SAMPLE QUESTION PAPER (2021-22)
POLITICAL SCIENCE
TERM II
CLASS 12
Time: 2 Hrs Max. Marks: 40
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
- This question paper has 3 Sections A, B & C.
- Section A has 8 questions of 2 marks each. Answer to these questions should be completed within 50 words each.
- Section B has 3 questions of 4 marks each. Answer to these questions should be completed within 100 words each. Answer of map question should be attempted accordingly.
- Section C has 2 questions of 6 marks each. Answer to these questions should be completed within 170 words each.
SECTION A
1. State any two features of the EU that makes it an influential organization.
Ans. The two features of the EU that make it an influential organization are:
(i) EU has evolved from an economic union to a political union. It has its flag, anthem, founding date and currency.
(ii) Its share of world trade is much larger than that of the United States allowing it to be more assertive in trade disputes with the US and China.
OR
Write a short note on India-Israel relationship
Ans. (i) India is known in Israel as an ancient nation with strong cultural traditions, and in popular Israeli perception, India is an attractive, alternative tourist destination. The key to the growing India Israel ties, however, is in the realm of security and defence.
(ii) Increased high-level exchanges and ministerial visits on both sides have expanded cooperation in different functional areas such as trade, agriculture, culture, education and security.
2. How has globalisation led to interdependence among nations? Give one example.
Ans. Globalisation led to interdependence among nations as:
(i) The need for countries to rely on each other for various resources creates a global interdependence.
(ii) So, a nation has to purchase those that it lacks from one country or from a number of countries. For example, India purchases arms and ammunitions from both America and Israel.
3. Whose name was proposed by the Syndicate for the Presidential elections 1969?
Ans. In 1969, President Zakir Hussain’s death made the post of President of the India fall vacant. The ‘Syndicate’ nominated the then speaker of the Lok Sabha, N. Sanjeeva Reddy, while Indira Gandhi retaliated by encouraging the then Vice-President, V.V Giri, to file his nomination.
4. Mention any two consequences of the Emergency.
Ans. Some of the consequences of the Emergency were:
(i) The nationwide bandhs and protests got terminated and banned.
(ii) Many leaders of the opposition and other prominent persons were arrested on the ground of preventive detention.
(iii) Press censorship was imposed.
(iv) National organisations like Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Jamait-e-lslami were harmed.
(v) Fundamental Rights of the citizens were suspended.
(vi) The power of Judiciary was limited.
5. State the main issues that occurred in the Indian politics in the period after 1989.
Ans. The main issues that occurred in the Indian politics in the period after 1989 were as follow:
(i) Rise of Other Backward Class as a political force.
(ii) Decision of the National Front Government to implement the recommendations of the Mandal Commission and subsequent stir.
(iii) Rise of politics based on religious identity and on debate about secularism and democracy.
(iv) Demolition of Babri Masjid
(v) Anti-Muslim riots in Gujarat
(vi) End of Congress dominance and beginning of an era of coalition politics.
6. What are the causes of friction between the Indo-Russian relationship?
Ans. Despite the robust defence relationship, there are notes of dissonance in defence cooperation namely delay in delivery, lack of transparency, no more friendship prices, supply of sub-standard and inferior ex-stock equipment, doubts about the quality of products, problem of spare parts in upgrading and modernizing the equipment. The harsh fact is that there has been a Jack of transparency regarding pricing and low quality of spares; and other monopolistic practices, which are seen as a cause of friction. Delay in the supply of defence equipment has been a constant problem.
7. Explain any two problems faced by India from Pakistan.
Ans. India has been facing Ute following problems with Pakistan:
(i) India claims Kashmir to be its integral part and Pakistan refuses to accept it. Hence, wars took place in 1965 and 1971, but the issue remained unsettled.
(ii) Problems over strategic issues like control of Siachen glacier and acquisition of arms involved; both the states acquired nuclear weapons and missiles to deliver such arms against each other in the 1990s.
8. Why did the Muslim League demand a separate nation for the Muslims?
Ans. (i) According to Jinnah and his two-nation theory, the decisions made by Hindus would not always be in favour of Muslims. Moreover, there could be a politics of discrimim1tion towards Muslims.
(ii) The league wanted a separate nation for India’s Muslims also because it feared that an independent India would be dominated by Hindus.
SECTION B
9. How is democratisation going on in Nepal since 1990?
Ans. Nepal used to be a Hindu kingdom in the earlier period followed by a constitutional monarchy in the modem period for many years. The pro-democracy movements forced the king to allow new democratic Constitution in 1990. But it had a short and troubled career.
There was a huge influence of Maoists in many parts of Nepal who believed in armed insurrection against the monarch and the ruling elite. Hence, a triangular conflict among the Monarchist forces, the democrats and the Maoists took place for some time. The Parliament was abolished and the government was dismissed by the king in 2002.
Again in 2006, the king was forced to restore the House of Representatives after a massive country wide pro-democracy protests.
The Constituent Assembly was formed to write the Constitution for Nepal. The Constitution has come into effect with some amendment process still going on.
