CG Board Class 10 Social Science Chapter 14 Solutions: Democracy in Independent India and the Working of Political Institutions (स्वतंत्र भारत में लोकतंत्र और राजनीतिक संस्थाओं की कार्यप्रणाली) (2026-27)

1. The first general elections in independent India were conducted in 1952 (or 1951-52).
2. The Indian National Congress (Congress) party got an overwhelming majority in the Lok Sabha elections in 1952, 1957 and 1962.
3. The zamindari system was abolished in 1949-56 and the tenants were given title deeds to their land.
4. The Hindu Code Bill was first presented to the constituent assembly by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar.
5. Potti Sreeramulu undertook a fast unto death to demand the creation of a state for the Telugu-speaking people.
6. Hindi is the official language of India.
7. The use of scientific techniques in agriculture to increase grain production is known as the Green revolution.
8. The ending of special privileges, titles and allowances extended to royal families after independence is called the abolition of Privy Purses.
9. A state of emergency was declared from 25 June 1975 to March 1977 on the basis of internal civil strife.
10. The military operations to cleanse the Golden Temple of terrorists was called Operation Blue Star.

1. Made it compulsory for the states to implement Panchayati Raj.**

1. Give a larger share of water from the Sardar Sarovar dam to Punjab.* (Note: Demand was for Bhakra Nangal water).*

1. Deporting of foreign (Bangladeshi) nationals.**

1. Maharashtra.**

1. Non-alignment.**

1. China.**

1. Mixed economy.**

1. Soviet Russia.**

1. Provide a separate election symbol and ballot box for each candidate.**

1. Fear of change in the Hindu religion and social system.**

Dr. B. R. Ambedkar resigned from the cabinet as Law Minister because the Constituent Assembly deferred the passage of the Hindu Code Bill due to intense opposition from conservative Hindu leaders and traditional political groups, postponing it until after the first general elections.

The Hindu Code Bill provided significant legal guarantees for gender equality

1. Granted daughters and wives equal inheritance rights in undivided ancestral property alongside sons.
2. Made bigamy/polygamy illegal for men, enforcing monogamy equally.
3. Granted equal legal rights to women to seek divorce under specific hardship conditions.
4. Legalized inter-caste marriages and adoption of children across castes.

Fears**: Minority religious communities (especially Muslims following partition) feared that a Uniform Civil Code would encroach upon their religious freedom, personal laws, and cultural identity.

• Views of Ambedkar and Nehru: Both agreed that reform was necessary, but argued that a uniform code should not be imposed forcibly on minorities without their voluntary consent. They believed that passing personal law reform for Muslims right after partition would alienate them further.

Language became the primary basis for state reorganisation because

1. Colonial provinces were administrative units cut across linguistic lines.
2. Administrative efficiency required governance and schooling in the local mother tongue.
3. Massive popular movements (e.g., Potti Sreeramulu’s martyrdom for Andhra) demonstrated that linguistic identity was the strongest emotional bond unifying regional populations.

Positive outcomes included

1. Strengthened national integration by removing linguistic disaffection and separatist fears.
2. Enhanced democratic participation as governance and courts functioned in regional languages.
3. Accelerated regional economic and educational growth by tailoring policies to regional needs.

Planned development through the Planning Commission enabled the central government to mobilize national savings, prioritize key infrastructure sectors (steel, dams, power), direct capital allocation, and establish public sector enterprises (PSUs), making the state the supreme manager of national economic growth.

First Five-Year Plan (1951-56)**: Focused on agricultural development, irrigation projects (Bhakra Nangal, Hirakud), and land reforms to achieve food self-sufficiency.

• Second Five-Year Plan (1956-61): Focused on rapid industrialization with emphasis on heavy industries (steel plants like Bhilai, capital goods, railways) based on the Mahalanobis model of a mixed economy.

Constitution**: Jawaharlal Nehru moved the Objectives Resolution setting out the core vision of a sovereign, secular democratic republic.

• States Reorganisation: Appointed the States Reorganisation Commission (SRC) in 1953 and accepted linguistic reorganisation to maintain unity.
• Planning Commission: Established the Planning Commission in 1950 and championed a mixed economy.
• Foreign Policy: Framed Non-Alignment (NAM) and Panchsheel to maintain independent diplomacy during the Cold War.

The main principles were

1. Non-Alignment (NAM): Refusing to join US or Soviet military power blocs.
2. Panchsheel Doctrine: Five principles including non-aggression, non-interference, mutual respect for sovereignty, equality, and peaceful co-existence.
3. Anti-Colonialism & Global Peace: Supporting national liberation struggles in Asia and Africa.

Similarities**: Both were powerful regional movements against central government dominance, cited economic/resource neglect, organized strikes and blockades, and culminated in formal accords signed by Rajiv Gandhi in 1985.

• Differences

1. Core Issue: Punjab’s movement revolved around state autonomy, water rights, and religious identity, whereas Assam’s movement focused on deporting illegal Bangladeshi immigrants and protecting employment for locals.
2. Militancy: Punjab suffered extreme militant secessionist violence (Khalistan demand), whereas Assam was primarily a student-led mass agitation (AASU).

The Constitution did not make Hindi the national language because India is a deeply multi-lingual nation. Imposing Hindi on non-Hindi speaking southern and eastern states (such as Tamil Nadu and West Bengal) risked sparking linguistic secession, internal strife, and alienation among non-Hindi citizens. Therefore, Hindi was designated as the official language while English was retained for official use.

The Congress party split in 1969 due to intense ideological and power conflicts between Prime Minister Indira Gandhi (supported by the socialist “Young Turks”) and traditional senior leaders (known as the “Syndicate”). The split crystallized during the Presidential election of 1969 when Indira Gandhi supported independent candidate V. V. Giri against official Congress candidate N. Sanjiva Reddy.

Emergency**: An extraordinary constitutional provision imposed from June 25, 1975 to March 1977 by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, suspending normal democratic governance and fundamental rights.

• Undemocratic Activities

1. Imprisonment of thousands of opposition political leaders, activists, and journalists without trial under preventive detention laws (MISA).
2. Strict press censorship prohibiting publication of news critical of the government.
3. Forced sterilization drives and forced slum clearances.
4. Constitutional amendments passed to abrogate judicial review and fundamental rights.

During Rajiv Gandhi’s tenure as Prime Minister, key steps included

1. Rajiv-Longowal Accord (1985): Signed to restore peace in Punjab by agreeing to transfer Chandigarh to Punjab.
2. Assam Accord (1985): Signed with AASU leaders to detect and deport post-1971 illegal immigrants.
3. 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act: Passed to introduce democratic decentralization through mandatory Panchayati Raj.

Emergency Amendments**: The 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act (1976) severely curtailed fundamental rights, extended the Lok Sabha term from 5 to 6 years, and reduced judicial review powers of the Supreme Court.

• Revocation: The Janata Party government passed the 44th Constitutional Amendment Act (1978), which restored the 5-year term, made fundamental rights non-suspendable, restricted Emergency provisions exclusively to “armed rebellion”, and restored judicial oversight.

Coalition Governments (1990-2000)**: National Front (V. P. Singh / Chandra Shekhar), United Front (H. D. Deve Gowda / I. K. Gujral), and NDA (Atal Bihari Vajpayee).

• Contributions: Implementation of Mandal Commission reservations for OBCs, initiation of LPG economic reforms (1991), Pokhran-II nuclear tests (1998), and expansion of federal accommodation.
• Shortcomings: Frequent political instability, premature fall of governments, and policy paralysis due to partner pressures.