NCERT Solutions for Class 12 Political Science Chapter 1 Challenges of Nation Building

These NCERT Solutions for Class 12 Political Science Chapter 1 Challenges of Nation Building are prepared by experts who are familiar with the latest CBSE guidelines. You can use them to score maximum marks in your exams.

Challenges of Nation Building Class 12 Political Science II Textbook NCERT Solutions will help in building a great foundation of knowledge and make easy for the students to understand basics.

Chapter 1 Challenges of Nation Building Class 12 Political Science II NCERT Solutions

Exercises

1. Which among the following statements about the partition is incorrect ?
(a) Partition of India was the outcome of the ‘Two-Nation Theory.’
(b) Punjab and Bengal were the two provinces divided on the basis of religion.
(c) East Pakistan and West Pakistan were not contiguous.
(d) The scheme of partition included a plan for transfer of population across the border.

Solution

(d) The scheme of partition included a plan for transfer of population across the border.

2. Match the principles with the instances:

(a) Mapping of boundaries on religious grounds	i. Pakistan and Bangladesh
(b) Mapping of boundaries on grounds of different languages	ii. India and Pakistan
(c) Demarcating boundaries within a country by geographical zones.	iii. Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh
(d) Demarcating boundaries within a country on administrative and political grounds	iv. Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand

Solution

(a) Mapping of boundaries on religious grounds	ii. India and Pakistan
(b) Mapping of boundaries on grounds of different languages	i. Pakistan and Bangladesh
(c) Demarcating boundaries within a country by geographical zones.	iv. Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand
(d) Demarcating boundaries within a country on administrative and political grounds	iii. Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh

3. Take a current political map of India (showing outlines of states) and mark the location of the following Princely States.
(a) Junagarh
(b) Manipur
(c) Mysore
(d) Gwalior

Solution

4. Here are two opinions :
Bismay : ‘‘The merger with the Indian state was an extension of democracy to the people of the princely states.’’
Inderpreet : ‘‘I am not so sure there was force being used. Democracy comes by creating consensus.’’ What is your own opinion in the light of accession of princely states and the responses of the people in these parts ?

Solution

I fully agree with the view of Bismay that the merger of princely states with the Indian state was an extension of democracy to the people of the princely states because in these states there was no democracy at all. For a uniform base in the country, the Indian government had to use force to extend democracy.

5. Read the following very different statement made in August 1947.
‘‘Today you have Worn on your heads a crown of thorns. The seat of power is a nasty thing. You have to remain ever wakeful on that seat … you have to be more humble and forbearing … now there will be no end to your being tested.’’ –M.K. GANDHI
… India will awake to a life of freedom … We step out from the old to the new … We end today a period of ill fortune and India discovers herself again. The achievement we celebrate today is but a step, an opining of opportunity…’’ – JAWAHARLAL NEHRU spell out the agenda of nation-building that flows from these two statements. Which one appeals more to you and why?

Solution

These two statements focus on the agenda of democracy, sovereignty and freedom. Gandhi’s statement highlights the difficulties and challenges of being in a position of power while Nehru’s statement celebrates India’s newfound freedom and the possibilities for growth and development. The first statement appeals to me more because Gandhiji has reminded the Indians that independence is not bed of roses but it means more responsibility and accountability. He urged the countrymen to remain alert, awake and time has come to build the nation.

6. What are the reasons being used by Nehru or keeping India secular ? Do you think these reasons were only ethical and sentimental ? Or were there some prudential reasons as well ?

Solution

Nehru saw secularism as an essential principle for building a diverse and inclusive nation, where all citizens were equal and had the freedom to practice their religion without fear of discrimination.

No, these reasons were not only ethical and sentimental, but there were some prudential reasons also because:

All the Muslims did not leave India during participation, some muslims stayed in India as a minority. Nehru saw secularism as a means of ensuring stability and preventing communal conflict.
Nehru believed that a secular state was necessary to uphold the principles of justice, equality, and human rights.
In secular societies, everyone, regardless of their religion, is considered equal and no one is superior or inferior to anyone else.

7. Bring out two major differences between the challenges of nation-building for eastern and western regions of the country at the time of independence.

Solution

Two major differences between the challenges of nation-building for eastern and western regions of the country at the time of independence were:

Both Eastern and Western regions of the country at the time of independence had seen large population transfer in terms of Hindus and Muslims preferring their majority state. However many were left abandoned homeless on the other side and started living as minorities.
The western region (Punjab) confronted the migrant crisis where resettlement was needed for refugees and asylum seekers from Pakistan. When the Eastern region experienced the pressures of communalism that had ended up in bloodshed.

8. What was the task of the States Reorganisation Commission ? What was its most salient recommendations?

Solution

The State Reorganisation Commission was set up in 1953 by central government to look into the matter of redrawing of boundaries of state. It submitted its recommendations as under :

Proper attention should be given to cultural and communicative needs of the communities speaking different languages.
Attention should be paid to the other regional languages besides Hindi.
Linguistic minorities should be well protected.

9. It is said that the nation is to a large extent an ‘Imagined Community’ held together by common belief, history, political aspirations and imaginations. Identify the features that make India a nation.

Solution

India has a rich history, with multiple religions, languages, and cultural traditions. However, it also has a shared history of struggle against colonialism, which helped to forge a sense of national identity and solidarity.
The political aspirations ensure a parliamentary form of government that promotes political competition within a democratic context.
India is fully sovereign both in national and international matters. Our government is fully sovereign, backed by the united will of the people.
The nationalism of the people of India had existed before independence, and it continues to exist today despite the differences among the various communities that inhabit the country.

10. Read the following passage and answer the questions below : (Imp.)
‘In the history of nation-building only the Soviet experiment bears comparison with the Indian. There, too, a sense of Unity had to be forged between many diverse ethnic groups, religious, linguistic communities and social classes. The scale – geographic as well as demographic … was comparably massive. The raw material, the state had to work with was equally unpropitious, a people divided by faith and driven by debt and disease. ‘ –Ramchandra Guha

List the communalities that the author mentions between India and Soviet Union and give one example for each of these from India.
The author does not talk about dissimilarities between the two experiments. Can you mention two dissimilarities ?
In retrospect which of these two experiments worked better and why?

Solution

(a) (i) Unity among many ethnic groups.

(ii) Unity among religious communities.

(iii) Unity among linguistic communities.

(iv) Unity between social classes.

(b) Following are the two dissimilarities between the two experiments :

(i) Establishment of federation

(ii) Economic and Political Planning.

(c) Soviet Union experiment had worked better. There, too, a sense of unity had to be forged between many diverse ethnic groups, religious, linguistic communities and social classes.