SAMPLE QUESTION PAPER (2021-22)
SOCIOLOGY (039)
TERM II
CLASS 12
Time: 2 Hrs Max. Marks: 40
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
- The paper has 14 questions.
- All questions are compulsory.
- Section A- Question number 1 to 2 are one-mark source based questions. The answer to these
- questions must not exceed 10-15 words.
- Section B- Question number 3 to 9 are two-mark questions. These are very short answer type questions. The answer to these questions should not exceed 30 words.
- Section C- Question number 10-12 are four-mark questions. These are short answer type questions. The answer to these questions should not exceed 80 words.
- Section D- Question number 13 and 14 are six-mark questions. These questions. The answer to these questions should not exceed 200 words.
.SECTION-A
1. The advent of the railways in Bengal …marked an important turning point, which saw the
conversion of its forest policy in Assam from one of laissez faire into one of active intervention.
Read the source & answer the following question
What do you understand by Laissez Faire?
Laissez-faire is a policy of minimum governmental interference in the economic affairs of individuals and society.
2. We may find people who are western educated but holding very prejudiced views about
particular ethnic or religious communities. A family can adopt external forms of western culture
like the way the interiors of houses are done up but may have very conservative ideas
Read the source & answer the following question
Give an example where we see that Indians have adopted western clothes but do not have democratic and egalitarian views?
The religious or cultural minorities are politically vulnerable, irrespective of their economic or social position.
Section B
3. What is contract farming?
In such ‘contract farming’ systems, the company identifies the crop to be grown, provides the seeds and other inputs, as well as the knowhow and often also the working capital. In return, the farmer is assured of a market because the company guarantees that it will purchase the produce at a predetermined fixed price.
4. How can we say that there is a direct correspondence between agriculture productivity and the agrarian structure.
There is a direct correspondence between agricultural productivity and the agrarian structure. In areas of assured irrigation, those with plentiful rainfall or artificial irrigation works (such as rice-growing regions in river deltas, for instance the Kaveri basin in Tamil Nadu) more labour was needed for intensive cultivation. Here the most unequal agrarian structures developed. The agrarian structure of these regions was characterised by a large proportion of landless labourers, who were often ‘bonded’ workers belonging to the lowest castes. (Kumar 1998).
5. How did industrialisation start in early years of independence?
The first modern industries in India were cotton, jute, coal mines and railways. After independence, the government took over the ‘commanding heights of the economy.’ This involved defence, transport and communication, power, mining and other projects which only government had the power to do, and which was also necessary for private industry to flourish. In India’s mixed economy policy, some sectors were reserved for government, while others were open to the private sector. But within that, the government tried to ensure, through its licensing policy, that industries were spread over different regions
6. Elaborate the conditions in which the mine workers work.
Workers in underground mines face very dangerous conditions, due to flooding, fire, the collapse of roofs and sides, the emission of gases and ventilation failures. Many workers develop breathing problems and diseases like tuberculosis and silicosis. Those working in over ground mines have to work in both hot sun and rain, and face injuries due to mine blasting, falling objects etc. The rate of mining accidents in India is very high compared to other countries.
7. Explain the work culture of the IT sector.
An average work day has 10-12 hours and it is not uncommon for employees to stay overnight in the office (known as a ‘night out’), when faced with a project deadline. Long working hours are central to the industry’s ‘work culture’. In part, this is due to the time difference between India and the client site, such that conference calls tend to take place in the evening when the working day in the U.S. begins. Another reason is that overwork is built into the structure of outsourced projects: project costs and timelines are usually underestimated in terms of mandays, and because mandays are based on an eight- hour day, engineers have to put in extra hours and days in order to meet the deadlines. Extended working hours are legitimised by the common management practice of ‘flexi-time’, which in theory gives an employee freedom to choose his or her working hours (within limits) but, which in practice, means that they have to work as long as necessary to finish the task at hand. But even when there is no real work pressure, they tend to stay late in office either due to peer pressure or because they want to show the boss that they are working hard.
8. What are counter movements? Explain with the help of examples?
While social movements seek to bring in social change, counter movements sometimes arise in defence of status quo. There are many instances of such counter movements. When Raja Rammohun Roy campaigned against sati and formed the Brahmo Samaj, defenders of sati formed Dharma Sabha and petitioned the British not to legislate against sati. When reformers demanded education for girls, many protested that this would be disastrous for society.
9. Explain Chipko movement.
Example of the ecological movement, in the Himalayan foothills is a good example of such intermingled interests and ideologies. According to Ramachandra Guha in his book, Unquiet Woods, villagers rallied together to save the oak and rhododendron forests near their villages. When government forest contractors came to cut down the trees, villagers, including large number of women, stepped forward to hug the trees to prevent their being felled. At stake was the question of villagers’ subsistence. All of them relied on the forest to get firewood, fodder and other
daily necessities. This conflict placed the livelihood needs of poor villagers against the government’s desire to generate revenues from selling timber. The economy of subsistence was pitted against the economy of profit. Along with this issue of social inequality (villagers versus a government that represented commercial, capitalist interests), the Chipko Movement also raised the issue of ecological sustainability. Cutting down natural forests was a form of environmental destruction that had resulted in devastating floods and landslides in the region.
Section C
10. Critically evaluate Sanskritisation.
CRITICISMS OF SANSKRITISATION
- It has been criticized for exaggerating social mobility or the scope of lower castes to move up the social ladder. For it leads to no structural change but only positional change of some individuals. Inequality continues to persist though some individuals may be able to improve their position within the unequal structure.
