Class-IX (Session 2024-25)

Subject: History

Ch.2: Socialism in Europe & the Russian Revolution

Q.1 Explain the ideologies of Liberals, Radicals and Conservatives.

Ans. Liberals:

They wanted a nation which tolerated all religions.

They opposed the uncontrolled power of dynastic rulers or monarchs and
argued for a representative, elected parliamentary government subject to laws
interpreted by an independent judiciary.
They did not believe in Universal Adult Franchise. They advocated for the right
to vote to be given only to men with property. So, they were undemocratic.
Radicals:
They wanted a nation in which government was based on the majority of a
country’s population.
They supported women’s suffragette movements.
They were not against the existence of private property but disliked concentration
of property in the hands of a few.
Conservatives:
They were opposed to liberals and radicals.
After the French revolution, they had opened their minds to the need for change.
They believed that the past had to be respected and change had to be brought
about through a slow process.

Q.2 Explain the different visions of Socialism.

Ans. Socialism simply means welfare for all. Socialists were against private property.
They wanted to distribute property among all.

Some like Robert Owen believed in the idea of co-operatives. These co-
operatives were to be associations of people who produced goods together and
divided the profit as per the work done by the members.
Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels added other ideas to this body of arguments.
Marx advocated creation of a communist society where all wealth would be
socially controlled.
Q.3 How was the Russian working population different from the rest of the
Europe before 1917?

Ans. Before 1917, the vast majority of Russia’s people were agriculturists. About 85% of
the Russian empire’s population earned their living from agriculture, which was
higher than most European countries.

Peasants in Russia had no respect for the nobility. This was unlike France where
during the French Revolution, peasants respected nobles and fought for them.
Russian peasants pooled their lands together periodically and their commune
divided it according to the needs of individual families.
Industry was found in pockets. Craftsmen undertook much of the production, but
large factories existed alongside craft workshops.
Workers were a divided social group. Some had strong links with the villages
from which they came. Others had settled in cities permanently.

Q.4 Comment upon the ideas of Karl Marx.

Ans. Karl Marx argued that industrial society was capitalist. Capitalists owned the
capital invested in factories and the profit of capitalists was produced by workers.

The condition of workers could not improve as long as profit was accumulated
by private capitalists. Workers had to overthrow capitalism and the rule of
private property.
Marx believed that to free themselves from capitalist exploitation, workers had to
construct a radically socialist where all property was socially controlled. This would
be a communist society.
He was convinced that workers would triumph in their conflict with capitalists. A
communist society was the natural society of the future.

Q.5 Which event triggered the 1905 Revolution in Russia?

Ans. When four members of the Assembly of Russian Workers, which had been formed
in 1904, were dismissed at the Putilov Iron Works, there were strikes demanding a
reduction in the working day to eight hours, an increase in wage and improvement
in working conditions.

When the procession of workers led by Father Gapon reached the Winter
Palace, it was attacked by the police and the Cossacks. Over 100 workers were
killed and about 300 wounded. This incident is known as Bloody Sunday, which
started a series of events that became known as the 1905 Revolution.

Q.6 Why did the Tsarist autocracy collapse in 1917?

Ans. The people of Russia were growing dissatisfied with the policies of the Tsar
Nicholas II. The revolution in February 1917 triggered due to various reasons,
such as:
 The Tsar although allowed for the creation of the Duma, but his dismissal of
Duma did not go down well with the people. This resulted in lack of support for
the Tsar during World War I.
The defeats against Germany and Austria in the World War also contributed to the
dissatisfaction against the Tsar.
The poor conditions of industrial workers was the last straw. The protests by
workers against poor working conditions and low wages eventually led to the
February revolution and the collapse of the Tsarist autocracy in 1917.

Q.7 What were the main changes brought about by the Bolsheviks
immediately after the October Revolution?

Ans. The changes brought about by the Bolsheviks after October 1917 were:

They were totally against private property. Thus, most industries and banks were
nationalised in November 1917.
Land was declared social property and peasants were allowed to seize the land
of the nobility.
In cities, Bolsheviks enforced the partition of large houses according to family
requirements.
They banned the use of the old titles of aristocracy.
New uniforms were designed for the army and officials.
The Bolshevik Party was renamed as ‘Russian Communist Party’. In
March 1918, despite opposition by their political allies, the
Bolsheviks made peace with Germany at Brest Litovsk.
Russia became a one-party state and the trade unions were kept under
party control.
The All Russian Congress of Soviets became the Parliament of the country.

