Political Science

Challenges of Nation Building

Question:

How many princely states consisted at the time of independence of India?

Answer:

565 princely states.

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Challenges of Nation Building

Q 1.

Read the following very different statements 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 he 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 opening 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?

Q 2.

Identify any two consequences of the partition of India in 1947.

Q 3.

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 opinion in the light of accession of Princely States and the responses of the people in these parts?

Q 4.

In which Congress Session proposal for linguistic principles of reorganisation was accepted?

Q 5.

Which interests were hidden behind the conflicts between Hindus and Muslims at the time of independence?

Q 6.

Mention any two challenges that India faced just after independence.

Q 7.

Which two languages were spoken in Bombay state before it was divided in 1960?

Q 8.

Explain any three consequences of partition in India.

Q 9.

Mention the main recommendation of the State Reorganisation Commission of 1953.

Q 10.

What was government's approach towards the integration of princely states was based on three considerations?

Q 11.

How did the reorganisation of states take place in India after its independence? Explain.

Q 12.

Define Globalisation.

Q 13.

Match the principles with instances:
ncert-solutions-class-12-political-science-challenges-nation-building-1
ncert-solutions-class-12-political-science-challenges-nation-building-2

Q 14.

Bring out two major differences between the challenge of nation building for eastern and western regions of the country at the time of Independence.

Q 15.

What was the basis of the report of States Reorganisation Commission?

Q 16.

How many princely states consisted at the time of independence of India?

Q 17.

What was meant by princely states?

Q 18.

Why were the states reorganised on linguistic basis in India in 1956?

Q 19.

Explain three challenges which independent India faced during the process of Nation Building.

Q 20.

Whose speech was known as tryst with destiny'?

Q 21.

Name the leader who played a historic role in negotiating with the rulers of princely states to join the Indian Union.

Q 22.

Name the original states from which the following states were carved out.
(a) Meghalaya (b) Gujarat

Q 23.

Read the following passage and answer the questions below:
"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."
 Ramachandra Guha
(a) List the commonalities that the author mentions between India and Soviet Union and give one example for each of these from India.
(b) The author does not talk about dissimilarities between the two experiments. Can you mention two dissimilarities?
(c) In retrospect which of these two experiments worked better and why?

Q 24.

On a political outline map of India locate and label the following and symbolise them as indicated:
ncert-solutions-class-12-political-science-challenges-nation-building-5
Questions
1. Name and mark the original state from . which the following states were carved out.
(a) Gujarat (b) Meghalaya (c) Haryana (d) Chhattisgarh
2. Name and mark the countries reorganised on religious grounds.
3. Demarcated boundaries of these countries by geographical zones.

Q 25.

Name the leader who advocated separate state of Andhra Pradesh by observing fast unto death and participation in Salt Satyagraha.

Q 26.

Name the states which decided to remain independent in place of joining India.

Q 27.

Explain the role played by Sardar Patel in the integration of princely states into the Indian Union.

Q 28.

It is said that the nation is to large extent an "imagined community"held together by common beliefs, history, political aspirations and imaginations. Identify the features that make India a nation.

Q 29.

"India got independence under very difficult circumstances rather than any other country". Justify the statement.

Q 30.

What is meant by Two Nation Theory?

Q 31.

Name the states divided on the basis of sub-regional culture.

Q 32.

Name any four princely states that resisted their merger with the Indian Union?

Q 33.

Which state got divided on bilingual basis?

Q 34.

What is WSF?

Q 35.

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

Q 36.

What forced the Union Government of India to appoint the State Reorganisation Commission in 1953? Mention its two main recommendations. Name any four new states formed after 1956.

Q 37.

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

Q 38.

Read the passage given below carefully and answer the questions:
We should begin to work in that spirit and in course of time all these angularities of the majority and minority communities, the Hindu community and the Muslim community-because even as regards Muslims you have Pathans, Punjabis, Shias, Sunnis and so on and among the Hindus you have Brahmins, Vaishnavas, Khatris, also Bengalees, Madrasis, and so on-will vanish. … You are free; you are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or to any other place of worship in this State of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion or caste or creed-that has nothing to do with the business of the State.
 ”Mohammad Ali Jinnah

Questions
1. Do you think that Jinnah's statement contradicts the theory which was the basis of creation of Pakistan? Justify your answer.
2. What is the essence of Jinnah's statement in this passage?
3. To what extent did Pakistan live up to Jinnah's expectations in this passage?

Q 39.

Why did Amritsar and Kolkata become communal zones?

Q 40.

Study the picture given below and answer the questions that follow:
ncert-solutions-class-12-political-science-challenges-nation-building-3
Questions
1. What does this picture represent?
2. Mention some consequences of partition.
3. Which year is being denoted in the picture?

Q 41.

What was the task of the States Reorganisation Commission? What was its most salient recommendation?

Q 42.

Assess the role played by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in nation building.

Q 43.

Read the passage given below carefully and answer the following questions:
The interim government took a firm stance against the possible division of India into smaller principalities of different sizes. The Muslim League opposed the Indian National Congress and took the view that the States should be free to adopt any course they liked. Sardar Patel, India's Deputy Prime Minister and the Home Minister during the crucial period, immediately after Independence, played a historic role in negotiating with the rulers of Princely States in bringing most of them into the Indian Union.

Questions
1. Which government has been referred to as the interim government?
2. Why did the Muslim League oppose the Indian National Congress?
3. What makes the role of Sardar Patel a historic one? Explain.

Q 44.

Explain any three challenges faced by India at the time of its independence.

Q 45.

Write a short note on the people's movement of Hyderabad.

Q 46.

What was the significance of linguistic reorganisation of Indian states to the nation building?

Q 47.

Describe briefly any four problems faced in the process of partition of India.

Q 48.

What problems were involved at the integration of princely states during nation building?

Q 49.

Read the passage given below carefully and answer the questions:
We have a Muslim minority who are so large in numbers that they cannot, even if they want, go anywhere else. That is a basic fact about which there can be no argument.. Whatever the provocation from Pakistan and whatever the indignities and horrors inflicted on non-Muslims there, we have got to deal with this minority in a civilised manner. We must give them security and the rights of citizens in a democratic state. If we fail to do so, we shall have a festering sore which will eventually poison the whole body politic and probably destroy it.
Jawaharlal Nehru

Questions
1. Why did Jawaharlal Nehru want to deal with the muslim minority in a civilised way?
2. Why this minority should be given the security and rights-on the same footing as 20 all others in a democratic system?
3. If this minority was not provided security and rights w’hat kind of scenario is envisaged?

Q 50.

How was the princely state of Manipur acceded to India?