Political Science: CBSE Sample Question Paper (2020-21) - 2 | CBSE Sample Papers for Class 12 Humanities - Humanities/Arts PDF Download

Class - XII
Political Science
TIME: 3 Hrs.
M.M: 80

General Instructions:

SECTION - A

Q.1. The Warsaw Pact was created in the year ________.
(a) 1950
(b) 1955
(c) 1965
(d) 1980
Ans. b

Q.2. Why was the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation also called Western Alliance?
(a) It was formed by all the countries in western hemisphere.
(b) It was formed by the US and all European nations.
(c) It was formed by the US and most of the Western European nations.
(d) It was formed by the USSR and most of the Western Asian nations.
Ans. c

Q.3. The fall of the Berlin Wall signified the end of Bipolarity as:
(a) It marked the end of capitalist bloc
(b) It marked the end of communist bloc
(c) It marked the unification of USSR and USA
(d) It marked the end of UNO
Ans. b

Q.4. Which of these options is incorrect about the member groups of SAARC?
(a) Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka
(b) Bangladesh, Ukraine, India, the Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka
(c) Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka
(d) Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka
Ans. a

Q.5. ________________ initiated the reforms in the USSR in 1985.
(a) Mikhail Gorbachev
(b) Vladimir Putin
(c) Nikita Khrushchev
(d) Boris Yeltsin
Ans. a

Q.6. The Soviet Union was divided into _____________ countries.
(a) 12
(b) 15
(c) 17
(d) 19
Ans. b

Q.7. In 1967, _______________ lost majority in as many as seven states.
(a) Janta Dal
(b) Jan Sangh
(c) Indian National Congress
(d) Swatantra Party
Ans. c

Q.8. Which of these statements is incorrect?
(a) Elections in 1989 led to the winning of the Congress party
(b) Elections in 1989 led to the defeat of the Congress party
(c) Elections in 1989 led to the winning of Jan Sangh
(d) Elections in 1989 led to the formation of National Front government
Ans. a

Q.9. Shastri had resigned from the position of _____________accepting moral responsibility for a major accident.
(a) Aviation
(b) Road
(c) Highway
(d) Railway
Ans. d

Q.10. In which of these countries, in the conflict between the military and pro democracy groups,  the military has prevailed over democracy.
(a) India
(b) Pakistan
(c) Sri Lanka
(d) Bhutan
Ans. b

Q.11. Which of these was not one of the key areas of Kerala model?
(a) Education
(b) Health
(c) Food distribution
(d) Infrastructure
Ans. d

Q.12. Which of these challenges were faced by India between 1964 to 1966 during the Prime Minister ship of Lal Bahadur Shastri?
(a) Economic crisis due to 1962 war
(b) Failed monsoons
(c) Food crisis
(d) All of these
Ans. d

Q.13. Mikhail Gorbachev appointed _______ as the head of the Communist Party in Moscow.
(a) Lenin
(b) Boris Yeltsin
(c) Vladimir Putin
(d) Nikita Khrushchev
Ans. b

Q.14. Till 2006, Nepal was a _____________ monarchy.
(a) Dictatorial
(b) Constitutional
(c) Federal
(d) Bicameral
Ans. b

Q.15. Under intense pressure from students, supported by the opposition political parties, assembly  elections were held in Gujarat in ___________________.
(a) June 1970
(b) July 1972
(c) June 1975
(d) July 1977
Ans. c
OR
The impact of the Emergency was felt most strongly in the _______________part of the country.
(a) Northern
(b) Southern
(c) Eastern
(d) Western
Ans. a

Q.16. The following are some of the important treaties signed during the Cold War Era.
(i) Warsaw Pact
(ii) North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
(iii) Non-Aligned Movement
(iv) South East Asian Treaty Organisation Choose the correct option that arranges these treaties in chronological order.
(a) (ii) (iv) (i) (iii)
(b) (iii) (ii) (iv) (i)
(c) (i) (iii) (ii) (iv)
(d) (iv) (iii) (i) (ii)
Ans. a

