Natural Vegetation and Wildlife

Natural Vegetation: The naturally growing plant cover; without human aid; is called natural vegetation. The vegetation which has been left undisturbed by humans for a long time is called virgin vegetation.

Flora: Plant species of a particular region or period are called flora.

Fauna: The animal species of a particular region or period are called fauna.

Factors which affect the diversity of flora and fauna:

RELIEF:

Land: Land directly and indirectly affects the natural vegetation. Nature of land influences the type of vegetation. If the land is level and fertile, it is mainly used for farming. If the land is uneven then grassland and woodlands develop over it.

Soil: Different types of soil are fit for different types of vegetation. For example; sandy soil is fit for cactus and thorny bushes, while wet and marshy soil is fit for mangrove vegetation.

CLIMATE

Temperature and Humidity: Temperature and humidity are the main factors which determine the character and extent of vegetation. An area with high temperature and high humidity supports evergreen forest, while an area with high temperature and low humidity supports thorny bushes.

Photoperiod (Sunlight): The duration of sunlight is called photoperiod. Photoperiod depends on latitude, altitude, season and duration of the day. Trees grow faster in summer because of longer photoperiod.

Precipitation: If an area gets heavy rainfall, it is suitable for the growth of dense vegetation. On the other hand, an area with scanty rainfall is suitable for thorny bushes.

Ecosystem: All the plants and animals in an area are interdependent on each other. The plants and animals; alongwith their physical environment make the ecosystem. A very large ecosystem is called a biome. Biomes are identified on the basis of plants.

TYPES OF VEGETATION

There are five major types of vegetation in India: Tropical Rainforests, Tropical Deciduous Forests, Tropical Thorn Forests and Scrubs, Montane Forests and Mangrove Forests.

Tropical Rain Forests

• The tropical rainforests are confined to areas of heavy rainfall. Such areas are in the Western Ghats, upper parts of Assam, Tamil Nadu coast and the island groups of Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar.
• Areas which receive more 200 cm of rainfall and have a short dry season are the best area for tropical rainforest. Almost all kinds of vegetation; like trees, shrubs and creepers; are found in such a forest. The forest has a multilayered structure.
• Ebony, mahogany, rosewood, rubber and cinchona are some of the commercially important trees of tropical rainforests.
• Elephants, monkey, lemur and deer are the common animals in these forests. Apart from them, a large number of birds, bats, sloth, scorpions and snails are also found in tropical rainforests.

Tropical Deciduous Forests

Tropical deciduous forests are the most widespread forests of India. They are spread in those regions which get rainfall between 200 cm and 70 cm. They are also called the monsoon forests. The trees of tropical deciduous rainforests shed their leaves during summer.

These forests can be divided into two types on the basis of availability of water.

(a) Moist Deciduous Forest: The moist deciduous forests are found in areas which receive rainfall between 200 cm and 100 cm. Such forests are found mainly in the eastern part of India; like northeastern states, along the foothills of the Himalayas, Jharkhand, West Orissa and Chhattisgarh. They are also found on the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats.

(b)Dry Deciduous Forest: The dry deciduous forests are found in those regions which receive rainfall between 100 cm and 70 cm. Such forests are found in the rainier parts of the peninsular plateau and the plains of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

Teak, bamboo, sal, shisham, sandalwood, khair, kusum, arjun, mulberry are some of the commercially important trees in these forests. Lion, tiger, pig, deer and elephant are the common animals in these forests. Additionally, a large variety of birds, lizards, snakes and tortoises are found in these forests.

The Thorn Forests and Scrubs

• Thorn forests grow in those regions which receive less than 70 cm of rainfall. This type of vegetation is found in the north-western part of India, e.g. Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.
• The main plant species in such a forest are acacia, palms, euphorbias and cactus. The trees are scattered and they have long roots which go very deep in the ground. The stems are succulent to conserve water. Leaves are usually modified into thorns to prevent evaporation. Camel, rats, mice, rabbits, fox, wolf, tiger, lion, wild ass, horse, etc. are the common animals in thorny forests.

