Transport and Communication: REET EVS Notes
This page covers means of transport and communication, and India's traffic signs, from a REET exam angle. REET 2024 had a question identifying a traffic sign and one on the Motor Vehicles Act, so this topic rewards practical knowledge of road safety, not just rote definitions.
- 2 questions in REET 2024
- Class 1-5 level
- 8 min read
How this topic is asked in REET
REET 2024 asked one question about recognising a traffic sign (a warning for a narrow road ahead) and another linked to provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act. This makes clear that the transport-and-communication topic places special weight on practical knowledge of road safety and traffic rules — simply knowing the names of transport modes isn't enough; you also need to understand the shapes, colours and meanings of signs, since the exam often shows a picture and asks what the sign means.
Means of transport
Means of transport are grouped into three categories by route. Land transport includes walking, cycling, bullock carts, buses, cars and trains — anything that travels by road or rail. Water transport includes boats, steamers and ships, which carry goods and passengers by river and sea. Air transport (aeroplanes, helicopters) is the fastest but also the most expensive, so it's mainly used for long distances and emergencies. Children should also understand that the choice of transport depends on distance, time and cost — walking or cycling is enough for short distances, while a bus or train suits travel to another city.
Means of communication
Means of communication can be divided into traditional and modern. Traditional means included post (letters), pigeon messengers and drum-beats, all of which took time for a message to arrive. Modern means include telephone/mobile phones, television, radio and the internet, which deliver information instantly across long distances. It's useful for children to see that as technology advanced, the time needed to send a message kept shrinking — a letter once took days to reach another city, while a mobile message or email arrives within moments today.
Types of traffic signs
| Type | Shape/colour | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Mandatory signs | Circular; plain circles for rules, and red-ringed circles with a diagonal bar for prohibitions | Stop, speed limit, no parking, no entry |
| Cautionary signs | Triangular, with a red border | Narrow road ahead, school ahead, sharp bend |
| Informatory signs | Rectangular, colour varies by direction/place | Hospital, petrol pump, bus stop, direction boards |
Source: Indian Roads Congress (IRC) standards[Source 1]
Historical facts about transport and communication
- India's first passenger train
- Ran on 16 April 1853 between Mumbai (Boribunder) and Thane — India's first passenger rail service
- Indian postal service
- India Post is one of the largest postal networks in the world, delivering letters and parcels to the country's remotest villages
Eco-friendly transport and pollution
Walking and cycling are the most eco-friendly (pollution-free) forms of transport, because they burn no fuel and don't pollute the air. Buses, cars and aeroplanes, by contrast, run on petrol, diesel or aviation fuel, releasing exhaust that adds to air pollution. Children should be encouraged to walk or cycle for short distances and use public transport (bus, train) wherever possible, which reduces both road congestion and pollution.
Basic rules of road safety
Children are taught basic road-safety habits — looking both ways before crossing, using a zebra crossing or foot-overbridge, and wearing a helmet on a two-wheeler. In India, the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 governs traffic rules and the rules of driving, and provides penalties for breaking them — for instance, speeding or driving without a licence are punishable offences. While travelling in a school bus or van, children should also be taught to sit calmly in their seat, not stick a hand or head out of the window, and not distract the driver. To tie these ideas together: land transport covers anything that travels by road or rail, from walking and cycling to bullock carts, buses, cars and trains; water transport covers boats, steamers and ships that travel by river or sea; and air transport, the fastest but most expensive of the three, is mainly reserved for long distances and emergencies. Alongside these physical means of travel, communication has moved from slow traditional methods — the letter, the pigeon messenger, the drum-beat — to modern means like the telephone, television, radio and the internet that deliver a message across long distances in moments rather than days. India's own transport history reflects this same shift towards speed and scale: its first passenger train ran between Mumbai (Boribunder) and Thane on 16 April 1853, and today India Post remains one of the largest postal networks in the world, reaching letters and parcels even to the country's remotest villages. Remembering the three traffic-sign categories side by side helps too — round mandatory signs like stop, speed limit or no entry that must be obeyed, triangular cautionary signs with a red border such as a narrow road or a sharp bend ahead that call for caution, and rectangular informatory signs like those for a hospital or petrol pump that simply pass on useful information.
