeologists such as Daya Ram
Sahni in the early decades of the twentieth century, in layers that were definitely much older
than Earl y Historic levels. It was then that their significance began to be realized.
v. Rakhal Das Banerji-in 1924,John Marshall, Director-General of the ASI, announced the
discovery of a new civilization in the Indus valley to the world.
vi. S.N. Roy- As S.N. Roy noted in The Story of Indian Archaeology, “Marshall left India three
thousand years older than he had found her.”This was because similar, till-then-unidentified
seals were found at excavations at Mesopotamian sites. It was then that the world knew not
only of a new civilization interesting results in the future.
6. Why were agricultural tracts incorporated within the fortified area of the
Vijayanagara Empire? Give reasons.
Ans. Fortified area of the Vijayanagara Empire
i. Abdur Razzaq, an ambassador of Persia was greatly mentioned seven lines of forts. These
encircled notonly the city but also its agricultural hinterland and forests.
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ii. The outermost wall linked the hills surrounding the city. The massive masonry
construction was slightly tapered.
iii. No mortar or cementing agent was employed anywhere in the construction. The stone
blocks were wedge shaped, which held them in place, and the inner portion of the walls was
of earth packed with rubble.
iv. Between the first, second and the third walls there are cultivated fields, gardens and
houses.
v. Agricultural tract between the sacred centre and the urban core.
7. Abu’l Fazl had shaped and articulated the ideas associated with the reign of Akbar‘.
Substantiate the statement in the context Mughal court.
Ans. Mughal court
i. The physical arrangement of the court, focused on the sovereign, mirrored his status as the
heart of society.
ii. The throne gave physical form to the function of the sovereign as axis mundi.
iii. The canopy was believed to separate the radiance of the sun from that of the sovereign.
iv. In court, status was determined by spatial proximity to the king.
v. The place accorded to a courtier by the ruler was a sign of his importance in the eyes of
the emperor.
vi. Once the emperor sat on the throne, no one was permitted to move
vii. After spending an hour at the jharoka, the emperor walked to the public hall of audience
(diwan-i am) toconduct the primary business of his government.
viii. State officials presented reports and made requests.
ix. diwan-i khas to hold private audiences and discuss confidential matters. High ministers of
state placed their petitions before him
x. Occasionally, the emperor viewed the works of highly reputed artists or building plans of
architects
xi. Id, Shab-i barat and Holi, the court was full of life. Perfumed candles set in rich holders
and palace walls.
8. What was the Limitation Law of 1859? State its impacts on the ryots.
Ans. Limitation Law of 1859
I. It stated that the loan bonds signed between the moneylenders and ryots would have
validity for only three years.
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II. It was to check the accumulation of interest over time
its impacts on the ryots
I. Moneylenders forced the ryots to sign new bonds
II. Money lenders useda variety of other means to short change the ryots
III. Moneylenders refused to give receipts to ryots when they paid their loans
IV. They entered fictitious figures.
9. Critically evaluate Governor General Lord Dalhousie’s policy towards Awadh during
1850s.
Ans. Dalhousie’s policy towards Awadh
i. He called Awadh as a cherry that will drop into their mouth one day
ii. Subsidiary system was imposed on it
iii. He wanted it due to its soil fertility and market
iv. Followed the policy of territorial annexation
v. Nawab Wazid Ali Shah was dethroned on the pretext of misgovernanace
vi. Displaced and dispossessed taluqdars
vii. Any other relevant point.
SECTION-II
VALUE BASED QUESTION (Compulsory)
Read the following lines and answer the question that follows:
A poem by Karaikkal Ammaiyar in which she describes herself:
The female Pey (demoness) with . . . bulging veins,
protruding eyes, white teeth and shrunken stomach,
red haired and jutting teeth, lengthy shins extending till the ankles,
shouts and wails while wandering in the forest.
10. Karaikkal Ammaiyar’s poetry dismantles the paradigm of human order and duty
rooted in the household not by focusing on gender roles, but by extolling devotion.
