THE GALAXY AND THE LIVING WORLD

 Annual Report: Fostering Constitutional Values (Session 2025-26) Bethany Convent Senior Secondary School, Prayagraj The academic session 2025-26 at Bethany Convent was defined by a commitment to the Spirit of India. By celebrating our national milestones, we aimed to move beyond mere rituals, focusing instead on strengthening the Constitution within the hearts of our students. 1. Sadbhavana Diwas: A Pledge for Harmony Date: 4 October 2025 Purpose: To promote national integration and communal harmony among students of all religions and languages. Summary: Though traditionally observed in August, our school marked this day in October to align with the Gandhian values of non-violence. Students took a solemn pledge to resolve all differences through dialogue and constitutional means rather than violence. This event served as a practical application of Fraternity, a core pillar of our Preamble. 2. National Unity Day (Rashtriya Ekta Diwas) Date: 31 October 2025 Purpose: To commemorate t...

“जब शिक्षक चुप रहता है, तब व्यवस्था बोलती है… और जब शिक्षक बोलता है, तब बदलाव जन्म लेता है।” एक क्लासरूम सिर्फ ईंट और कंक्रीट से बनी चार दीवारों का नाम नहीं होता। यह वह पवित्र स्थान है जहाँ सपने पलते हैं, व्यक्तित्व के डर टूटते हैं और राष्ट्र का भविष्य गढ़ा जाता है। लेकिन आज इसी भविष्य की नींव रखने वाला शिल्पकार, यानी शिक्षक, खुद अपने अस्तित्व और सम्मान के लिए संघर्ष करता नज़र आ रहा है। एक परामर्शदाता (Counselor) के तौर पर जब मैं स्कूलों के गलियारों से गुजरता हूँ, तो मुझे अनुशासन की गूँज कम और शिक्षक की लाचारी का शोर ज्यादा सुनाई देता है। दोहरी मार झेलता शिक्षक आज का शैक्षिक परिवेश शिक्षक के लिए एक चक्रव्यूह बन गया है। यदि वह बच्चे की किसी गलती पर उसे टोक दे, तो उसकी शिक्षण पद्धति पर सवाल उठाए जाते हैं। यदि वह सख्ती से समझाए, तो उसे 'क्रूर' या 'पुराने ख्यालात' का मान लिया जाता है। और यदि इन सबसे थककर वह मौन धारण कर ले, तो प्रबंधन और अभिभावक उसे 'अकुशल' कहकर कटघरे में खड़ा कर देते हैं। यानी हर परिस्थिति में दोष शिक्षक का ही है। हाल ही में एक घटना सामने आई जहाँ एक...

1. Match the following: Subadar— Provincial governor Faujdar — A Mughal military commander Ijjaradar — A revenue farmer Misl — A band of Sikh warriors Chauth— Tax levied by the Marathas Kunbis— Maratha peasant warriors Umara— A high noble 2. Fill in the blanks: (a) Aurangzeb fought a protracted war in the Deccan. (b) Umara and jagirdars constituted powerful sections of the Mughal administration. (c) Asaf Jah founded the Hyderabad state in 1724. (d) The founder of the Awadh state was Burhan-ul-Mulk Sa’adat Khan. 3. State whether true or false: (a) Nadir Shah invaded Bengal. — False (b) Sawai Raja Jai Singh was the ruler of Indore. — False (c) Guru Gobind Singh was the tenth Guru of the Sikhs. — True (d) Poona became the capital of the Marathas in the eighteenth century. — True 4. What were the offices held by Sa’adat Khan? The offices held by Sa’adat Khan were subadari, faujdari and diwani. 5. Why did the Nawabs of Awadh and Bengal try to do away with the jagirdari system? The Nawabs of...

1. Answer the following questions. (i) Why are people considered a resource? People are considered a nation's greatest resource because nature's bounty becomes significant only when people find it useful. It is people with their demands and abilities that turn objects into 'resources.' Hence, human resource is the ultimate resource. (ii) What are the causes for the uneven distribution of population in the world? Population distribution is uneven due to various factors: - Geographical Factors: People prefer living on plains (like the Ganga plains) rather than mountains, and in areas with moderate climates and available fresh water. - Economic Factors: Industrial areas (like Mumbai or Osaka) provide employment opportunities, attracting more people. - Social & Cultural Factors: Areas with better housing, education, and health facilities are densely populated. Religious or cultural significance also attracts people to certain places (like Varanasi or Jerusalem). (iii) T...

Question 1: The health condition in our country is poor. Justify. Answer: Our country has money, knowledge, and people with experience but cannot make the necessary healthcare available to all.  * The number of doctors is much less in rural areas because most doctors prefer to practice in urban areas.  * Clean drinking water is not available to all. 21% of communicable diseases are water borne.  * Many children do not get adequate food and water and are undernourished. Question 2: What problems do we face in private hospitals? Answer: 1. Private hospitals are concentrated in urban areas and the cost is high. 2. Many people cannot afford to buy expensive medicines. 3. To earn money these private hospitals encourage incorrect and expensive practices even when cheaper methods are available. Question 3: What steps should be taken by the government to provide healthcare facilities to all? Answer: 1. The government must safeguard the right of life of every person. 2. It is the ...

Q1. Why do you think there are so few cases of private water supply in the world? Ans: 1. Profit Motive: Private companies operate primarily for profit. Providing clean, safe water at affordable rates for the entire population is often not profitable enough for them. 2. Affordability: If private companies take over, the cost of water increases significantly. This makes it unaffordable for the poor, depriving a majority of the population of a basic necessity. 3. Universal Access: Public facilities are meant to be provided to everyone regardless of their income. Since private companies focus only on those who can pay, they are not suitable for providing essential services like water on a large scale. Q2. Do you think water in Chennai is available and affordable by all? Discuss. Ans: No, water in Chennai is neither equally available nor affordable for everyone: * Availability: Senior government officials in areas like Anna Nagar enjoy 24-hour tap water. In contrast, middle-class areas lik...