CBSE Class 12 Political Science Political Parties Assignment

Multiple Choice Questions

Question. Which of the following is the most visible institutions in a democracy?
(a) Leaders    
(b) Political parties    
(c) Govt.    
(d) People
​​​​​​​Answer: B

Question. How many political parties are registered with the election commission of India?
(a) Less than 100   
(b) Between 100 to 500   
(c) Between 500 to 750    
(d) More than 750
​​​​​​​Answer: D

Question. A Political party has to satisfy the following criteria to be recognized as a national party—
(a) 6% votes of total votes in Lok sabha or assembly elections of four status
(b) At least 6 Lok sabha seats
(c) 12% votes of total votes in Lok sabha
(d) At least 12 Lok sabha seats
​​​​​​​Answer: A

Question. How many political parties were recognized as National parties in India in 2006?
(a) 06    
(b) 16    
(c) 750    
(d) 21
​​​​​​​Answer: A

Question. How many Lok sabha constituencies are there in India at present?
(a) 540    
(b) 543    
(c) 547    
(d) 563
​​​​​​​Answer: A

Question. Area wise which is the largest Lok sabha constituency in India?
(a) Karol Bag    
(b) Ghaziabad    
(c) Mumbai Cart    
(d) Ladakh
​​​​​​​Answer: D

Question. The Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) came to power in 1998 as the leader of
(a) United progressive Alliance   
(b) Left front   
(c) National Democratic       
(d) None of these 
​Answer: C

Question. Which party system does India follow—
(a) Single party system      
(b) Two party system  
(c) Multi party system        
(d) All of them
​​​​​​​Answer: C

Question. What is Bye –election?
(a) Elections held to fill a vacancy caused by the death or any other house.
(b) Election held after a specific period.
(c) Election held to farm the new govt.
(d) Election held in between the fixed term of the house.
​​​​​​​Answer: A

Question. Who is the founder of the Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP)
(a) Jyotiba Phule          
(b) Kanshi Ram   
(c) B. R. Ambudkar      
(d) Maya Vati
Answer: B

Question. Why did India adopt multi-party system?
​​​​​​​Answer: India is a large country with great social and geographical diversities. These diversities can only be nurtured by a multi-party system.

Question. “Political parties are a necessary condition for a democracy”. Analyse the statement with examples.
​​​​​​​Answer: “Political parties are necessary condition for a democracy” because :
(i) Without political parties, democracies cannot exist.
(ii) if we do not have political parties; in such a situation every candidate in elections will be independent, and will have a local point of view.
(iii) No one will be able to make any promises to the people about any major policy changes.
(iv) The government may be formed but its utility will remain uncertain.
(v) Elected representatives will be accountable to their constituency for what they do in their locality. But no one will be responsible for how the country will run.
(vi) The role of opposition party in a democracy necessitates the existence of political parties.
(vii) As societies become large and complex they also need some agencies to gather different views on various issues and to present these to the government, that’s why political parties are needed.

Question. Describe any five major functions of political parties performance in a democracy.
​​​​​​​Answer: Functions of political parties :
(i) Parties contest elections and form government.
(ii) They put forward policies and programmes that benefit the people.
(iii) Parties play a decisive role in making laws that affect the society.
(iv) Parties form government.
(v) Defeated parties in the election play its role of opposition of the parties in power.
(vi) Parties shape public opinion.
(vii) Parties provide people access to government machinery and welfare schemes.

Question. Who, among the following, organised the dalits into the ‘Depressed Classes Association’ in 1930?
(a) Kanshi Ram
(b) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
(c) Gandhiji
(d) Alluri Sitaram Raju
​​​​​​​Answer: (b) Dr B.R.Ambedkar

Question. Which one of the following political parties seeks to represent and secure power for Dalits, OBC’s and Adivasis?
(a) Bahujan Samaj Party
(b) Bharatiya Janta Party
(c) Forward Bloc
(d) Janta Dal (s)
​​​​​​​Answer: (a) Bahujan Samaj Party

Question. If all the decisions of a political party are made by single family and all other members are neglected, then what challenge is being faced by that party?
​​​​​​​Answer: Challenge of dynastic succession

Question. Why do political parties involve partisanship?
​​​​​​​Answer: Because they are part of the society, hence political parties involve partisanship.

