About This Section
This section collects previous-year Board examination questions (CBSE and State Boards) from Chapter 4, with model answers, to show the pattern and depth expected in the exam.
Board PYQ — Very Short Answer (1 mark)
Q1. Name the crop known as the 'golden fibre'. Ans. Jute.
Q2. Which is the staple food crop of a majority of Indians? Ans. Rice.
Q3. Name the movement started by Vinoba Bhave. Ans. The Bhoodan-Gramdan movement (Blood-less Revolution).
Board PYQ — Short Answer (3 marks)
Q4. Name one important beverage crop and specify the geographical conditions required for its growth. Ans. Tea is an important beverage crop. It requires a tropical/sub-tropical climate, deep, fertile, well-drained humus-rich soil, and a warm, moist, frost-free climate with frequent, evenly-distributed showers. It is labour-intensive.
Q5. Distinguish between the Green Revolution and the White Revolution. Ans. The Green Revolution used package technology (HYV seeds, fertilisers, irrigation) to raise food-grain production. The White Revolution (Operation Flood) greatly increased milk production. One dealt with crops, the other with dairy.
Board PYQ — Short Answer (3 marks)
Q6. Why are pulses grown in rotation with other crops? Ans. Pulses are leguminous crops that (except arhar) fix atmospheric nitrogen and restore soil fertility. Growing them in rotation with cereals like wheat or rice replenishes the nitrogen those crops use up, keeping the soil fertile.
Q7. State the geographical conditions required for growing cotton. Ans. Cotton grows on the drier black-cotton soil of the Deccan, needing high temperature, light rainfall or irrigation, 210 frost-free days and bright sunshine. It is a kharif crop taking 6-8 months to mature.
Board PYQ — Long Answer (5 marks)
Q8. Describe the initiatives taken by the government to increase agricultural production. Ans. The government launched the Green Revolution (HYV seeds, fertilisers, irrigation) and White Revolution; enacted land reforms; set up Grameen banks and cooperatives for cheap credit; introduced crop insurance, the KCC and PAIS; broadcast weather bulletins; and announced a minimum support price (MSP) and procurement prices to protect farmers and encourage production.
Q9. Explain how globalisation has affected Indian agriculture. Ans. Even under colonial rule, farmers grew export crops (cotton, indigo, jute) and were exploited. After 1991, globalisation exposed Indian farmers to competition from the highly subsidised agriculture of developed countries, making it hard for small farmers to compete. The way forward is the gene revolution, organic farming, better credit, storage and fair prices, while ensuring food security.