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Predicted Questions with Model Answers
Q1 (5 marks — 50 words): What do you understand by the Congress System? Who propounded it?
Model Answer:
The Congress System was conceptualised by political scientist Rajni Kothari to describe India's 1952–1967 polity where the Indian National Congress functioned as a dominant "party of consensus" — accommodating diverse ideological groups internally. Other parties (Socialists, Communists, Swatantra, Jan Sangh) acted as "parties of pressure," competing within a Congress-dominated framework. This system ended in 1967 when Congress lost power in eight states, beginning India's shift toward competitive multi-party politics.
Q2 (5 marks — 50 words): What are the causes of regionalism in India?
Model Answer:
Regionalism in India arises from: (1) Linguistic identity — demands for linguistically homogeneous states (States Reorganisation Act 1956); (2) Economic disparities — backward regions demand separate statehood or special packages; (3) Cultural and ethnic assertion — Dravidian identity in Tamil Nadu, tribal identity in Northeast; (4) Centre-state policy grievances — over resource sharing, financial devolution, river water; (5) Historical factors — distinct pre-colonial kingdoms and uneven colonial development reinforcing regional identities.
Q3 (5 marks — 50 words): What is the anti-defection law in India? State two grounds for disqualification.
Model Answer:
India's anti-defection law (Tenth Schedule, added by 52nd Constitutional Amendment 1985) disqualifies legislators who change parties or defy party whip. Two grounds for disqualification: (1) Voluntary surrender of party membership — member quits or is expelled from their party; (2) Voting against party direction — member votes or abstains contrary to party whip without prior permission. The Speaker/Chairman is the deciding authority. A merger exemption applies if 2/3rd of the legislative party merges.
Q4 (10 marks — 150 words): Critically evaluate the role of regional parties in Indian coalition politics.
Model Answer:
Regional parties have been defining actors in Indian democracy since the coalition era began in 1989. Their role is both constructive and problematic.
Constructive role: Regional parties represent sub-national identities — linguistic, cultural, ethnic — that national parties tend to homogenise. They have delivered state-specific policy gains: DMK secured Tamil Nadu infrastructure funds in UPA; TDP advocated Andhra special status; Left parties ensured NREGS was included in UPA-I CMP (2004). They deepen democracy by giving voice to diverse interests and preventing national hegemony.
Problematic aspects: Regional parties in coalition governments prioritise narrow constituency interests over national policy. Portfolio allocation becomes a bargaining mechanism — leading to governance fragmentation. Some regional parties are personality cults with thin ideology (DMK under M.K. Stalin faced criticism as dynasty politics). Anti-defection loopholes allow opportunistic coalitions — Maharashtra's Shiv Sena split (2022–23) created constitutional crisis requiring Supreme Court intervention.
Balance sheet: Regional parties are simultaneously the strength of Indian federalism and a challenge to national governance capacity. The answer lies in national parties developing genuine regional sensitivity and regional parties developing national responsibility.
Q5 (10 marks — 150 words): Describe the evolution of India's party system from one-party dominance to multi-party coalition era.
Model Answer:
India's party system has evolved through four distinct phases:
Phase I — One-party dominance (1952–1967): Congress under Nehru dominated with 60–75% of Lok Sabha seats. Rajni Kothari's "Congress System" described this as a party of consensus accommodating diverse interests. Congress lost eight states in 1967 — end of dominance.
Phase II — Congress decline (1967–1989): Indira Gandhi split Congress (1969); Emergency (1975–77) politicised millions; Janata Party won 1977 as the first non-Congress central government but collapsed by 1979. Congress returned but its dominance was increasingly challenged at state level by linguistic and regional parties.
Phase III — Coalition era (1989–2014): No party won a LS majority for 25 years. V.P. Singh (1989), P.V. Narasimha Rao minority (1991), United Front (1996–98), Vajpayee's NDA (24-party coalition, 1999–2004), UPA-I and UPA-II — successive coalition governments with regional parties as kingmakers.
Phase IV — Return of dominance (2014–present): BJP won 282 seats alone in 2014 and 303 in 2019 — first single-party majorities since 1984. However, 2024 saw BJP winning only 240 seats (NDA: 293), reintroducing coalition dynamics with TDP and JDU as crucial partners.
This evolution reflects India's demographic and federal complexity — no permanent dominance, but cycles of aggregation and fragmentation.
Q6 (5 marks — 50 words): Distinguish between pre-poll alliance and post-poll coalition with Indian examples.
Model Answer:
Pre-poll alliance: Parties announce alliance before elections, share seats, and campaign jointly. They form the government if victorious on a pre-agreed platform. Example: BJP-led NDA and Congress-led INDIA Alliance in 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Post-poll coalition: Parties join together after election results, without pre-election commitment. Example: United Front governments (1996–98) — formed after hung parliament with outside Congress support. The Common Minimum Programme (CMP) is typically the governing document in both types.