SEBA Class 9 Social Science (Political Science) Chapter 1 – Political Parties in India Solutions & Summary
Looking for SEBA Class 9 Social Science (Political Science) Chapter 1 – “Political Parties in India” solutions? At Ospin Academy, you will get NCERT-based textbook answers, multiple-choice questions (MCQs), and a detailed chapter summary to help you prepare for exams effectively.
📖 Chapter Overview:
This chapter provides an overview of the political party system in India, explaining its types, functions, importance, and role in democratic governance.
📌 Key Topics Covered:
- ⭐ Definition and role of political parties
- ⭐ Types of political parties – National, regional, and local parties
- ⭐ Major political parties in India
- ⭐ Functions of political parties
- ⭐ Challenges faced by political parties in India
📌 Important Concepts:
- ⭐ What is a political party?
- ⭐ How do political parties function in India?
- ⭐ What are the major national political parties in India?
- ⭐ What challenges do political parties face?
- ⭐ How do elections impact political parties?
📝 How Ospin Academy Helps:
- ✅ Exam-Oriented Solutions: Fully NCERT-based Class 9 Social Science solutions.
- ✅ MCQs and Extra Questions: Important multiple-choice questions for better revision.
- ✅ Concept Clarity: Explanation with real-life examples.
- ✅ Quick Revision Notes: Key points summarized for last-minute preparation.
Access complete SEBA Class 9 Social Science (Political Science) Chapter 1 – “Political Parties in India” solutions at Ospin Academy and improve your understanding today!
Class 9 Social Science (English Medium) PDF Solutions 2025-26 | SEBA Assam
Download Class 9 Social Science (English Medium) PDF with chapter-wise MCQs, textbook solutions, and extra questions for SEBA Assam 2025-26.
Class 9 Social Science
Chapter – 1 Ospin Academy
Political Parties in India
POLITICAL SCIENCE
Give very short answer:
1. Give the name of a country having one party rule.
Answer:- The name of a country having one party rule is China.
2. What is the party system that is found in the United States of America?
Answer:- Bi-party system.
3. Mention the two characteristics of political party.
Answer:- (i) It has organisation.
(ii) It has certain clear-cut ideals and programme of action.
4. Mention a chief function of political party.
Answer:- The chief function of political party is to contest elections and form government.
5. Mention the name of a regional party of Assam.
Answer:- Asom Gana Parishad (AGP).
Q.6: What is the name of the chief regional party of Jharkhand?
Answer:- Jharkhand Mukhi Morcha.
7. Give the full term of UPA.
Answer:- United Progressive Alliance.
8. Which is the first political party of India?
Answer:- The Indian National Congress.
9. Under whose leadership was the Indian association formed?
Answer:- Surendranath Banerjee and Ananda Mohan Bose.
10. Who was the first president of the Indian National Congress?
Answer:- Woomesh Chandra Banerjee.
GIVE SHORT ANSWER:
Q.1: What is the chief characteristics of the Indian political system?
Answer:- The chief characteristics of the Indian political system is in India is regarded as the actual democratic system. It is seen that democracy is more stable and strong in the state having bi-party system than the state having multi-party system.
Q.2: Which party system is particularly useful for a democratic state?
Answer:- The best party system for a democratic state would be one where there are multiple competing parties and the people have control and influence over those parties.
In commerce, having less than 4 or 5 major players in an industry is seen as creating an anti-competitive business environment, and many governments have anti-trust laws that prevent monopolies, and oligopolies, and cartels from forming. Many governments also prohibit anti-competitive practices.
Well, it is the same with political parties. If you have less than 4 or 5 viable political parties, you don’t really have effective competition. And, likewise, there needs to be a fair set of rules that everyone plays by to eliminate and prevent anti-competitive practices, otherwise, one or more groups get disenfranchised.
The basic premise is that if you suppress minor political parties, you are suppressing the people, and that is not democracy.
You would need, at minimum, the following elements:
(i) Free speech: Competing parties, even unpopular ones, should be able to promote their agenda, with the exception of making direct threats.
(ii) Equal time: All parties should have the ability to get their message out equally. This can be achieved in a variety of ways, such as allowing giving equal time in public debates to at least 4 parties, not just the biggest two. Public forums should give.