Q.8 Write short notes on:

i) Duma

Ans. During the 1905 Revolution, the Tsar allowed the creation of an elected
consultative Parliament or Duma.

The Tsar dismissed the first Duma within 75 days and the re-elected second
Duma within three months. He did not want any questioning of his authority or any
reduction in his power.
He changed the voting laws and packed the third Duma with conservative
politicians. Liberals and Revolutionaries were kept out.

ii) April Theses

Ans. In April 1917, the Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin returned to Russia from his
exile. He and the Bolsheviks had opposed the war since 1914. Now he felt that it
was time for soviets to take over power. He declared that the war to be brought
 to a close, land to be transferred to the peasants and banks to be nationalised.
These three demands were Lenin’s ‘April Theses’.

iii) Stalin’s collectivisation programme

Ans. From 1929, the Party forced all peasants to cultivate in collective farms
(kolkhoz).
The bulk of land and implements were transferred to the ownership of collective
farms.
Peasants worked on land and the kolkhoz profit was shared.
Enraged peasants resisted the authorities and destroyed their livestock.
Those who resisted collectivisation were severely punished, even deported and
exiled.

Q.9 Illustrate the global impact of the Russian Revolution and the USSR.

Ans. As a result of the Russian Revolution, communist parties were formed in many
countries.

The Bolsheviks encouraged colonial people to follow their experiment.

Many non-Russians from outside the USSR participated in the conference of the
Peoples of the East (1920) and the Bolshevik- founded Comintern.
Some received education in the USSR’s Communist University of the Workers of
the East.
By the time of the outbreak of the Second World War, the USSR had given
socialism a global face and world stature.
By the end of the 20th century, the international reputation of the USSR as a
socialist country had declined, though it was recognised that socialist ideals still
enjoyed respect among its people.

Q. 10 Differentiate between Mensheviks and Bolsheviks.

Ans-
 Mensheviks
(i) The Mensheviks represented a minority group under the leadership of Alexander
Kerenskii.
(ii) They believed in gradual change and establishment of a parliamentary form of
government like that of France and Britain.
(iii) They favoured a party which was open to all and to work within the system.

 Bolsheviks:
(i) The Bolsheviks under their leader Lenin constituted a majority of the socialists.
(ii) They wanted to work for Revolution. They favoured a disciplined party, to control
the members and quality of its members.
(iii) They wanted to make the party an instrument for bringing about the revolution.
Q. 11. Who were the Kulaks of Russia?
Ans: It is the Russian term for wealthy peasants who Stalin believed were hoarding
grains to gain more profit. The Kulaks were the wealthiest peasants in the
Soviet and Russian history. They were also known as Golchomag. They owned
24 acres or more land or had employed farmworkers. They were characterized
with huge pieces of land and several herds of cattle which made the financially
stable. By 1927-28 the towns of Soviet Russia were facing an acute problem of
grain supplies. Kulaks were thought to be partly responsible for this. Also to
develop modern farms and run them along industrial lines the Party under the
leadership of Stalin thought it was necessary to eliminate Kulaks.
 Class-IX (Session 2024-25)

History Ch.3: Nazism and the Rise of Hitler

Q1. Write short notes on the following:

i)The Versailles Treaty:-The Treaty of Versailles had the following

terms and conditions:

 Germany lost its overseas colonies, a tenth of its population, 13

percent of its territories, 75 percent of its iron and 26 percent of its
coal to France, Poland, Denmark and Lithuania.
 The Allied powers demilitarized Germany to weaken its power.
 The war clause held Germany responsible for the war and damages the
Allied countries suffered. Germany was forced to pay compensation
amounting to £6 billion.
 The Allied armies also occupied the resource rich Rhineland for much
of the 1920s.

ii) Formation of Nazi party:

Hitler was horrified by the German defeat in the First World War.
Furthermore, the Treaty of Versailles made him furious.

