Maharashtra Board 2026 Class 12 Home Management(A/S) 61 Question Paper with Solution

Concept:
A family budget is a financial plan that helps manage income and expenses in an organised way to ensure financial stability.


Definition:

A family budget may be defined as:
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A systematic plan of estimated income and expenditure of a family for a specific period of time.
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It helps in controlling spending and ensuring savings for future needs.


Steps to Prepare a Successful Family Budget:

1. Estimate Total Income:
Calculate all sources of income such as salary, business income, rent, interest, etc.

2. List Essential Expenses:
Include necessary expenses like food, rent, education, medical care, and utilities.

3. Identify Non-essential Expenses:
Note discretionary spending such as entertainment, shopping, travel, etc.

4. Prioritise Needs over Wants:
Give importance to essential expenses and avoid unnecessary spending.

5. Allocate Savings First:
Set aside a portion of income for savings and investments before spending.

6. Provide for Emergencies:
Create an emergency fund for unexpected situations like illness or job loss.

7. Avoid Debt:
Limit borrowing and manage loans carefully to prevent financial stress.

8. Review and Adjust Regularly:
Monitor the budget periodically and make changes based on changing needs and income.


Conclusion:
A well-planned family budget ensures financial discipline, promotes savings, prevents unnecessary debt, and helps achieve long-term financial goals. Quick Tip: Good budget rule: Income → Savings → Expenses (not the reverse).

Concept:
Savings and investments help families secure their financial future, meet emergencies, and achieve long-term goals like education, housing, and retirement.


Types of Savings and Investments:

1. Bank Deposits:

Savings accounts
Fixed deposits (FDs)
Recurring deposits (RDs)

Safe and liquid investment options with moderate returns.


2. Post Office Savings Schemes:

Public Provident Fund (PPF)
National Savings Certificate (NSC)
Monthly Income Scheme (MIS)

Government-backed and secure investments.


3. Insurance Policies:

Life insurance
Health insurance

Provide financial protection along with limited savings benefits.


4. Provident Funds:

Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF)
Voluntary Provident Fund (VPF)

Long-term retirement savings options.


5. Securities and Market Investments:

Shares
Mutual funds
Bonds and debentures

Higher return potential but involve higher risk.


6. Real Assets:

Real estate
Gold and precious metals

Useful for long-term wealth creation and security.


Guidelines for Safe Investments:

1. Safety of Principal:
Prefer investments with minimal risk of capital loss.

2. Regular Returns:
Choose options that provide stable and predictable income.

3. Liquidity:
Ensure that investments can be easily converted into cash when needed.

4. Diversification:
Do not invest all money in a single option; spread risk across different instruments.

5. Government-backed Options:
Prefer schemes supported by the government for higher safety.

6. Clear Documentation:
Verify all legal documents and avoid fraudulent schemes.

7. Long-term Planning:
Align investments with future goals like education, marriage, and retirement.

8. Tax Benefits:
Consider investments that offer tax advantages.


Conclusion:
A balanced mix of safe and growth-oriented investments, along with careful planning and diversification, ensures financial security and long-term stability for families. Quick Tip: Safe investing rule: Safety + Liquidity + Diversification = Financial stability.

Concept:
Household accounts refer to systematic records of income, expenditure, savings, and investments of a family.
They help families manage money effectively and maintain financial discipline.


Importance of Maintaining Household Accounts:

1. Financial Control:
Helps monitor income and expenses and prevents overspending.

2. Better Budgeting:
Facilitates preparation and implementation of a realistic family budget.

3. Encourages Savings:
Identifies unnecessary expenses and promotes regular saving habits.

4. Debt Management:
Helps avoid unnecessary borrowing and manage loans efficiently.

5. Future Planning:
Assists in planning for long-term goals like education, marriage, and retirement.

6. Transparency:
Ensures clarity among family members regarding financial matters.

7. Emergency Preparedness:
Helps maintain funds for unexpected situations.

8. Financial Discipline:
Develops responsible spending and money management habits.


Methods for Self-Evaluation in Money Management:

1. Income vs Expenditure Analysis:
Compare total income with total expenditure to check savings.

2. Monthly Review:
Regularly review accounts to identify spending patterns.

3. Budget Comparison:
Compare actual expenses with budgeted amounts to detect deviations.

4. Savings Ratio:
Evaluate the percentage of income saved each month.

5. Expense Classification:
Divide expenses into essential and non-essential categories for better control.

6. Goal Tracking:
Check progress towards financial goals like buying a house or building an emergency fund.

7. Record Keeping:
Maintain receipts and digital records for accuracy and review.

8. Periodic Adjustments:
Modify spending habits and financial plans based on evaluation results.


Conclusion:
Maintaining household accounts ensures financial awareness, promotes savings, and enables better decision-making, while regular self-evaluation strengthens effective money management. Quick Tip: Track → Review → Adjust: The key cycle for effective household money management.

Concept:
Selecting a suitable site for a family house is important for safety, comfort, convenience, and long-term value.
Proper site selection ensures healthy living conditions and better quality of life.