Highlight the values that provide the potential space for women in this emerging
tradition.
Ans. Values cherished by KARAIKKAL AMMAIYAR
i. Devotion as rhythm of life
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ii. model of a dutiful woman
iii. protested orthodoxy
iv. promoted social and religious reform movements
v. worked for the promotion and potential space for women
vi. Rejected the entire social and domestic world of rules and obligations
vii. Wanted to pursue personal salvation
viii. denied caste or gender privileges
ix. talked about real egalitarianism
x. relocated her sphere of activity on the periphery of the social world
PART-C
LONG QUESTIONS
Answer all the questions given below:
11. How did Siddhartha come to be known as the Buddha? Explain his philosophy
mentioned in the Sutta-Pitaka.
OR
Describe the sculptural aspects of Sanchi Stupa . State the reasons for the survival of
this Stupa.
Ans. Buddha
i. Siddhartha, as the Buddha was named at birth, was the son of a chief of the Sakya clan.
ii. He had a sheltered upbringing within the palace, insulated from the harsh realities of life.
iii. One day he persuaded his charioteer to take him into the city, he saw an old man, a sick
man and a corpse.
iv. He realised in that moment that the decay and destruction of the human body was
inevitable.
v. He left the palace and set out in search of hisown truth., he meditated for several days and
finally attained enlightenment.
vi. After this he came to be known as the Buddha or the Enlightened One.
vii. For the rest of his life, he taught dhamma or the path of righteous living
To be assessed as a whole
The Buddha’s teachings have been reconstructed fromstories, found mainly in the Sutta
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Pitaka.
i. According to Buddhist philosophy, the world is transient (anicca) and constantly changing;
it is also soulless (anatta) as there is nothing permanent or eternal in it.
ii. Within this transient world, sorrow (dukkha) is intrinsic to human existence.
iii. By following the path of moderation between severe penance and self-indulgence that
human beings can come out of these worldly troubles.
iv. The Buddha regarded the social world as the creation of humans rather than of divine
origin. Therefore, he advised kings and gahapatis to be humane and ethical
towards common people.
v. Individual effort was expected to transform socialrelations.
vi. The Buddha emphasized individual agency and righteous action as the means to escape
from the cycle of rebirth and attain self-realisation. vii. Any other relevant point
OR
Sculptural aspects of Sanchi Stupa . State the reasons for the survival of this Stupa Sculpture
i. Depiction of rural scene, with thatched huts and trees.
ii. The empty seat to indicate the meditation of the Buddha, and The Stupa was meant to
represent the mahaparinibbana.
iii. Another frequently used symbol was the wheel .it stood for the first sermon of the
Buddha, delivered at Sarnath..
iv. The shalabhanjika motif suggests that many people who turned to Buddhism enriched it
with their own preBuddhist and even non-Buddhist beliefs, practices and ideas..
v. Animals like elephants, horses, monkeys and cattle, Elephants were depicted to signify
strength and wisdom..
vi. Maya, the mother of the Buddha, others identify her with a popular goddess, Gajalakshmi
– literally, the goddess of good fortune
Sanchi’s preservation
i. When Sanchi was “discovered” in 1818, three of its four gateways were still standing, the
fourth was lying on the spot where it had fallen and the mound was in good condition.
ii. Nineteenth-century Europeans like the French and English sought Shahjehan Begum’s
permission to take away the eastern gateway, which was the best preserved, to be displayed
in museums in France and England. But she refused.
iii. The rulers of Bhopal, Shahjehan Begum and her successor Sultan Jehan Begum, provided
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money for the preservation of the ancient site.
iv. She funded the museum that was built there as well as the guesthouse where John
Marshall lived and wrote the volumes.
v. She also funded the publication of the volumes written by John Marshall.