 In 1919, he joined a small group called the German Workers’ Party.

 He subsequently took over the organisation and renamed it the
National Socialist German Workers’ Party. This party came to be
known as the Nazi party.
 The Nazis could not effectively mobilize popular support till the early
1930s.
 As a result of the Great Depression, by 1932 it had become the largest
party with 37% votes.

iii) Ghettoisation and Concentration Camps: From September

1941, all Jews had to wear a yellow Star of David on their breasts. This
identity mark was stamped on their passport, all legal documents, and
houses. They were kept in Jewish houses in Germany and in ghettos
like Lodz and Warsaw in the east. These became sites of extreme
misery and poverty. The largest Nazi concentration camp is identified
with Auschwitz (Poland). Built in 1940, the camp served as a major
 element in the perpetration of the holocaust, killing around 16 million
people of whom 90 % were Jews. The camp was surrounded by barbed
wire. The camp held 100,000 prisoners at one time. The camp’s main
purpose was not internment but extermination. For this purpose, the
camp was equipped with four gas chambers, and each chamber could
hold 2,500 people at one time.

Q.2. Describe the condition of Germany during the Great

Depression.

Ans. The Great Depression started from 1929 to 1932.

 The German economy was the worst hit by the economic crisis. By
1932, industrial production was to 40% of the 1929 level.
 Workers lost their jobs or were paid reduced wages. The number of
unemployed touched an unprecedented 6 million.
 On the streets of Germany, men were seen with placards around their
necks saying “Willing to do any work”. Unemployed youths played
cards or simply sat at street corners or separately queued up at the
local employment exchange.
 The economic crisis created deep anxieties and fears in people.
Currency lost its value which led to hyperinflation.

Q.3- How did Hitler destroy democracy in Germany? Explain.

Ans- Nazi ideology specified that there was a racial hierarchy and no
equality between people.

o The blond, blue-eyed Nordic German Aryans were at the top,

while the Jews were located somewhere on the lowest rung of the
ladder.

o The number of people killed by Nazi Germany was 6 million Jews,

200,000 Gypsies, 1 million Polish civilians, 70,000 Germans.

o Nazism glorified the use of force and brutality.

o It ridiculed internationalism, peace, and democracy.

o Nazi Germany became the most dreaded criminal state.

o Hitler chose war as the way out of approaching the economic

crisis.

o Germany invaded Poland.

o This started a war with France and England in September 1940

Q.4 What were the distinct features of Nazi thinking?

Ans. The distinct features of Nazi thinking were:

 There was no equality among people but a racial hierarchy. According

to this view, blonde, blue-eyed Nordic German Aryans were at the top,
while Jews were located at the lowest rung.
 The Aryan race was the finest. It had to retain its purity, become
stronger and dominate the world.
 Hitler believed that new territories had to be acquired for settlement,
enhancing the material resources and power of the German nation.
 Only pure and healthy Nordic Aryans alone were considered ‘desirable’
and all others were classed as ‘undesirable’. This meant that even
those Germans who were seen as impure or abnormal had no right to
exist.
 Nazis terrorized, pauperized and segregated the Jews, compelling
them to leave the country.
 Children were taught to be loyal and submissive, hate Jews and
worship Hitler.

Q.5. Describe what happened to Germany after its defeat in the First
World War.
Ans: World War I, ended with the Allies defeating Germany and the Central
powers in November 1918.
o The Peace Treaty at Versailles with the Allies was a harsh and
humiliating treaty.
o Germany lost its overseas colonies, a tenth of its population, 13 percent
of its territories, 75 percent of its iron, and 26 percent of its coal to
France, Poland, Denmark, and Lithuania.
o The Allied Powers demilitarised Germany to weaken its power.
o Germany was forced to pay compensation amounting to 6 billion.
o The Allied armies also occupied the resource-rich Rhineland for much of
the 1920s.