SECTION - B

Q.17. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
According to the Tamil nationalists Sri Lanka is only for Sinhala people and not for Tamils. This attitude of Sinhala people led to the establishment of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a militant organisation, which desired for a separate country.
There was a pressure on the Government of India by the Tamils of Indian origin to intervene in the matter. Hence, the Government of India tried to negotiate with the Government of Sri Lanka on Tamil question. But direct involvement was in the year 1987. India conceded to send troops to Sri Lanka for the preservation of relations between Tamils and the Sri Lanka Government. Eventually, the Indian troops got into a fight with LTTE. The presence of Indian troops was not liked by many Sri Lankans and hence in 1989, the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) pulled out of Sri Lanka without attaining its objective.
(i) According to Tamil Nationalists, Sri Lanka belonged to whom?
(a) Tamils
(b) Sinhalas
(c) Sri Lankans
(d) All of these
Ans. b

(ii) Which militant group was desirous of a separate country?
(a) ETTL
(b) IKPF
(c) LTTE
(d) IPKF
Ans. c

(iii) When did the Indian Government get directly involved in the Sri Lankan matter?
(a) 1987
(b) 1989
(c) 1996
(d) 2018
Ans. b

(iv) Who was the Prime Minister of India at that time?
(a) Indira Gandhi
(b) Rajiv Gandhi
(c) Atal Bihari Vajpayee
(d) Narendra Modi
Ans. b

Q.18. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
‘Party politics in India has confronted numerous challenges. Not only has the Congress system destroyed itself, but the fragmentation of the Congress coalition has triggered a new emphasis on self-representation which raises questions about the party system and its capacity to accommodate diverse interests. An important test facing the politically is to evolve a party system or political parties that can effectively articulate and aggregate a ‘variety of interests.’ — Zoya Hasan
(i) Which of these events has been referred to in this passage?
(a) Death of Pt. Nehru
(b) National Emergency declared by Indira Government
(c) Split in Indian National Congress
(d) Defeat of Congress in recent General Elections
Ans. d

(ii) Who was the prime minister of India at the time of this event?
(a) Lal bahadur Shastri
(b) Indira Gandhi
(c) Dr. Manmohan Singh
(d) P. V. Narsimha Rao
Ans. c

(iii) What is the main reason for the fragmentation of the Congress coalition?
(a) Inability to accommodate diverse interest
(b) Ineffective leadership
(c) Both a and b
(d) None of these
Ans. c

(iv) What is the need of the hour for the Congress?
(a) Variety of interests
(b) Diversity of interests
(c) Unity of interests
(d) Dignity of interests
Ans. a

SECTION - C

Q.19. Name the big changes that defined the NDA government’s work till 2019.
Ans.
(i) Demonetisation: On 8 November 2016, the Government of India announced the demonetisation of all Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 banknotes of the Mahatma Gandhi Series. It also announced the issuance of new Rs. 500 and Rs. 2,000 banknotes in exchange for the demonetised banknotes. The move was reportedly aimed at targeting black money, though that narrative did change over the course of the year. The currency in circulation has now steadily grown.
(ii) Unified Tax: India has been looking at a unified goods and services tax (GST) regime for almost two decades. The NDA government took it upon itself to push through the indirect taxes reform. The comprehensive indirect tax came into effect from 1 July 2017.
(iii) Foreign Investment: The foreign investments have gone up since the NDA government came to power. The government has eased foreign investment norms in some crucial sectors.
(iv) Replacement of the Planning Commission by NITI Aayog: The Planning Commission was replaced with NITI Aayog. The NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India) is a policy think tank of the Government of India, established in 2015. Conflicting ministries were brought under one ministry like steel and mines or coal and power.

Q.20. What is ‘cultural homogenisation? Give one example of cultural homogenisation.
Ans. Cultural homogenization is an aspect of cultural globalization.
- It refers to the reduction in cultural diversity through the popularization and diffusion of a wide array of cultural symbols like customs, ideas and values.
- The impact of the western culture on the rest of the world is the best example of cultural homogenisation.

Q.21. What initiated the era of coalition government at the centre?
Ans:
(i) 1989 saw the emergence of several parties in such a way that one or two parties did not get most of the votes or seats.
(ii) This also meant that no single party secured a clear majority of seats in any Lok Sabha election held since 1989. This development initiated an era of coalition governments at the Centre.

Q.22. What was non-Congressism?
OR
What were the initial objectives of the newly formed DMK?
Ans. Non-Congressism is a term that is used to describe the anti-congress waves started by non-congress parties with rightist and leftist leanings parties felt Congress rule to be the root cause of various problems faced by our country such as food problems, economic crisis, corruption and dependence on foreign countries. This not only resulted in the defeat of many Congress stalwarts but also led to many internal revolts in the party. The coinage of this term can be rightfully traced back to the elections of 1967. A proposal by Ram Manohar Lohia in the early 60s that there was a viable alternative to the Congress Party and that all it needed was for the opposition to unite.
OR
What core values keep non-alignment relevant even after the Cold War has ended?
Ans. Non-alignment was based on the recognition that decolonised states share a historical affiliation and can become a powerful force if they come together. It was also based on the resolve to democratise the international system by thinking about an alternative world order to redress existing inequalities. These two core values keep non-alignment relevant even after the Cold War has ended.

