Social Science — CBSE Class 10 board question

The two sectors based on ownership of resources are the Public Sector and the Private Sector.

1. Public Sector: The government owns most of the assets and is responsible for providing services. The aim is not just to earn profit but to serve the public. Government raises money through taxes to fund these services. Examples: Indian Railways, Post Office.

1. Private Sector: Ownership of assets and delivery of services is in the hands of private individuals or companies. The main motive is to earn profit. People have to pay for the services. Examples: TISCO, Reliance Industries Limited (RIL).

Source: Sectors of Economic Activities, Chapter 2 — "Sectors in Terms of Ownership: Public and Private Sectors"

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• This is a standard 3-mark question: name both sectors (½ + ½) and explain each with a feature and example (1 + 1).
• Examiners expect: definition/ownership + motive (profit vs. public service) + one example for each.
• Do not confuse this classification with primary/secondary/tertiary — that is based on the nature of activity, not ownership.
• The key contrast is: government ownership + public service vs. private ownership + profit motive.