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Maharashtra HSC Home Management study materials
Maharashtra HSC Home Management study resources

Maharashtra HSC Home Management practice questions

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Question 1Home Management: Meaning, Scope and Process

Home Management is best described as the process of using family resources to achieve family goals through which sequence of steps?

  1. Planning, organising, controlling and evaluating Correct answer.
  2. Cleaning, decorating, entertaining and resting
  3. Budgeting, borrowing, spending and saving
  4. Buying, storing, cooking and serving

Explanation

Home Management is a deliberate managerial process, so it follows the universal management cycle of planning, organising, controlling (directing) and evaluating. The other lists describe household activities or financial actions rather than the managerial process itself.

Question 2Home Management: Meaning, Scope and Process

Which statement correctly distinguishes management in the home from management in a business organisation?

  1. The home does not require evaluation because family members rarely change
  2. The home has no need for planning because family life is spontaneous
  3. The home manages only money, whereas a business manages all resources
  4. The home aims primarily at human development and satisfaction, while a business aims primarily at profit Correct answer.

Explanation

The defining difference is the goal: a home exists to develop and satisfy its members, whereas a business exists to earn profit. Both, however, use the same managerial process and manage multiple resources.

Question 3Home Management: Meaning, Scope and Process

In the scope of Home Management, which area deals with deciding how much time and energy each family member should give to a task?

  1. Management of social ceremonies
  2. Management of family income
  3. Management of household records
  4. Management of resources Correct answer.

Explanation

Time and energy are resources, so deciding how much of each to allocate to a task falls under management of resources. Income, records and ceremonies are separate scope areas that deal with money, documentation and social events respectively.

Question 4Home Management: Meaning, Scope and Process

A family lists the goals it wants to achieve in the coming year before deciding how to spend its savings. Which stage of the management process does this represent?

  1. Planning Correct answer.
  2. Evaluating
  3. Controlling
  4. Organising

Explanation

Planning is the first stage, in which goals are set and the means to reach them are decided in advance. Organising and controlling come later, and evaluating follows action.

Question 5Home Management: Meaning, Scope and Process

Which of the following is the clearest example of the controlling stage in home management?

  1. Comparing the weekly grocery bill with the amount budgeted and correcting overspending Correct answer.
  2. Assigning the cleaning tasks among family members
  3. Writing down the family's long-term goals for education
  4. Reviewing at year-end whether the family met its savings target

Explanation

Controlling means measuring actual performance against the plan while it is in progress and taking corrective action. Comparing the grocery bill with the budget and correcting the difference is exactly that.

Question 6Home Management: Meaning, Scope and Process

Which statement best explains why evaluation is described as a continuous rather than a final step in home management?

  1. It must be done only by the eldest member of the family
  2. Its findings feed back into the next planning cycle, so the process keeps repeating Correct answer.
  3. It replaces planning once the family has enough experience
  4. It is performed only when a major purchase is made

Explanation

Evaluation closes one cycle but its conclusions become the starting point for the next plan, which makes management a recurring loop. It does not replace planning and is not limited to special occasions.

Question 7Home Management: Meaning, Scope and Process

In home management terminology, 'resources' refers to which of the following?

  1. The number of members living in the household
  2. Only the cash income earned by family members
  3. The means available to the family that can be used to reach its goals Correct answer.
  4. The furniture and appliances owned by the family

Explanation

Resources are all the means a family can draw upon, including human resources such as time, energy, knowledge and skills, and non-human resources such as money and goods. Limiting the term to cash or possessions is too narrow.

Question 8Home Management: Meaning, Scope and Process

Which pair correctly classifies the resources listed?

  1. Human resources: community facilities and knowledge; non-human resources: energy
  2. Human resources: time and energy; non-human resources: money and community facilities Correct answer.
  3. Human resources: money and energy; non-human resources: time and skills
  4. Human resources: money and community facilities; non-human resources: skills

Explanation

Human resources are those inherent in people, such as time, energy, knowledge and skills. Non-human resources are external means such as money, goods and community facilities.

Question 9Home Management: Meaning, Scope and Process

A family decides to cook a week's meals in one session to save fuel and time. Which management principle does this illustrate?