Factors to Consider While Selecting a Site:

1. Location:
The site should be close to workplaces, schools, markets, and hospitals for convenience.

2. Accessibility:
Availability of good roads and public transport facilities should be ensured.

3. Safety and Security:
The area should be safe, with low crime rates and secure surroundings.

4. Availability of Basic Amenities:
Essential services like water supply, electricity, drainage, and sanitation should be available.

5. Healthy Environment:
The site should have clean air, proper sunlight, and minimal noise or pollution.

6. Soil Quality:
Soil should be strong and suitable for construction to ensure structural stability.

7. Drainage and Elevation:
The land should have proper drainage and should not be prone to flooding or waterlogging.

8. Surrounding Facilities:
Presence of parks, recreational areas, and community facilities enhances living quality.

9. Future Development:
Consider scope for future growth, infrastructure development, and property appreciation.

10. Legal Aspects:
Ensure clear land titles, legal approvals, and compliance with zoning regulations.


Conclusion:
Careful consideration of location, environment, amenities, and legal factors helps in selecting a safe, comfortable, and valuable site for a family house. Quick Tip: Ideal house site = Safe location + Good environment + Proper amenities + Legal clarity.

Concept:
Furniture arrangement plays a vital role in making a home comfortable, attractive, and efficient.
Proper placement enhances both visual appeal (aesthetics) and ease of use (functionality).


Principles of Furniture Arrangement:

1. Functionality:
Furniture should be arranged according to the purpose of the room (e.g., seating in living room, storage in bedroom).

2. Space Utilization:
Ensure optimum use of available space without overcrowding.

3. Balance:
Maintain visual balance by distributing furniture evenly in a room.

4. Proportion and Scale:
Furniture size should match the room size to maintain harmony.

5. Ease of Movement:
Leave sufficient walking space for comfortable movement.

6. Focal Point Emphasis:
Arrange furniture around a focal point like a TV, fireplace, or window.

7. Lighting Consideration:
Place furniture to make best use of natural and artificial lighting.

8. Flexibility:
Use movable and multipurpose furniture for adaptability.

9. Privacy:
Ensure arrangement supports personal space, especially in bedrooms and study areas.

10. Aesthetic Appeal:
Use symmetry, colour coordination, and style consistency for beauty.


Contribution to Aesthetics and Functionality:

Aesthetic Benefits:

Enhances beauty and harmony of interiors
Creates a pleasing and organised look
Improves overall ambience of the home


Functional Benefits:

Improves comfort and usability
Allows easy movement and accessibility
Maximises space efficiency
Supports daily activities effectively



Conclusion:
Proper furniture arrangement ensures a perfect blend of beauty and practicality, making the home both visually appealing and comfortable for everyday living. Quick Tip: Good furniture arrangement = Balance + Space + Comfort + Style.

Concept:
Effective household cleaning ensures hygiene, prevents diseases, and maintains a pleasant living environment.
It involves proper methods, suitable equipment, and appropriate cleaning reagents.


Methods of Household Cleaning:

1. Sweeping and Dusting:
Removal of loose dust and dirt from floors and surfaces using brooms and dusters.

2. Washing:
Use of water and detergents to clean utensils, clothes, and washable surfaces.

3. Mopping:
Wet cleaning of floors to remove stains and germs.

4. Scrubbing:
Using brushes or scrubbers to remove stubborn dirt from tiles, sinks, and bathrooms.

5. Vacuum Cleaning:
Using vacuum cleaners to remove fine dust from carpets, sofas, and curtains.

6. Polishing:
Application of polish on furniture, metals, and floors to enhance shine and protection.

7. Disinfection:
Use of disinfectants to kill harmful microorganisms.


Equipment Used in Household Cleaning:


Brooms and dustpans
Mops and buckets
Brushes and scrubbers
Vacuum cleaners
Dusting cloths and wipes
Floor polishers
Spray bottles and cleaning tools



Role of Various Reagents (Cleaning Agents):

1. Soaps and Detergents:
Remove grease and dirt by emulsifying oily substances.

2. Disinfectants (e.g., phenyl, bleach):
Kill germs and prevent infections.

3. Antiseptics:
Used for minor cuts and surfaces requiring mild germ control.

4. Bleaching Agents:
Remove stains and whiten fabrics and surfaces.

5. Acids (e.g., vinegar, toilet cleaners):
Remove mineral deposits, rust, and hard water stains.

6. Alkalis (e.g., baking soda, washing soda):
Effective for grease removal and deodorising.

7. Polishes and Waxes:
Provide shine and protective coating to furniture and floors.


Conclusion:
A combination of proper cleaning methods, suitable equipment, and appropriate reagents ensures effective household cleaning, hygiene, and a healthy living environment. Quick Tip: Effective cleaning = Right method + Proper tools + Suitable cleaning agents.

Concept:
Consumer protection laws safeguard buyers against unfair trade practices and ensure fair treatment in the marketplace.
They provide certain basic rights to consumers.


