Past board exam questions
CBSE 2026 board paper · 3 marks
The people of Coorg are said to be descendants of the Arabs. Elaborate.
(Glimpses of India)
(Answer in about 40-50 words.)
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(Content 2 – any two points; Expression 1)
The Kodavus of Coorg are a fiercely independent people believed to be of Greek or Arabic descent. The theory of Arab origin draws support from the long, black coat with an embroidered waist-belt that they wear. Known as ‘kuppia’, it resembles the ‘kuffia’ worn by the Arabs and the Kurds. Their customs are also said to reflect foreign influence, as the settlers are said to have married among the locals.
CBSE 2026 board paper · 3 marks
In ‘Glimpses of India – Part III (Tea from Assam)’, how does the story connect tea with both culture and economic significance ?
(Answer in about 40-50 words.)
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(Content 2 – at least one point on each aspect; Expression 1)
Culturally, tea is an everyday habit across the world, and its origin is tied to Chinese and Indian legends – the Chinese emperor and Bodhidharma; words like ‘chai’ and ‘chini’ come from Chinese. Economically, over eighty crore cups are drunk daily, Assam has the world’s largest concentration of tea plantations, and tea gardens like Dhekiabari give livelihoods to planters and pluckers.
CBSE 2026 board paper · 3 marks
Why does the author in ‘Coorg’ say that the visitor’s search for the heart and soul of India would be found in Coorg ?
(Glimpses of India)
(Answer in about 40-50 words.)
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(Content 2 – at least two value points; Expression 1)
Coorg preserves its rich cultural traditions and is famous for the warrior spirit and valour of the Kodavas. Its natural beauty, rich flora and fauna, and adventure sports like river rafting and rappelling, along with nearby places such as Nisargadhama and Bylakuppe, show the true spirit of India.
CBSE 2026 board paper · 3 marks
How does the author establish that the pader is an important part of Goan Society ?
(Glimpses of India)
(Answer in about 40-50 words.)
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(Content 2 – at least two value points; Expression 1)
The author shows that bread is essential to Goan life: marriage gifts are meaningless without the sweet bread called the bol, and bolinas and sandwiches are needed for weddings, Christmas and other festivals. The pader’s jingling bamboo announced his arrival every morning, and his trade carries cultural and emotional significance as a culinary legacy of the Portuguese days.
CBSE 2026 board paper · 3 marks
In ‘Glimpses of India – Part I (Goa)’, how is the baker portrayed as a symbol of cultural nostalgia and changing times ?
(Answer in about 40-50 words.)
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(Content 2 – any two points; Expression 1)
The elders of Goa nostalgically recall the days of the Portuguese and their famous loaves of bread. The baker (pader) keeps this tradition alive: people still remember the jingling thud of his bamboo staff in the morning, and his bread, bol and cakes are essential for marriages and festivals. Yet times have changed – the kabai, a single-piece long frock of the Portuguese days, has given way to a shirt and knee-length trousers.
CBSE 2026 board paper · 3 marks
Mention the transition in the baker’s costume from the Portuguese days to that of the author’s childhood.
(Glimpses of India : A Baker from Goa)
(Answer in about 40-50 words.)
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(Content 2 – at least two value points; Expression 1)
In the Portuguese days the baker wore a peculiar dress known as the ‘kabai’, a single-piece long frock reaching down to the knees. By the author’s childhood the costume had changed: the baker wore a shirt and trousers that were shorter than full-length ones and longer than half pants.
CBSE 2026 board paper · 3 marks
Personal anecdotes and memories of the author in ‘A Baker from Goa’ display the baker’s enduring presence and significance in Goan culture. Justify.
(Answer in about 40-50 words.)
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(Content 2 – at least two value points; Expression 1)
The author recalls the baker’s morning arrival with the jingling thud of his bamboo staff, and the children running to meet him, their friend, companion and guide, eager for bread-bangles. Bread was essential for marriages, festivals and a daughter’s engagement, and the baker kept his accounts on the wall. His kabai and plump physique, a sign of prosperity, show that the baker remains part of Goan life.
CBSE 2026 board paper · 3 marks
How does the writer use his childhood memories to show what village life in Goa was like ?
(A Baker from Goa)
(Answer in about 40-50 words.)
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(Content 2 – at least two value points; Expression 1)
The writer fondly remembers the village baker and his daily visits, announced by the jingling thud of his bamboo staff, and how children ran to greet him for bread-bangles. He recalls that bread was essential for weddings, festivals and other occasions, and describes the baker’s attire (the ‘kabai’) and plump physique, showing that the baker was part of the social and cultural fabric of Goan village life.