- The ideology of Sanskritisation accepts the ways of the upper caste as superior and that of the lower caste as inferior. Thus, the desire to imitate the upper caste is seen as natural and desirable.
- Sanskritisation seems to justify a model that rests on inequality and exclusion. It appears to suggest that to believe in pollution and purity of groups of people is justifiable or all right. Therefore, to be able to look down on some groups of people just as the upper caste looked down on the lower castes, is a mark of privilege. It shows how such discriminatory ideas become a way of life. Instead of aspiring for an equal society, the exclusion and discrimination seek to give their own meaning to their excluded status. This gives rise to an undemocratic society.
- Since Sanskritisation results in the adoption of upper caste rites and rituals it leads to practices of secluding girls and women, adopting dowry practices instead of bride-price and practising caste- discrimination against other groups.
The effect of such a culture is that it erodes characteristics of dalit culture and society. For example, the very worth of labour which lower castes degraded and rendered shameful. Identities based on the basis of work, crafts, artisanal ability are regarded useless.
11. Industrialization and Urbanization are linked processes. Discuss.
During British period industrialisation in some regions had led to decline of old urban centres.
- The process of urbanisation during the colonial period caused decline of earlier urban centres and the emergence of new colonial cities e.g. cities like Surat and Masulipatnam lost their charm and Bombay and Madras emerged as important cities. When manufacturing units boomed in Britain, traditional export of cotton and silk manufactures of India declined because they could not compete to Manchester.
- At the end of 19th century, with the development of mechanised factory industrialisation, few towns became heavily populated.
- Other than eastern India where British penetration was earliest and deepest, survived much more longer e.g. village crafts in the interior could survive. They were affected only with the spread of railways.
The government of India after Independence played significant role in protecting and promoting industrialisation.
12. How has Indian industry changed after globalization and liberalization.
Changes in Indian Industries: Globalisation and Liberalisation
- It is in the 1900’s when globalisation came to India.
- Lot of changes and rules were introduced in the industries by WTO.
- Globalisation is the interrelationship between local economy and global economy.
- It involves all aspects of life social, economic, cultural, political, ecological.
- Liberalisation is the economic aspect of globalisation.
- Removal of trade barriers, tarrifs, taxes, international boundaries easy to cross borders, people, commodities, capital, technology.
- With the coming of globalisation large and small MNC’s grew tremendously.
- The foreign companies started investing in India and began setting up branches.
- There is a lot of unemployment in large scale industries.
- Wages are low as the small scale industries want to attach themselves to the large scale industries.
Outsourcing is mainly done by private sectors but some government sectors also out source
Section D
13. Explain the land reforms in detail.
Abolition of Zamindari system
Rights of Tenant Cultivators
Land Ceiling Act
14. Write short note on:
Women`s Movements
Early 20th Century saw the growth of women’s organisations such as ‘Women’s India Association (WLA) (1917)’ All India Women’s Conference (AIWC) (1926), ‘National Council for Women in India (NEWI) (1925)’. While many of them began with a limited focus, their scope extended overtime.
It is often assumed that only middle class educated women were involved in social movements. But part of the struggle is to remember the forgotten history of women’s participation. Women participated alongwith men in struggles and revolt originated in tribal and rural areas in colonial period. Thus, not only urban women but also rural and tribal women participated in political agitations struggles, gradually empowering themselves. The mid 1970s saw the second phase of Indian women’s movement. There was growth of autonomous women’s movement, i.e., < They were independent from political parties as well as women’s organisations that had links with political parties.
Educated women took radical active politics. Simultaneously promoted an analysis of women’s movement. New issues were now being focused upon such as violence against women, application for schools forms had both father’s and mother’s name: legal changes such as land rights, employment, rights against sexual harassment and dowry. Mathura rape case (1978), Maya Tyagi rape case (1980) Both were custodial rape.
Hence, it was also recognised that in women’s movements, there is bound to be disparity because women belong to different classes and thus their needs and concerns are bound to be different.
Tribal Movements
Most of the tribal movements have been largely located in the so called “tribal belt” in middle India, such as the Santhals, Hos Oraons, Mundas in Chota Nagpur and the Santhal Parganas.
The social movement of Jharkhand had a charismatic leader in Birsa Munda, an adivasi who led a major uprising against the British.
His memory has still been kept alive has continued to be a source of inspiration for generation.
An educated middle class among the tribals was created by the Western education given by Christian missionaries. This education class developed the ethnic consciousness – awareness of their identity culture and customs. A sense of marginalisation brought together the tribal population of South Bihar. They identified their common enemies – dikus—migrant traders, money lenders. The adivasis in senior government jobs provided organisational intellectual leadership to the movement and negotiated and labbied for the creation of their own state on the following issues—acquisition of land for large irrigation projects; survey and settlement operations, which were held up, camps closed, etc; collection of loans, rent and cooperative dues; nationalisation of forest produce.
As far as the NE tribes were concerned, main issue taken up were – ascertain distinct tribal identity of the region; demanding of the traditional autonomy of tribes; misunderstanding & lack of communication in Indian mainstream society which needs to be bridged;
Rights of the tribes to maintain their own social cultural institutions along with a connection with the rest of the India;
Anger oFtribes because of the loss of their forest lands.
Thus, tribal movements are good examples of social movements, which incorporates many issues – economic, cultural, ecological.
Earlier many tribal regions of NE, showed tendencies of separating from India but today they have adopted a balanced approach of asking for autonomy with the framework of Indian institution.