Question. Differentiate between national and regional parties. Write any four points.
​​​​​​​Answer:

Question. What is expected form a government?
​​​​​​​Answer: A government is expected to base its policies on the line taken by the ruling party.

Question. What will happen if any MLA or MP changes parties?
​​​​​​​Answer: He or she will lose the seat in the legislature.

Question. The symbol of Bahujan Samaj Party is ......... .
(a) Hand
(b) Elephant
(c) Bicycle
(d) Hand​​​​​​​
Answer: B

Question. What is the reason behind the evolution of a multi-party system in India? Give one advantage and one disadvantage of this system.
​​​​​​​Answer: India is a large country which is characterised by its social and geographical diversities. These diversions are not easily absorbed by two or even three parties. It is therefore, we have a multi-party system.
One Advantage of Multi Party System
This system allows a variety of interest and opinions to enjoy political representation.
One Disadvantage of Multi Party System
This system appears very messy and leads to political instability.

Question. Why do we have a multi-party system in India? What are the advantages of a multi-party system?
​​​​​​​Answer: If several parties compete for power, and more than two parties have a reasonable chance of coming to power either on their own strength or in an alliance with others, it is known as a multi-party system.
In India, we have a multi-party system. In this system, the government is formed by various parties coming together in a coalition. When several parties in a multiparty system join hands for the purpose of contesting elections and winning power, it is called an alliance or a front. For example, in India there were three such major alliances in 2004 parliamentary elections—the National Democratic Alliance, the United Progressive Alliance and the Left Front.
Advantage of Multi Party System
This system allows a variety of interest and opinions to enjoy political representation.

Question. What does defection mean?
(a) Leaving all the parties
(b) Moving of a person from one party to another party for some personal benefit
(c) Moving of a person from opposition party to ruling party
(d) Moving of a person from ruling party to opposition party​​​​​​​
Answer: B

Question. When is it difficult to reform politics?
Answer: It is difficult to reform politics if ordinary citizens do not take part in it and simply criticise it from the outside.

Question. What is a multi-party system? Why has India adopted a multi-party system? Explain.
Answer: If several parties compete for power, and more than two parties have a reasonable chance of coming to power either on their own strength or in alliance with others, we call it a multi-party system.
In India, we have a multi-party system. It is because the social and geographical diversity in such a large country is not easily absorbed by two or even three parties. No system is ideal for all countries and all situations.

Question. “Lack of internal democracy within parties is the major challenge to political parties all over the world.” Analyse the statement.
Answer: All over the world there is a tendency in polticial parties towards the concentration of power in one or few leaders at the top. Parties do not keep membership registers, do not hold organisational meetings, and do not conduct internal elections regularly. Ordinary members of the party do not get sufficient information on what happens inside the party. They do not have the means or the concessions needed to influence the decisions. As a result the leaders assume greater power to make decisions in the name of the party. Since one or few leaders exercise paramount power in the party, those who disagree with the leadership find it difficult to continue in the party. More than loyalty to party principles and policies, personal loyalty to the leader becomes more important.

Question. Why do we need at least two parties in a democratic system?
Answer: It gives a fair chance to the two parties to compete in elections to come to power.

Question. “Political parties play a major role in democracy.” Give three viewpoints to justify this statement.
Answer: (i) Political parties reduce a vast multitude of opinions into a few basic positions which it supports. The government is expected to base its policies on the line taken by the ruling party.
(ii) Those parties, that lose the elections, play role of the opposition. They voice different views and criticise government for its failures or wrong policies. Opposition parties also mobilise opposition to the government.
(iii) Political parties shape public opinion by raising and highlighting issues. The political parties put before various problems of the country and try to explain them in an easy way through magazines, booklets and meetings.