  1. Standardisation of family goals
  2. Postponement of decisions to a later date
  3. Delegation of authority to younger members
  4. Simplification and work efficiency through combining tasks Correct answer.

Explanation

Combining related tasks in one session reduces duplicated effort and input, which is the principle of simplification for work efficiency. It is not about authority, goal standards or delaying decisions.

Question 10Home Management: Meaning, Scope and Process

Which of the following best describes the role of decision-making in the home management process?

  1. It belongs only to the evaluation stage
  2. It is needed only when there is a conflict between members
  3. It is the core activity that runs through every stage from planning to evaluation Correct answer.
  4. It occurs only once, when the family budget is prepared

Explanation

Decision-making is central to management because choices must be made at every stage, from setting goals to judging results. It is not confined to budgeting, evaluation or conflict situations.

Question 11Home Management: Meaning, Scope and Process

A homemaker prepares a written list of tasks to be done in a day and arranges them in order of urgency. Which managerial activity is this?

  1. Planning the use of time Correct answer.
  2. Evaluating past performance
  3. Organising social functions
  4. Controlling the family income

Explanation

Listing tasks and sequencing them by priority is planning, applied here to the resource of time. It does not involve money control, past evaluation or social events.

Question 12Home Management: Meaning, Scope and Process

Which statement about the relationship between goals and resources in home management is correct?

  1. Resources are unlimited, so goals need no prioritisation
  2. Goals must always be reduced to match whatever resources exist at present
  3. Goals should be set within the limits of available resources, and resources can be developed to meet goals Correct answer.
  4. Goals and resources are unrelated and managed separately

Explanation

Management reconciles goals with resources in both directions: goals are made realistic in the light of resources, and resources such as skills can be developed to reach valued goals. Neither is fixed in isolation.

Question 13Home Management: Meaning, Scope and Process

Which of these is an example of a human resource that can be developed through training?

  1. A refrigerator in the kitchen
  2. Knowledge and skill in food preparation Correct answer.
  3. Monthly family income
  4. A neighbourhood park

Explanation

Knowledge and skill reside in people and can be improved through education and practice, making them developable human resources. The other options are non-human resources.

Question 14Home Management: Meaning, Scope and Process

A family realises that its monthly expenditure on snacks has risen sharply and decides to reduce it from next month. Which stage of management is illustrated?

  1. Delegation of responsibility
  2. Organising of household tasks
  3. Standardisation of recipes
  4. Evaluation leading to corrective planning Correct answer.

Explanation

The family first judges past performance, which is evaluation, and then decides on a change for the future, which is corrective planning. The two stages are linked in this way.

Question 15Home Management: Meaning, Scope and Process

Which statement most accurately reflects the scope of Home Management as a subject of study?

  1. It covers the management of all family resources and activities to improve the quality of family living Correct answer.
  2. It deals only with household budgeting and accounts
  3. It is limited to the study of cooking and nutrition
  4. It is concerned only with the construction of houses

Explanation

Home Management is broad in scope, covering resources, work, time, money, human relations and family goals with the aim of improving family living. Cooking, budgeting and housing are only parts of this wider field.

Question 16Home Management: Meaning, Scope and Process

Which of the following is the best example of a family goal that is specific and measurable?

  1. Spending less whenever possible
  2. Doing better in household work
  3. Saving a fixed amount each month towards a new sewing machine within one year Correct answer.
  4. Trying to be happier as a family

Explanation

A well-stated goal names what is to be achieved, how much and by when, so that progress can be measured. Vague wishes such as being happier or doing better cannot be evaluated objectively.

Question 17Home Management: Meaning, Scope and Process

Which of the following statements about the stages of the management process is correct?

  1. Each stage must be fully completed before the next one begins
  2. The stages are interdependent and often overlap rather than occurring in strict isolation Correct answer.
  3. Organising always precedes planning
  4. Evaluation must be avoided until all goals are achieved

Explanation

Although the stages are described in sequence, in real family life they interact and overlap, and evaluation may prompt revision of a plan already in progress. They are not watertight compartments.

Question 18Home Management: Meaning, Scope and Process

A family decides that the mother will manage cooking, the father will manage accounts and the children will manage cleaning. This division of duties is an example of which managerial activity?

