Social Science — CBSE Class 10 board question

Primary Sector vs Secondary Sector:

Primary Sector: Economic activities that involve direct use of natural resources are called primary sector activities. Production depends mainly on natural factors like rainfall, climate, and soil. Since it forms the base for all other sectors, it is called "primary."
Examples: Agriculture, dairy farming, fishing, forestry, mining.

Secondary Sector: Economic activities in which natural products are transformed into other forms through manufacturing or processing are called secondary sector activities. The product is not directly obtained from nature but has to be made through an industrial process. It is also called the industrial sector.
Examples: Cotton fibre spun into yarn and woven into cloth; sugarcane converted into sugar; clay converted into bricks and bricks used to make buildings.

Key Difference: The primary sector extracts or produces raw materials directly from nature, while the secondary sector uses those raw materials to manufacture finished goods.

Source: Sectors of Economic Activities, Chapter 2

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• Examiners expect a clear definition of each sector with the reason for its name, followed by at least 2 examples each.
• The distinction must be stated explicitly — don't just define; contrast them directly.
• Avoid mixing in the tertiary sector unless the question asks for it.
• Key terms to use: natural resources, manufacturing/processing, industrial sector, agriculture and related sector.
• This answer covers the 5 marks: ~1 mark each for definition of primary, definition of secondary, examples of primary, examples of secondary, and the stated distinction.