CONSTITUTIONAL DESIGN

Ques on 5.
What is apartheid?
Answer:
It was a policy of racial segrega on under which all people were classified and separated on
the basis of race. Many restric ons were imposed on the Blacks, who formed mote than
80% of the popula on.
Ques on 10.
Why is India called ‘a Republic’?
Answer:
India is called a Republic because the head of the state i.e., the President is an elected
person, and it is not a hereditary posi on.
Ques on 12.
What is meant by the term ‘Preamble’?
Answer:
The Preamble is an introduc on to the Cons tu on which contains the ideals and basic
principles of the Indian Cons tu on.
Ques on 14.
Who was the President of Cons tuent Assembly?
Answer:
Dr. Rajendra Prasad. Ques on 17.
With reference to the Cons tuent, Assembly, answer the following ques ons:
(i) When were its elec ons held?
(ii) Who was its President?
(iii) Who was appointed the Chairman of the Dra ing Commi ee?
(iv) When was the Cons tu on passed by the Cons tuent Assembly?
Answer:
(i) July 1946.
(ii) Dr. Rajendra Prasad.
(iii) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.
(iv) 26th November, 1949.
Ques on 2.
“The apartheid system was par cularly oppressive for the blacks.” Jus fy by giving three
reasons.
Answer:
  They were forbidden from living in white areas. They could work in white areas only if
they had a permit.
 Trains, buses, taxis, hotels, hospitals, schools and colleges, libraries, cinema halls,
theatres, beaches, swimming pools, public toilets, were all separate for the whites
and blacks. This was called segrega on.
 They could not even visit the churches where the whites worshipped. Blacks could
not form associa ons or protest against the terrible treatment.
Question 9.
Describe main features of Indian Constitution.
Or
How has the Indian Constitution embodied the basic values into its instutional arrangements?
Explain. V8Q
Answer:

 The Indian Constitution is a detailed document. It needs to be amended to keep it updated.

It has provisions to incorporate changes from time-to-time. These changes are called
constitutional amendments.
 It lays down the procedure for choosing persons to govern the country.
 It defines “who will have how much power to take a particular decisions’.
 It also limits the powers of the government by providing some rights to the citizens which
cannot be violated.


Match the following: -

1. Mo lal Nehru President of the cons tuent Assembly
2. B.R. Ambedkar Member of the Cons tuent Assembly
3. Rajendra Prasad Chairman of the Dra ing Commi ee
4. Sarojini Naidu Prepared a Cons tu on for India in 1928

Match the following; -

Sovereign Government will not favour any religion
Republic People have the supreme right to make decisions
Fraternity Head of the state is an elected person
Secular People should live like brothers and sisters
 ELECTORAL POLITICS
1. Which of the following statements about the reasons for conduc ng elec ons are
false?
(a) Elec ons enable people to judge the performance of the government.
(b) People select the representa ve of their choice in an elec on.
(c) Elec ons enable people to evaluate the performance of the judiciary.
(d) People can indicate which policies they prefer.
Answer:
(c) Elec ons enable people to evaluate the performance of the judiciary.
2. Which of these is not a good reason to say that Indian elec ons are democra c?
(a) India has the largest number of voters in the world.
(b) India’s Elec on Commission is very powerful.
(c) In India, everyone above the age of 18 has a right to vote.
(d) In India, the losing par es accept the electoral verdict.
Answer:
(a) India has the largest number of voters in the world.
3. Match the following:

(a) It is necessary to keep the voters’ (i) there is a fair representa on of all
list up to date because sec ons of our society

(b) Some cons tuencies are reserved (ii) everyone has equal opportunity to
for SCs and STs so that elect their representa ves

(c) Everyone has one and only one (iii) all candidates must have a fair chance
vote so that of compe ng in elec ons

(d) Party in power is not allowed to use (iv) some people may have moved away
government vehicles because from the area where they voted last

Ques on 3. What is a cons tuency?[CBSE 2014,15]

Answer: For elec ons, the en re country is divided into fixed electoral areas with a
body of registered voters. These areas are called cons tuencies.
Ques on 5. What is the importance of electoral compe on?
Answer:
 Regular electoral compe on provides incen ves to poli cal par es and leaders.
They know that if they raise issues that people want to be raised, their popularity and
 chances of victory will increase in the next elec ons. But if they fail to sa sfy the
voters with their work, they will not be able to win again.
 If a poli cal party is mo vated only by desire to be in power, even then, it will be
forced to serve the people.
Ques on 14. Men on two func ons of the Elec on Commission.
Answer:
 It grants recogni on to poli cal par es.
 It allots symbols to candidates and poli cal par es.


i) What are elec ons?

