political science CBSE class 11 course B chapter 2 (sample paper)

🟩 CBSE CLASS 11 – POLITICAL SCIENCE (COURSE B)

CHAPTER 2 – THE ERA OF ONE-PARTY DOMINANCE

Sample Question Paper (Full Marks: 40)
Time: 90 Minutes

🧩 General Instructions:

1. All questions are compulsory.
2. Marks are indicated against each question.
3. Answer briefly but to the point.
4. Where necessary, give examples to support your answers.

SECTION – A (Very Short Answer Type)

(1 Mark each)

Q1. Which political party dominated Indian politics immediately after Independence?
Answer: The Indian National Congress (INC).

Q2. In which year was the first general election held in India?
Answer: 1952.

Q3. Who was the first Prime Minister of Independent India?
Answer: Jawaharlal Nehru.

Q4. Name the party formed by Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee in 1951.
Answer: Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS).

Q5. Which communist party formed the first non-Congress government in India, and in which state?
Answer: Communist Party of India (CPI) in Kerala (1957).

Q6. When did the Congress party split into Congress (O) and Congress (I)?
Answer: In 1969.

Q7. What was the main ideology of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh?
Answer: Establishment of India as a Hindu Rashtra and promotion of Indian culture and unity.

Q8. Which election is considered the end of Congress’s one-party dominance?
Answer: The General Elections of 1967.

SECTION – B (Short Answer Type Questions)

(2 Marks each)

Q9. Explain two main reasons behind Congress’s dominance after independence.
Answer:

1. Congress led the freedom struggle and had national credibility.
2. It represented all sections of society – farmers, workers, business classes, and intellectuals.

Q10. What challenges did India face in establishing democracy after independence?
Answer:

• Social and cultural diversity made consensus-building difficult.
• Low literacy and lack of political awareness.
• Ensuring free and fair elections in a newly independent nation.

Q11. What role did opposition parties play during the Congress dominance period?
Answer:

• They acted as a check on the ruling party’s power.
• Strengthened democratic accountability and political debate in Parliament and states.

Q12. Mention two features of the Communist Party of India’s ideology.
Answer:

1. Belief in Marxism and class struggle.
2. Focus on laborers’ and peasants’ welfare through socialism.

Q13. How did the Bharatiya Jana Sangh differ from the Congress in its political vision?
Answer:

• BJS emphasized cultural nationalism and Hindu unity.
• Congress believed in secularism and composite nationalism.

Q14. What do you mean by “umbrella organization” in context of Congress?
Answer:
It means a political organization that accommodates diverse groups and ideologies under one platform — such as socialists, Gandhians, and liberals within the Congress.

SECTION – C (Long Answer Type Questions)

(4 Marks each)

Q15. Describe the major features of the first three general elections in India.
Answer:

• 1952: First democratic election, Congress won 364 of 489 seats; Nehru became Prime Minister.
• 1957: Congress again won a landslide; opposition remained weak.
• 1962: Third consecutive victory for Congress, showing stable democracy.
• These elections built trust in electoral democracy and proved people’s faith in the system.

Q16. Discuss the reasons for the decline of Congress dominance after 1967.
Answer:

1. Internal divisions and leadership crisis after Nehru’s death.
2. Rise of regional parties and stronger opposition coalitions.
3. Public dissatisfaction due to corruption and economic challenges.
4. Growing awareness among people and demand for alternative leadership.

Q17. Evaluate the positive and negative aspects of one-party dominance in India.
Answer:
Positive:

• Political stability and unity after independence.
• Rapid policy-making and nation-building under a strong central leadership.

Negative:

• Weak opposition and lack of effective checks on power.
• Emergence of internal factionalism within Congress.
• Limited scope for political diversity during early years.

Q18. How did the dominance of the Congress help in the consolidation of democracy in India?
Answer:

• Congress respected democratic norms despite its dominance.
• Encouraged multi-party participation through free elections.
• Maintained balance among diverse regions, religions, and communities.
• Established democratic institutions and a culture of political tolerance.

SECTION – D (Essay Type Questions)

(6 Marks each)

Q19. Examine the role of opposition parties in strengthening Indian democracy during the era of Congress dominance.
Answer:

• Opposition parties like CPI, Jan Sangh, Socialist Party, and others provided alternative ideologies.
• They criticized Congress policies, ensuring accountability.
• In states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu, they provided effective non-Congress governments.
• Opposition leaders like Ram Manohar Lohia and A.B. Vajpayee strengthened parliamentary democracy.
• Their presence ensured democratic competition, leading to a healthy multi-party system after 1967.
  Conclusion: Thus, despite Congress dominance, the opposition played a vital role in institutionalizing democracy in India.

Q20. Explain how the Congress Party’s broad-based character contributed to its success and later to its decline.
Answer:

• Congress represented multiple interests — peasants, industrialists, workers, and minorities.
• This inclusiveness gave it wide support immediately after independence.
• However, internal ideological conflicts later led to divisions.
• Regional aspirations and leadership struggles weakened unity.
• The 1969 split between Congress (O) and Congress (I) marked the end of its dominance.
  Conclusion: The same diversity that gave Congress strength also became a cause of its decline as political pluralism matured in India.

✅ Full Marks Distribution Summary