Montane Forests

The forests in the mountainous areas are called montane forest. Different types of vegetation are found at different altitudes in the mountains.

(a) The wet temperate type of forest is found between a height of 1000 and 2000 metre. Evergreen broad-leaf trees such as oak and chestnut abound in such forests.

(b) Temperate forests are found between the heights of 1500 and 3000 metre. Coniferous trees; like pine, deodar, silver fir, spruce and cedar abound in such forests.

(c) Alpine vegetation are found are heights of more than 3600 metre.

These forests are mainly found along the southern slopes of the Himalayas and at high altitudes in southern and north-eastern India. Kashmir stag, spotted deer, wild sheep, jack rabbit, Tibetan antelope, yak, snow leopard, squirrels, Shaggy horn wild ibex, bear, rare red panda, sheep and goats are the common animals in these forests.

Mangrove Forests

Mangrove forests are found in the deltas of the Ganga, the Mahanadi, the Krishna, the Godavarai and the Kaveri. Roots of the mangrove plants are submerged under water. Hollow roots grow out vertically above water so that roots can breathe. Sundari tree is the most common tree in such forests; especially in the Sunderban Delta. Royal Bengal Tiger is the most famous animal of these forests. Additionally, turtles, crocodiles, gharials and snakes are found in these forests.

WILD LIFE

There are more than 89,000 animal species in India. There are more than 1200 species of birds in India. Elephants are found in the hot wet forests of Assam, Karnataka and Kerala. One-horned rhinos are found in the swampy and marshy lands of Assam and West Bengal. Wild ass and camels are found in the Rann of Kachchh and Thar Desert. Indian bison, nilgai, chousingha, gazel and many other species of deer and some other animals are found in India. India is the only country in the world which has both tigers and lions.

• There are fourteen biosphere reserves in India. Four out of these, the Sunderbans in the West Bengal, Nanda Devi in Uttaranchal, the Gulf of Mannar in Tamil Nadu and the Nilgiris (Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu) have been included in the world network of Biosphese reserves.
• The fourteen biosphere reserves are: Sunderbans, Gulf of Mannar, the Nilgiris, Nanda Devi, Nokrek, Great Nicobar, Manas, Simlipal, Dihang-Dibang, Dibru Saikhowa, Agasthyamalai, Kanchenjunga, Pachmari, Achanakmar-Amarkantak.
• Project Tiger, Project Rhino, Project Great Indian Bustard and many other ecodevelopmental projects have been introduced.
• 89 National Parks, 49 Wildlife sanctuaries and Zoological gardens are set up to take care of Natural heritage.