  1. Controlling
  2. Organising Correct answer.
  3. Forecasting income
  4. Evaluating

Explanation

Organising is the stage in which tasks are identified, grouped and assigned to the people who will carry them out. It establishes the structure for implementing the plan.

Question 19Home Management: Meaning, Scope and Process

Which of the following best explains why management is needed in every home, regardless of income level?

  1. Wealthy families do not need to plan their time
  2. Management is required by law in all households
  3. Only low-income homes need to save money
  4. Every home has limited resources and unlimited wants, so choices must be made Correct answer.

Explanation

The basic reason for management is the gap between limited resources and many wants, which exists in every household. Income level changes the scale of choices but not the need to make them.

Question 20Home Management: Meaning, Scope and Process

Which sequence correctly represents the managerial process when a family plans a daughter's wedding?

  1. Set goals and budget, assign duties, monitor progress and review the outcome Correct answer.
  2. Review the outcome, assign duties, set goals and monitor progress
  3. Assign duties, review the outcome, set goals and monitor progress
  4. Monitor progress, set goals, review the outcome and assign duties

Explanation

The logical order is planning (goals and budget), organising (assigning duties), controlling (monitoring progress) and evaluating (reviewing the outcome). The other sequences place evaluation or control before planning.

Question 21Home Management: Meaning, Scope and Process

Which of these is the most appropriate example of a non-human resource in the home?

  1. The time a mother spends teaching her child
  2. The cook's skill in preparing meals
  3. A pressure cooker used for daily cooking Correct answer.
  4. The energy a family member spends cleaning

Explanation

A pressure cooker is a material good owned by the family, which makes it a non-human resource. Skill, energy and time all belong to people and are therefore human resources.

Question 22Home Management: Meaning, Scope and Process

What is the main purpose of keeping household records such as a daily expense diary within the scope of home management?

  1. To satisfy legal requirements for every household
  2. To provide accurate information for planning and controlling expenditure Correct answer.
  3. To increase the family's income automatically
  4. To replace the need for a budget

Explanation

Records supply the facts on which planning and control depend, because a family cannot compare actual spending with a budget without knowing what was spent. They support budgeting rather than replace it.

Question 23Home Management: Meaning, Scope and Process

Two families have the same income, but one plans its spending carefully while the other does not. Which conclusion best follows from the principles of home management?

  1. Both families will achieve identical results because income is the same
  2. The unplanned family will automatically earn more money
  3. The planning family is likely to satisfy more of its goals with the same money Correct answer.
  4. Planning has no effect on the satisfaction of family needs

Explanation

Management affects how far resources go, so careful planning of the same income usually yields greater goal satisfaction. Income alone does not determine outcomes.

Question 24Home Management: Meaning, Scope and Process

Which of the following would be classified as a community resource available to a family?

  1. The family's private car
  2. A public library and a municipal water supply Correct answer.
  3. The family's own savings account
  4. The family's ancestral jewellery

Explanation

Community resources are facilities and services provided publicly for shared use, such as libraries and municipal water. Savings, private vehicles and jewellery are personal or family-owned resources.

Question 25Management of Resources (Human and Non-Human)

In home management, which of the following is classified as a human resource rather than a non-human resource?

  1. Family savings
  2. Household furniture
  3. Kitchen appliances
  4. Personal energy and time Correct answer.

Explanation

Human resources are the personal capacities that family members bring to management, chiefly time, energy, knowledge, skills and attitudes. Money, equipment and furniture are non-human resources because they exist outside the person and are used by people. Energy and time therefore belong to the human category.

Question 26Management of Resources (Human and Non-Human)

A family lists its total available time in a week before deciding how to schedule cooking, cleaning and leisure. This step is best described as:

  1. Delegating decisions to one member
  2. Evaluating the plan after execution
  3. Identifying and assessing available resources Correct answer.
  4. Controlling the use of resources

Explanation

The management process begins with recognising what resources the family actually has and how much of each is available. Listing total weekly time is an assessment of a resource before any plan is made. Controlling and evaluating come only after the plan is put into action.

Question 27Management of Resources (Human and Non-Human)

Which characteristic makes time different from money as a household resource?