SECTION - D

Q.23. Why does ASEAN still remain principally an economic association?
Ans. ASEAN still remains principally an economic association because:
(i) ASEAN region as a whole is a much smaller economy compared to the EU, the US and Japan.
(ii) ASEAN economy is growing much faster than the EU, the US and Japan.
(iii) Its objective is to create a common market and production base within ASEAN states.
(iv) It also wants to aid social and economic development in the region.
(v) It also likes to improve the existing ASEAN Dispute Settlement Mechanism to resolve economic disputes. [CBSE Marking Scheme, 2015]

Q.24. How has the European Union evolved over time from an economic union to an increasingly political one?
Ans. Formation of the European Union was aided by the Cold War. It became a forum for the western European states to co-operate on trade and economic issues.
(i) It also laid stress on a common foreign and security policy, co-operative on justice and home affairs and the creation of a common currency.
(ii) It has also started to act more as a nation state.
(iii) While the attempts to have a common Constitution for the EU have failed, it still has its own flag, anthem, founding date and currency. It also has some form of a common foreign and security policy in its dealings with other nations. It shows that European Union evolved over time from an economic union to an increasingly political one. [CBSE Marking Scheme-2015]

Q.25. Differentiate between the main objectives of the First and Second Five Year Plans.
OR
Evaluate any four benefits of the ‘Green Revolution’.
Ans. The two areas of focus under the First Five Year Plan were:
(i) Land reforms in rural areas.
(ii) Slow but steady growth of the National Income.
The main points of difference between the First Plan and the Second Plan were:
(i) The First Plan focused on land reforms in rural areas whereas the Second Plan focused on industrialisation in rural areas.
(ii) The First Plan focused on slow but steady growth of National Income whereas, the Second Plan focused on rapid industrialisation for overall growth of the economy.
OR
Explain the relationship between India and Bangladesh.
(i) The relations between the two countries have usually been friendly, although sometimes there are border disputes.
(ii) In 1971, the Bangladesh Liberation War broke out between East Pakistan and West Pakistan; India intervened in December 1971 on behalf of East Pakistan and helped secure East Pakistan’s independence from Pakistan as the country of Bangladesh.
(iii) India was the first country to recognize Bangladesh as a separate and independent state and established diplomatic relations with the country immediately after its independence in December 1971.
(iv) The relationship between India and Bangladesh is anchored in history, culture, language and shared values of secularism, democracy, and countless other commonalities between the two countries.

Q.26. How does the aim of India to respect the sovereignty of other countries find an echo in the Directive Principles of State Policy?
Ans. Aim of India to respect the sovereignty of other countries did find an echo in the Directive Principles of the State Policy: Article 51 of the Indian Constitution lays down some Directive Principles of State Policy on ‘Promotion of international peace and security.’ “The state shall endeavour to
(i) Promote international peace and security
(ii) Maintain just and honourable relations between nations
(iii) Foster respect for international law and treaty obligations in the dealings of organised people with one another;
(iv) Encourage settlement of international disputes by arbitration.”

Q.27. Describe the various phases of India's foreign policy towards China.
Ans. India’s foreign policy towards China has gone through four phases:
(i) From independence to the Dalai Lama’s escape to India in 1959 when Nehru dominated the country’s foreign policymaking.
(ii) From 1959 until the 1962 Sino-Indian War when Nehru also had to factor in domestic political pressure.
(iii) From 1962 until Rajiv Gandhi’s 1988 visit to Beijing when systemic factors influenced India’s approach.
(iv) From 1988 until the present when a combination of systemic and domestic factors is shaping India’s China policy.

SECTION - E

Q.28. In the given outline of the political map of India, five states have been marked as (A), (B), (C), (D) and (E). All these states were created after 1956. Identify them with the help of the information given below and write their correct names in your answer book along with the serial number of the information used and the concerned alphabet shown in the map as per the following table:
a. The state came into existence in 1966.
b. The state was created in the year 1960.
c. From which state was Uttaranchal carved out?
d. The state came into being in the year 2000.
e. From which state was Jharkhand carved out


Ans.