12. Analyze the condition of forest dwellers in theMughal agrarian society.
OR
Examine the role of the village Panchayats in the Mughal period
Ans. Forest dwellers in the Mughal agrarian
i. An average of 40 per cent of Mughal Empire was covered by forests
ii. Their livelihood came from the gathering of forest produce, hunting and shifting
agriculture.
iii. Collection of livelihood was largely season specific. Spring was reserved for collecting
forest produce, summer for fishing, the monsoon months for cultivation, and autumn and
winter for hunting.
iv. For the state, the forest was a place of rebels and troublemakers.
v. State required elephants for the army. Elephants were captured from forest and sold.
vi. Rulers went for regular hunting expeditions which enabled the emperor to travel across
the extensive territories of his empire and personally attend to the grievances of its
inhabitants.
vii. The spread of commercial agriculture was an important external factor that impinged on
the lives of those who lived in the forests.
viii. Forest products –like honey, beeswax and gumlac – were in great demand. Some, such as
gum lac, became major items of overseas export from India in the seventeenth century.
ix. Social factors too brought changes in the lives of forest dwellers. Like the head men of the
villages, tribes also had their chieftains. Many tribal chiefs had become zamindars, some
even became kings.
x. Tribal Kings recruited people from their lineage groups or demanded that their fraternity
provide military service. Tribes in the Sind region had armies comprising 6,000 cavalry and
7,000 infantry.
OR
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Role of Mughal Panchayats
i. The village panchayat was an assembly of elders, with hereditary rights
ii. In mixed-caste villages, the panchayat was usually a heterogeneous body
iii. The panchayat was headed by a headman known as muqaddam or mandal. ,chosen
through the consensus of the elders and zamindar
iv. Headmen held office as long as they enjoyed the confidence of the village elders.
v. The chief function of the headman was to supervise the preparation of village accounts,
assisted by theaccountant or patwari
vi. The panchayat derived its funds from common financial pool.
vii. Expenses for community welfare activities such as digging a canal, tiding over floods
were also met from these funds.
viii. They ensured conduct of the members of the village community.
ix. Panchayats also had the authority to levy fines and inflict more serious forms of
punishment like expulsion from the community.
x. Caste or jati in the village had its own jati panchayat.
xi. In Rajasthan Jati Panchayats arbitrated civil disputes between members of different
castes..
xii. Rajasthan and Maharashtra – contain petitions presented to the panchayat complaining
about extortionate taxation
13. ‘Non cooperation became the epoch in the life of India and of Gandhiji‘. Justify this
statement with examples
OR
Buried under the debris of the violence and pain of Indian partition is an enormous
history of help, humanity & harmony’. Explain
Ans. Gandhiji
i. The repressive attitude of the British Government led Mahatma Gandhi to launch Non-
Cooperation Movement against it.
ii. He knitted popular movement
iii. He served notice to the Viceroy on 1 July thatsince the issue of Khilafat and Jallianwala
Bagh massacre had not been satisfactorily solved, he would resort to Non-Cooperation
Movement
iv. The Non-Cooperation Movement included Swadeshi as its prime move.
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v. It introduced 20 lakhs of Charkhas in Indian family
vi. The programme of Non-Cooperation Movement was multidimensional.
vii. Surrender of all titles and Government posts
viii. Boycott of Government schools and colleges
ix. Boycott of all functions of the British Government
x. Boycott of law courts,. Non-cooperation with the Act of 1919, Boycott of all foreign articles
xi. Development of communal harmony
xii. Use of Swadeshi articles
xiii. Establishment of national schools
xiv. End of untouchability and caste-system
xv. This movement unleashed a surge of popular action against colonial India
xvi. For a short period, it gave a challenge to the British authority.