  1. Time is available in equal measure to every person each day Correct answer.
  2. Time can be borrowed from others
  3. Time can be exchanged for goods in the market
  4. Time can be stored for later use

Explanation

Time is a unique resource because every person receives the same twenty-four hours a day and cannot save, borrow or store it. Money, by contrast, can be saved, borrowed and exchanged. This fixed and non-storable nature is why time management is central to home management.

Question 28Management of Resources (Human and Non-Human)

According to the principle of substitution of resources, a family facing a shortage of money but with ample free time may:

  1. Use more time and effort to do tasks themselves instead of buying services Correct answer.
  2. Borrow money to buy every readymade product
  3. Postpone all household tasks indefinitely
  4. Ignore the shortage and continue as before

Explanation

Substitution means using an available resource in place of a scarce one to reach the same goal. When money is short but time is plentiful, labour can replace purchased goods or services. Postponing or borrowing does not substitute one resource for another.

Question 29Management of Resources (Human and Non-Human)

A homemaker plans to pressure-cook rice while simultaneously preparing vegetables on the second burner. Which principle of work simplification is being applied?

  1. Increasing the number of steps
  2. Combining tasks to save time and energy Correct answer.
  3. Scheduling tasks in sequence
  4. Resting between tasks

Explanation

Combining or overlapping tasks so that two activities proceed at the same time is a classic work-simplification technique. It reduces total time and energy expenditure without lowering the quality of results. Sequencing and resting do not achieve this simultaneous saving.

Question 30Management of Resources (Human and Non-Human)

Which of the following best explains why goals must be stated clearly before resources are allocated in home management?

  1. Clear goals allow resources to be directed towards the most valued outcomes Correct answer.
  2. Clear goals eliminate the need for any resources
  3. Clear goals remove the need to evaluate results
  4. Clear goals guarantee that no conflict will arise

Explanation

Resources are limited, so the family must decide which ends matter most before deciding how to spend time, money and energy. Clear goals give direction and let resources be matched to priorities. They do not remove resource needs, conflicts or the requirement to evaluate.

Question 31Management of Resources (Human and Non-Human)

A family decides that the mother will manage finances, the father will handle repairs, and the children will manage their own study time. This distribution illustrates:

  1. Centralisation of all decisions
  2. Elimination of household tasks
  3. Substitution of resources
  4. Division of work and responsibility among members Correct answer.

Explanation

Assigning different responsibilities to different members is division of labour, a way of using human resources efficiently. Each person contributes according to ability and availability. It is not centralisation, because decisions are shared rather than concentrated in one person.

Question 32Management of Resources (Human and Non-Human)

Which of these is an example of a flexible (non-fixed) household resource that can be expanded through better management?

  1. The energy a person can mobilise by improving health and habits Correct answer.
  2. The fixed monthly rent
  3. The number of hours in a day
  4. The size of the family's house

Explanation

Some human resources such as energy, knowledge and skill can be increased through better health, training and habits. Fixed resources like the hours in a day, the size of a house or a set rent cannot be expanded by management. Recognising flexibility helps families find room for improvement.

Question 33Management of Resources (Human and Non-Human)

A family uses a written weekly plan to check whether tasks were completed on the expected day. This activity belongs to which management step?

  1. Controlling Correct answer.
  2. Forecasting
  3. Planning
  4. Motivating

Explanation

Controlling compares actual performance against the plan and takes corrective action when there is a gap. Checking whether tasks were completed on the expected day is exactly this comparison. Planning sets the schedule in advance, but does not verify it.

Question 34Management of Resources (Human and Non-Human)

Which statement correctly describes the relationship between wants and resources in home management?

  1. Resources are unlimited while wants are limited
  2. Wants and resources are always equal in every family
  3. Resources never need to be prioritised
  4. Wants are unlimited while resources are limited, so choices must be made Correct answer.

Explanation

The central problem of home management is that wants are many and recurring, while the resources to satisfy them are limited. This scarcity forces families to set priorities and make choices. The other statements contradict this basic economic reality of the household.

