CBSE Class 10 Social Science Federalism VBQs

SOURCE BASED QUESTION

Read the following extract and answer the questions A second test for Indian federation is the language policy. Our Constitution did not give the status of national language to any one language. Hindi was identified as the official language. But Hindi is the mother tongue of only about 40 percent of Indians. There were many safeguards to protect other languages. Besides Hindi, there are 21 other languages recognised as Scheduled Languages by the Constitution. A candidate in an examination conducted for the Central Government positions may opt to take the examination in any of these languages. States too have their own official languages. Much of the government work takes place in the official language of the concerned State. Unlike Sri Lanka, the leaders of our country adopted a very cautious attitude in spreading the use of Hindi. According to the Constitution, the use of English for official purposes would be stopped in 1965. However, many non- Hindi speaking States demanded that the use of English should continue. In Tamil Nadu, this movement took a violent form. The Central Government responded by agreeing to continue the use of English along with Hindi for official purposes. Many critics think that this solution favoured the English-speaking elites. Promotion of Hindi continues to be the official policy of the Government of India. Promotion does not mean that the Central Government can impose Hindi on States where people speak a different language. The flexibility shown by Indian political leaders helped our country avoid the kind of situation that Sri Lanka finds itself in.

Question. According to the Constitution, the use of English for official purposes would be stopped in 1965.But even now all official communication are given in English also. Why?
Answer : Many non- Hindi speaking States demanded that the use of English should continue The Central Government responded by agreeing to continue the use of English along with Hindi for official purposes

Question. Suppose the Central Government ordersall the state governments that the medium of instruction in schools should be Hindi. Is it constitutionally valid? Justify your answer.
Answer : No, Central Government cannot impose Hindi on States where people speak a different language

Question.It was proved that Sri Lanka lacked the political wisdom of adopting a proper Language policy as the country had to face a civil war on the issue of language. What was the main feature of SriLankan language policy?
Answer : Sinhala language was given the status of the one and only official language of Sri Lanka disregarding Tamil.

Very Short Questions for Class 10 Social Science Federalism

Question. Which list of the Indian Constitution, Robotics is included in?
Answer : Residuary powers

Question. Which level of government can make laws on matters related to Artificial intelligence?
Answer : The Union Government

Question. Give any two problems associated with the functioning of the Panchayati Raj system in India?
Answer : 1. While elections are held regularly, gram sabhas are not held regularly.
2. Most state governments have not transferred significant powers to the local governments

Question. Some States in India like Nagaland, Uttarakhand and Jharkhandwere created not on the basis of language. On what basis these were created?
Answer : These states were created to recognise differences based on culture, ethnicity or geography

Question. What type of a governmental arrangement exists in Sri Lanka now?
Answer : Unitary system

Question. Point out one feature in the practice of federation in India that is different from to that of Belgium.
Answer : In Belgium Community Government is there, but in India such type of provision is not there.

Short Questions for Class 10 Social Science Federalism

Question. Whatare the different levels of government in India Federal system?
Answer : Federalism is a system of government in which the power is divided between a central authority and various constituent units of the country. A federation has two or more levels of government.
1. The central government-This is the government for the entire country and is usually responsible for a few subjects of common national interest.
2. State government- This is the government at the level of provinces or states that look after much of the day-to-day administering of their state.
Both these levels of governments enjoy their power independent of the other.
2. The local government- This is the government at local level to meet the local needs and to ensure democratic participation at the grass root level.

Question. Explain the terms of relationship between central government and state government in Federal system.
Answer : 1. In a federal system, the central government cannot order the state government to do something.
2. State government has powers of its own for which it is not answerable to the central government.
3. Both these governments are separately answerable to the people.

Question. Explain the State list of the Indian Constitution
Answer : 1. State List of the Indian constitution contains subjects of State and local importance such as police, trade, commerce, agriculture irrigation. Etc.
2. The State Governments alone can make laws relating to the subjects mentioned in the State List.
3. State list contains less number of subjectscompared to Union list

Question. What is meant by Residuary Subjects?
Answer : 1. Residuary Subjects includeall subjects that do not fall in any of the three lists (The Union list, The State list, The Concurrent list)
2. Subjects like computer software that came up after the constitution was made are included in this list.
3. According to our constitution, the Union Government has the power to legislate on these ‘residuary’ subjects.

Question. The Constitutional division of powers envisages a more powerful Central government. Why?
Answer : 1.1. Union List of the Indian constitution includes more number of subjects and more important subjects.
2. Subjects of national importance such as defence of the country, foreign affairs, banking, communications, and currency. Etc. are included in the Union list
3. The Constitution provides an upper hand to Union government in the case of Concurrent list. If the laws made by central and state government conflict with each other, the law made by the Union Government will prevail
4. According to our constitution, the Union Government has the power to legislate on these ‘residuary’ subjects.

