22 free Social Science MCQs written in the Class 10 Boards exam pattern, each with a step-by-step solution. Tap an option for instant feedback — no sign-up, no ads.
Revise with smart repetition →✍️ These are original practice questions written in the Class 10 Boards pattern for the Class 10 board exams (CBSE pattern) — not questions from any official past paper.
Q1. The Indian National Congress adopted the resolution of 'Poorna Swaraj' (complete independence) at its 1929 session held in:
A. Lahore — At the Lahore session of 1929 (presided over by Jawaharlal Nehru), the Congress adopted the goal of Poorna Swaraj; 26 January 1930 was observed as the first Independence Day.
Q2. Which type of soil is best suited for the cultivation of cotton?
B. Black soil — Black soil (regur), rich in clay and retaining moisture well, is ideal for cotton — hence its other name, 'black cotton soil'.
Q3. In India, the right to vote in elections is given to every citizen who has attained the age of:
B. 18 years — The voting age in India is 18 years, lowered from 21 by the 61st Constitutional Amendment (1988). 25 is the minimum age to contest a Lok Sabha election.
Q4. Which of the following is a Kharif (monsoon-season) crop?
B. Rice — Rice (paddy) is a Kharif crop, sown with the monsoon (June–July) and harvested in autumn. Wheat, mustard and gram are Rabi (winter) crops.
Q5. The headquarters of the Reserve Bank of India is located in:
C. Mumbai — The Reserve Bank of India is headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
Q6. The Ashoka Chakra at the centre of the Indian national flag has how many spokes?
C. 24 — The Ashoka Chakra (wheel of law) on the tricolour has 24 spokes, adapted from the Lion Capital of Ashoka at Sarnath.
Q7. The Rowlatt Act of 1919 was strongly opposed by Indians primarily because it
B. allowed detention of political prisoners without trial — The Rowlatt Act gave the government sweeping powers to repress political activities and allowed detention of political prisoners without trial for up to two years, which is why it provoked widespread anger.
Q8. In the 19th century, the demand for goods like cloth was mainly created by British Manchester manufacturers through
B. advertisements and appealing labels on their goods — Advertisements, images of gods, and labels naming Manchester were used to make products appear desirable and familiar, helping to expand markets and create new demand for factory goods.
Q9. Which of the following best explains why the print revolution encouraged the growth of nationalist sentiment in Europe?
B. It allowed ideas to circulate widely and be debated publicly — The spread of print allowed new ideas to reach large numbers of people who could read, discuss and debate them, creating a wider public sphere in which nationalist ideas could grow.
Q10. The Ring of Fire, a zone of high seismic and volcanic activity, is associated with which ocean?
C. Pacific Ocean — The Ring of Fire encircles the Pacific Ocean, where numerous tectonic plate boundaries produce frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
Q11. Rainwater harvesting is promoted mainly because it helps to
B. recharge groundwater and conserve water — Rainwater harvesting stores rainwater or recharges it into the ground, raising groundwater levels and helping conserve water for use during dry periods.
Q12. Which mineral is described as the 'mother of all industries' because it is fundamental to the manufacture of machinery, tools and other metals?
B. Iron ore — Iron ore is basic to industrial development; it is used to make iron and steel, which in turn are needed to make machinery and countless other products, making it the backbone of industry.
Q13. On a railway map of India, which physical feature was the greatest obstacle to laying north-south railway lines across the peninsula?
C. The Western and Eastern Ghats — The rugged terrain of the Western and Eastern Ghats made railway construction across the peninsula difficult and costly, requiring tunnels and bridges.
Q14. Belgium adopted a special system of power sharing partly because
B. the Dutch and French speaking communities were roughly balanced and tensions existed — Belgium's leaders designed an innovative arrangement to accommodate the Dutch-speaking, French-speaking and German-speaking communities, respecting feelings and interests of the different groups to avoid conflict.
Q15. Which of the following is the best example of a 'coming together' federation?
C. The United States of America — In a 'coming together' federation, independent states unite to form a larger unit, pooling sovereignty while retaining identity, as the USA did; India is a 'holding together' federation.
Q16. A political party is different from a pressure group mainly because a political party
B. aims to contest elections and hold political power — Parties seek to win elections and control government, whereas pressure groups try to influence policies without themselves contesting elections or seeking to form the government.
Q17. The practice of designating certain constituencies where only candidates from Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes can stand is meant to
B. give weaker sections fair representation in legislatures — Reserved constituencies ensure that Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes get adequate representation in law-making bodies, an accommodation to help disadvantaged groups.
Q18. Which of the following is the most reliable indicator of a country's overall human development, rather than just its wealth?
C. A combination of income, education and health — Human development is measured using several dimensions together income, education and health as in the Human Development Index rather than income alone, which ignores well-being.
Q19. In which sector of the economy would the work of a school teacher employed by a private school be counted?
C. Tertiary sector — Teaching provides a service rather than producing goods or extracting natural resources, so it belongs to the tertiary (service) sector.
Q20. The main reason banks and cooperatives are preferred over moneylenders for rural credit is that they usually charge
B. lower interest rates on loans — Formal sources such as banks and cooperatives generally charge much lower interest rates than informal moneylenders, reducing the debt burden on borrowers.
Q21. A major disadvantage of globalisation for many small Indian producers has been that they
B. faced tough competition from cheaper imported goods — Greater competition from imports and multinational companies hurt many small manufacturers, some of whom could not survive against cheaper or better-marketed foreign products.
Q22. The COPRA (Consumer Protection Act) mechanism allowing a consumer to appeal from a district forum to state and national commissions reflects the consumer's right to
B. seek redressal against unfair trade practices — The three-tier judicial machinery under COPRA lets consumers file complaints and appeal to higher levels, giving effect to the right to seek redressal against exploitation or unfair practices.
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