10. Evaluate the role of Naxalite Movement in Indian Politics. Suggest ways and means to crush it.
Ans. Role of Naxalite ‘Movement in Indian Politics:
(i) The Naxalite Movement gave impetus to the demand of equal distribution of land.
(ii) Their demand are region specific and they have rejuvenated the tribal movements in India. Due to such movements of separatism has become a burning issue.
(iii) Their violent nature has posed risk on the socio-economic-politic structure of India.
Measures to Control:
(i) Socio-economic issues should be solved in region specific manner keeping in view that India is a land of diversity and nature of problems varies from region to region.
(ii) There should be strong political will to keep away regionalism and separatism from politics.
11. The period after 1989 is seen sometimes as the period of decline of the Congress and the rise of the BJP. If you want to understand the complex nature of political competition in this period, you have to compare the electoral performances of Congress and the BJP.
Based on the graph given above answer the following questions:
(i) When did the Congress get the highest seats in the Lok Sabha? Who was the Prime Minister then?
Ans. The Congress received 415 seats in the Lok Sabha in 1984. Rajiv Gandhi was the Prime Minister.
(ii) When did the BJP get the highest seats in the Lok Sabha? Who is the leader of the party in the Lok Sabha?
Ans. The BJP secured 3030 in the Lok Sabha elections in 2019. The leader of the party in the Lok Sabha was Mr. Narendra Modi.
(iii) In which year did the Congress Party get 244 seats and who headed the government?
Ans. The Congress won 244 seats in the 1991 Lok Sabha election and formed a coalition government headed by P.V. Narasimha Rao.
(iv) In the year 1999, the BJP got 182 seats and led a coalition government in the centre headed by which leader?
Ans. In the year 1999, the BJP won 182 seats and it led a coalition government – NDA – headed by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
SECTION C
12. Evaluate any three major factors responsible for making the European Union a political force from being an economic force.
Ans. The factors responsible for making European Union a political force from being an economic force are:
(i) The EU has political influence.
(ii) Two members of the EU, Britain and France, hold permanent seats in the UN Security Council. The EU includes several non-permanent members of the UNSC. This has enabled the EU to influence some US policies such as the current US position on Iran’s nuclear programme.
(iii) Its use of diplomacy; economic investments, and negotiations rather than coercion and military force have been effective as in the case of its dialogue with China on human rights and environmental degradation.
(iv) European Economic Community in 1957 acquired a political discussion leading to the creation of the European Parliament.
(v) It has its flag, anthem, founding date and currency.
(vi) EU is the world’s biggest economy and has its political influence also. Its GDP is slightly larger than that of the United States. Its currency can pose a threat to the dominance of the US dollar. Its share of world trade is much larger than that of the United States allowing it to be more assertive in trade disputes with the US and China.
OR
Why is the EU considered a highly influential regional organisation in the economic, political and military fields?
Ans. 1. Economic Influence:
(i) Three times larger share in World trade than the US.
(ii) Its currency Euro can pose a threat to the dominance of US Dollar.
(iii) The EU functions as an important bloc in World Trade Organisation (WTO).
2. Political Influence:
(i) Two members of the EU, Britain and France hold permanent seats in Security Council to influence UN policies.
(ii) The EU also includes various non-permanent members of UNSC.
(iii) The European Union plays an influential role in diplomacy and negotiations except military force i.e., EU’s dialogue with China on Human Rights and environmental degradation is remarkable.
3. Military Influence:
(i) The EU’s combined armed forces are second largest in world.
(ii) Its total military expenditure is second to the US.
(iii) Its two important members – Britain and France also experience nuclear arsenals of 550 nuclear warheads.
(iv) The EU is world’s second most important source of space and communication technology.
13. How do critics view globalisation?
Ans. Globalisation has invited some strong criticisms also despite its positive impacts. Its critical arguments can be categorized as:
1. Economic:
(i) Reduction in subsidies on mass consumption goods to make foreign creditors powerful.
(ii) It has increased disparity between the rich and the poor nations by making the rich richer and the poor poorer.
(iii) Even states have also created the same disparities between developed and developing nations.
2. Political:
(i) Welfare functions of the state has been reduced.
(ii) Sovereignty of states has been affected.
(iii) States have become weak to take their own decisions.
3. Cultural:
(i) People are losing their age-old values and traditions.
(ii) The world has begun to look more like the dominant power over less powerful society.
(iii) It has led to shrinking of rich cultural heritage of the entire globe.
OR
Evaluate the role and limitations of SAARC as a forum for facilitating economic cooperation among the Asian countries.
Ans. The role of SAARC:
(i) SMRC is a major regional initiative by the South Asian states to evolve co-operation through multilateral means.
(ii) Unfortunately, because of the persisting political differences, SAARC has not had much success.
(iii) SAARC members have signed the South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA), which promised the formation of a free trade zone for the whole of South Asia.
Limitations:
(i) SMRC is growing slowly due to political differences among its member states. Some of our neighbours fear this as a way for India to invade their markets and interfere in their politics through commercial ventures.
(ii) Also, another limitation is that some people in India think that SAFTA is not worth it as we have bilateral agreements with Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
(iii) One great limitation is the rather strained relationship between India and Pakistan.