(ii) “Elec ons are considered essen al for any representa ve demo cracy.” Why?
(iii) What is a cons tuency?
Answer:
(i) It is a mechanism by which people can choose their representa ves at regular
intervals and change them if they wish to do so.
(ii) (a) In a representa ve democracy, people rule through their representa ves. ,
(b) It gives an opportunity to the people to decide who will make laws for them.
(iii) For elec ons, the en re country is divided into fixed electoral areas with a body
of registered voters. These areas are called cons tuencies.
Ques on 3.
Men on any three provisions which makes Elec on Commission an independent
body.
Answer:
 The Chief Elec on Commissioner (CEC) is appointed by the President of India. But
once appointed, the Chief Elec on Commissioner is not answerable to the President
or the government.
 During the elec on period, the EC can order the government to follow some
guidelines, to prevent use and misuse of governmental power to enhance its chances
to win elec ons, or to transfer some government officials.
 When on elec on duty, government officers work under the control of the EC and not
the government.
Ques on 4
Explain any five condi ons for free and fair elec ons. [CBSE 2014,15] Answer:
 One vote one value: Everyone should be able to choose. This means that everyone
should have one vote and every vote should have equal value.
 Mul ple choices: There should be something to choose from. Par es and candidates
should be free to contest elec ons and should offer some real choice to the voters.
 Choice at regular interval: The choice should be offered at regular intervals. Elec ons
must be held regularly a er every few years.
 All should have equal chance of winning: The candidate preferred by the people
should get elected.
 Free and fair elec ons: Elec ons should be conducted in a free and fair manner
where people can choose as they really wish.

WORKING OF INSTITUTIONS

Why do we need Poli cal Ins tu ons?

Answer: Governing a country involves various ac vi es. To a end to all these
ac vi es, several arrangements are made in all modern democracies. Such
arrangements are called ins tu ons. A democracy works well when ins tu ons
perform func ons assigned to them.
Ques on 19. What is meant by ‘Office Memorandum’?
Answer: A communica on issued by an appropriate authority sta ng the policy or
decision of the government.
Ques on 14. Who was the head of the Mandal Commission?
Answer: B.P Mandal.
Ques on 12. What is the full form of SEBC?
Answer: Socially and Economically Backward classes.
Ques on 4. Why do the poli cal execu ves have more power than the permanent
execu ves?
Answer: It is due to the following reasons :
 The reason is very simple. In a democracy, the will of the people is supreme. The
minister is elected by the people , That is why, the minister takes all the final
decisions.
 The minister decides the overall framework and objec ves in which decisions on
policy should be made. The minister is not, and is not expected to be, an expert in the
ma ers of his/her ministry.
Ques on 10. Who are the major func onaries in India?
Answer:
The major func onaries in India are :
 President is the head of the state and is the highest formal authority in the country.
 Prime Minister is the head of the government and actually exercises all governmental
powers. He takes most of the decisions in the cabinet mee ngs.
 Parliament consists of the President and two Houses, the Lok Sabha and the Rajya
Sabha. The Prime Minister must have the support of a majority of Lok Sabha
members.
Ques on 1. Why do we need Parliament?
Or
What are the various ways by which parliament exercises authority.
Answer: In India, a na onal assembly of elected representa ves is called Parliament. It
exercises poli cal authority on behalf of the people.
 Parliament is the final authority for making laws in a country.
 Those who run the government, can take decisions only so long as they enjoy support
of the Parliament.
 Parliaments control all the money that governments have.
 Parliament is the highest forum of discussion and debate on public issues and
na onal policy in any country.

DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS

Why Do We Need Rights in a Democracy?

In a democracy, every ci zen has the right to vote and the right to be elected to
government. Rights play a very special role in a democracy. Rights protect minori es
from the oppression of the majority. Rights are guarantees which can be used when
things go wrong.
Q3
What is the meaning of ‘Fundamental Right’?
 Fundamental Rights are a list of rights enshrined in the Cons tu on of India and have
been recognised by the Supreme Court as requiring a high degree of protec on from
government encroachment.
Ques on 7.
What is a secular state? [CBSE2014] Answer:
A secular state is one that does not establish any one religion as official religion.
Ques on 9.
What are Human Rights?
Answer:
Human Rights are those rights, which are inherent in our nature. Without these
rights, we cannot live as human beings. Human rights allow us to fully develop and
use our human quali es, intelligence, talents and conscience. They allow us to sa sfy
our spiritual and other needs.
Ques on 10.
Men on any other two rights of the Indian ci zens except the Fundamental Rights.
Answer:
 Right to freedom of press.
 Right to informa on
11 Write any four features of the Right to Equality as a Fundamental Right.
Answer:
 According to this law, the government shall not deny to any person in India equality
before the law or the equal protec on of the laws.
 The government shall not discriminate against any ci zen on the grounds of religion,
caste, ethnicity, sex or place of birth.
 All ci zens shall have equality of opportunity in ma ers rela ng to any posi on in the
government.
 The principle of non-discrimina on extends to social life as well.