Ch 2 Federalism

1. OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS 9. Power to interpret the constitution is with the:

(a) courts (b) judiciary
(c) state government (d) none of the above
1. Belgium shifted from a unitary form of government to:
(a) democratic (b) federal Ans : (b) judiciary
(c) authoritarian (d) none of the above 10. In Unitary form of government
Ans : (b) federal (a) all the power is divided between the centre/union
and the state provincial government.
2. Which type of government does the Belgium have? (b) all the power is with the citizens.
(a) Federal (b) Communist
(c) State Government has all the powers
(c) Unitary (d) Central
(d) power is concentrated with the Central
Ans : (a) Federal Government.
3. In federalism, power is divided between various Ans : (d) power is concentrated with the Central
constituent units and: Government.
(a) central authority (b) states
11. The place of Rajasthan where India conducted its
(c) both (a) and (b) (d) none of the above nuclear tests is
Ans : (a) central authority (a) Kalikat (b) Pokharan
(c) Kavaratti (d) Karaikal
4. Which countries follow the unitary system of
government? Ans : (b) Pokharan
(a) Belgium, Spain and India
12. The coming together federation is:
(b) USA Japan and Belgium (a) India (b) Spain
(c) United Arab Emirates, China and Sri Lanka (c) USA (d) Australia
(d) France, Germany and India
Ans : (c) USA
Ans : (c) USA Japan and Belgium

5. In federal system, central government cannot order

13. The first and major test for democratic politics in our
the:
country was
(a) principal (b) local government
(a) caste problem
(c) state government (d) none of the above
(b) language problem
Ans : (c) state government (c) problems related to union territories
6. A system of government in which power is divided (d) creation of linguistic state
between a central authority and various constituent Ans : (d) creation of linguistic state
unit of the country is called
(a) Federalism (b) Communal-ism 14. Indian official language is:
(c) Socialism (d) Democracy (a) Hindi (b) English
(c) Urdu (d) None of these
Ans : (a) Federalism
Ans : (a) Hindi
7. State government has powers of its own for which it is
not answerable to the:
(a) central government (b) judiciary
(c) both (a) and (b) (d) none of the above
Ans : (b) judiciary