(iii) Voting System that Does Not Favour Certain Parties:
(a) You would need something like ranked voting or instant runoff voting that makes it possible for third parties to win. Currently, in the U.S., many people don’t vote for third parties because they feel it may help a party they don’t like to win. But with ranked voting, they can choose their first and second choices, and parties they do not like don’t get an advantage.
(b) You also need to divide voting districts so that it represents the people instead of using them as pawns for getting one party elected over another. This is a complicated subject in itself, and there are multiple ways to achieve this.
Q.3: Mention four chief characteristics of political party.
Answer:- Four chief characteristics of political party are:
(i) organization.
(ii) principal, ideals and planning.
(iii) aspiration for capturing power.
(iv) regards for national interest.
Q.4: Give the name of five regional political parties of India.
Answer:- Five important regional political parties of India are:
(i) Aam Aadmi Party.
(ii) Alkali Dal-Punjab.
(iii) All India United Democratic Front.
(iv) Shiv Sena-Maharashtra.
(v) DMK.
Q.5: What is meant by the term alliance government?
Answer:- Alliance Government means the government is formed by the help of merging some of the party to show majority in the parliament to make the government in country. Alliance Government is also known as coalition government
Q.1: What is meant by alliance government?
Answer:- Alliance Government means the government is formed by the help of merging some of the party to show majority in the parliament to make the government in country. Alliance Government is also known as coalition government.
When any single political party fails to form government for not getting absolute majority in the General elections, in such circumstances a few like minded political parties come together by making an alliance and they form the government. Such a government is known as the Alliance of Coalition government.
The political parties forging the alliance to form government may possess different ideas but in order to capture ruling power these political parties make a compromise and adjustment to their respective ideals and interests to a common acceptable programme to form government.
The concept of Alliance of Coalition government is not very old in our country. So long the hegemony of the Indian National Congress in the Indian politics remained intact in the post independent era, the concept of the Alliance government did not crop up at all.
From the year 1947 to the year 1967 the Indian National Congress continued its one party rule both at the center and in the provinces. As such no reference of Alliance government was to be found. However in the later years when the single party dominance or the hegemony of the Indian National Congress eclipsed and faced a formidable challenge in the political scenario of Indian politics, the process of forming of Alliance government came into practice as an alternative to the one party rule.
The first ever Alliance or Coalition government at the center was formed in the year 1977 with the Prime Ministership of the late Morarji Desai under the banner of the Janata party. In the year 1979 when this Alliance government belonging to the Janata party collapsed, in the month of October of the same year another Alliance government came into being under the Prime Ministership of Choudhary Charan Singh. However this government also didn’t survive long. Although in the following two elections thereafter the Indian National Congress became able to capture ruling power again. Yet since 1989 the Alliance government to rule at the center.
Alliance government in some of the provinces in India as it is found at the center. The different Alliance that ruled at the center in different period and occasions are the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) etc.
Q.2: Discuss two merits and two demerits of the coalition or the alliance government.
Answer:- Two merits of coalition government:
The rise of the coalition government is attributed to the fact that it acts as a safeguard for numerous sections of society whose concerns will not go unaddressed. There are other advantages for which the coalition government is favored in the era of democracy.
(i) It caters to the needs of the different strata of society. It covers the interests of many groups.
(ii) The coalition government is a cauldron of varied ideologies and the decision can be made on the basis of consensus. Henceforth, the decisions are
consensus-based.
Two demerits of coalition government:
Along with the numerous benefits, there are some disadvantages associated with the coalition government. As common governance and joint governance are the two pillars of the coalition government, some demerits also surface through this.
(i) The difference in perspectives and views can lead to imbalance and instability in the government.
(ii) In the Parliamentary form of government, the Prime Minister is considered the leader. In the coalition government, the Prime Minister will have to take in suggestions and advice from the partners in the coalition for making decisions.
Q.3: Discuss the role the opposition in democracy.
Answer:- The role of the opposition party in a democracy cannot be overstated. They play a crucial role in ensuring that the government is held accountable for its actions and policies. The opposition party acts as a counterbalance to the ruling party, providing an alternate viewpoint and challenging the government’s policies and actions.