Q.29. Study the picture given below and answer the questions that follow:

(i) What does the cartoon represent?
(ii) Identify the lady in the cartoon and give reason for her pleasure.
(iii) Identify the person wearing the garland in the winning position.
(iv) Who is lying on the ground?
Ans. (i) It represents the Presidential elections of 1969.
(ii) The lady is Indira Gandhi and she is pleased as her nominee had won the presidential elections.
(iii) V.V. Giri
(iv) N Sanjeeva Reddy

SECTION - F

Q.30. What do you know about Indian Government’s involvement in Sri Lankan matters?
OR
Evaluate the role and limitations of SAARC as a forum for facilitating economic co-operation among Asian countries.
Ans. The Sri Lankan problem involves people of Indian origin, and there is considerable pressure from the Tamil people in India to the effect that the Indian Government should protect the interests of the Tamils in Sri Lanka.
(a) The government of India has from time to time tried to negotiate with the Sri Lankan Government on the Tamil question.
(b) But in 1987, the government of India for the first time got directly involved in the Sri Lankan Tamil question.
(c) India signed an accord with Sri Lanka and sent troops to stabilise relations between the Sri Lankan Government and the Tamils.
(d) Eventually, the Indian Army got into a fight with the LTTE. The presence of Indian troops was also not liked much by the Sri Lankans.
(e) They saw this as an attempt by India to interfere in the internal affairs of Sri Lanka. In 1989, the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) pulled out of Sri Lanka without attaining its objective.
OR
The role of SAARC:
(i) SAARC 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) SAFTA can usher in a chapter of peace and cooperation, but some of our neighbours fear this 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.  [CBSE Marking Scheme, 2015]

Q.31. How did India benefit from globalisation?
Ans. India benefited in the following manner:
(i) Shift from Import-Substitution to Export-Led Growth Strategy: The failure of import substitution strategy of industrial growth to achieve sustained growth forced India and other developing countries to pursue export-led growth strategy. It has been argued that by expanding exports to the other countries and getting required imports from them based on their respective comparative costs, developing countries will be able to achieve faster rates of economic growth.
(ii) Foreign Capital Inflows: The globalisation or integration of the Indian economy with the world economy is also beneficial because it would give a boost to foreign capital inflows in the form of portfolio investment and foreign direct investment.
(iii) Globalisation and Transfer of Technology: Another benefit flowing from globalisation of the Indian economy is that it acts as a mechanism for the transfer of technology from the developed countries. Therefore, it is through globalisation of its economy that we will be able to get advanced technology from the developed countries. Globalisation makes faster diffusion of new ideas and advanced technologies in the world. This will make it possible for the developing countries like India to catch up with the developed countries more quickly.
(iv) Increased Market Access: An important benefit of globalisation is increased market access. Free trade accompanying globalisation widens the markets for products of industries. This will lower the unit cost of production and increase the competitiveness of manufactured products. Thus globalisation will ensure greater gain from trade.
(v) Faster Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction: Globalisation helps in faster rate of reduction in poverty through acceleration of economic growth. Countries that have achieved significant poverty reduction are generally those that have grown rapidly and have, in turn, been open to trade.
(vi) Employment Argument: An important argument for liberation of trade and capital flows is that it will generate more employment opportunities. First, the growth in exports based on comparative cost advantage will lead to the creation of more employment opportunities. Secondly, employment opportunities also increase following the removal of restrictions on capital flows.
OR
Give a detailed account of relationships between India and Pakistan in the early years of independence.
Ans.
- India and Pakistan got embroiled in a conflict over the fate of Kashmir soon after the partition.
- The Pakistani government claimed that Kashmir belonged to it. Two wars took place in the year 1947–48 and 1965 over this issue, but failed to settle the matter.
- The 1947–48 war resulted in the division of the province into Pakistan—occupied Kashmir and the Indian province of Jammu and Kashmir divided by the Line of Control. In 1971, India won a decisive battle against Pakistan but the Kashmir issue remained unsettled.
- India’s conflict with Pakistan is also over strategic issues like the control of the Siachen glacier and over the acquisitions of arms.
- The arms race between the two countries assumed a new character with both the states acquiring nuclear weapons and missiles to deliver such arms against each other in the 1990s, India and Pakistan seem to have developed a military relationship in which the possibility of a direct and full-scale war has declined.
- The Indian Government blames the Pakistani government for using a strategy of low-key violence by helping the Kashmiri militants with arms, training, money and protection to carry out terrorist strikes against India.
- The Indian Government also believes that Pakistan had aided the pro-Khalistani militants with arms and ammunition during the period 1985–1995.
- India and Pakistan also have had problems over the sharing of river waters.
- Until 1960, they were locked in a fierce argument over the use of the rivers of the Indus basin.
- In 1960, with the help of the World Bank, India and Pakistan signed the Indus Waters Treaty which has survived to this day in spite of various military conflicts in which the two countries have been involved.

