Question 1

Question 57The Lok Sabha has been the pulse of the vitality of Indian democracy. Mention any three exclusive powers of the Lok Sabha to justify this statement.

Accepted Answer

Three exclusive powers of the Lok Sabha are as follows:Motions of No-Confidence against the government can only be introduced and passed in the Lok Sabha, and not the Rajya Sabha.Money Bills can only be introduced in the Lok Sabha, and upon being passed, are sent to the Rajya Sabha, where it can be deliberated on for upto 14 days.In case of a deadlock between the two Houses over an ordinary bill, the will of the Lok Sabha normally prevails, as its strength is more than double that of Rajya Sabha.

Question 2

Question 58It is the function of Parliament to exercise control over the Executive and to ensure parliamentary surveillance of administration. Mention any three ways in which the Parliament adheres to the above function.

Accepted Answer

Three ways in which Parliament exercises control over the Executive are given below:Interpellation during Question HourBy passing Vote of No-confidenceThrough Monetary Controls

Question 3

Question 59The Lok Adalat is a Statutory Organisation under the Legal Services Authorities Act of 1987 and was created as an alternative dispute resolution mechanism. Analyse the role of the Lok Adalat by giving three advantages.

Accepted Answer

Lok Adalat means 'People's Court'. It is an alternative dispute redressal mechanism where disputes/cases pending in the court of law or at pre-litigation stage are settled amicably. Three advantages of Lok Adalats are as follows:Lok Adalats deliver fast and inexpensive justice. Any person can move Lok Adalat by an application on a plain paper or using the format available with Legal Service Authorities and expect speedy justice.The Lok Adalats reduce the workload of other courts enabling them to deal with more serious matters. This recluses delays in higher courts.Lok Adalats promote social justice by providing legal aid to weaker sections of society.

Question 4

Question 60Highlight three ways in which India's wealth was being diverted to England.

Accepted Answer

Three ways in which India's wealth was being diverted to England are highlighted below:Salaries and Remittances of British Officials — British officers working in India were paid high salaries from Indian revenues. A large portion of these earnings was remitted back to England, causing a continuous outflow of Indian wealth.Unfair Trade Practices — The British bought raw materials from India at low prices, processed them into finished goods in England, and then sold those products back in India at high prices, draining India’s wealth and ruining local industries.War Expenditures — India was forced to contribute money, soldiers, and supplies for British wars, especially during World War I, even though these wars were not in India’s interest.

Question 5

Question 61Read the excerpt given below and answer the question that follows:A commission, without any Indian members, was sent to India to discuss constitutional reforms. The step agitated the people, and the Indian political parties boycotted the commission. When the Commission visited Lahore on October 30, 1928, Rai led the non-violent march to protest the commission.(Source: Modern History, NCERT)Name the movement that ensued with the commission coming to India. State any two significant impacts of the movement.

Accepted Answer

Civil Disobedience Movement.Two significant impacts of the Civil Disobedience Movement were:It marked greater participation of women in politics, inspiring many to step out and join the freedom struggle.It inspired the youth to follow Gandhi's path of non-violence in the freedom struggle instead of using violence as a political weapon.

Question 6

Question 62To benefit British industry, British rule pursued a policy of free trade in India. The nationalists were generally concerned about the lack of public investment in agriculture and argued that the British were trying to turn India into a valuable source of raw materials and a consumer of British-manufactured goods to make India an extension of the British economy.(Source: History of Modern India by Bipin Chandra.)Discuss how the British empire deindustrialised India.

Accepted Answer

The British empire de-industrialized India through the following policies:Destruction of Indian Handicrafts — British policies led to the decline of India’s flourishing handicraft industries. Heavy duties were imposed on Indian goods exported to Britain, while British goods entered India either duty-free or with minimal taxes. This made Indian products uncompetitive in both domestic and international markets.Flooding of British Goods — With the advent of industrialization in Britain, machine-made goods were produced cheaply and in large quantities. These were dumped in the Indian market, which ruined Indian artisans and craftsmen who could not compete with the low prices.Lack of Government Support — The British Government in India did not invest in modernizing Indian industries. Instead of promoting industrial development, it focused on making India a supplier of raw materials and a market for British finished products.Shift in Occupational Pattern — Many artisans, weavers, and craftsmen who lost their livelihood due to British policies were forced to take up agriculture, increasing the pressure on the rural economy and leading to impoverishment.Commercialization of Agriculture — The British encouraged farmers to grow cash crops like indigo, cotton, and opium instead of food grains, mainly to meet the raw material needs of British industries. This further reinforced India's role as a raw material supplier and led to food insecurity.

Question 7

Question 63The Cabinet Mission proposed a two-tier federal plan which was expected to maintain national unity while conceding the largest measure of regional autonomy.With reference to the above, state the composition of the Constituent Assembly.

Accepted Answer

The composition of the 389 member constituent assembly would be as under:296 members to be elected from the British provinces93 members to be elected from the Princely States.The members of the Constituent Assembly would be elected by the Provincial Legislative Assemblies. Adult suffrage (all eligible voters voting) for this was ruled out to avoid delay in the making of the Constitution.

Question 8

Question 64When and where was the Second Round Table conference held? State the demand raised during this conference.

Accepted Answer

The Second Round Table conference was held in London in 1931. It was attended by Gandhiji as the sole representative of the Congress.The demands raised during this conference were separate electorates for not only the Muslims but also the Depressed Classes, Indian Christians, Anglo-Indians and Europeans.The question of Independence or setting up of a responsible Government receded into the background. The British Government refused to concede the immediate grant of dominion status.

