NCERT Questions & Answers + Important Extra Questions
NCERT Textbook Questions
Q1. Multiple Choice Questions
(i) Which one of the following industries uses limestone as a raw material?
(a) Aluminium (b) Cement (c) Plastic (d) Automobile
(ii) Which one of the following agencies markets steel for the steel plants?
(a) T__(b) SAIL (c) SAIL (d) MNCC
Ans: SAIL (Steel Authority of India Limited)
(iii) Which one of the following industries uses bauxite as a raw material?
(a) Aluminium smelting (b) Cement (c) Paper (d) Steel
(iv) Which one of the following industries manufactures telephones, computer hardware, etc.?
(a) Steel (b) Electronic (c) Aluminium smelting (d) Information Technology
Q2. Answer the following questions in about 30 words
(i) What is manufacturing?
Answer
Manufacturing is the process of converting raw materials into finished goods of higher value using machinery, tools, and labour. It involves changing the form of raw materials through physical or chemical processes. Examples: converting cotton into cloth, iron ore into steel, wood pulp into paper. Manufacturing is the backbone of economic development as it transforms primary products into more valuable goods.
(ii) Name any three characteristics of the ideal location for setting up an industry.
Ans. (i) Proximity to raw materials — reduces transportation costs (e.g., sugar mills near sugarcane fields). (ii) Availability of cheap and skilled labour — ensures smooth production. (iii) Good transport and communication facilities — roads, railways, ports for receiving raw materials and dispatching finished goods. Other factors include: proximity to markets, availability of power/water, government policies, and banking facilities.
(iii) What is the contribution of the manufacturing sector to the national economy?
Answer
The manufacturing sector contributes about 17% of India's GDP (the government aims to increase this to 25%). It provides employment to about 12% of India's workforce. Manufacturing is important because: (i) It creates jobs in secondary and tertiary sectors. (ii) It reduces dependence on agriculture. (iii) It adds value to primary products, earning more revenue. (iv) It generates exports, earning foreign exchange. (v) It drives urbanisation and modernisation of the economy.
(iv) What are agro-based industries? Give examples.
Answer
Agro-based industries use agricultural products as raw materials. They add value to farm products through processing. Examples:
(i) Cotton textile industry — uses raw cotton. (ii) Jute textile industry — uses raw jute. (iii) Sugar industry — uses sugarcane. (iv) Vegetable oil industry — uses oilseeds (groundnut, mustard, soybean). (v) Tea and coffee processing. (vi) Rubber industry. (vii) Food processing industries — dairy, fruit canning, flour milling.
Q3. Answer the following questions in about 120 words
(i) How can manufacturing sector contribute to the economic development of India?
Answer
The manufacturing sector can drive India's economic development in several ways:
(i) Employment generation: Manufacturing creates jobs not only in factories but also in supporting sectors — transport, banking, insurance, packaging, marketing. The National Manufacturing Policy aims to create 100 million additional jobs by 2025.
(ii) Reducing agricultural dependence: Moving surplus agricultural workers to manufacturing raises their incomes and reduces pressure on land. This is essential for a developing economy.
(iii) Export earnings: Manufactured goods fetch higher prices in international markets than raw materials. Countries like China, Japan, and South Korea have grown rich through manufacturing exports.
(iv) Backward and forward linkages: A single large factory creates demand for hundreds of ancillary (supporting) industries. For example, an automobile factory needs steel, rubber, glass, electronics, and plastics — creating business for all these industries.
(v) Reducing regional disparities: Setting up industries in backward regions brings development — roads, hospitals, schools, and services follow the factory.
(vi) Import substitution: Manufacturing what India currently imports saves foreign exchange and makes the economy self-reliant (e.g., defence equipment, electronics, solar panels).
(ii) Discuss the steps to be taken to minimise environmental degradation by industry.
Ans. Industries cause air pollution, water pollution, land degradation, and noise pollution. Steps to minimise these:
Water pollution control: (i) Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs) — treat industrial waste water before discharging into rivers. (ii) Recycling and reuse of water within factories. (iii) Rainwater harvesting to reduce freshwater consumption.
Air pollution control: (i) Use electrostatic precipitators, fabric filters, scrubbers in smokestacks to remove particulate matter. (ii) Switch to cleaner fuels (CNG, electricity) from coal and oil. (iii) Use low-sulphur coal or oil to reduce SO₂ emissions.
Land degradation: (i) Proper disposal of solid waste — segregation, recycling, composting. (ii) Reclamation of mined land through plantation.
Noise pollution: (i) Use noise-absorbing materials in factory buildings. (ii) Install silencers on generators and machinery. (iii) Green belts (tree plantations) around factories to absorb noise and pollutants.
General measures: (i) Strict enforcement of pollution control laws by CPCB and state boards. (ii) Green audits of factories. (iii) Incentives for clean technology adoption. (iv) Public awareness about industrial pollution.
Important Extra Questions
Describe the iron and steel industry of India.
Answer
The iron and steel industry is the basic industry — all other industries depend on it for machinery, tools, and construction materials.
Raw materials needed: Iron ore, coking coal, limestone, dolomite, manganese, and large quantities of water and electricity.
Major steel plants
(i) Tata Iron and Steel Company (TISCO), Jamshedpur (1907) — India's first and oldest steel plant (private sector). Located near iron ore (Noamundi), coal (Jharia), and water (Subarnarekha river).
(ii) Bhilai Steel Plant (Chhattisgarh) — largest producer, set up with Soviet assistance.
(iii) Durgapur (West Bengal) — set up with British assistance.
(iv) Rourkela (Odisha) — set up with German assistance.
(v) Bokaro (Jharkhand) and Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh).
India is now the second largest crude steel producer in the world (after China). SAIL manages most public sector steel plants. Challenges include: high cost of coking coal (imported), outdated technology in some plants, power shortages, and competition from cheap Chinese steel.
Describe the cotton textile industry of India.
Answer
Cotton textile is India's largest organised industry in terms of employment (directly employs 35 lakh+ workers).
Location factors: Proximity to cotton-growing areas, availability of cheap labour, humid climate, port facilities for export.
Major centres
(i) Maharashtra: Mumbai (Bombay) — the "Manchester of India," though many mills have closed. Still the largest producer state. Pune, Solapur, Nagpur.
(ii) Gujarat: Ahmedabad — "Manchester of the East." Surat (synthetic textiles).
(iii) Tamil Nadu: Coimbatore, Chennai, Madurai (especially spinning mills).
(iv) West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan.
The industry has three sectors: handloom (traditional, employs millions in villages), powerloom (semi-mechanised), and mill sector (fully mechanised). India is the second largest textile exporter in the world. Challenges: competition from synthetic fibres, obsolete machinery, power cuts, and competition from China and Bangladesh.
What is the importance of the IT industry in India?
Answer
The Information Technology (IT) industry has transformed India's economy:
(i) Employment: The IT and ITeS (IT-enabled Services) sector employs over 50 lakh people directly and millions more indirectly.
(ii) Export earnings: IT exports contribute over $150 billion annually, making it India's largest services export sector.
(iii) Major hubs: Bengaluru (Silicon Valley of India), Hyderabad (HITEC City), Pune, Chennai, Gurugram, Noida, Kolkata.
(iv) Services provided: Software development, Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), call centres, data processing, cloud computing, AI/ML development.
(v) Impact: It has created a new middle class, raised living standards, attracted FDI, built world-class infrastructure (tech parks), and given India global recognition as an IT powerhouse.
(vi) Companies: TCS, Infosys, Wipro, HCL Technologies, and Tech Mahindra are among the world's largest IT companies.