Q.6. ‘‘USA initially resisted involvement in the Second World War but
was unable to stay out of the war for long.” Support the statement. [
Ans. The USA had entered the First World War in 1917 but had faced economic
problems thereafter. Therefore, it did not want to join the Second World War
but it could not remain out of the war for long. Japan was expanding its power
in the east. It had occupied French-Indo- China and was planning attacks on
US naval bases in the Pacific. Ultimately, Japan extended its support to Hitler
and bombed the US base at Pearl Harbor. Under these circumstances, the US
had no other option except to enter the war against Hitler and its allies.
Q.7. Explain the three Steps to Death.

Ans. The three Steps to Death were:

 Stage 1: Exclusion (1933-1939)- “You have no right to live

among us as citizens.”
The Nuremberg Laws of Citizenship of September 1935:
1. Only Persons of German or related blood would henceforth be
German citizens enjoying the protection of the German empire.
2. Marriages between Jews and Germans were forbidden.
3. Extramarital relations between Jews and Germans became a crime.
4. Jews were forbidden to fly the national flag.
 Stage 2: Ghettoisation (1940-1944)- “You have no right to live
among us.”
 All Jews had to wear a yellow Star of David.
 Surrender all their wealth before they enter a ghetto.
 Stage 3: Annihilation (1941 onwards)- “You have no right to live.”
 Sent to death factories, in Poland and elsewhere in the East by
good trains.
 Mass killings took place within minutes with scientific precision.

Q.8. Why was the Nazi propaganda effective in creating hatred for
Jews?

Ans. Nazis never used the words ‘kill’ or ‘murder’ in their official
communications.

 Mass killings were termed special treatment, final solution (for the
Jews), euthanasia (for the disabled), selection and disinfections.
 Media was carefully used to win support for the regime and popularise
its worldviews.
 Propaganda films were made to create hatred for Jews.
 Orthodox Jews were stereotyped and marked, and were referred to as
vermins, rats and pests.
 In posters, groups identified as the ‘enemies’ of Germans were
stereotyped, mocked, abused and described as evil.
 Q.9. The Nazi regime used language and media with care and often
to great effect.” Explain.

Ans: “The Nazi regime used language and media with care and often to great
effect. They never used such commonplace revealing terms as ‘‘kill, murder’’
in their official communications. Mass killings were termed special treatment,
final solution (for the Jews), euthanasia (for the disabled) selection, and
disinfections. ‘Evacuation’ meant deporting people to gas chambers. Gas
chambers were called ‘disinfection areas’. They looked like bathrooms
equipped with fake showerheads. Media was carefully used to win support for
the regime and popularise its worldview. Nazi ideas were spread through
visual images, films, radio, posters, catchy slogans and leaflets for the Jews.
The most infamous film was ‘The Eternal Jew’. They were shown with flowing
beards, wearing Kaftans, whereas in reality, it was difficult to distinguish
German Jews by their appearance because they were a highly assimilated
community.
______________________________________________________________
 Class IX (Session 2024-25)
History Ch.5 Pastoralists in the Modern World

Q.1 Define the following terms:

1. Pastoralism: Pastoralism refers to a stage in the development of civilization between

hunting and agriculture and also to a way of life dependent on the herding of livestock.
2. Nomads: People who moved from one place to another, as a community, with all their
belongings, are called nomads.
3. Bugyal- It is a high-altitude meadow found in the Himalayas, which serves as a crucial
grazing ground for pastoralists during the summer months.

Q.2 Explain why nomadic tribes need to move from one place to another. What are the
advantages to the environment of this continuous movement?

Ans. Nomads moved from place to place in search of food and a livelihood with their herds
of goats and sheep, or camels and cattle. The main purpose of their constant
movement is to find pasture for their herds.
 The nomads moved between their summer and winter grazing grounds. In winter they
usually lived on the low hills and the dry scrub forests provided pasture for their herds, as
the high mountains were snow-covered.
 During summer, that is, by the end of April the nomads packed their belongings, round up
their herds and start trekking towards the northern mountains. As the snow melted the
mountains were converted into carpets of lush green grass.
 This provides ample pasture for their herds. The nomadic pastoralists thus moved annually
between their summer and winter grazing grounds.
 When the pasture was exhausted or unusable in one place they moved their herds and
flock to new areas.
The advantage of this continuous movement of the nomads with their grazing herds is to
preserve the natural pastures and avoid their overuse. The movement allowed the grass
and foliage to grow again. This helps in environment conservation.

