I. Answer the following questions in one sentence each:
1. When did India became independent?
Ans: India became independent on 15th August 1947.
2. What ideas inspired the people from various backgrounds to join the freedom struggle?
Ans: The ideas of freedom, equality and participation in decision making inspired the people from various backgrounds to join the freedom struggle.
3. Which country was a colony of the British rule in Asia?
Ans: India was a colony of the British rule in Asia.
4. When was the Indian National congress established?
Ans: The Indian National congress was established in 1885.
5. What rights did the government of India Act 1909 give to the Indian Nationalists?
Ans: The government of India Act 1909 allowed for some elected representation. The Act did not allow for all adults to vote nor could people participate in decision making.
6. What did the National congress demand as far back as 1885?
Ans: The Indian National congress demanded that there be elected members in the legislature with a right to discuss the budget and ask questions.
7. What do you mean by the principle of universal Adult Franchise?
Ans: The principle of universal Adult Franchise means that adult citizens of the country have the right to vote .The dreams and aspirations of the freedom struggle were made concrete in the constitution.
8. What is the basic idea of a democratic government?
Ans: The basic idea is that the individual or the citizen is the most important person and that in principle the government as well as other public institutions needs to have the trust of these citizens.
9. What is the take off point for a democracy?
Ans: The take off point for a democracy is the idea of consent that is the desire,approval and participation of the people.
10. Why does the parliament in our system have immense powers?
Ans: The Parliament in our system has immense powers because it is the representative of the people.
11. Who does parliament of India consist of?
Ans: The parliament of India consists of the president, the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha.
12. What is the function of Lok Sabha ?
Ans:
i) Lok Sabha selects the executive.
ii) The executive is a group of person who work together to implement the laws made by the Parliament.
13. Who is known as opposition party?
Ans: The opposition in Parliament is formed by all political parties that oppose the majority party / coalition formed.The largest among these parties is called the opposition party.
14. How many members are there in Rajya Sabha?
Ans: There are 233 elected members plus 12 members nominated by the President.
15. What are the functions of Parliament?
Ans:
i) To select the National Government .
ii) To control,guide and inform the government .
iii) Law-making .
16. What role do the opposition parties play?
Ans:
i) The opposition party plays a crucial role in the healthy functioning of a democracy.
ii) They highlight the drawbacks in various policies and programs of the government and mobilize popular support for their own policies.
17. Why are some seats reserved in parliament for SC’s and ST’s?
Ans:
i) Communities that have been historically marginalized are given adequate representation.
ii) The MP’s elected from SC’s and ST’s will be familiar with and can represent Dalit and Adivasi interests in Parliament.
18. Which parties play a critical role in the healthy functioning of a democracy?
Ans: The opposition parties play a critical role in the healthy functioning of a democracy.
19. Which issue is still being debated in parliament?
Ans: The issue regarding the reservation of seats for women is still being debated in parliament.
II. Answer the following questions in four sentences:
1. How does the individual give approval to the government ?
Ans:
i) One way of doing this is through elections.
ii) People would elect their representatives, to the parliament then; one group from among these elected representatives forms the government.
iii) The Parliament which is made up of all representatives’ together, control and guides the government.
iv) People through their chosen representatives from the government and also control it.
2. Explain the role of Parliament?
Ans:
i) The Indian Parliament is an expression of the faith that the people of India have in principles of democracy.
ii) The Parliament in our system has immense powers because it is the representative of the people.
iii) Elections to the Parliament are held in a similar manner as they are for the state legislature.
iv) The country is divided into numerous constituencies. Each of these constituencies elects one person to the Parliament.
v) Once elected,these candidates become members of Parliament or MP’s .
vi) Once elections to the Parliament have taken place, the Parliament needs to perform the following functions:
(a) To select the National Government.
(b) To control, guide and inform the government.
(c) Law making.
vii) In addition, in all matters dealing with finances, the parliament’s approval is crucial for the government.
3. What is known as a coalition government?
Ans:
i) It has been difficult for a single political party to get the majority that is required to form the government.
ii) They then joined together different parties who are interested in similar concerns to form what is known as a coalition government.
4. How does the Prime Minister of India form the ministry?
Ans:
i) The Prime Minister of India is the leader of the ruling party in the Lok Sabha.
ii) From the members of Parliament who belong to his/her party, the Prime Minister selects ministers to work with him/her to implement decisions.
iii) The minister then take charge of different areas of government functioning like health, education,finance etc.
5. What is the function of Rajya Sabha?
Ans:
i) The Rajya Sabha functions primarily as the representative of the states of India in the Parliament.
ii) The Rajya Sabha can also initiate legislation and a bill is required to pass through the Rajya Sabha inorder to become a law.
iii) Rajya Sabha has important role of reviewing and altering the laws initiated by the Lok Sabha.
iv) The members of the Rajya Sabha are elected by the elected members of the legislative Assemblies of various state.
6. How is the question hour held in the Parliament?
Ans:
i) The question hour is an important mechanism through which MP’s can elicit information about the working of the government.
ii) By asking questions the government is alerted to its shortcomings, and also comes to know the opinion of the people through their representatives in the parliament that is the MP’s.
iii) The opposition parties play a critical role in the healthy functioning of a democracy by asking questions.
iv) They highlight drawbacks in various policies and programs of the government and mobilize popular support for their own policies.
7. Who are the people in the Parliament?
Ans:
i) The Parliament has more and more people from different backgrounds.
ii) Groups and peoples that were till now unrepresented are beginning to get elected to the Parliament.
iii) There has also been an increase in political participation from the Dalit and backward castes and the minorities.
iv) Some seats are reserved in the parliament for SC’s and ST’s.
v) There has been reservation for women.
8. A representative democracy cannot produce a perfect reflection of society . Explain?
Ans:
i) The representative democracy cannot produce a perfect reflection of society because there is a realization that when interests and experiences separate us it is important to ensure that communities have been historically marginalized are given adequate representation.
ii) Some seats are reserved in the parliament for SC’s and ST’s.