Board Exam Hacks: Tips for CBSE Class 10 Social Studies

Social Studies is often associated with a great deal of cramming. This takes the joy out of the subject. With the Class 10 Board Exams for 2018 around the corner, we have some exclusive study help for you prepared by Social Studies experts at Meritnation. Here’s a list of the important topics from your History, Civics, Geography and Economics syllabus for your Board exams.

History

Chapter: Rise of Nationalism in India

Important Topics:

1. Ideas of Giuseppe Mazzini, Cavour
   2. Events in Poland, Hungary, Italy, Germany and Greece
   3. Frankfurt Parliament
   4. Marianne and Germania
   5. The Role of the Liberals
   6. Causes leading to the rise of nationalism in Europe
   7. Napoleonic Civil Code of 1804
   8. Concept of Nation-States

Chapter: The Nationalist Movement in Indo-China

Important Topics:

1. The idea of civilising mission
   2. Tonkin Free School
   3. Phan Chu Trinh and Phan Bi Chau’s ideas
   4. The city of Hanoi
   5. Ho Chi Minh Trail
   6. Vietnamese Communist Party
   7. Decisions of the Geneva Conference 1954
   8. Hao Hao movement
   9. US policy in Vietnam
   10. Go East Policy

Chapter: Nationalism in India

Important Topics:

1. Rowlatt Act
   2. Non-cooperation Movement
   3. Civil Disobedience Movement
   4. Quit India
   5. Role of Mahatma Gandhi
   6. Policies of Satyagraha, Swaraj, non-violence
   7. Congress Session of 1929
   8. Swadeshi and Boycott Movement
   9. Morley-Minto Reforms
   10. Communalism in India
   11. Indian literature and rise of nationalism
   12. Tribal movements in India
   13. Causes of Indian partition

Chapter: Making of a Global World

Important Topics:

1. Silk Route
   2. How Food became a symbol of cultural Exchange?
   3. Explain how the Global transfer of disease in the pre-modern world helped in the colonialism of the
   Americas?
   4. Explain how global transfer of disease in the premodern world helped in the colonisation of the Americans?
   5. Nature of nineteenth century
   6. Role of technology in the development of world
   7. Impact of the Colonial rule on the Africans
   8. Cattle Plague
   9. Indentured Labour and Cultural Fusion
   10. How the Great Depression affect US and India’s economy?
   11. Values associated with bretton woods system

Chapter: Age of Industrialisation

Important Topics:

1. How close relations developed between towns and countryside
   2. Differentiate between Proto-industrialisation and Factory System
   3. Pace of industrial change
   4. Plight of Workers in Britain
   5. By the beginning of the 19th century there was a long decline of textile exports from India’ explain by giving reasons.
   6. What were the effects of the arrival of Manchester goods on Indian textiles
   7. How did advertisements become a vehicle of the nationalist message of swadeshi?

Chapter: Work, Life and Leisure

Important Topics:

1. The function and shape of the family were completely transformed by life in the industrial city of Britain on the 18th century. Support the statement with suitable examples.
   2. The family had been a unit of production and consumption as well as political decision making. Explain?
   3. Explain the life of marginal groups in London in 19th century
   4. The new industrial city of London led to mass work,it also raised problems of mass leisure and common holidays. Explain.
   5. Explain the social changes in London which led to the need of UNDERGROUND RAILWAYS
   6. Haussmannisation of Paris
   7. Describe any three points of social changes in the city of London with respect to entertainment and leisure of the people due to industrialization?
   8. Why is Bombay referred to as the  Prime City of India?
   9. Compare the growth of the city of london with that of Bombay

Chapter: Print Culture and the Modern World

Important Topics:

1. The history of print in Europe
   2. The growth of press in nineteenth century India
   3. Relationship between print culture, public debate and politics

Chapter: Novels, Society and History

Important Topics:

1. Emergence of the novel as a genre in the west
   2. The relationship between the novel and changes in modern society
   3. Early novels in nineteenth century India
   4. A study of two or three major writers.

Civics

Chapter 1 & 2: Power sharing and Federalism

Important Topics:

1. Power sharing mechanisms in democracy
2. Why and how is power shared in democracies?
3. How has federal division of power in India helped national unity?
4. To what extent has decentralisation achieved this objective?
5. How does democracy accommodate different social groups?

Chapter 3 & 4: Democracy and Diversity & Gender, Religion and Caste

Important Topics:

1. Working of Democracy
2. Are divisions inherent to the working of democracy?
3. What has been the effect of caste on politics and of politics on caste?
4. How has the gender division shaped politics?
5. How do communal divisions affect democracy?