Q.3 Explain how the following laws changed the lives of pastoralists during the colonial rule
in India: 1. Waste Land Rules; 2. Forest Act; 3. Criminal Tribes Act.

 Waste Land Rules: From the mid-nineteenth century, Waste Land Rules were enacted in
various parts of the country.

 By these Rules uncultivated lands were taken over and given to select individuals.
 These individuals were granted various concessions and encouraged to settle these lands.
Some of them were made headmen of villages in the newly cleared areas.
  In most areas the lands taken over were actually grazing tracts used regularly by
pastoralists. So expansion of cultivation inevitably meant the decline of pastures and a
problem for pastoralists.

2. Forest Acts: Various Forest Acts were also being enacted in the different provinces during
the nineteenth century.
 Through these Acts some forests which produced commercially valuable timber like deodar
or sal were declared ‘Reserved’. No pastoralist was allowed access to these forests. Other
forests were classified as ‘Protected’. 
 These Forest Acts prevented pastoralists from entering many forests that had earlier
provided valuable forage for their cattle. 

3. Criminal Tribes Act: In 1871, the colonial government in India passed the Criminal Tribes
Act. By this Act many communities of craftsmen, traders and pastoralists were classified as
Criminal Tribes. They were stated to be criminal by nature and birth.
 Once this Act came into force, these communities were expected to live only in notified
village settlements. They were not allowed to move out without a permit. The village police
kept a continuous watch on them.

Q.4 Give reasons to explain why the Maasai community lost their grazing lands.
Ans. The Maasai cattle herders live primarily in east Africa: 300, 000 in southern Kenya and
another 150,000 in Tanzania. Before colonial times, Maasai land stretched over a vast
area from north Kenya to the steppes of northern Tanzania.
 In the late nineteenth century, European imperial powers scrambled for territorial
possessions in Africa, slicing up the region into different colonies.
 As a result, the Maasai lost about 60 per cent of their pre-colonial lands. They were
confined to an arid zone with uncertain rainfall and poor pastures.
 The British colonial government in east Africa also encouraged local peasant communities
to expand cultivation. As cultivation expanded, pasturelands were turned into cultivated
fields, resulting in the loss of dominance by the Maasai community.
 Large areas of grazing land were also turned into game reserves. Pastoralists were not
allowed to enter these reserves; they could neither hunt animals nor graze their herds in
these areas. These reserves were in areas that had traditionally been regular grazing
grounds for Maasai herds.

Q.5 Explain any four factors responsible for the annual movement of the Dhangars.

Ans: Four factors responsible for the annual movement of the Dhangars:

 Monsoon Grazing: The central plateau of Maharashtra becomes a rich grazing area during the
monsoon.
 Harvesting Bajra: After harvesting bajra in October, they migrate to the Konkan region.
 Fertilizing Fields: In Konkan, their flocks help fertilise the fields post-harvest, and in return,
they receive rice.
 Avoiding Wet Conditions: They return to the dry plateau before the monsoon starts, as their
sheep cannot tolerate wet conditions.
 Class-IX (Session 2024-25)Subject: Political
Science Ch.3: Electoral Politics

Q.1 Explain the following terms:

i) General elections.

Ans. When elections are held in all constituencies at the same time, either on the same day orwithin
a few days, they are called general elections.

ii) By-elections.

Ans. When election is held only for one constituency to fill the vacancy caused by death or
resignation of a member/representative is called by-election. The term of the newly elected
representative is the remaining term of other members.

Q.2 Give reasons why the system of reserved constituencies was introduced by our constitution-
makers.

Ans. The voters who live in an area elect one representative. For the Lok Sabha elections, the country is
divided into 543 constituencies. The representative elected is called an MP. Similarly, each state is divided
into a specific number of assembly constituencies. In this case, the elected representative is called an MLA.
To give protection to the weaker section, The makers of our Constitution envisioned reserved constituencies.
These are reserved for people who belong to SC or ST. The Lok Sabha has 84 reserved seats for SCs and
47 for STs.

Q.3 Enlist the demerits of political competition.

Ans. Political competition has the following demerits:

 It creates a sense of disunity and factionalism in every locality.