Q.32. ‘‘In the midst of severe competition and many conflicts, a consensus appears to have emerged among most political parties of India.’’ In the light of this statement, analyse any three elements of growing consensus.
Ans. Elements of Growing Consensus:
(i) Agreement on new economic policies: Most political parties are in support of the new economic policies. They believe it would lead to prosperity.
(ii) Acceptance of political and social claims of the backward classes: All political parties now support reservation of seats for backward classes.
(iii) Role of Regional Parties: State level parties are sharing power at the national level and have played a central role in the country’s politics.
(iv) Pragmatic Consideration: Coalition politics has shifted the focus of political parties from ideological differences to power sharing arrangements.  [CBSE Marking Scheme, 2018] 6
Detailed Answer:
This consensus consists of:
(i) Agreement of new economic policies: Most parties were in support of the new economic policies and believed that these policies would lead the country to prosperity and a status of economic power in the world.
(ii) Acceptance of the political and social claims of the backward castes: Political parties had recognised that the social and political claims of the backward castes need to be accepted and support reservation of seats for OBC in education and employment.
(iii) Acceptance of the role of state level parties in governance of the country: State level parties were sharing power at the national level and had played a central role in the country’s politics.
(iv) Emphasis on pragmatic considerations rather than ideological positions and political alliances without ideological agreement as most parties of the NDA did not agree with the ‘Hindutva’ ideology of the BJP. Yet, they came together to form a government and remained in power for a full term of five years.
OR

Why is emergency considered to be one of the most controversial episodes in Indian politics? Analyse any three reasons.
Ans.
Introduction- Emergency:
(a) On 25 June 1975, the government declared that there was a threat of internal disturbances and therefore, it invoked Article 352 of the Constitution.
(b) Under the provision of this article the government could declare a state of emergency on grounds of external threat or a threat of internal disturbances.
(c) The government decided that a grave crisis had arisen which made the proclamation of a state of emergency necessary.
Causes of Emergency:
(i) ‘The Bangladesh crisis had put a heavy strain on India’s economy.
(ii) This was followed by war with Pakistan.
(iii) After the war, the US government stopped all aid to India. Industrial growth was low and unemployment was very high. Monsoons failed in 1972–1973.
(iv) This resulted in a sharp decline in agricultural productivity and increase in the activities of Marxist groups.
(v) Students in Gujarat started an agitation against rising prices of food grains, cooking oil and other essential commodities, and against corruption in high places.
(vi) Leader Jayaprakash Narayan demanded the dismissal of the Congress government in Bihar and gave a call for Total Revolution in the social, economic and political spheres in order to establish what he considered to be true democracy.
(vii) A series of bandhs, gheraos, and strikes were organised in protest against the Bihar government.
(viii) There was constitutional hindrance regarding the change in the basic structure. The Supreme Court said that the government cannot change it. Secondly, can the Parliament curtail the right to property by making an amendment?
Again, the Court said that Parliament cannot amend the Constitution in such a manner that rights are curtailed. Thirdly, the Parliament amended the Constitution saying that it can abridge Fundamental Rights for giving effect to Directive Principles.
Consequences of Emergency:
(i) It invoked Article 352 of the Constitution that federal distribution of powers remains practically suspended and all the powers are concentrated in the hands of the Union Government.
(ii) Secondly, the government also gets the power to curtail or restrict all or any of the Fundamental Rights during the Emergency. Strikes were banned; many opposition leaders were put in Jail; the political situation became very tense.
(iii) Deciding to use its special powers under Emergency provisions, the government suspended the freedom of the press. The government made extensive use of preventive detention.
(iv) Under this provision, people were arrested and detained. Kannada writer Shivarama Karanth, awarded with Padma Bhushan, and Hindi writer Phanishwar Nath Renu, awarded with Padma Shri, returned their awards in protest against the suspension of democracy.
(Any three causes and any three consequences to be explained)