How to teach children
Classroom activity
Draw a simple road layout in class with chalk lines and have children role-play recognising traffic signs and crossing the road correctly, with some children playing drivers and some pedestrians.
Teaching aids
Show flashcards of traffic signs in class, or, if possible, take children to a nearby intersection to see real signs and ask them to note down each sign's meaning.
Common misconceptions
Children often assume every circular sign simply means 'stop', when each mandatory sign has a distinct meaning (speed limit, no entry, and so on); explain each sign's different meaning with a picture rather than treating them all as identical, since this could cause confusion on the road later.
Assessment idea
Show children pictures of 3 traffic signs and ask them to explain the meaning aloud or in writing, and also ask them to name any signs they've noticed on their way to and from home, so the learning connects to everyday experience and sticks longer.
Memory trick / exam tip
Identify signs by shape — circle = mandatory (must obey), triangle = cautionary (be careful), rectangle = informatory (for information). Cautionary signs are always a red-bordered triangle, so a sign like 'narrow road ahead' will always be triangular, never circular.
Questions asked in REET 2024 (with solutions)
Question 134
Following traffic sign indicates :
Figure: A triangular road warning sign showing two road-edge lines narrowing toward the top, indicating the road narrows ahead. Diagram added.
- Aआगे संकरा पुल है
- Bआगे संकरा रास्ता है
- Cआगे चौड़ा रास्ता है
- Dआगे खतरनाक गहराई है
Explanation
चित्र में त्रिभुजाकार चेतावनी (cautionary) संकेत के भीतर सड़क की दोनों किनारा-रेखाएँ बीच में अंदर की ओर मुड़कर पास आती दिखाई गई हैं, जिसका अर्थ है सड़क आगे संकरी हो रही है। अतः यह संकेत 'आगे संकरा रास्ता है' (Narrow road ahead) दर्शाता है, और BSER की अंतिम कुंजी के अनुसार उत्तर (B) है।
Question 141Multiple answers accepted
Which activity is punishable under Section 112 – 183 of the ‘Motor Vehicle Act’ ?
- Aगंभीर दुर्घटना या तेज ड्राइविंग
- Bवस्तुओं को असुरक्षित ले जाना
- Cशान्ति (नो हॉर्न) क्षेत्र में हॉर्न का प्रयोग
- Dबिना लाइसेंस के गाड़ी चलाना
Explanation
BSER की अंतिम कुंजी ने इस प्रश्न में (A) और (D) दोनों को सही माना है। मोटर वाहन अधिनियम, 1988 की धारा 112 गति सीमा से और धारा 183 अधिक गति से वाहन चलाने के दण्ड से संबंधित है, इसलिए तेज ड्राइविंग (A) इस दायरे में दण्डनीय है। बिना लाइसेंस वाहन चलाने का दण्ड धारा 181 में है, जो धारा 112 से 183 के बीच आती है, इसलिए (D) भी स्वीकार किया गया।
Practice Questions
Question 1
An example of water transport is -
- Aबस
- Bजहाज
- Cरेलगाड़ी
- Dहवाई जहाज
Explanation
A ship is a water-transport vehicle that travels by river and sea route. A bus and a train are land transport, and an aeroplane is air transport.
Question 2
The fastest but most expensive means of transport is -
- Aसाइकिल
- Bबस
- Cहवाई जहाज
- Dबैलगाड़ी
Explanation
An aeroplane is a mode of air transport that travels fastest of all, but its fare is more expensive than other modes.
Question 3
Triangular traffic signs with a red border are of which type?