 Different political parties and leaders often level allegations against one another.
 Parties and candidates often use dirty tricks to win elections.
 The pressure to win electoral fights does not allow sensible long term policies to be
formulated.
 Some good people who may wish to serve the country do not enter this arena becausethey
do not like the idea of being dragged into unhealthy competition.
Q.4 How is election campaigns regulated in India to make them free and fair?

Ans. In India, election campaigns are regulated to ensure that every political party and candidate
gets a fair and equal chance to compete. According to our election law, noparty or
candidate can:

 Bribe or threaten voters,

 Appeal to them in the name of caste or religion,
 Use government resources for election campaign, and
 Spend more than Rs. 25 lakh in a constituency for Lok Sabha election or Rs. 10 lakh in a
constituency in an Assembly election.

Q.5 What do you understand by the ‘Model Code of Conduct’ for election campaign?

Ans. All political parties in India have agreed to a Model Code of Conduct for election
campaigns. According to this, no party or candidate can:
 Use any place of worship for election propaganda,
 Use government vehicles, aircrafts and officials for elections, and
 Once elections are announced, Ministers shall not lay foundation stones of any projects,take
any big policy decisions or make any promise of providing public facilities.

Q.6 Explain the role of the Election Commission in free and fair elections.
Ans: The Functions of the Election Commission of India are as follows

Allotment of Election Symbols: The political parties of national standing are allotted permanent
election symbols. These symbols help even an ordinary man to recognize the different parties instantly.

Preparation of Electoral Rolls: Electoral Rolls are prepared in which the name, father’s name, age, and
sex of the voters are mentioned.

Delimitation of Constituencies: The whole area where elections are held, is divided into so many clear-
cut constituencies so that elections are held in an organized way.

Fixing the Election Dates: The Election date is announced so that the voters can easily cast their votes
on that particular date.

Scrutiny (careful examination) of Nomination Papers: The candidates willing to contest the elections
have to file the nominations up to a particular date. Then the Election Commission scrutinizes their
papers and accepts or rejects the nomination papers as the case may be.

Checking Undue Interference of the Party-in-Power: The important duty of the Election Commission
is to see that the party in power does in no way take advantage of other parties or individuals.
Q7. ‘Elections in India face many challenges when it comes to their fairness’. What does it
includes?

Ans. The challenges includes:

 Candidates and parties with a lot of money may not be sure of their victory but they doenjoy a
big and unfair advantage over smaller parties and independents.
 In some parts of the country, candidates with criminal connection have been able to push others
out of the electoral race and to secure a ‘ticket’ from major parties.
 Some families tend to dominate political parties. Tickets are distributed to relatives fromthese
families.
 Very often, elections offer little choice to ordinary citizens, for both the major partiesare
quite similar to each other both in policies and practice.
 Smaller parties and independent candidates suffer a huge disadvantage compared tobigger
parties.
 Class IX (Session 2024-25)

Political Science Ch.4 Working of Institutions

Q.1 Parliament is the supreme legislature of India.’ Justify the statement.

Ans: In all democracies, an assembly of elected representatives holds supreme political
authority on behalf of the people. In India, this assembly is known as Parliament, while at
the state level, it is referred to as the Legislature or Legislative Assembly. Parliament
serves several crucial functions:
• Law-making authority: It is the final authority for creating laws. Parliaments can
make new laws, amend existing ones, or abolish them.
• Control over government: Parliament exercises control over the government.
Decisions can only be made if they have the support of Parliament.
• Financial oversight: Parliament controls public funds, ensuring that money can only
be spent with its approval.
• Forum for discussion: It is the highest platform for discussing public issues and
national policies.
• In India, Parliament consists of two Houses:
• Lok Sabha: The House of the People, which holds more power, especially in financial
matters.
• Rajya Sabha: The Council of States, which has some special powers but generally
plays a supportive role.
• All laws passed by Parliament require the assent of the President of India to come into
effect. This structure ensures that Parliament remains the supreme legislative body in
India.

Q.2 Compare and contrast the powers of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
Ans. On most matters, the Lok Sabha exercises supreme power over Rajya Sabha.

