Class 12 practice
Class 12 social studies questions.
Social studies questions for Class 12, at the level of students aged 15–17, each with its answer and a short explanation. Try each one before opening the answer.
A high court issues an order to an inferior judicial tribunal. This order quashes an official verdict already rendered because the lower body acted outside its legitimate jurisdiction. Which constitutional writ has been issued?
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Answer: Certiorari
Certiorari is a corrective writ issued to quash an order already passed without jurisdiction by an inferior court. In contrast, Prohibition prevents a tribunal from proceeding before deciding.
The Constitution of India establishes three types of funds at the central level: the Consolidated Fund, the Public Account, and the Contingency Fund. Which authority holds the Contingency Fund of India on behalf of the President to meet unforeseen expenditure?
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Answer: Finance Secretary
Under Article 267, the Contingency Fund of India is placed at the disposal of the President. The Union Finance Secretary holds and administers this fund on the President's behalf.
Commercial banks in India must hold a specified minimum percentage of their total net demand and time liabilities with the Reserve Bank of India in the form of liquid cash balances. What is this statutory monetary tool called?
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Answer: Cash Reserve Ratio
The Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) is the mandatory percentage of a commercial bank's total net deposits that must be maintained exclusively as cash reserves with the Reserve Bank of India.
In rural India, nucleated settlements are common across fertile river valleys, whereas dispersed settlements occur in mountainous terrains. Which geographical region typically exhibits a compact or clustered settlement pattern due to agricultural fertility and flat terrain?
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Answer: Northern Plains
Clustered settlements thrive in the alluvial Northern Plains. The presence of fertile arable land, level terrain, and accessible water resources encourages people to live in compact, contiguous hamlets.
Certain soils across the Deccan Trap region are rich in clay, highly moisture-retentive, and contract sharply during dry weather. These conditions create wide fissures that facilitate deep soil aeration. What is this natural characteristic called?
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Answer: Self-ploughing
Black soils (Regur) swell upon absorbing water and develop deep cracks during dry spells. This shrinkage and crack formation naturally aerates the soil, a phenomenon known as self-ploughing.
The Peninsular drainage system is older than the Himalayan system. While most major Peninsular rivers flow eastwards into the Bay of Bengal, the Narmada and Tapi flow westwards into the Arabian Sea. Which structural feature primarily explains this westward course?
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Answer: Linear rift valley
The Narmada and Tapi flow westward because they occupy linear rift valleys or fault troughs formed by tectonic activity, rather than following the general eastward tilt of the Peninsular plateau.
Due to the Earth's rotation on its axis, moving air and water currents are deflected to the right in the Northern Hemisphere. Which scientific law specifically describes this directional deflection?
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Answer: Ferrel's Law
Ferrel's Law states that winds and currents are deflected to their right in the Northern Hemisphere and to their left in the Southern Hemisphere due to the Coriolis effect.
- True or false?
In the Indian Parliament, the Rajya Sabha possesses the constitutional power to reject or formally amend a Money Bill transmitted from the Lok Sabha.
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Answer: False
Under Article 109, the Rajya Sabha cannot reject or amend a Money Bill. It can only make recommendations, which the Lok Sabha may accept or reject within fourteen days.
- True or false?
The writ jurisdiction of a High Court under Article 226 is narrower in scope than that of the Supreme Court under Article 32.
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Answer: False
High Courts can issue writs for fundamental rights as well as ordinary legal rights, making Article 226 broader than Article 32.
- Fill in the blank.
The historic pact signed in March 1931 that led to the suspension of the Civil Disobedience Movement bears the name of Viceroy ___ (first letter: I).
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Answer: Irwin
The Gandhi-Irwin Pact was signed between Mahatma Gandhi and Lord Irwin, agreeing to end civil disobedience in exchange for political concessions.
- Fill in the blank.
In 1834, a customs union formed at the initiative of Prussia to dismantle internal trade barriers across German states was known as the ___ (clue: starts with Z).
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Answer: Zollverein
Initiated by Prussia in 1834, the Zollverein was a customs union that abolished internal tariff barriers and standardized trade rules, accelerating German economic integration.
- Fill in the blank.
The sudden, dramatic increase in normal rainfall over south India at the onset of the southwest monsoon is geographically termed the monsoon ___ [first letter: b].
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Answer: burst
Around the time of arrival, normal rainfall increases suddenly and continues constantly for several days, an atmospheric transition known as the 'burst' of the monsoon.
Which of the following constitutional or statutory bodies is the odd one out?
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Answer: National Human Rights Commission
The Finance Commission, Election Commission, and UPSC are constitutional bodies created directly under the Indian Constitution. The National Human Rights Commission is a statutory body established by parliamentary legislation.
Under Indian monetary policy definitions established by the Reserve Bank of India, which combination constitutes the broad money aggregate denoted as M3?
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Answer: M1 plus time deposits with the banking system
Broad money (M3) consists of narrow money (M1) plus net time deposits held with commercial and cooperative banks.
Under the Constitution of India, if the two Houses of Parliament disagree on a proposed measure, a joint sitting can resolve the deadlock in certain cases. On which type of legislation is this mechanism unavailable, causing the bill to lapse immediately?
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Answer: Constitutional Amendment Bill
Article 368 requires a Constitutional Amendment Bill to be passed by each House separately with a special majority. Article 108 does not apply, so no joint sitting can be convened.
During the winter months in northwestern India, shallow cyclonic depressions bring vital precipitation for rabi crops like wheat. What is the geographical origin of these western disturbances?
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Answer: The Mediterranean Sea
Western disturbances develop as extra-tropical cyclones over the Mediterranean Sea. They travel east across West Asia, guided by westerly jet streams, bringing winter rain to India.
During the Indian summer monsoon season, an upper-air atmospheric circulation develops that steers tropical depressions into the subcontinent. What is this high-altitude wind stream called?
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Answer: Tropical Easterly Jet
Intense solar heating of the Tibetan Plateau generates a high-pressure cell in the upper troposphere, creating the Tropical Easterly Jet, which directs monsoon depressions over peninsular India.
Under the Constitution of India, the Rajya Sabha possesses certain exclusive powers as the representative body of the States. Which action specifically requires an initiating resolution passed by the Rajya Sabha before Parliament can legislate on it?
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Answer: Authorising the creation of a new All-India Service
Under Article 312, only the Rajya Sabha can initiate the creation of new All-India Services by passing a resolution with a two-thirds majority. The other listed powers can originate in or require approval from both Houses.
- True or false?
Laterite soils in India form under conditions of high temperature and alternating wet and dry spells. Heavy seasonal rainfall causes intense leaching, leaving behind soil rich in iron oxide and aluminium compounds.
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Answer: True
Intense tropical leaching dissolves silica and lime, leaving residual iron and aluminium oxides. This gives laterite soils their distinctive reddish hue and acidic, nutrient-poor quality.
Which ancient Indian state differs fundamentally in its system of political governance from the other three?
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Answer: Magadha
Vajji, Shakya, and Malla were oligarchic republics known as gana-sanghas, ruled collectively by assemblies. Magadha was a monarchical mahajanapada governed by a hereditary king.
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