CBSE Class 10 English Chapter 8 Bholi: Important Questions with Answers, Download PDF

CBSE Class 10 exams are going to commence on February 17. With the exams approaching within a few days, students can elevate their preparation by using the extensive study materials available here. The English (Language and Literature) exam is set for Saturday, February 21, 2026. For a quick revision of the English syllabus, students can utilize the materials shared here. The guide offers key questions centered around Chapter 8, "Bholi." These resources are prepared by subject matter experts in accordance with the most recent CBSE 2025–26 pattern, which ranges from descriptive long-answer questions to analytical textual excerpts.

Students can find the questions that offer students to understand an overview of the story. By practicing these chapter-based questions, from textual extracts to long-type answers, students will gain a better understanding of the details about the chapter, which will help prepare them well for their board exams.

Also check: CBSE Class 10 English Chapter 7 The Necklace

CBSE Class 10 English Footprints Without Feet: Key Highlights

CBSE Class 10 English Chapter 8, Bholi: Summary

"Bholi," written by K.A. Abbas, is the inspiring story of Sulekha, a young girl who overcomes severe childhood trauma and societal neglect to discover her voice through education.Sulekha was mocked as "Bholi" (the simpleton) and treated as an unwanted burden by her family after a childhood accident and a smallpox infection left her with brain damage, a heavy speech disorder, and a disfigured look. Her life changes dramatically when she is sent to the village's new primary school, where she meets a caring teacher who develops her with kindness and patience. This supporting environment helps the shy, terrified girl grow into an educated young woman with a strong feeling of self-worth and confidence.

The story ends with Bholi's wedding to Bishamber Nath, a greedy, old grocer who demands an excessive sum after viewing her scarred face. In a dramatic demonstration of self-respect, Bholi—now speaking clearly without a stammer—refuses to marry the "mean, greedy, and disgusting coward," preferring to maintain her dignity and her parents' honor. She eventually decides to devote her life to assisting her parents in their old age and teaching at the same school that helped her. By the end of the story, the author refers to her solely as Sulekha, implying that she is no longer the "Bholi" the world formerly knew, but rather a bold lady with substance.

CBSE Class 10 English, Bholi: Important Questions

Check out CBSE class 10 English important questions from Chapter 8- Bholi. These questions specifically covers important and key points from the chapter, offering students a thourough practice of the chapter. 

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)

1. How did Bholi leave school on the first day?

A) sad

B) with a ray of hope for new life

C) depressed that she’ll stay where she is

D) none of the above

2.How does Bholi describe her prospective husband?

A) mean

B) greedy

C) coward

D) all of the above

4. Bholi’s father was the _____________________

A) Village Numberdar

B) Village Sarpanch

C) Village Tehsildar

D) none of the above

Short Answer Type Questions

5. Bholi was fascinated by the walls of the classroom. Why?

Answer: The walls of the classroom had bright and colourful pictures of a horse, a goat, a parrot and a cow. They all looked familiar to Bholi and were like the ones in the village. That is why she was fascinated to see those pictures.

6. What filled Bholi’, a dumb cow, with a new hope in her? 

Answer: Bholi’s first day of school brought a hope of a new life. She had found a loving and kind teacher. The teacher had inspired her and given her a book and had made Bholi feel confident about herself.

7. What objections does Ramlal have to Bishamber’s proposal?

Answer: Ramlal was not very happy with the proposal. He did not like the fact that Bishamber was of his age. He had a limp and children were quite grown up. It was not a very satisfactory proposition.

8. Why did Bishamber’s marriage with Bholi not take place? [CBSE 2013]

Answer: Bishamber’s marriage with Bholi did not take place because he had demanded a dowry of five thousand rupees from her father for the marriage. So, Bholi refused to marry him.

9.The last line of the text talks about an artist and the masterpiece. Elaborate.

Answer: The ‘artist’ is the teacher and the ‘masterpiece’ is Bholi. It was her teacher who had turned Bholi into a strong and independent girl who was aware of her place in society.

10. Why was Ramlal worried about Bholi and not about his other children?

Answer: All other children of Ramlal were healthy and good looking. Bholi was the only girl who was neither intelligent nor good looking. She was a simpleton, she stammered also. Ramlal was extremely worried about her future.

11. Did Bholi enjoy her first day in school? What made her happy on this very day?

Answer: It was a mixed day for Bholi. She was happy to see the girls of her age. She was fascinated with the colourful pictures on the wall of the classrooms. But when the teacher asked her name she could not answer properly and other girls laughed at her. She cried. But her teacher’s soft words made her happy on this very day.

Long Answer Type Questions

13. Bholi is a child different from others. This difference makes her an object of neglect and laughter. Elaborate.

Answer: Society does not tolerate difference very easily. Bholi is not like others. She is slow for her age. She stammers when she speaks. Small pox leaves her all covered with pock-marks. As a result, she has to suffer a lot.

Her parents do not even bathe her. She is ignored and neglected. They take her only as a burden. People laugh at her. Children imitate her when she speaks. So, she remains silent most of the time. She has no confidence or self esteem.

Society must realise that it must accept those who are ” different. They must be treated with the same love and respect as others.

14. Write a character sketch of Bholi.

“Bholi’s whole personality underwent a complete transformation towards the end of the story”. Explain.

Answer: Bholi’s real name was Sulekha but she was called Bholi, the simpleton as she was a backward child. She started speaking only when she turned five but she stammered when she spoke and as a result she was always mimicked or made fun of by the other children. Therefore, Bholi talked very little.

Bholi did not know what exactly a school was and what happened there, in the class when her teacher asked her name, she stammered and began to cry. She kept her head down throughout the class. The teacher was very encouraging and friendly to her and this made her gain confidence to speak. She started seeing a ray of hope for a new life.

After years of gaining education and with the help of her teacher, Bholi turned into a confident girl. She no longer stammered and could speak properly. She even had the courage to refuse marrying the lame old man because he was greedy and asked money from her father to marry her. On seeing her father worried about her marriage, she said that he need not worry as she would teach in the same school where she learnt so much and would take care of him and her mother in their old age.

15.No one is always foolish. Time and circumstances give us intelligence and change out. personality. Explain with reference to ‘Bholi’.

Answer: Yes, it is quite right that no one is always foolish. Time decides everything. Our maturity and knowledge depend on our experience. Experience is always based on circumstances. Time and experiences teach us different things and make life perfect.

With out experience or practical knowledge all bookish knowledge is in vain. It is never used. There are many such examples in our real life that prove this statement correct. Here I would like to share my own experience about a very simple doctor.

He started his practice very slow in a poor area. Many famous doctors made fun of him. Time passed and gradually he became famous in the neighbouring areas. His treatment was not so costly. Once a very serious accident occurred near his hospital and the people brought the injured person to a costly hospital.

But his condition was very serious, and the doctor refused to admit him. Then that doctor took the case and tried his best to save him. At last he succeeded. All were surprised to see and listen to it.

CBSE Class 10 English, Bholi: Important Questions with Answers, Download PDF

Shared here is a PDF that contains important questions from CBSE Class 10 English from the Footprints Without Feet, Chapter 8, Bholi. Download and save it for a quick revision to this chapter. 

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