Primary Consumer Rights:

1. Right to Safety:
Protection against goods and services that are hazardous to health and life.

2. Right to Information:
Right to be informed about quality, quantity, price, ingredients, and expiry date to avoid unfair practices.

3. Right to Choice:
Freedom to choose from a variety of products and services at competitive prices.

4. Right to be Heard:
Right to voice complaints and be assured that consumer interests will receive due consideration.

5. Right to Seek Redressal:
Right to get compensation or remedy against unfair trade practices or exploitation.


Other Recognised Rights (Optional):

Right to Consumer Education:
Right to acquire knowledge and skills to make informed decisions.


Conclusion:
These rights empower consumers, ensure fair trade practices, and promote accountability among producers and sellers. Quick Tip: Remember 5 key rights: Safety, Information, Choice, Heard, Redressal.

Concept:
Decision-making in home management involves selecting the best course of action for effective use of time, money, and resources to ensure a harmonious family life.


Importance of Decision-Making Skills in Home Management:

1. Efficient Resource Utilisation:
Helps in the proper use of income, time, and household resources without wastage.

2. Financial Stability:
Better financial decisions lead to savings, investments, and reduced debt.

3. Time Management:
Effective decisions ensure smooth planning of daily routines and responsibilities.

4. Problem Solving:
Helps in handling unexpected situations like emergencies or conflicts.

5. Goal Achievement:
Supports planning and achieving long-term family goals such as education and housing.

6. Conflict Reduction:
Rational and fair decisions minimise misunderstandings among family members.

7. Better Planning:
Encourages systematic organisation of household activities.

8. Emotional Balance:
Wise decisions reduce stress and create a peaceful home environment.


Impact on Family Well-being:

1. Improved Quality of Life:
Better living standards through organised management.

2. Financial Security:
Stable finances ensure safety and future preparedness.

3. Healthy Relationships:
Fair and thoughtful decisions promote trust and cooperation.

4. Personal Development:
Encourages responsibility and maturity among family members.

5. Stability and Harmony:
Creates a balanced and supportive family atmosphere.


Conclusion:
Strong decision-making skills are essential for effective home management, as they ensure efficient use of resources, financial security, and overall family happiness and well-being. Quick Tip: Good decisions at home = Better finances + Less stress + Happier family.

Concept:
Planning and controlling are essential managerial functions.
Planning sets goals and decides how to achieve them, while controlling ensures that activities are carried out according to the plan.


Planning:

Planning is the process of deciding in advance what to do, how to do it, and when to do it.

Features:

Future-oriented function
Involves setting objectives
Focuses on decision-making
Lays the foundation for other functions



Controlling:

Controlling is the process of ensuring that actual performance matches the planned performance.

Features:

Performance-oriented function
Involves monitoring and evaluation
Identifies deviations from plans
Suggests corrective actions



Difference between Planning and Controlling:


\begin{tabular{|c|c|c|
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Basis & Planning & Controlling

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Meaning & Deciding future course of action & Checking and correcting performance

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Nature & Forward-looking & Backward-looking and corrective

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Focus & Setting goals and strategies & Measuring and evaluating results

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Time orientation & Before execution & During and after execution

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Purpose & Achieve objectives efficiently & Ensure plans are properly implemented

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Dependency & Basis for controlling & Depends on planning

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Conclusion:
Planning and controlling are interdependent functions—planning sets the direction, while controlling ensures that the organisation stays on the right path. Quick Tip: Planning decides “what to do”; Controlling ensures “it is done right”.

Concept:
Housing structures vary based on construction material, design, and lifestyle needs.
Different types of houses are suitable for different climates, economic conditions, and family requirements.


Types of Housing Structures:

1. Kutcha Houses:
Made from temporary materials like mud, straw, bamboo, and thatch.

Found in rural areas
Low cost but less durable


2. Pucca Houses:
Constructed using durable materials such as bricks, cement, steel, and concrete.

Strong and long-lasting
Common in urban areas


3. Semi-Pucca Houses:
Combination of kutcha and pucca materials.

Moderate durability
Affordable alternative


4. Bungalows:
Independent houses usually with one or two floors and surrounding open space.

Spacious and private
Suitable for large families


5. Apartments/Flats:
Multi-storey residential buildings divided into separate housing units.

Common in cities
Space-efficient housing


6. Row Houses:
Houses built in a row sharing side walls.

Economical use of land
Popular in urban areas


7. Mobile or Temporary Houses:
Portable structures like caravans or prefabricated homes.

Used by migrants or travellers
Easy to relocate


8. Traditional Houses (Regional Types):
Built according to local climate and culture.

Igloos (snow regions)
Stilt houses (flood-prone areas)
Huts (tribal regions)



Conclusion:
Different housing structures cater to varying environmental, economic, and social needs, ensuring suitable shelter for diverse living conditions. Quick Tip: Housing types depend on materials, climate, cost, and lifestyle needs.