• Any ordinary law needs to be passed by both the Houses. But if there is a difference
between two houses, the final decision is taken in a joint session in which members of
both the Houses sit together. Because of the larger members, the view of the Lok Sabha
is likely to prevail in such a meeting.
• Lok Sabha exercises more power in money matters. Once the Lok Sabha passes the
 budget of the government or any other money related law, the Rajya Sabha cannot
reject it. The Rajya Sabha can only delay it by 14 days or suggest changes in it. The
Lok Sabha may or may not accept these changes.
• Most importantly, the Lok Sabha controls the Council of Ministers. Only a person who
enjoys the support of the majority of the members in the Lok Sabha is appointed the
Prime Minister. If the majority of the Lok Sabha members say they have ‘no
confidence’ in the Council of Ministers, all ministers including the Prime Minister have
to quit. The Rajya Sabha does not have this power.

Q.3 Distinguish between Political Executive and Political Executive.

Political Executive:
1. They are appointed by the people, so they are responsible to the people.
2. They are lawmakers and policymakers.
3. People elect them, and they can be replaced during the next election.
4. With each change in the government, there is a change in the environment.

Permanent Executive:
1. The government appoints them to serve under the political executive branch.
2. They are in-charge of changing the government policies.
3. They are permanent and stay in power even though the ruling party changes.
4. They are unaffected by changes in government.

Q.4 Write a note on the Council of Ministers.

Ans. Council of Ministers is the official name for the body that includes all the Ministers. It
usually has 60 to 80 Ministers of different ranks.
• Cabinet Ministers are usually top-level leaders of the ruling party or parties who are
in charge of major ministries. It is the inner ring of the Council of Ministers. It
comprises about 25 Ministers.
• Ministers of State with independent charge are usually in-charge of smaller ministries.
They participate in the Cabinet meetings only when specially invited.
• Ministers of State are attached to and required to assist Cabinet Ministers.

Q.5 Prime Minister holds significant power as the head of the government. Explain.
Ans. As the head of the government, the Prime Minister has wide ranging powers.
• He chairs the Cabinet meetings and coordinates the work of different departments.
• His decisions are final in case disagreements arise between departments.
• He exercises general supervision of different ministries.
• Prime Minister distributes and redistributes work to the ministers and also has the power
to dismiss ministers.
• When the Prime Minister quits, the entire ministry quits.
 Q.6 What are the functions of the President of India?
Ans. The President as the head of the state performs the following functions:
• All the government activities take place in the name of the President.
• All laws and major policy decisions of the government are issued in her name.
• All international treaties and agreements are made in the name of the President.
• All major appointments are made in the name of the President including appointment of
the Chief Justice of India, the judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts, the
Governors of the states, the Election Commissioners, ambassadors to other countries,
etc.
• The President is the supreme commander of the defence forces of India.

Q.7 Describe the importance of Judiciary of India and its independence.

Ans. All the courts at different levels in a country put together are called the Judiciary.

• The Indian Judiciary consists of the Supreme Court, High Courts, District Courts and
the Courts at local level.
• India has an integrated judiciary i.e. the decisions of Supreme Court are binding on all
other courts of the country.
• Independence of the Judiciary means that it is not under the control of the legislature
or the executive.
• The Supreme Court and the High Courts can determine the Constitutional validity of
any legislation or action of the executive in the country when it is challenged before
them. This is known as judicial review.
• Anyone can approach the courts if public interest is hurt by the actions of the
government. This is called public interest litigation.
 Class IX (Session 2024-25)
Political Science Ch.5 Democratic Rights

(Draw the diagram depicting Fundamental Rights in topic 5.3 before writing Ques./Ans.)

Q.1 Illustrate the concept of rights in detail.

Ans. Rights are reasonable claims of persons recognised by society and sanctioned by
law.