Question 9

Question 65‘The Quit India Movement made Independence of India as the only agenda of the National Movement. It proved that there could be no retreat and future negotiations could only be on the manner of the transfer of power.’With reference to the above statement, enlist the impact of the Quit India Movement.

Accepted Answer

Impact of the Quit India Movement —It revealed the intensity of nationalist sentiment and the people's readiness for struggle and sacrifice on a large scale.It made it clear that British rule could not continue without Indian consent, forcing the issue of independence to the forefront.The movement saw widespread participation from all sections of society—students, workers, peasants, women, and the youth.It strengthened the Congress Socialist Party because of its heroic role in the movement. It's leader Jai Prakash Narayan became a legendary figure.Most importantly, it firmly established complete independence as the non-negotiable goal of the freedom struggle.

Question 10

Question 66Mention any three ways in which Germany was affected by this treaty.

Accepted Answer

Three ways in which Germany was affected by this treaty are:The area of the Rhine Valley was to be demilitarised, and the German territory west of the Rhine was to be occupied by the Allied Troops for 15 years.The coal mines in the German area called Saar were ceded to France for 15 years, and the area was to be governed by the League of Nations.The German Army was restricted to a force of 1,00,000 soldiers and the Navy was limited to 15,000 men and 24 ships. The Air Force and submarines were banned.

Question 11

Question 67Enumerate any three objectives of the movement started by newly independent countries in Asia and Africa.

Accepted Answer

Three objectives of Non-Aligned Movement are:To eliminate all those causes which could lead to war.To oppose colonialism, imperialism and racial discrimination.To oppose the use of force and the use of nuclear weapons.

Question 12

Question 68Discuss a special power enjoyed by the permanent members of the UN Security Council that impacts the decision-making by the Council.

Accepted Answer

One exclusive power enjoyed by the permanent members of the UN Security Council that impacts the decision-making by the Council is Veto power. The negative vote of a permanent member is called a veto. The Council is powerless to act if any of the five permanent members uses the veto power.

Question 13

Question 69Compare the two higher courts of our country with reference to the following:(a) qualification(b) age of retirement(c) one example of each of their Original Jurisdiction.

Accepted Answer

(a) Supreme Court —According to the Constitution, a person shall be qualified for appointment as a judge of a Supreme Court under the following conditions:Should be a citizen of India.has been for at least five years a Judge of a High Court or of two or more such courts in succession; orhas been for at least ten years an advocate of a High Court or of two or more such courts in succession; oris, in the opinion of the President, a distinguished jurist.High Court —According to the Constitution, a person shall be qualified for appointment as a judge of a High Court under the following conditions:Should be a citizen of India.Should not be over 62 years.Has held a judicial office in the territory of India for at least ten years; orHas been an advocate of a High Court for at least ten years.(b) Age of retirement of a Supreme Court judge — 65 yearsAge of retirement of a High Court judge — 62 years(c) Supreme Court — The Original Jurisdiction of Supreme Court extends to cases of violation of the fundamental rights of individuals, and the Court can issue several writs for the enforcement of these rights. Any individual can approach the Supreme Court in case of violation of a fundamental right.High Court — It has original jurisdiction over matters relating to State revenue and its collection.

Question 14

Question 70Read the following excerpt and answer the questions that follow:As railway and transport minister, Lal Bahadur Shastri sent his resignation twice to Nehru after train accidents. Only once he was persuaded to take it back.....When it appeared that Nehru seemed inclined to accept the (second) resignation, thirty MPs appealed to Nehru not to let Shastri go. They were of the view that while Shastri should be lauded for having offered to resign, his resignation should not be accepted, as he was not personally responsible for the accident.(Source:https://theprint.in/pageturner/excerpt/lal-bahadur-shastri-sent-nehru-his-resignation-set-gold-standard-for-politicians/304341/)(a) Does Shastri’s resignation reflect Individual Responsibility or Collective Responsibility? Justify.(b) Highlight two important differences between both types.

Accepted Answer

(a) Lal Bahadur Shastri's resignation reflects Individual Responsibility. This is because he was himself in charge of the Railway and Transport Ministry and not the entire Council of Ministers.(b) Two important differences between Individual and Collective Responsibility are as follows:Individual ResponsibilityCollective Responsibility1.The Ministers are individually responsible to the President, i.e., they hold office during the pleasure of the President and may be dismissed by him/her, on the advice of the Prime Minister even when they may have the confidence of the Legislature.The Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the Parliament and has to resign if it loses the confidence of the Lok Sabha. A Vote of No-Confidence against one Minister is a vote against the whole Ministry. Such a Ministry that has lost the confidence of the Lok Sabha has to resign.2.Each Minister is answerable to Parliament for the department under his/her control. It is obligatory for him/her to answer all the questions asked by the MPs, regarding the functioning of his/her department.All Ministers jointly share the responsibility for the government's policies and performance. The Ministers must function as a team in supporting and defending government policies inside as well as outside Parliament.

Question 15

Question 71When either of the two Houses of the Parliament of India is not in session, and if the government feels the need for an immediate procedure, the President can promulgate ............... that has the same force and effect as an act passed by parliament under its legislative powers.What can the President promulgate? Who prepares it? Which body must approve it?

Accepted Answer

When neither of the two Houses of the Parliament of India is in session, the President can promulgate an Ordinance.The Cabinet, led by the Prime Minister prepares and advises the President to issue the Ordinance.The two Houses of Parliament must approve the Ordinance within six weeks from the date the Parliament re-assembles, otherwise it ceases to operate.

Short Answer Questions