8. Which country is an example of coming together

federation?
(a) Belgium (b) USA
(c) Sri Lanka (d) India
Ans : (b) USA
15. How many languages are included in the Eight Ans : (a) Decentralisation
Schedule of the Indian Constitution?
(a) 15 (b) 22
(c) 25 (d) 21 2. FILL IN THE BLANK
Ans : (b) 22
DIRECTION : Complete the following statements with
16. Which language has status of the national language appropriate word(s).
in India?
1. Holding together country decides to divide its power
(a) Tamil (b) Hindi
between the .......... and .......... .
(c) English (d) None of these
Ans : the national government, constituent states
Ans : (d) None of these
2. First major test of democratic politics in our country
17. The municipal corporation officers are called: was the creation of .......... .
(a) Mayors (b) MLAs Ans : linguistic states
(c) Sarpanchs (d) none of these
3. Under the............. system, either there is only one level
Ans : (a) Mayors
of government or the sub-units are subordinate to the
18. Who can make laws relating to the subjects mentioned central government.
in the Union list? Ans : Unitary
(a) Local Government (b) State Government
4. .......... list includes subjects of national importance
(c) Union Government (d) State and Union
such as defence of the country, foreign affairs etc.
Ans : (c) Union Government Ans : Union
19. Federations have been formed with the two kinds of: 5. The .......... overseas the implementation of
(a) states (b) routes constitutional and procedures.
(c) people (d) none of the above Ans : Judiciary
Ans : (a) state
6.in India enjoys a special status. This state has
20. The state which violently demanded that the use of its own constitution.
English for official purpose should be continued, is Ans : Jammu and Kashmir
(a) Kerala (b) Karnataka
(c) Tamil Nadu (d) Andhra Pradesh
Ans : (c) Tamil Nadu
3. TRUE/FALSE
21. To make India a strong federation, we need: DIRECTION : Read each of the following statements and
(a) written constitution (b) rigid constitution write if it is true or false.
(c) independent judiciary (d) all of the above
1. Besides Hindi, India has 21 official languages.
Ans : (d) all of the above Ans : True
22. Major step towards decentralisation in India was 2. 1980s was the era of coalition governments.
taken up in
Ans : False
(a) 1992 (b) 1993
(c) 1991 (d) 1990 3. Second test for the Indian Federation was the language
Ans : (a) 1992 policy
Ans : True
23. Who has special power in administering the Union
Territories in India? 4. When the power is taken from the local and state
(a) Central Government (b) Chief Minister government and given to central government, it is
(c) President (d) Governor called decentralisation.
Ans : False
Ans : (a) Central Government
5. Decentralisation helps to build effective communication.
24. Who is the head of urban local government?
(a) Sarpanch (b) Ward commissioner Ans : True
(c) Mukhiya (d) Mayor
Ans : (d) Mayor 4. ASSERTION AND REASON
25. When power is taken away from state governments
DIRECTION : Mark the option which is most suitable :
and is given to local government, it is called
(a) Decentralisation (b) Centralisation (a) If both assertion and reason are true and reason is
the correct explanation of assertion.
(c) Panchayat Samiti (d) Federalism
(b) If both assertion and reason are true but reason is
 not the correct explanation of assertion. Residuary subjects. It includes the subjects such as
(c) If assertion is true but reason is false. computer software that came after constitution was
(d) If both assertion and reason are false. made. Union Government has power to legislate on
these ‘residuary’ subjects.
1. Assertion : Belgium and Spain has ‘holding together’
7. Assertion : India has a federal system.
federation.
Reason : Under a unitary system, either there is
Reason : A big country divides power between
only one level of government or the sub-units are
constituent states and national government.
subordinate to central government.
Ans : (a) Both assertion and reason are true and
Ans : (b) Both assertion and reason are true but
reason is the correct explanation of assertion.
reason is not the correct explanation of assertion.
The power of a large country is divided between
India has a federal government. There is a central
constituent states and national government. The
government for the entire country and state
central government is more powerful than the states.
governments for different regions. The reason is also
2. Assertion : Hindi is identified as the only official true but does not justify the statement.
language of India.
8. Assertion : Zilla Parishad Chairperson is the political
Reason : It helped in creating supremacy of Hindi
head of the zilla parishad.
speaking people over others.
Reason : Mayor is the head of municipalities.
Ans : (c) Assertion is true but reason is false.
Ans : (b) Both assertion and reason are true but
Hindi is the identified as official language of India. reason is not the correct explanation of assertion.
However, it is spoken by only 40 per cent of Indians.
Panchayat samitis of a district together form the zilla
Thus, to safeguard the rights of other linguistic
parishad. Zilla Parishad chairperson is the political
communities, 21 other languages were recognized as
head of the zilla parishad. Municipalities are set up in
Scheduled Languages by the Constitution.
towns. Mayor is the head of municipalities. The reason
3. Assertion : It is very simple to make the changes in does not however explain the assertion.
the basic structure of the constitution.
9. Assertion : A major step towards decentralization was
Reason : Both the houses have power to amend the
taken in 1992 by amending the constitution.
constitution independently.
Reason : Constitution was amended to make the third
Ans : (d) Both assertion and reason are false. tier of democracy more powerful and effective.
It is difficult to make changes in the constitution in Ans : (a) Both assertion and reason are true and
the federal system. Any change has to be first passed reason is the correct explanation of assertion.
through both the houses of Parliament through atleast
The constitution was amended in 1992 to make the
two-third majority. Then it has to be ratified by the
third tier more powerful and effective. It includes steps
legislatures of atleast half of the total states. Thus
like regular elections for local government bodies,
both reason and assertion are false.
reservation of seats for OBC, SC, ST and women and
4. Assertion : India is a federation. creation of State Election Commission. The reason
Reason : Power resides with the central authority. thus justifies the assertion.
Ans : (a) Both assertion and reason are true and 10. Assertion : Third-tier of government is local
reason is the correct explanation of assertion. government.
India is a federal government and there is three-tier Reason : It made democracy weak.
system of power sharing with central government, Ans : (c) Assertion is true but reason is false.
state government and local self government. It is a
The third tier of government is done through
union of states and not a federation.
decentralisation. It helped in making democracy
5. Assertion : Coalition government is formed during stronger by Biging it to grass root level. Thus, the
dearth of coal in the country. reason is false but assertion stands true.
Reason : It helps in overcoming coal crisis.
Ans : (d) Both assertion and reason are false.
When no party is able to prove clear cut majority,
several regional parties come together to form coalition
government. It has no connection with scarcity of coal
in the country.
6. Assertion : The subjects which are not included
in Union List, State List and Concurrent List are
considered as residuary subjects.
Reason : The subjects included that came after
constitution was made and thus could not be classified.
Ans : (a) Both assertion and reason are true and
reason is the correct explanation of assertion.
The subjects which are not included in Union List,
State List and Concurrent List are considered as