Poverty as a Challenge

Poverty -
A situation when one is not able to fulfill even the minimum basic necessities (food, clothing and shelter) required to sustain the life. When lots of people suffer from same situation it is termed as poverty. India has the largest single concentration of the poor in the world. This illustrates the seriousness of the challenge.
Poverty as seen by Social Scientists
Poverty is looked through other social indicators like illiteracy level, lack of general resistance due to malnutrition, lack to access to healthcare, lack of job opportunities, lack of access to safe drinking water, sanitation etc.
Poverty Line
A person is considered poor if his or her income or consumption level falls below a given “minimum level” necessary to fulfill basic needs. Poverty line may vary with time and place. While determining the poverty line in India, a minimum level of food requirement, clothing, footwear, fuel and light, educational and medical requirement etc. are determined for subsistence. These physical quantities  are multiplied by their prices in rupees. The total equivalent amount is considered as poverty line. Daily minimum nutritional requirement for a person has been fixed at 2400 calories per person/ per day in rural areas and 2400 calories per person/ per day in urban areas.  On the basis of these calculations, for the year 2011-12, the poverty line for a person was fixed at Rs. 816  per month in rural areas and Rs.1000  per month in urban areas.
For making comparisons between developing countries, many international organisations like the World Bank use a uniform standard for the poverty line: minimum availability of the equivalent of $ 1 per person per day.
Is present methodology of poverty estimation appropriate?
No, the present methodology of poverty estimation is not appropriate.  It is about a ‘minimum’ subsistence level of living rather than a ‘reasonable’ level of living. Many scholars advocate that we must broaden the concept into human poverty.
Poverty Estimates
There is substantial decline in poverty ratios in India from about 55 per cent in 1973 to 21.9 per cent in 2011-12. The proportion of people below poverty line further came down to about 26 per cent in 2000. The number of poor declined from 407.1 million in 2004-05 to 269.3 million in 2011-12 with an average annual decline of 2.2 percentage points during 2004-05 to 2011-12.
Vulnerable Groups
(i) Most vulnerable to poverty are scheduled caste and scheduled tribe households.
(ii) Among the economic groups, the most vulnerable groups are the rural agricultural labour households and the urban casual labour households.
(iii) Some recent studies have shown that except for the scheduled tribe households, all the other three groups i.e. scheduled castes, rural agricultural labourers and the urban casual labour households have seen a decline in poverty in the 1990s.
(iv) Women, elderly people and female infants are systematically denied equal access to resources available to the family. Therefore women, children (especially the girl child) and old people are poorest of the poor.
Inter State Disparities
(i) States with poverty ratio more than the national average: Orissa, Bihar, Assam, Tripura and Uttar Pradesh are the most poverty ridden states of India. The poverty ration in these states is much higher than the national average. Bihar and Orissa are the poorest states with poverty ratio of 33.7 and 37.6 respectively.
(ii) States with poverty ratio less than the national average: There has been a significant decline in poverty ratio in Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and West Bengal.
(iii) States with low poverty ratio: Punjab, Haryana, Goa, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu Kashmir
Global Poverty Scenario
(i) Poverty declined substantially in China and South-east Asian countries as a result of rapid economic growth and massive investments in human resource development.
(ii) In the countries of South Asia (India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan) the decline has not been as rapid.
(iii) In Sub-Saharan Africa, poverty in fact rose from 51 per cent in 1981 to 47 per cent in 2008.
(iv) In Latin America, the ratio of poverty remained the same.
Causes of Poverty
(i) British Rule
(ii) Rural Economy
(iii) Heavy Pressure of Population
(iv) Lack of Proper Industrialisation
(v) Social factors
Anti Poverty Measures
(a) Promotion of Economic Growth :
Since the eighties, India’s economic growth has been one of the fastest in the world. The higher growth rates have helped significantly in the reduction of poverty. It is becoming clear that there is a strong link between economic growth and poverty reduction. Economic growth widens opportunities and provides the resources needed to invest in human development. This also encourages people to send their children, including the girl child, to schools in the hope of getting better economic returns from investing in education.
(b)Targeted Anti - Poverty Programmes :
National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGA) 2005 : Septempber 2005, 100 days assured employment, 200 districts to be extended to 600 districts, if not provided employment within 15 days will be entitled to unemployment allowance, often termed as 'Right to Work'.
National Food for Work Programme (NFWP) 2004 : introduced in 150 most backward districts, rural poor who are in need of wage employment, and to do manual unskilled work. :
Prime Minister Rozgar Yozana (PMRY) : self employment opportunity to educated unemployed youth in Rural areas & small towns
Rural Employment Generation Programme (REGP) : to create self employment opportunities in rural areasand small towns
Swarnjayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana (SGSY) : to bring the poor families above poverty line by organising them into self help group
Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yozana (PMGY) : central assistance for basic services such as primary health, primary education, rural shelter, rural drinking water and rural electrification
Antyodaya Anna Yozana (AAY) :
Assessment of poverty –alleviation programmes:
On the positive side, the incidence of poverty has declined in India.  Whereas in 1973, about 55 percent of India’s population lived below poverty. This ratio has currently come down to 26 percent.
On the negative side, poverty reduction remains India’s most compelling challenge. About one-fourth of India’s total population, i.e., about 260 million persons, live below the line of poverty. This shows that the poverty alleviation programmes have not lived up to the expectations. The major weaknesses of these programmes have been as follows :
(i) Lack of proper implementation.
(ii) Lack of right targeting
(iii) Overlapping of schemes.
(iv) Non-delivery of benefits to the targeted groups.
The Challenges Ahead
(i) Despite the progress, poverty reduction remains India’s most compelling challenge.
(ii) The official defination of poverty captures only a limited part of what poverty really means to people. It is about a “minimum” subsistence level of living rather than a “reasonable” level of living. We must broaden the concept into human poverty.
(iii) With development the defination of what constitutes poverty also changes. Eradication of poverty is always a moving target. Hopefully we will be able to provide the minimum “necessary” in terms of only income to all people by the end of the next decade. 

