Class 12 Era of One-party Dominance Mock Test (CBSE)

Topics in Era of One-party Dominance

• Challenge of building democracy
• First three general elections
• Nature of Congress dominance
• Congress as social and ideological coalition
• Tolerance and management of factions
• Emergence of opposition parties

Era of One-party Dominance practice questions with answers

1. Q1Multiple choice·1 mark
   Which of the following statements correctly describes the role of opposition parties during the period of Congress dominance in the first three general elections?

   1. (a)They posed an immediate electoral threat and regularly formed alternative governments at the Centre.
   2. (b)They offered a sustained and principled criticism of Congress policies, helping shape the democratic character of the system.
   3. (c)They united as one front and ended Congress rule at the Centre for the first time in the 1962 general election.
   4. (d)They won enough Lok Sabha seats to form a recognised official opposition with its own Leader of the Opposition throughout the period.
   Show answer and step marks

   1. Correct option: (b) They offered a sustained and principled criticism of Congress policies, helping shape the democratic character of the system.+1

   Answer: (b)
2. Q2Multiple choice·1 mark
   How did the Congress party manage its internal ideological differences and factions during the early years of independence?

   1. (a)By expelling all members who disagreed with the high command
   2. (b)By banning the formation of any internal pressure groups or forums
   3. (c)By accommodating diverse ideological streams and balancing them within the party
   4. (d)By handing over leadership completely to regional satraps without central control
   Show answer and step marks

   1. Correct option: (c) By accommodating diverse ideological streams and balancing them within the party.+1

   Answer: (c)
3. Q3Short answer·2 marks
   Explain any two major challenges that India faced regarding the challenge of building a democracy immediately after independence.
   Show answer and step marks

   1. First challenge explained, any one of: organising elections on universal adult franchise for a huge electorate (about 17 crore voters), which meant delimiting constituencies and preparing electoral rolls; widespread illiteracy (only about 15 per cent of voters were literate), which called for special methods of voting such as party symbols; training about 3 lakh officials and polling staff to conduct the first general election; widespread poverty, which made many doubt whether democracy with universal adult franchise could work in India; building democratic institutions in a vast and very diverse country while keeping it united after Partition; or any other valid challenge.+1
   2. Second challenge explained, a different one from the same list.+1

   Answer: Any two of: holding elections on universal adult franchise for about 17 crore voters (delimitation, electoral rolls); widespread illiteracy requiring special voting methods such as symbols; training about 3 lakh polling staff; poverty that made many doubt democracy could work; building democracy in a vast, diverse country while keeping it united after Partition; or any other valid challenge.
4. Q4Short answer·3 marks
   Highlight any three key features of the first three general elections held in India between 1952 and 1962.
   Show answer and step marks

   1. First feature, any one of: the Congress won sweeping majorities in all three elections (364 of 489 seats in 1952, and similar majorities in 1957 and 1962) and formed governments in almost all states; the Congress won about 45 per cent of the votes but about three-fourths of the seats, an effect of the first-past-the-post system; elections were held on universal adult franchise for a huge, largely illiterate electorate, and their success proved critics of Indian democracy wrong; special voting methods such as party symbols and separate ballot boxes were used because of low literacy; opposition parties contested freely and won seats but remained small, the Communist Party of India being the largest in 1952; the Communist Party of India formed the government in Kerala in 1957, the first time anywhere in the world that a Communist party came to power through elections; the elections were free and fair and the losers accepted the results; or any other valid feature.+1
   2. Second feature, a different one from the same list.+1
   3. Third feature, a different one from the same list.+1

   Answer: Any three of: sweeping Congress majorities (364 of 489 seats in 1952); about 45% of votes giving about three-fourths of seats under first-past-the-post; successful elections on universal adult franchise for a huge, largely illiterate electorate; party symbols and separate ballot boxes; small but freely contesting opposition, the CPI being largest in 1952; the Communist government in Kerala in 1957; free and fair elections whose results were accepted; or any other valid feature.

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