Class 10 Social Science Chapter 17 Political Parties (Civics) Practice Paper 3

Class: X Subject: Political Science Session: 2025-26 Chapter: 04 - Political Parties Time: 1½ Hours Max. Marks: 40

General Instructions:

1. All questions are compulsory.

2. This question paper contains 20 questions divided into five sections A, B, C, D and E.

3. Section A contains 10 MCQs of 1 mark each.

4. Section B contains 4 questions of 2 marks each.

5. Section C contains 3 questions of 3 marks each.

6. Section D contains 1 question of 5 marks.

7. Section E contains 2 Case Study Based questions of 4 marks each.

SECTION A - Multiple Choice Questions (1 mark each)

Q1. Match the following and choose the correct answer:

1. Congress Party A. Left Front

2. BJP B. United Progressive Alliance

3. CPI-M C. National Democratic Alliance
(a) 1-B, 2-C, 3-A
(b) 1-C, 2-A, 3-B
(c) 1-A, 2-B, 3-C
(d) 1-B, 2-A, 3-C

Q2. Which one of the following countries has a one-party system?
(a) India
(b) USA
(c) China
(d) United Kingdom

Q3. BSP seeks to represent:
(a) Upper castes only
(b) Bahujan samaj including dalits, adivasis, OBCs
(c) Business community
(d) Agricultural community

Q4. The Constitution was amended to prevent:
(a) Formation of coalition governments
(b) Defection by elected representatives
(c) Formation of new parties
(d) State parties from contesting elections

Q5. Regional parties in India have:
(a) Declined over time
(b) Expanded in number and strength
(c) Remained constant
(d) Been banned

Q6. Which party was in power in West Bengal for 34 years continuously?
(a) INC
(b) BJP
(c) CPI-M
(d) BSP

Q7. The ideological orientation of INC is:
(a) Leftist
(b) Rightist
(c) Centrist
(d) Communist

Q8. More than how many parties are registered with the Election Commission of India?
(a) 100
(b) 250
(c) 500
(d) 750

Q9. Which reform suggests that parties should give one-third tickets to women?
(a) Anti-defection law
(b) Affidavit filing
(c) Mandatory reservation for women
(d) State funding

Q10. NPP is the first national party from:
(a) South India
(b) North East India
(c) Western India
(d) Central India

SECTION B - Short Answer Questions (2 marks each)

Q11. How do political parties help in making laws?

Q12. What is a coalition government? Give an example.

Q13. Why is it said that parties shape public opinion?

Q14. State two ways in which people can put pressure on political parties for reforms.

SECTION C - Short Answer Questions (3 marks each)

Q15. Describe any three recent efforts to reform political parties in India.

Q16. Write a brief note on the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

Q17. Explain why India has a multi-party system. Is it good or bad for democracy?

SECTION D - Long Answer Question (5 marks)

Q18. "Political parties are one of the most visible institutions in a democracy but they are also one of the least trusted institutions." Explain this statement with reference to challenges faced by political parties.

SECTION E - Case Study Based Questions (4 marks each)

Q19. Read the following passage and answer the questions: "The Indian National Congress was founded in 1885 and has experienced many splits. It played a dominant role in Indian politics at the national and state level for several decades after India's Independence. Under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru, the party sought to build a modern secular democratic republic in India. A centrist party in its ideological orientation, the party espouses secularism and welfare of weaker sections and minorities."
(a) When was INC founded? (1 mark)
(b) What type of republic did INC want to build under Nehru? (1 mark)
(c) What is the ideological orientation of INC? (2 marks)

Q20. Read the following passage and answer the questions: "About hundred years ago, there were few countries of the world that had any political party. Now there are few that do not have parties. The rise of political parties is directly linked to the emergence of representative democracies. Large societies need representative democracy. As societies became large and complex, they also needed some agency to gather different views on various issues and to present these to the government."
(a) What was the situation regarding political parties a hundred years ago? (1 mark)
(b) What is the connection between political parties and representative democracy? (2 marks)
(c) Why are parties necessary in large societies? (1 mark) DETAILED ANSWER KEY - PAPER 03

SECTION A - Answers to MCQs

Ans 1.
(a) 1-B, 2-C, 3-A Ans 2.
(c) China Ans 3.
(b) Bahujan samaj including dalits, adivasis, OBCs Ans 4.
(b) Defection by elected representatives Ans 5.
(b) Expanded in number and strength Ans 6.
(c) CPI-M Ans 7.
(c) Centrist Ans 8.
(d) 750 Ans 9.
(c) Mandatory reservation for women Ans 10.
(b) North East India

SECTION B - Answers to Short Answer Questions

Ans 11. Political parties play a decisive role in making laws for a country. Formally, laws are debated and passed in the legislature. But since most of the members belong to a party, they go by the direction of the party leadership, irrespective of their personal opinions. Thus, parties effectively control the law-making process in a democracy. Ans 12. A coalition government is one that is formed by various parties coming together when no single party gets a clear majority in elections. In a multi-party system, different parties join hands to form the government. For example, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government formed in 2004 was a coalition government with INC as the leading party along with several other parties.