Question 35Management of Resources (Human and Non-Human)

A family buys a washing machine to reduce the time spent on laundry. In resource terms, the machine is functioning as:

  1. A fixed resource that cannot be used repeatedly
  2. A capital good that substitutes for human energy and time Correct answer.
  3. A human resource replacing labour
  4. A want that replaces a goal

Explanation

A durable appliance is a capital good that replaces part of the household's labour, saving time and energy over repeated use. It substitutes for human effort rather than being a human resource itself. It is also reusable, so it is not a fixed, single-use resource.

Question 36Management of Resources (Human and Non-Human)

Which of the following is the most appropriate way to manage a peak-load problem, such as heavy cooking and cleaning before a festival?

  1. Ignoring the workload until it becomes urgent
  2. Spreading tasks over preceding days and seeking help from members Correct answer.
  3. Cancelling all preparations
  4. Doing everything on the festival morning

Explanation

Peak loads are handled by spreading work over time and sharing it among members so that no single period is overloaded. This reduces fatigue and improves quality. Concentrating all work in one period or avoiding it altogether creates stress and poor results.

Question 37Management of Resources (Human and Non-Human)

In home management, 'standard of living' is best understood as:

  1. The amount of money a family earns each month
  2. The level of goods and services a family actually consumes and enjoys Correct answer.
  3. The type of house a family owns
  4. The number of members in a family

Explanation

Standard of living refers to the level of goods, services and comforts a family actually consumes and enjoys. Income is only one input that makes this possible, and a house is only one component. The concept is broader than earnings or possessions alone.

Question 38Management of Resources (Human and Non-Human)

A family evaluates whether the new monthly budget improved savings after three months. Which management step is being performed?

  1. Evaluating Correct answer.
  2. Planning
  3. Organising
  4. Implementing

Explanation

Evaluation judges whether the plan achieved its intended goal after it has been carried out. Comparing savings after three months against the original aim is a clear evaluation activity. Planning and implementation occur before results can be judged.

Question 39Management of Resources (Human and Non-Human)

Which of the following best illustrates the use of human resources to supplement non-human resources in a low-income household?

  1. Purchasing a second refrigerator
  2. Hiring a full-time domestic helper
  3. Buying expensive ready-to-eat meals daily
  4. Using family labour to grow vegetables in a kitchen garden Correct answer.

Explanation

When money is scarce, human resources such as labour, skill and time can be used to produce goods and services that would otherwise be purchased. Growing vegetables uses family effort to reduce food expenditure. The other options all depend on additional money.

Question 40Management of Resources (Human and Non-Human)

Which factor most directly determines the priorities a family sets among competing wants?

  1. The relative importance of each want to family goals and values Correct answer.
  2. The number of shops in the local market
  3. The colour of household appliances
  4. The weather on the day of purchase

Explanation

Priorities are set by judging how strongly each want contributes to the family's goals and values, and by weighing that against available resources. External factors like shops or weather may influence convenience but do not define importance. Values and goals are the true basis of prioritisation.

Question 41Management of Resources (Human and Non-Human)

A homemaker reorganises the kitchen so that frequently used items are placed within easy reach, reducing bending and stretching. This is an application of:

  1. The principle of centralisation of authority
  2. The principle of unlimited wants
  3. The concept of standard of living
  4. Principles of work simplification and ergonomics Correct answer.

Explanation

Arranging tools to reduce unnecessary movement and strain applies work simplification and ergonomics, which aim to save time and energy. Frequently used items placed within easy reach reduce fatigue during routine tasks. The other concepts concern authority, consumption levels or wants, not physical work design.

Question 42Management of Resources (Human and Non-Human)

Which of the following statements about money as a household resource is most accurate?

  1. Money is unlimited if a family works hard
  2. Money is a non-human resource that can be saved, spent or invested Correct answer.
  3. Money is a human resource because people earn it
  4. Money cannot be substituted by any other resource

Explanation

Money is a non-human, material resource that can be stored, spent, saved or invested, giving it flexibility unlike time. It can also be substituted by other resources such as labour when it is scarce. It is never unlimited, since income is finite.