Chapter: Popular Struggles and Movements

Important Topics:

1. Pressure groups
2. Political parties
3. Movements
4. Sectional interest groups
5. Public interest groups
6. Movements in Nepal and Bolivia”

Chapter: Political Parties

Important Topics:

1. What are political parties, national and regional parties
2. Ways to strengthen and reform political parties
3. Important political parties
4. One party system and multi-party system
5. Coalition government
6. Anti-defection law
7. Political parties and public opinions

Chapter: Outcomes of Democracy

Important Topics:

1. Accountable, responsive and legitimate government
2. Democracy and social diversities
3. Democracy compared to dictatorship
4. Transparency in democracy
5. Advantages and disadvantages of democracy

Chapter: Challenges to Democracy

Important Topics:

The major challenges to democracy in India and their solutions

Geography

Chapter: Resources and Development

Important Topics:

1. Resources : Types – natural and human; Need for resource planning.
2. Natural Resources : land as a resource, soil types and distribution; changing land-use pattern; land degradation and conservation measures 

Chapter: Forest and Wildlife Resources

Important Topics:

Forest and Wildlife resources : types and distribution, depletion of flora and fauna; conservation and protection of forest and wildlife

Chapter: Water resources

Important Topics:

Water resources : sources, distribution, utilisation, multi-purpose projects, water scarcity, need for conservation and management, rainwater harvesting. (One case study to be introduced)

Chapter: Agriculture

Important Topics:

Agriculture : types of farming, major crops, cropping pattern, technological and institutional reforms; their impact; contribution of Agriculture to national economy – employment and output.

Chapter: Mineral and Energy Resources

Important Topics:

1. Minerals
2. Ores
3. Fossil fuels
4. Ferrous and non-ferrous minerals
5. Conventional and nonconventional source of energy
6. Conservation of minerals
7. Map pointing

Manufacturing Industries

Important Topics:

1. Basic Industries
2. What is manufacturing
3. Factors responsible for the location of an industry
4. Industries and pollution
5. Steel industry
6. Cotton textile industry
7. Copper industry
8. Fertilizer industry
9. Jute mills
10. Electronic industry
11. Agro-based industry
12. Petrochemical industry
13. Private and public sector
14. National and international industry
15. Map

Chapter: Lifelines of National Economy

Important Topics:

1. Roadways
2. Railways
3. Waterways
4. Pipelines
5. Trade and modes of transportation
6. Map

Economics

Chapter: Development

Important Topics:

1. The Story of Development : The traditional notion of development; National Income and Per Capita
   Income. Growth of NI – critical appraisal of existing development indicators (PCI, IMR, SR and other income and health indicators) The need for health and educational development; Human Development Indicators (in simple and brief as a holistic measure of development.
2. The approach to this theme : Use case study of three states (Kerala, Punjab and Bihar) or take a few countries (India, China, Sri Lanka and one developed country)

Chapter: Sectors of the Indian Economy

Important Topics:

Sectors of Economic Activities; Historical change in sectors; Rising importance of tertiary sector; Employment Generation; Division of Sectors-Organised and Unorganised; Protective measures for unorganised sector workers.

Chapter: Globalisation and the Indian Economy

Important Topics:

1. What is globalisation?
2. Liberalisation
3. Labour laws
4. World Trade Organisation
5. Multinational Corporations
6. Trade and Investment Policy Reforms
7. World Trade Organisation
8. New Economic Reforms”

Chapter: Consumer Rights

Important Topics:

1. Consumer movement in India
2. Consumer consciousness
3. Exploitation of consumers
4. Consumer Protection Act 1986
5. COPRA
6. Rights of Consumers
7. Consumer groups
8. Right to Information
9. Consumer Council
10. ISO
11. Public Distribution System

Stay tuned to this space to get a bunch of tips and guidelines on how to prepare for your Social Studies exam.

Do remember to go through Board Papers of previous years. You can watch the analysis of CBSE Class 10 Social Studies Board Exam 2017 Here. Going through these questions will surely help you boost your confidence as you prepare for your Class 10 Board Exams starting in March.

Previous Year Papers for CBSE Class 10 Board Exams (2006 – 2017)

Paper Analysis for CBSE Class 10 Board Exams 2016

Paper Analysis for CBSE Class 10 Board Exams 2017

Have you downloaded the CBSE Board Paper Solutions App by Meritnation? It is the smartest way to prepare for Class 10 Board Exams and Class 12 Board Exams. A FREE App with previous Years’ Board Papers, (from 2006 -2017) this App makes preparing for Board Exams easy. Download App

Best Wishes,
Team Meritnation