OR
History of help, humanity & harmony during partition of India
i. People helped each other
ii. Stories of caring and sharing were also there.
iii. New opportunities were there
iv. Triumph over trauma
v. Humble efforts of people
vi. Kindness of people
vii. Humanity was also shown
viii. Sharing of food shelter and security
ix. Numerous stories-examples to be coded
PART-D
SOURCE BASED QUESTIONS
14. Read the following excerpt carefully and answerthe questions that follow:
. Proper social roles
Here is a story from the Adi Parvan of the Mahabharata:
Once Drona, a Brahmana who taught archery to the Kuru princes, was approached by
Ekalavya, a forest dwelling nishada (a hunting community). When Drona, who knew the
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dharma, refused to have him as his pupil, Ekalavya returned to the forest, prepared an image
of Drona out of clay, and treating it as his teacher, began to practise on his own. In due
course, he acquired great skill in archery. One day, the Kuru princes went hunting and their
dog, wandering in the woods, came upon Ekalavya. When the dog smelt the dark nishada
wrapped in black deer skin, his body caked with dirt, it began to bark. Annoyed, Ekalavya
shot seven arrows into its mouth. When the dog returned to the Pandavas, they were amazed
at this superb display of archery. They tracked down Ekalavya, who introduced himself as a
pupil of Drona. Drona had once told his favourite student Arjuna, that he would be
unrivalled amongsthis pupils. Arjuna now reminded Drona about this. Drona approached
Ekalavya, who immediately acknowledged and honoured him as his teacher. When Drona
demanded his right thumb as his fee,
Ekalavya unhesitatingly cut it off and offered it. But thereafter, when he shot with his
remaining fingers, he was no longer as fast as he had been before. Thus, Drona kept his
word: no one was better than Arjuna.
14.1 Why did Drona refuse to have Eklavya as his pupil?
Ans. Drona refused to have Eklavya as his pupil
i. Ekalavya was the Nishadas.
ii. The Nishadas were jungle tribes and were generally considered to be outcastes.
iii. was not a Kshatriya, and in those days only Kshatriyas were supposed to get a military
education
14.2 What did Drona demand from Eklavya? How did Eklavya react on it?
Ans. What did Drona demand from Eklavya? How did Eklavya react on it?
i. Drona acted in order to protect Arjuna's status as the greatest archer
ii. When Drona demanded his right thumb as his fee, Ekalavya unhesitatingly cut it off and
offered it.
iii. But thereafter, when he shot with his remaining fingers, he was no longer as fast as he
had been before
14.3 Why did Drona ask for such type of gurudakshina? Give reasons.
Ans. Why did Drona ask for such type of gurudakshina
i. Drona kept his promise for Arjuna as Drona had once told his favorite student Arjuna, that
he would be unrivalled amongst his pupils
ii. Drona for keeping his promise for Arjuna compelled Eklavya to cut off his thumb and
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offer it to himself as guru dakshina and Eklavya acknowledged it and honored him the same.
15. Read the following excerpt carefully and answer the questions that follow:
Education and Entertainment
This is what Ibn Juzayy, who was deputed to write what Ibn Battuta dictated, said in his
introduction: A gracious direction was transmitted (by the ruler)that he (Ibn Battuta) should
dictate an account of the cities which he had seen in his travel, and of the interesting events
which had clung to his memory, and that he should speak of those whom he had met of the
rulers of countries, of their distinguished men of learning, and their pious saints.
Accordingly, he dictated upon these subjects a narrative which gave entertainment to the
mind and delight to the ears and eyes, with a variety of curious particulars by the exposition
of which he gave edification and of marvellous things, by referring to which he aroused
interest.
15.1 Who was Ibn Batuta?
Ans. Battuta was a Moroccan traveler. Before he come to India, he had made pilgrimage trips
to Mecca, and had already travelled extensively in Syria, Iraq, Persia, Yemen, Oman and a
few trading ports on the coast of East Africa. Ibn Battuta’s book of travels, called Rihla,
written in Arabic'
15.2 Mention any three exciting things which he noticed in India .
Ans. i. The coconut. – Coconut trees looked like date palms. It resembles a man’s head. Inside
of it looks like a brain. Its fibre looks like human hair. Its fibre used for making rope which is
used for pulling ships.
ii. The paan - It looked like grape plant. It is grown for the sake its leaves. People chew betel
leaves with areca nut and lime.
iii. Indian cities- Ibn Battuta found cities in the subcontinent full of exciting opportunities,
resources and skills. They were densely populated and prosperous, except for the occasional
disruptions caused by wars and invasions.