(i) One of the most important functions of the opposition party is to act as a watchdog, monitoring the government’s actions and highlighting any issues or problems that may arise. This helps to ensure that the government is always working in the best interests of the people and that any issues or problems are addressed.
(ii) Additionally, the opposition party plays an important role in fostering a healthy and robust political discourse. They provide an alternative perspective and challenge the ruling party’s policies and actions, leading to a more informed and engaged public.
Q.4: Discuss the reasons for the birth of the regional parties.
Answer:- India has a multi-party system. It is estimated that over 2100 registered political parties have appeared in India since the Independence. Now, only six national
political parties and 30 regional political parties are active in both Central and state politics. Earlier the regional parties were unable to play major role at the Centre due to the dominance of Congress Party. But of late, the emergence of regional parties have posed the most powerful challenge to India’s ‘One Party Dominant System’.
The main reasons for the birth of the regional political parties are:
(A) the discriminatory views, attitudes and principles of the all India national parties.
(b) linguistic and religious diversity of the people living in different parts of the country.
(c) the insecure feelings among the minorities.
(d) the union government’s policy for centralization of power and to gain the sole rights of the invaluable various resources of the different states.
(e) the lack of equal justification of the union government towards all states.
(f) the weakness of the regional leaders belonging to the national parties or the union government etc.
Q.5: Write about the necessity of political parties in a democratic state.
Answer: Political parties play a crucial role in a democratic state. Their importance became prominent with the rise of democracy, replacing the monarchy system where a king had absolute power. In a monarchy, the king’s word was law, but with the advent of democracy, political parties became a central part of governance. A political party serves as a bridge between the government and the people, bringing citizens closer to the administration.
Every democratic state today has some form of political party system. Some countries have a one-party system, like China, while others have a bi-party system, such as the USA and the UK. Countries like India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh have a multi-party system. However, a one-party system does not represent true democracy, as it lacks political pluralism.
The bi-party system, which is common in stable democracies, ensures clear political choices and reduces the likelihood of political crises. On the other hand, multi-party systems, although more diverse, can sometimes lead to instability due to frequent changes in government coalitions.
In conclusion, political parties are indispensable for a democracy to function effectively, as they ensure representation, stability, and a connection between the government and the public.
Q.6: Mention the characteristics and the functions of the political party.
Answer:- The Characteristics of a Political Party are to attain power, pursue an ideology, have a common agenda, establish a government, and act as a link between the people & the government.
Characteristics of a political party are:
(i) A political party has members who agree on some policies and programmes for the society with a view to promoting the common good.
(ii) It seeks to implement the policies by winning popular support through elections.
(iii) The presence of a leader, the party workers and supporters.
(iv) It is a group of people who come together to contest elections and hold power in the government.
The political parties functions:
(i) Competitive elections: Political parties compete in elections to win a majority and form a government. Members of the political parties choose their candidates who fight for them in elections.
(ii) Policies and programs: Political parties talk about policies in public. They are trying to convince the public that their party’s policies are better.
(iii) Mould public opinion: One of the major functions of the political parties is to help to form correct public opinion. Political parties through their party propaganda, leaflets, discussion and debates within and outside the legislature influence the public mind.
(iv) Law making: Political parties play a very important role in making laws for the country. Any proposed law is first called a bill.
(v) Create and run a government: The government is formed by the political party that wins the majority in the elections. That party is called the ruling party. He builds and then runs the government
(vi) Role of the Opposition: A political party that loses an election forms the opposition party. He controls the ruling party. Opposition parties criticise the ruling government if it implements
7. Discuss the reasons for getting special significance by the system of the alliance government at present.
Answer:-
The system of alliance or coalition government has gained special significance for several reasons:
1. Increase in the number of political parties: With the rise of regional and smaller political parties, no single party often achieves an absolute majority in general elections, making alliances necessary to form a government.
2. Decline of the dominance of a single political party: The political landscape has shifted from a dominant single-party system to a more fragmented multi-party system, requiring parties to collaborate and form coalitions.
3. Regional representation: In a coalition government, different regions and communities are better represented, ensuring that the interests of diverse groups are considered and accommodated in governance.
These factors have made coalition governments more common and significant in contemporary politics.
SEBA Assam Class 9 Social Science Chapter 1 – Political Parties in India FAQs
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