- Aअनिवार्य संकेत
- Bचेतावनी संकेत
- Cसूचनात्मक संकेत
- Dइनमें से कोई नहीं
Explanation
Signs that are triangular with a red border are called Cautionary signs, which warn of a hazard or the need for caution ahead.
Question 4
Round-shaped traffic signs, such as speed limit or no-entry, fall into which category?
- Aसूचनात्मक संकेत
- Bचेतावनी संकेत
- Cअनिवार्य संकेत
- Dसजावटी संकेत
Explanation
Circular signs, such as speed limit or no-entry, are called Mandatory signs, which are legally required to be followed.
Question 5
Rectangular signs, such as "Hospital" or "Petrol Pump" boards, fall into which category?
- Aअनिवार्य संकेत
- Bचेतावनी संकेत
- Cसूचनात्मक संकेत
- Dनिषेध संकेत
Explanation
Rectangular boards, such as those for a 'hospital' or 'petrol pump', are called Informatory signs, which give travellers useful information.
Question 6
Which of the following is NOT included among the traditional means of sending messages in earlier times?
- Aडाक (चिट्ठी)
- Bकबूतर संदेश
- Cढोल-नगाड़ा
- Dइंटरनेट
Explanation
The internet is a modern means of communication, whereas post, pigeon messengers and drum-beats were traditional means.
Question 7
What should children look at first while crossing a road?
- Aआसमान की ओर देखना
- Bदायें-बायें देखकर वाहन आने की जांच करना
- Cदौड़कर पार करना
- Dमोबाइल में देखते हुए पार करना
Explanation
Before crossing a road, one should look both ways to make sure no vehicle is approaching — this is the most basic road-safety rule.
Question 8
The main act that governs traffic and vehicle-related rules in India is -
- Aसड़क सुरक्षा अधिनियम
- Bमोटर वाहन अधिनियम, 1988
- Cपरिवहन संरक्षण अधिनियम
- Dयातायात संहिता अधिनियम
Explanation
The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 is the main law governing driving and traffic-related rules in India.
Question 9
What is the most effective way to teach children traffic signs in class?
- Aकेवल किताब में चित्र दिखाकर नाम रटवाना
- Bफ्लैशकार्ड व रोल-प्ले के माध्यम से असली सड़क जैसी स्थिति बनाकर अभ्यास कराना
- Cपरीक्षा में सीधे प्रश्न पूछना
- Dकुछ भी न सिखाना
Explanation
Practical practice — flashcards and role-play — helps children recognise signs in real-life situations and remember them for a long time.
Question 10
The most essential thing for safety on a two-wheeler is -
- Aतेज़ रफ्तार से चलाना
- Bहेलमेट पहनना
- Cबिना लाइसेंस चलाना
- Dमोबाइल पर बात करते हुए चलाना
Explanation
Wearing a helmet is the most important and legally required rule for protecting the head while riding a two-wheeler.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many types of transport are there?+
There are three types of transport — land transport, water transport and air transport.
How many types of traffic signs are there?+
There are three types of traffic signs — Mandatory, Cautionary and Informatory.
What is the Motor Vehicles Act?+
The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 governs traffic rules and the rules of driving in India, and sets penalties for violations.
What are the modern means of communication?+
Telephone/mobile, television, radio and the internet are the main modern means of communication.
How many questions come from the transport-communication topic in REET?+
REET 2024 had 2 questions on this topic, covering a traffic sign and the Motor Vehicles Act.
When did India's first passenger train run?+
India's first passenger train ran on 16 April 1853, between Mumbai (Boribunder) and Thane.
Which mode of transport causes the least pollution?+
Walking and cycling are the most eco-friendly, pollution-free ways to travel.
What should children keep in mind while travelling in a school bus or van?+
Sitting calmly in their seat, not sticking a hand or head out the window, and not distracting the driver — these are basic safety habits.
Read next
Official Sources
Change Log
- 17 September 2026 — English page published — mirrors the fact-checked Hindi page, independently bilingual-accuracy checked