15.3 How has Ibn Batuta accounted his travelling experience in Rihla?
Ans. i. account of the cities which he had seen in his travel, and of the interesting events
which had clung to his memory, and that he should speak of those whom he had met of the
rulers of countries, of their distinguished men of learning, and their pious saints
ii. Narrative which gave entertainment to the mind and delight to the ears and eyes, with a
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variety of curious particulars by the exposition of which he gave edification and of
marvellous things, by referring to which he aroused interest.
16. Read the following excerpt carefully and answer the questions that follow:
“The real minorities are the masses of this country’
Welcoming the Objectives Resolution introduced by Jawaharlal Nehru, N.G. Ranga said: Sir,
there is a lot of talk about minorities. Who are the real minorities? Not the Hindus in the socalled
Pakistan provinces, not the Sikhs, not even the Muslims. No, the real minorities are the
masses of this country. These people are so depressed and oppressed and suppressed till now
that they are notable to take advantage of the ordinary civil rights. What is the position? You
go to the tribal areas. According to law, their own traditional law, their tribal law, their lands
cannot be alienated. Yet our merchants go there, and in the so-called free market they are
able to snatch their lands. Thus, even though the law goes against this snatching away of
their lands, still the merchants are able to turn the tribal people into veritable slaves by
various kinds of bonds, and make them hereditary bond-slaves. Let us go to the ordinary
villagers. There goes the money-lender with his money and he is able to get the villagers in
his pocket. There is the landlord himself, the zamindar, and the malguzar and there are the
various other people who are able to exploit these poor villagers. There is no elementary
education even among these people. These are the real minorities that need protection and
assurances of
protection. In order to give them the necessary protection, we will need much more than this
Resolution ...
16.1 On which aspect N G Ranga has drawn attention?
Ans. N G Ranga has drawn attention
i. He said real minorities are the masses of this country.
ii. These people are so depressed and oppressed and suppressed t that they are not able to
take advantage of the ordinary civil rights.
iii. The tribal people are the real minorities that need protection and assurances of
protection
16.2 Mention the gulf that separated the broad masses of Indians
Ans. the gulf that separated the broad masses of Indians
i. Merchants, moneylenders snatched their lands.
ii. The merchants were able to turn the tribal people into veritable slaves.
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iii. They compelled them to sign various kinds of bonds, and make them hereditary bond
slaves.
iv. Zamindars, malguzars all exploited them
v. No elementary educational facilities were there.
16.3 What kind of protection was needed for the real minority.
Ans. protection needed for the real minorities
i. By giving elementary education to the minorities
ii. By giving legal protection
iii. Special rights over their land
iv. Advantage of civil rights
v. By giving them proper work to earn their living
PART-E
MAP QUESTIONS
17. 1 On the given political outline map of India, locate and label the following with
appropriate symbols
a. Kot Diji
b. Agra, the imperial capital of Mughal
17. 2 On the same outline map of India , three centres related to the Indian National
Movement have been marked as A, B and C. Identify them and write their correct names on
the lines drawn near them.
NOTE: The following questions are for the visuallyimpaired candidates only in lieu of
Q17
17.1 Name any one mature Harappa Sites..
Ans. Kotdiji, Lothal, Kalibanga, Harappa, Mohanjodaro, Banawali, Dholavira, Nageshwar,
Chaunjodaro, Balakot, Rakhigarhi
17.2 Name any one capital city of Mughal Empire.
Ans. capital city of Mughal Empire.- Agra, Lahore, Delhi Fatehpur Sikri- Anyone to be
mentioned.
17.3 Name any three centres related with Indian National Movement .
Ans. Any three centres related with Indian National Movement -Champaran, Dandi. Bombay