 Rights are claims of a person over other fellow beings, over the society and over the
government. It is possible when you make a claim that is equally possible for others.
 The claims we make should be reasonable. They should be such that can be made
available to others in an equal measure.
 Rights acquire meaning only in society. They have to be recognised by the society
we live in.
 When law recognises some claims they become enforceable. We can then demand
their application.
Q.2 What do you mean by Rule of law? Explain its importance.
Ans. The Constitution says that the government shall not deny to any person in India
equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws. It means that the laws
apply in the same manner to all, regardless of a person’s status. This is called the
rule of law.
Rule of law is the foundation of any democracy. No person can legally claim any
special treatment or privilege just because he or she happens to be an important
person.
This basic position is further clarified in the Constitution by spelling out the
following implications of the Right to Equality:

 The government shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of
religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth.
 Every citizen shall have access to public places like shops, restaurants, hotels, and
cinema halls.

Q.3- What do you mean by the right to freedom of speech and expression? What are the
limitations of this right?

Ans: Freedom of speech and expression is one of the essential features of any
democracy. Our ideas and personality develop only when we are able to freely
 communicate with others. One may think differently from another. One has the right
to think differently and express one’s views accordingly.

 One has right to disagree with a policy of government or activities of an association.

 One is free to criticise the government or the activities of the association in one’s
conversations with parents, friends and relatives.

 One has right or freedom to publicise one’s views through a pamphlete, magazine or
newspaper.

 One can do it through different means which include paintings, poetry or songs.

Limitations: But this freedom has to be used in the right manner so that it does not
harm others. The limitations of this freedom are:

 One cannot use this freedom to instigate violence against others. .

 One cannot use it to incite people to rebel against government. .

 One cannot use this freedom to defame others by saying false and mean things that
cause damage to a person’s reputation.

Q4. Explain the relationship between Right to Freedom of Religion and Secularism.

Ans. As per Right to Freedom of Religion, every person has a right to profess, practice
and propagate the religion he or she believes in. Every religious group or sect is
free to manage its religious affairs.

 A right to propagate one’s religion, however, does not mean that a person has right
to compel another person to convert into his religion by means of force, fraud,
inducement or allurement.
 A secular state is one that does not establish any one religion as official religion.
 It does not confer any privilege or favour on any particular religion. Nor does it
punish or discriminate against people on the basis of religion they follow.
This is how secularism ensures protection of religious freedom of individuals.

Q.5 “Right to Constitutional Remedies makes other rights effective.” Explain how?

Ans. The fundamental rights in the Constitution are important because they are
enforceable. We have a right to seek the enforcement of our rights. This is called
the Right to Constitutional Remedies.
 It is possible that sometimes our rights may be violated by fellow citizens, private
bodies or by the government. When any of our rights are violated we can seek
remedy through courts.
 If it is a Fundamental Right we can directly approach the Supreme Court or the High
Court of a state. That is why Dr. Ambedkar called the Right to Constitutional
Remedies, ‘the heart and soul’ of our Constitution.
 Fundamental Rights are guaranteed against the actions of the Legislatures, the
Executive, and any other authorities instituted by the government. There can be no
 law or action that violates the Fundamental Rights. We can challenge such laws of
the central and state governments, the policies and actions of the government or
the governmental organisations.
 Courts also enforce the Fundamental Rights against private individuals and bodies.
The Supreme Court and High Courts have the power to issue directions, orders or
writs for the enforcement of the Fundamental Rights.

Q. 6- What is called PIL? Write in brief about it.

Ans: In recent years the courts have given several judgments and directives to protect
public interest and human rights. Anyone can approach the courts if public
interest is hurt by the actions of government. This is called public interest
litigation.

 One can write to the judges even on a postcard. The court will take up the matter
if the judges find it in public interest.

 The court check malpractices on the part of public officials.

Q.7- What is the role of National Human Rights Commission in securing the human
rights? How does it work?

Ans. National Human Rights Commission is an independent commission set up by

law in 1993. Like judiciary, the Commission is independent of the government.
 The Commission is appointed by the President and includes retired judges, officers
and eminent citizens.
 It focuses on helping the victims secure their human rights. These include all the
rights granted to the citizens by the Constitution. For NHRC human rights also
include the rights mentioned in the UN sponsored international treaties that India
has signed.
 The NHRC cannot by itself punish the guilty. That is the responsibility of courts. The
NHRC is there to make independent and credible inquiry into any case of violation
of human rights.
 It also enquires into any case of abetment of such violation or negligence in
controlling it by any government officer and takes other general steps to promote
human rights in the country. 