ASSET TEST

The ASSET Test is published and distributed by the American College Testing (ACT) program. The ASSET exam is used most often as a diagnostic tool for students in community colleges and technical schools.
The purpose of the ASSET test is to spotlight areas of student difficulty, so that remedial measures can be taken before the chances for success are impaired. The ASSET test is generally given to students after they have been enrolled and accepted in a school or technical college training program. Sometimes, the ASSET test is used as a placement tool during admission to academic programs. The ASSET test can help school administrators advise students about placement into particular college course levels and programs.

For a better preparation, can try these sample papers

For Class 6
https://www.scribd.com/doc/247663930/Asset-SST-Class6
https://www.scribd.com/doc/247663023/ASSET-SST-CLASS-6

For Class 8
https://www.scribd.com/doc/247664567/Asset-SST-Class-8

For class 9 & 10
https://www.scribd.com/doc/247659217/ASSET-SST-CLASS-9-10

PSA Exam on 20th November, 2014

CBSE will conduct PSA Exam for class-9 and class-11 in all schools on 20th November, 2014 (Thursday) from  from 10.00 a.m. to 12.00 noon. The total marks have been reduced to 60 from 90 last year BUT there is no change in number of questions.

Salient features of this test are as under:

• It is compulsory for all students of classes IX and XI.
• It comprises of a total of 60 items of MCQ type and carries 60 marks.
• The test will be held from 10.00A.M. to 12.00 noon.
• The test assesses life skills related to the following three domains: Language conventions, qualitative reasoning and quantitative reasoning.
• The items included in the test aim to assess students’ ability to process, interpret and use information rather than assessing their prior subject matter knowledge.
• The assessment in English or Hindi include items to test grammar, usage, vocabulary in context and passage completion.
• The question paper will be bilingual.
• PSA score will be counted towards FA4 which is 10% of total assessments for class-IX. This score will be reflected equally in one language (English or Hindi), Mathematics, Science and Social Science. Class-XI students will be issued a separate certificate for the same.
• Students studying in class X and XII in the current session (who appeared in PSA while studying in classes IX and XI during the previous session) who wish to improve in PSA are allowed to do so. Related information may be indicated clearly at the time of submission of list of candidates (LOC) for 2015 annual examination.
• There will be no separate registration for appearing in PSA.
• A nominal fee of Rs.100/- per student for appearing in PSA is to be submitted by the school at the time of submission of other details.

For material related to PSA, do visit the following link
https://www.scribd.com/doc/246980571/Problem-Solving-Assessment-Paper
https://www.scribd.com/doc/246980099/Problem-Solving-Assessment-Paper
https://www.scribd.com/doc/246968825/Problem-Solving-Assessment-Support-Material-Class-IX

Answer Key of NTSE Stage II 2014, conducted on 19.10.14

Answer key of NTSE Stage II 2014 have been issued by NCERT on 10.11.14
objections on the answer key must reach NCERT by 24. November. 2014
for further information go through the link

http://www.ncert.nic.in/programmes/talent_exam/pdf_files/ntse_2014_Ans_key.pdf

Corrections in the official answer key of NTSE 15 (Stage I) Rajasthan issued by RBSE on 10.11.14

RBSE has came out with the official answer key of NTSE 15 (First Stage) Rajasthan. 

Has invited online corrections by 17.11.14 from the students. 

I request you to please mail the below mentioned corrections to RBSE on

ntse.sstse.bser@gmail.com

Respected Sir,

We are highly thankful for such an early release of NTSE 15 answer key by RBSE. Here I would like to bring to your kind attention, the answers which I think are wrong in your answer key of SAT paper in the Social Science subject.