Ans 13. Parties shape public opinion because they raise and highlight issues that concern the people. Parties have lakhs of members and activists spread all over the country who help in spreading the party's views. Many pressure groups are extensions of political parties among different sections of society. Often opinions in the society crystallize on the lines parties take. Through these ways, parties influence and shape what people think about various issues. Ans 14. Two ways in which people can put pressure on political parties for reforms are:

1. Through petitions, publicity and agitations: Ordinary citizens, pressure groups and movements can raise issues related to party reforms through various means of public pressure.

2. By joining political parties: Those who want reforms can join political parties and work from within to improve them. The quality of democracy depends on the degree of public participation. It is difficult to reform politics if ordinary citizens do not take part in it.

SECTION C - Answers to Short Answer Questions

Ans 15. Three recent efforts to reform political parties in India are:

1. Anti-defection law: The Constitution was amended to prevent elected MLAs and MPs from changing parties. Now the law says that if any MLA or MP changes parties, he or she will lose the seat in the legislature. This has helped bring defection down.

2. Supreme Court order on affidavits: The Supreme Court passed an order making it mandatory for every candidate who contests elections to file an affidavit giving details of his property and criminal cases pending against him. This has made information about candidates available to the public.

3. Election Commission orders: The Election Commission passed an order making it necessary for political parties to hold their organisational elections and file their income tax returns. This was done to promote internal democracy and financial transparency in parties. Ans 16. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) was formed in 1984 under the leadership of Kanshi Ram. It seeks to represent and secure power for the bahujan samaj which includes the dalits, adivasis, OBCs and religious minorities. The party draws inspiration from the ideas and teachings of Sahu Maharaj, Mahatma Phule, Periyar Ramaswami Naicker and Babasaheb Ambedkar. It stands for the cause of securing the interests and welfare of the dalits and oppressed people. BSP has its main base in Uttar Pradesh and substantial presence in neighbouring states like Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Delhi and Punjab. It has formed government in Uttar Pradesh several times.

Ans 17. India has a multi-party system because the social and geographical diversity in such a large country is not easily absorbed by two or even three parties. India has many languages, religions, castes, and regional variations. Different regions have different issues and concerns. A multi-party system allows various interests and opinions to enjoy political representation. Whether it is good or bad: The multi-party system often appears messy and can lead to political instability due to coalition politics. However, it is good for democracy because it allows a variety of interests and opinions to be represented. In a diverse country like India, a multi-party system is more suitable than a two-party system as it provides wider representation. No system is ideal for all countries - each country develops a party system that is conditioned by its special circumstances.

SECTION D - Answer to Long Answer Question

Ans 18. This statement highlights the paradox of political parties in modern democracies. Political parties are indeed the most visible institutions because for most ordinary citizens, democracy equals political parties. They are present everywhere - in elections, in government, in media, and in public discourse. However, they are also one of the least trusted institutions. This is due to the various challenges they face:

1. Lack of internal democracy: There is concentration of power in the hands of one or few leaders. Parties do not hold regular organizational meetings or internal elections. Ordinary members have little say in decision- making, which creates distrust among people about how parties function internally.

2. Dynastic succession: Top positions in many parties are controlled by members of one family. This gives an impression that parties are private property of some families rather than democratic institutions, leading to public distrust.

3. Money and muscle power: Parties often nominate candidates based on their ability to raise funds rather than their merit or popular support. The growing role of rich people and criminals in politics creates a negative image. People see parties as corrupt institutions more interested in power than in public service.

4. Lack of meaningful choice: Parties often do not offer significantly different alternatives to voters. The same set of leaders keep shifting from one party to another. There has been a decline in ideological differences among parties, making people feel that all parties are the same.

5. Focus on electoral success: Parties have become so focused on winning elections that they often compromise on principles and policies. This makes people view them as power-hungry rather than people-oriented. Despite these challenges, parties remain necessary for democracy as they perform crucial functions like contesting elections, forming governments, making policies, and providing representation. The solution lies in reforming parties through legal measures, public pressure, and greater citizen participation rather than abandoning them.

SECTION E - Answers to Case Study Based Questions

Ans 19.
(a) INC was founded in 1885.
(b) Under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru, INC wanted to build a modern secular democratic republic in India.
(c) The ideological orientation of INC is centrist (neither rightist nor leftist). The party espouses secularism and welfare of weaker sections and minorities. It supports new economic reforms but with a human face, meaning it wants economic growth along with social justice and protection of vulnerable sections. Ans 20.
(a) About hundred years ago, there were very few countries in the world that had any political party. Most countries functioned without organized political parties.

(b) The rise of political parties is directly linked to the emergence of representative democracies. As countries adopted democratic systems where people elect their representatives, political parties emerged as necessary institutions. Parties became the mechanism through which people could participate in governance, choose their leaders, and hold governments accountable.
(c) Parties are necessary in large societies because these societies need some agency to gather different views on various issues and present them to the government. They also need ways to bring various representatives together so that a responsible government can be formed. Political parties fulfill these essential needs of representative democracy.