172

HISTORY

Time allowed : 3 hours Maximum Marks : 100

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS :

(1) Answer all the questions. Some questions have choice. Marks are indicated

against each question.

(2) Answer to questions 1 to 3, carrying 2 marks should not exceed 30 words each.

(3) Answer to questions 4 to 9, carrying 4 marks, should not exceed 100 words

each. Students should attempt any 5 questions in this section.

(4) Question 10 (for 4 marks) is a value based question and compulsory.

(5) Answer to questions 11 to 14, carrying 8 marks each should not exceed 350

words each. Students should attempt any 3 questions in this section.

(6) Questions 15, 16 and 17 are based on sources and have no internal choice.

(7) Map Question 18 includes 'identification' and 'significance' test items. Students

should attach the map within the answer scripts.

QUESTION PAPER CODE 61/1/1

PART – A

Answer all the questions given below: 2 × 3 = 6

1. Why was Mauryan Empire regarded as a major landmark in the early Indian history ? 2

2. Name the major anthology compiled by the Alvars which is also described as the

Tamil Veda. How did various chiefdoms in the Tamil region help them in the early

first millennium CE ? 1+1=2

3. Explain how the conversion of Census data into convenient statistical data by the

Britisher in India riddled with ambiguities in the late nineteenth century. 2

173

PART – B

SECTION – I

Answer any five of the following questions : 4 × 5 = 20

4. How have historians provided new insight into the subsistence strategies of the

Harappan culture ? 4

5. Critically examine the limitations of the inscriptional evidences in understanding

political and economic history of India. 4

6. 'The Mahanavami Dibba in the Royal Centre of Vijayanagara has been assigned

name on the basis of its form of building as well as functions.' Elaborate. 4

7. 'The heart of the Mughal Empire was its capital city.' Explain with examples. 4

8. Explain how the East India Company subdued the authority of the zamindars in

Bengal during 18th century. 4

9. Analyse the provisions of the Cabinet Mission of 1946. 4

SECTION – II

Value based Question (Compulsory)

10. Read the following passage and answer the question that follows : 4

"The nationalist movement in the twentieth century drew its inspiration from the

events of 1857. A whole world of nationalist imagination was woven around the

Revolt. It was celebrated as the First War of Independence in which all sections of

the people of India came together to fight against imperial rule."

'The Revolt of 1857 marked first nationalist challenge to the English in India.'

Explain giving examples the values imbibed and practised by the rebels to set the

beginning for it.

174

PART – C

Answer any three of the following questions : 3 × 8 = 24

11. Explain the structural and sculptural features of the Sanchi Stupa. 4 + 4 = 8

12. Examine the role of Panchayat as the main constituent of the Mughal village

community. 8

13. 'Gandhiji encouraged the communication of the nationalist message in the mother

tongue rather than in the language of the ruler.' Examine how he knitted the Non-

Cooperation Movement with his philosophy. 8

14. 'Some scholars see partition of India as a culmination of communal politics that

started developing in the opening decades of the twentieth century.' Elucidate. 8

PART – D

(Source Based Questions) 3 × 7 = 21

15. Read the following paragraph carefully and answer the questions that follow : (2+3+2) =7

Draupadi's Questions

Draupadi is supposed to have asked Yudhisthira whether he had lost himself

before staking her. Two contrary opinions were expressed in response to this

question.

One, that even if Yudhisthira had lost himself earlier, his wife remained under

his control, so he could stake her.

Two, that an unfree man (as Yudhisthira was when he had lost himself) could

not stake another person. The matter remained unresolved; ultimately, Dhritarashtra

restored to the Pandavas and Draupadi their personal freedom.

(15.1) How did Draupadi's question unsettle everyone in the assembly? 2

(15.2) What was the implication of her question? 3

(15.3) What makes Draupadi's question admirable? 2

175

16. Read the following paragraph carefully and answer the questions that follow: (1+3+3) = 7

The Poor Peasant

An excerpt from Bernier's description of the peasantry in the countryside:

Of the vast tracts of country constituting the empire of Hindustan, many are

little more than sand, or barren mountains, badly cultivated, and thinly populated.

Even a considerable portion of the good land remains untilled for want of labourers;

many of whom perish in consequence of the bad treatment they experience from

Governors. The poor people, when they become incapable of discharging the

demands of their rapacious lords, are not only often deprived of the means of

subsistence, but are also made to lose their children, who are carried away as

slaves. Thus, it happens that the peasantry, driven to despair by so excessive a

tyranny, abandon the country.

In this instance, Bernier was participating in contemporary debates in Europe

concerning the nature of state and society, and intended that his description of

Mughal India would serve as a warning to those who did not recognize the "merits'

of private property.

(16.1) Name the book written by the Francois Bernier on the critical insight and

reflection on the empire of Hindustan. 1

(16.2) What description Bernier has given on the condition of Indian peasantry

during the Mughal Empire? 3

(16.3) Which fundamental differences he found between Mughal India and

Europe during 16th and 17th century ? 3

17. Read the following paragraph carefully and answer the questions that follow: (2+3+2) = 7

"No space for divided loyalty"

Govind Ballabh Pant argued that in order to become loyal citizens people

had to stop focusing only on the community and the self :

For the success of democracy one must train himself in the art of self-discipline.

In Democracies one should care less for himself and more for others. There cannot

176

be any divided loyalty. All loyalties must exclusively be centred round the State. If in

a democracy, you create rival loyalties, or you create a system in which any individual

or group, instead of suppressing his extravagance, cares nought for larger or other

interests, then democracy is doomed.