Question.What is meant by unitary system?
Answer : 1. Under the unitary system, either there is only one level of government or the sub-units are subordinate to the central government.
2.The central government can pass on orders to the provincial or the local government.
3. Generally small countries with less diversity adopt unitary system.

Question : Explain the organization of the local government bodies of urban areas.
Answer : a) Local Government bodies exist in urban areas also. In Towns there are municipalities and in big cities there are municipal corporations.
b) Both municipalities and municipal corporations are controlled by elected bodies consisting of people’s representatives.
c) Municipality is headed by the chairman and Municipal Corporation is headed by the Mayor.

Question : Differentiate between Federal Government and the Unitary Government.
Answer : a) In the unitary system power is centered with the central authority and in federal system, power is allotted to the state and local level government.
b) In Federal system power is allocated separately to the central and state level governments. In Unitary system there is no separate unit of the government.
c) In Federal system the focus is on national and state issues and in unitary system, the focus is completely on gaining power.
d) In country like France, Italy, Japan and UK use unitary system. The countries like US, Canada,Argentina, Australia, Austria, India, and Switzerland use federal system of government.

Question : How federalism leads to reservation of seats for different caste groups?
Answer : a) Federalism means sharing power among the central and non central authorities. it seeks to
give equal representation to all the constituent units.
b) Even in the constituent units or in states, there is diversity in the population with respect to language, religion, caste and culture.
c) To give equal opportunity and voice to various social groups, there is reservation for some categories like SCs, STs, OBCs and women in some areas.
d) This reservation aims to give power to the socially weaker sections of the society to give them an equal chance and representation in the political system.

Question : What was the Amendment regarding decentralization?
Answer : a) In 1992, 73rd Amendment Act gave constituent status to the Panchayati raj institution.
b) It created the third tier of federalism in India below the central government level and the state government level.
c)The Objective of this Amendment was to make democracy more powerful and effective by giving power to the grassroots units of self government.

Question : How is the Federal government better than a Unitary Government? Explain with the example of Belgium and Sri Lanka.
Answer : a) If we study the main difference between the federal and the unitary governments, in the present times the federal governments certainly score over the unitary governments, especially when people of different religions, castes and cultures resides in one and same country.
b) In chapter Power Sharing we have seen how a unitary form of government has proved a failure in
Sri Lanka while a federal type of government has proved a great success in Belgium.
c) In Sri Lanka Unitary government fails to solve the dispute of different sections of the society but in Belgium the federal government gives equal respect to the demands of different sections of the society.
d) In Belgium all types of people have been accommodated while in Majoritarianism has been thrust upon the people especially over the minority community in Sri Lanka.

Question : Discuss why the special status has been given to a few states in India? Explain with the example of Jammu and Kashmir.
Answer : a) A few states in India haD been given a special status in the constitution due to diverse population and regions within the state itself.
b) Special status to Jammu and Kashmir is due to the history of conflict over the state with Pakistan.
c) The state was given to the Indian Union under very special terms, which provided the state with a unique position in the Indian Union.
d) This state had its own constitution.

Question : How far is it correct to say that federalism works only in big country?
Answer : a) Federalism means sharing power among the central and non-central authorities.
b) It works in big countries where the area of country is very large and it makes it difficult to be effective managed through only one level of government.
c) In Such cases different levels of the government are formed to have broad based participation of the people.

Question : Is it easy to make changes to power sharing arrangements between centre and the state? Explain
Answer : a) No it is not easy to make changes in the power sharing arrangements between the centre and the states.
b) The parliament alone cannot make any decision relating to the power sharing arrangements.
c) In these days the influence of regional and state political parties is increased.
d) Any proposed change has to be first approved by both the houses of the Parliament.

Question : Explain the role of Judiciary.
Answer : a) Judiciary plays an important role in ensuring the implementation of various laws and procedure.
b) The supreme court of India has the exclusive authority of settling disputes between the government of India and one or more states or between two states.
c) The high court stands at the head of state’s judicial administrations.
d) The Union Territories come under the jurisdiction of different state high courts.

Question : Explain the role of legislature.
Answer : a) Legislature is our country’s law making body.
b) It is an assembly of people’s representation with the power to enact laws for our country.
c) The members of the legislature are elected by the people.
d) In addition to enact laws legislature have the authority to raise taxes, and adopt the budget and other money bills.

Question : Explain the role of executive.
Answer : a) At different organs of government we find functionaries who take day-to-day decisions, but do not exercise the supreme power on behalf of the people. All those functionaries are collectively known as the executive.
b) Executive is law implementing body.
c). It is a body of persons having major policies, make decisions, and implementing them on the basis of the constitution and laws of the country.

Long Questions for Class 10 Social Science Federalism