Question 43Management of Resources (Human and Non-Human)

A family sets a rule that no member may spend above a fixed amount without consulting the others. This rule is an example of:

  1. Delegation of unlimited authority
  2. Substitution of human resources
  3. A control mechanism for managing financial resources Correct answer.
  4. A work-simplification technique

Explanation

A spending limit that requires consultation is a control mechanism that keeps expenditure within the family's plan and prevents misuse of money. It regulates behaviour against agreed standards. It is not delegation of unlimited authority, because authority is explicitly bounded.

Question 44Management of Resources (Human and Non-Human)

Which situation best demonstrates the principle that resources have alternative uses and therefore involve opportunity cost?

  1. A family uses the same pan for two different dishes
  2. A family repairs a leaking tap
  3. A family uses its savings either to buy a refrigerator or to fund a child's tuition Correct answer.
  4. A family stores rice in an airtight container

Explanation

Opportunity cost arises when a resource with alternative uses is committed to one option, so the benefit of the forgone option is lost. Using savings for a refrigerator means the tuition cannot be funded with the same money. The other examples do not involve choosing between competing uses of a limited resource.

Question 45Management of Resources (Human and Non-Human)

In the management process, why does planning precede controlling?

  1. Controlling produces the goals that planning later uses
  2. Controlling requires a standard against which actual performance can be measured Correct answer.
  3. Planning is optional while controlling is compulsory
  4. Planning and controlling cannot be performed by the same family

Explanation

Control means comparing actual performance with a standard, and that standard comes from the plan. Without a prior plan there is nothing against which to measure performance. Planning is therefore a prerequisite for meaningful control, not an optional extra.

Question 46Management of Resources (Human and Non-Human)

A family with a fixed income and growing needs decides to reduce expenditure on entertainment and increase savings for education. Which management concept does this decision best illustrate?

  1. Substituting money for time
  2. Eliminating the need for planning
  3. Adjusting resource allocation to match changing priorities Correct answer.
  4. Increasing wants without limit

Explanation

When needs change, a family reallocates limited resources from lower to higher priorities so that important goals are met. Reducing entertainment spending to fund education is exactly this adjustment. It does not eliminate planning; it is the result of planning.

Question 47Management of Resources (Human and Non-Human)

Which of the following best explains why human resources are considered the most important resource in home management?

  1. They never change over the life cycle
  2. They activate and direct all other resources towards family goals Correct answer.
  3. They are always available in unlimited quantity
  4. They are the only resources that require no management

Explanation

Human resources such as knowledge, skill, energy and time are what identify goals and put money and materials to productive use. Without them, non-human resources remain passive. They are therefore central, though they are limited and change over the family life cycle.

Question 48Management of Resources (Human and Non-Human)

Which of the following is a correct example of a developmental stage that changes a family's resource needs?

  1. A family moves from the expanding stage with young children to the launching stage with adolescents Correct answer.
  2. A family buys a new sofa
  3. A family repaints its gate
  4. A family changes its brand of soap

Explanation

Family life-cycle stages, such as expanding and launching, alter the number of members, their ages and their needs, and thus change resource demands. Purchases of a sofa, repainting or changing soap brands are routine decisions that do not represent a developmental stage.

Question 49Work Simplification and Time and Energy Management

In the context of work simplification in home management, what does the term 'motion economy' primarily refer to?

  1. Scheduling all household tasks during morning hours
  2. Purchasing household equipment at the lowest possible price
  3. Sharing household work equally among all family members
  4. Reducing unnecessary body movements while performing a household task Correct answer.

Explanation

Motion economy concerns arranging the body and workspace so that wasted movements are eliminated, making tasks faster and less tiring. It is a core principle of work simplification, distinct from budgeting, scheduling, or division of labour.

Question 50Work Simplification and Time and Energy Management

A homemaker keeps the cutting board, knife and vegetables together on the same counter before preparing a meal. Which principle of work simplification does this illustrate?

  1. Combining two unrelated tasks into one long session
  2. Delegating the task to another family member
  3. Increasing the number of trips to the storage cupboard
  4. Arranging materials in a fixed, logical sequence near the place of use Correct answer.

Explanation

Keeping tools and ingredients together in the order they are used reflects the principle of a planned, fixed arrangement at the point of use, which reduces searching and carrying. This saves both time and energy during meal preparation.