(17.1) Why did Govind Ballabh Pant lay more stress on the art of self discipline? 2

(17.2) What was considered important for the success of democracy? 3

(17.3) 'In Democracies one should care less for himself and more for others.'

Give your views on this philosophy. 2

PART – E

Map Question

18. (18.1) On the given political outline map of India, locate and label the following

with appropriate symbols : 2

(a) Nageshwar

(b) The area where Krishna Deva Raya ruled.

(18.2) On the same outline map of India three places 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 visually impaired candidates only in lieu of

Q.No.18.

(18.1) Mention any two mature Harappan sites.

(18.2) Name any three important places related with Indian National Movement.

177

178

QUESTION PAPER CODE 61/1

PART – A

Answer all the questions given below:

1. How have the Prashastis drawn the factual information about the Gupta rulers? 2

2. The Lingayats disapproved certain practices of the Dharmashashtras. Cite any

two such practices. 2

3. Name the region where the Lottery Committee initiated town planning during the

18th century. Mention anyone feature of it. 2

PART – B

SECTION I

Answer any five of the following questions:

4. Why were the water resources of the Vijayanagara Empire developed ? Give

reasons. 4

5. Examine the policies adopted by the British towards the Paharias during early 18th

century in Bengal. 4

6. Explain the strategies for procuring materials by the Harappans for the craft

production. 4

7. Historians have used a variety of sources to reconstruct the history of the Mauryan

Empire. State any four such sources. 4

8. Identify the distinctive features of the imperial household of the Mughal

Empire. 4

9. Critically examine Lord Dalhousie's policy of annexation in Awadh. 4

179

SECTION II

VaIue Based Question (Compulsory)

10. Read the following passage and answer the question that follows:

Dr. Khushdeva Singh describes his work as ''humble efforts I made to discharge

my duty as a human being to fellow human beings."

"Love is stronger than hate." How true is this value which was proved at the time of

the partition of India ? What are the values one needs to instill and nurture to avoid

hatred? Explain. 1+3 = 4

PART – C

Answer any three of the following questions:

11. ''The Salt March of 1930 was the first event that brought Mahatma Gandhi to

world attention." Explain the significance of this movement for Swaraj. 8

12. ''The architecture in colonial Bombay represented ideas of imperial power,

nationalism and religious glory." Support the statement with examples. 8

13. Describe the life of forest dwellers in the Mughal era. 8

14. How did Sutta-Pitaka reconstruct the philosophy of Buddhism? Mention about

Buddhist Tipitaka. 5+3 = 8

PART D

Source Based Questions

15. Read the following extract carefully and answer the 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

180

knew the 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 amongst

his 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,

(15.1) Why did Drona refuse to have Ekalavya as his pupil ? 2

(15.2) How did Ekalavya react to the demand of his Guru? 2

(15.3) Mention two versions of Guru-Shishya Parampara mentioned in the given

extract. 3

16. Read the following extract carefully and answer the questions that follow:

The child sati

This is perhaps one of the most poignant descriptions by Bernier :

At Lahore, I saw a most beautiful young widow sacrificed, who could not, I think.,

have been more than twelve years of age. The poor little creature appeared more

dead than alive when she approached the dreadful pit: the agony of her mind cannot

be described; she trembled and wept bitterly; but three or four of the Brahmanas,

assisted by an old woman who held her under the arm, forced the unwilling victim

toward the fatal spot, seated her on the wood, tied her hands and feet, lest she

should run away, and in that situation the innocent creature was burnt alive. I found

181

it difficult to repress my feelings and to prevent their bursting forth into clamorous

and unavailing rage ...

(16.1) Why did Bernier consider this treatment as a crucial marker of the difference

between western and eastern societies? 3

(16.2) What role did the Indian patriarchal society play towards this social evil ? 2

(16.3) Compare the condition of the women of the era mentioned above to that

of today. 2

17. Read the following extract carefully and answer the questions that follow:

"British element is gone but they have left the mischief behind"

Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel said:

It is no use saying that we ask for separate electorates, because it is good for us.

We have heard it long enough. We have heard it for years, and as a result of this

agitation we are now a separate nation ... Can you show me one free country

where there are separate electorates ? If so, I shall be prepared to accept it. But in

this unfortunate country if this separate electorate is going to be persisted in, even

after the division of the country, woe betide the country; it is not worth living in.

Therefore, I say, it is not for my good alone, it is for your own good that I say it,

forget the past. One day, we may be united ... The British element is gone, but they

have left the mischief behind. We do not want to perpetuate that mischief. (Hear,

hear). When the British introduced this element they had not expected that they will

have to go so soon. They wanted it for their easy administration. That is all right.

But they have left the legacy behind. Are we to get out of it or not?

CAD, VOL.V

(17.1) Why are separate electorates considered as a mischief? 2

(17.2) State the arguments given by Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel for building

political unity and forging a nation. 3

(17.3) How did the philosophy of separate electorates result in a separate nation? 2

182

PART – E

(Map Question)

18. (18.1) On the given political outline map of India (on Page 11), locate and label

the following with appropriate symbols: 2

(a) Dholavira

(b) Agra - the capital city of Mughals

(18.2) On the same outline map of India, three centres related to the Revolt of

1857 have been marked as A, B and C. Identify them and write their

correct names on the lines drawn near them. 3

Note: The following questions are for Visually Impaired Candidates only in lieu of

Q. No. 18:

(18.1) Mention any two capital cities of the Mughal Empire. 2

(18.2) Mention any three important places related with the Revolt of 1857. 3

183

For question no. 18.1 and 18.218.1 18.2