Q. 69. In India total forest area as per Forest Report, 2011 is

(1) 21.05 % (2) 20.06% (3) 22.07% (4) 19.80%

Answer given in your key is (3) i.e. 22.07 %

My answer - (1) 21.05%

According to Class IX, Geography book, Contemporary India - I (NCERT book), page no 43, Right hand side in a box given ‘Do you know’ says - According to India State of Forest Report 2011, the Forest cover in India is 21.05%. The same thing is written in the Page no. 2 Appendix.

Q. 70. Which state in India has Kaziranga National Park ?

(1) Bihar (2) West Bengal (3) Jharkhand (4) Assam

Answer given in your key is (3) i.e. Jharkhand

My Answer - (4) Assam

According to Class IX, Geography book, Contemporary India - I (NCERT book), page no 49,

The Map showing Wildlife Reserves in India, its clear that Kaziranga lies in Assam.

Q.71. Which type of resource is Solar Energy ?

(1) Replenishable (2) Human Made (3) Biotic (4) Non-recyclable

Answer given in your key is (4) Non-recyclable

My Answer - (1) Replenishable

According to Class X, Geography book, Contemporary India - II (NCERT book), page no 2

Types of Resources, On the Basis of Exhaustibility

Renewable Resources : The resourcs which can be renewed or reproduced by physical, chemical or mechanical processes are known as replenishable resources. For example, solar and wind energy, water, forests and wildlife, etc.

Q.72. Hirakud Dam is situated on the River 

(1) Godavari (2) Tapi (3) Mahanadi (4) Yamuna

Answer given in your key is (4) Yamuna

My Answer - (3) Mahanadi

According to Class X, Geography book, Contemporary India - II (NCERT book), page no 28,

The Map showing India : Major Rivers and Dams, its clear that Hirakud Dam is on Mahanadi.

Q.73. Non-food crop is

(1) Wheat (2) Rice (3) Cotton (4) Bajra

Answer given in your key is (4) Bajra

My Answer - (3) Cotton

According to Class X, Geography book, Contemporary India - II (NCERT book), page no 42,

Fiber Crops : Cotton, jute, hemp and natural silk are the major fiber crops grown in India.

On Page no. 38, Bajra is described under the heading Millets and Millets is described under the food crops.

Q.74. Which of the following is a non-ferrous mineral ?

(1) Bauxite (2) Manganese (3) Nickel (4) Cobalt

Answer given in your key is (4) Cobalt

My Answer - (1) Bauxite

According to Class X, Geography book, Contemporary India - II (NCERT book), Chapter name - Mineral and Energy Resources, page no 55,

Bauxite is described under the heading Non-Ferrous Minerals

Q. 75. Seaport of India is 

(1) Delhi (2) Hyderabad (3) Vishakhapatnam (4) Amritsar

Answer given in your key is (2) Hyderabad

My Answer - (3) Vishakhapatnam

According to Class X, Geography book, Contemporary India - II (NCERT book), Chapter name - Lifelines of National Economy, Page no 89

the Map showing India : Major ports and International Airports clearly says that Vishakhapatnam is a Sea Port

Q.83. How many seats are reserved for Scheduled Tribes in Lok Sabha ?

(1) 84 (2) 41 (3) 32 (4) 47

Answer given in your key is (2) 41

My Answer - (4) 47

According to Class IX, Civics book, Democratic Politics (NCERT book), Chapter name Electoral Politics, page no 62

Reserved Constituencies - Currently, in the Lok Sabha, 84 seats are reserved for the Scheduled Castes and 47 for the Scheduled Tribes (as on 1 September 2012).

In the old editions of NCERT, its written that 41 seats are reserved for Scheduled Tribes

NTSE 2015 Stage I (Rajasthan) Official Answer Key

RBSE has come out with the official answer key of NTSE 2015 and SSTSE 2014
Question no. 20, 40, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75 & 83 are given wrong. Do check your answer carefully

http://rajeduboard.rajasthan.gov.in/NTSE2015-SSTSE2014-ANS.pdf