DAV Class 8 SST Chapter 12 Question Answer
A. Tick the correct option.
1. The main objective of the East India Company was-
Answer: to earn profit
2. Who initiated the Wardha Education Scheme in 1937?
Answer: Mahatma Gandhi
3. The reformer who fought against the Brahmin dominance and discrimination against
the lower castes was-
Answer: Shri Narayana Guru
4. Arya Samaj was established by-
Answer: Dayanand Saraswati
5. Who is known as the Architect of Indian Constitution?
Answer: Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
B. Fill in the blanks.
1. A number of pathshalas and maktabs provided elementary ___________.
2. Charter Act of 1813 sanctioned one lakh rupees for ___________ in India.
3. ___________ of 1854 gave a plan for a separate department of education.
4. Swami Dayanand wanted to eradicate the ___________ from Indian Society.
5. The ___________ played a pivotal role in mobilising public opinion.
Answer: (1) education (2) education (3) Wood’s Despatch (4) social evils (5)
printing press.
C. Write True or False for the following statements.
1. Orientalists favoured English as a medium of instruction.
2. Child marriage was banned in India in 1891.
3. Sati was an inhuman practice.
4. Kochi and Travancore denied governmental positions to lower castes.
5. Gandhi considered untouchables as Harijans-people of God.
Answer: (1) False (2) True (3) True (4) True (5) True.
D. Answer the following questions in brief.
1. What were the proposals of Wood’s Despatch of 1854?
Answer: The proposals of Wood’s Despatch of 1854 were:
It gave a detailed plan for separate department of education.
Institutes for training the teachers were set-up.
Universities were set-up at the presidency towns of Bombay, Calcutta and Madras.
2. Highlight any three social evils of Indian society related to women.
Answer: The three social evils of Indian society related to women are:
Sati pratha
Female infanticide
Child marriage
3. Describe any three main contributions of Swami Dayanand Saraswati as a social
reformer.
Answer: Three main contributions of Swami Dayanand Saraswati as a social reformer
were:
He established Arya Samaj Society of Nobles at Bombay and later at Lahore.
He started shuddhi Movement to reconvert Hindus, who had been converted to other
religions.
He opposed idol worship, child marriage and caste system.
4. Differentiate between the Anglicist and the Orientalist.
Answer: Difference between the Anglicist and the Orientalist are as follows:
DAV Class 8 SST Chapter 12 Question Answer Impact of British Rule on India
Difference between the Anglicist and the Orientalist
5. Evaluate the efforts made by Indian leaders to improve Indian education.
Answer: The efforts made by Indian leaders to improve Indian education were:
Jyotiba Phule started a special school for the under privileged class.
Veersalingam started a magazine in which he propagated women’s education, widow
remarriage and the rights of women’s education.
Swami Dayanand Saraswati was a great supporter of widow remarriage and women’s
education.
E. Answer the following questions.
1. Do you think that the British system of Education had a negative impact on the
people of India? Support your answer with suitable arguments.
Answer: I think British education system had both positive and negative effects.
Positive because it introduced India to modern systems of science and technology
and Negative because it suppressed Indians to only study British system of
education and also suppressed them to unfollow India’s old tradition.
2. State the major landmarks in the field of education in the nineteenth and the
twentieth century.
Answer: The major landmark in the field of education in the nineteenth and the
twentieth century were:
Earlier the system of education was based on traditional and religious knowledge.
The system of gurukul was prevalent in Indian society.
Many Universities and schools were established to spread education.
In 1937 Gandhiji started wardha education scheme for the welfare of India’s.
In the year 1854 wood’s Despatch came which made major changes in the education
policy of the British. It gave a detailed plan for a separate department of
education.
3. Describe the main contributions of any three social reformers in improving the
Indian Society.
Answer: The main contributions of any three social reformers in improving the
Indian Society were:
Shri Narayana Guru: Shri Narayana Guru was a great Hindu saint and social reformer.
He campaigned against caste system, untouchability, Brahmin dominance and
discrimination against the lower castes.
Jyotiba Phule: Jyotiba Phule was a social reformer of Maharashtra who founded the
Satya Shodhak Samaj, an organisation that worked for the upliftment of the low and
oppressed classes.
Swami Dayanand Saraswati: Swami Dayanand Saraswati was a great sage and a social
reformer. He opposed idol worship, child marriage and caste system. He was a great
supporter of widow remarriage and women’s education.
4. State the impact of the reform movements on India.
Answer: The reform movements brought a cultural awakening. India saw a rapid
development in the field of literature, science and art. There was a remarkable
Improvement in the status and education of women. Laws were enforced to curb social
evils. The reform movements created a middle class of teachers, doctors, lawyers,
scientists and journalists. This enlightened and educated class played a crucial
and constructive role in the progress of India.
During the reform movements, the opposition to the caste system spread throughout
India and among all sections of the society. Many English educated Indians learnt
Sanskrit and translated books into English. The spirit of national pride instilled
patriotism and prepared the ground for the rise of nationalism in India.
5. ‘Although the British and the Indian Parliament brought many laws to end social
evils, yet they continue to exist in the Indian society.’ Justify the statement.
Answer: Yes, it is true that the social evils still exist in the society due to
following reasons:
The evil practice of dowry system has been banned but it continues even today.
Female infanticide has been banned but unfortunately still it continues.
Caste system exists among the Christians, Muslims, Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs.
Though the practice of untouchability has been banned but still it continues in
some parts of India.
Widow remarriage is still a big problem in our society.
