Q 1 – Name three problems that the newly independent nation of India faced.
Ans. India faced many challenges after it gained independence. The partition of India created a lot of problems.
- The major problem was that of the refugees. 8 million refugees entered India from Pakistan. These people needed shelter and a livelihood.
- The second biggest challenge that India faced was with the 500 princely states that existed. These states were ruled by Maharaja or Nawabs. They had to be persuaded to join the new Independent India and accept its governance.
- Another problem faced by independent India was its diverse population. India’s population in 1947 was almost 345 million. This vast population was divided into many castes and religions. They spoke different languages and had their own individual cultural and food habits. They wore different kinds of dresses and practiced different professions. Unity in diversity had to be achieved.
Q 2 – What was the role of the Planning Commission?
Ans. Role of the Planning commission was to identify the industries which should be initiated by the state. It had to achieve a balance between the different regions and states. In 1956, the Second Five Year Plan was formulated. This plan focused on the development of heavy industries such as steel, and on the building of large dams which came under the control of the State.
Q 3 – What did Dr Ambedkar mean when he said that “In politics we will have equality, and in social and economic life we will have inequality”?
Ans. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar played an important role in the drafting of the Indian constitution. He felt that political democracy had to be accompanied by economic and social democracy. He felt that giving all the people the right to vote did not make them equal socially or economically.
- He reiterated that the divide between the upper caste and the lower caste has to be completely wiped out for India to be a true democracy. He also stressed that the disparity between the rich and the poor has to be addressed and the progress of the poor has to be the priority of the government for India to be a truly great democratic country.
Q 4 – After Independence, why was there a reluctance to divide the country on linguistic lines?
Ans. Gandhiji’s dream of one nation did not materialize due to the partition of India, into India and Pakistan.
- Congress leaders were sceptical about a further division of states on the basis of language. The partition of India resulted in the death of millions of people who were killed in the riots between the Hindus and the Muslims. They feared that this may happen if the country was divided on linguistic lines.
- Prime Minister Nehru and Deputy Prime Minister Vallabhbhai Patel were against the creation of linguistic states.
Q 5 – Give one reason why English continued to be used in India after Independence.
Ans. The people from the south were against Hindi replacing English. They threatened to separate from India if Hindi was imposed on them.
The Constituent Assembly finally decided that Hindi would be the “official language” of India and English would be used in the courts, the services, and communications between one state and another.
Q 6 – How was the economic development of India visualised in the early decades after Independence?
Ans. The economic development of India would be focused on lifting India and Indians out of poverty and building a modern technical and industrial base. In 1950, the government set up a Planning Commission to help design and execute suitable policies for economic development. There was a broad agreement on what was called a “mixed economy” model. Here, both the State and the private sector would play important and complementary roles in increasing.
Q 7 – What was the clear challenge for the newly independent nation India?
Ans. The clear challenge of the new nation was to lift it masses out of poverty.
Q 8 – Mention the years during which Constitution was framed.
Ans. The Constitution was framed between December 1946 and November 1949
Q 9 – Name the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly.
Ans. Dr B.R. Ambedkar was the Chairman of the Drafting Committee.
Q 10 – For what purpose Potti Sriramulu died of fasting?
Ans. He died of fasting for a separate state for Telugu speakers.
Q 11 – What had became the symbol of development in Independent India?
Ans. Bridges and dams became the symbol of development in Independent India.
Q 12 – With which country’s help was the Bhilai Steel Plant set up?
Ans. With the help of Soviet Union in 1959, Bhilai Steel Plant was set up.
Q 13 – Name one of the world’s largest slum from Mumbai.
Ans. Dharavi in Mumbai is one of the world’s largest slum.
Q 14 – When did India celebrate its 60th Independence day?
Ans. On 15th August 2007, India celebrated in sixty years of independence.
Q 15 – In which year was the Punjab divided?
Ans. In the year 1966, Punjab was divided.
Q 16 – How was Dr B.R. Ambedkar respectfully referred?
Ans. Dr B.R. Ambedkar was respectfully referred to as Babasaheb.
Q 17 – What was the major debate in the Constituent Assembly concerned to?
Ans. Major debate in the constituent Assembly concerned to language.
Q 18 – When was the planning commission setup by the government?
Ans. Planning commission was set up in 1950 by the government.
Q 19 – What was the main focus of 2nd 5 year plan?
Ans. 2nd 5 year plan strongly focussed on the development of heavy industries.
Q 20 – Mention some features the Indian Constitution.
Ans. Free press, independent judiciary, unity in diversity
Q 21 – What is Franchise.
Ans. The Right to is called Franchise. .
Q 22 – What is meant by the term Refugee?
Ans. Refugee is the one who had been forced to leave his/her country/home due to any specific condition on reason.
Q 23 – Define union list.
Ans. Union list is the discussion about the subjects such as taxes, defence and foreign affairs, basically the responsibility of the centre is discussed.
Q 24 – What subjects does concurrent lists deals with?
Ans. Subjects such at forest and Agriculture.
Q 25 – What was the promise made to major linguistics groups by Indian National Congress
Ans. The promises made by the Indian National Congress in 1920’s to the major linguistic groups were that once the country won independence, each major linguistic group would have its own province.
Q 26 – Describe about Dr B. R. Ambedkar in short.
Ans. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar (1891 – 1956) was respectfully referred to as Babasaheb, he belonged to a Marathi speaking dalit ‘Mahar’ community family. He was a lawyer and economist, he was best known as a revered leader of the dalits and the father of the Indian Constitution.
Q 27 – What were features of the Constitution of India?
Ans. The features of the constitution were:
- 1st: The adoption of the Universal Adult Franchise, means that all Indians above the age of 21 would be allowed to vote in state and national elections.
- 2nd: The Constitution guaranteed equality before the law to all citizens, regardless of their castes or religious affiliation.
- 3rd: The Constitution offers special privileges for the poorer and the most disadvantaged Indian. The practice of untouchability was abolished.
Q 28 – What was the topic of discussion for the Constituent Assembly for many days? Also define what is meant by state lift?
Ans. The Constituent Assembly spent many days discussing the powers of the central government verses the power of the state governments.
State list: comprised of the subjects rise education and health that would be taken care of principally by the states.
Q 29 – What were the problems of development added to the problems of unity at Independence?
Ans. After independence also vast majority of Indians lived in villages. Farmers and peasants depended on the monsoon for their survival. So did the non-farm sector of rural economy and if the crops failed due to any reason the barbers, carpenters, weavers and other services groups were not paid.
- In cities, factory workers lived in crowded slums with little access to education or health care. New nation got challenge for lifting its masses out of poverty by increasing productivity of agriculture and job creation.
Q 30 – What had happened after the creation of Andhra Pradesh and what was the report submitted by states reorganization committee says?
Ans. After the creation of Andhra Pradesh other linguistic communities also demanded their own separate states. A state Reorganisation Commission was set up, which submitted its report in 1956, recommending the redrawing of district and provincial boundaries to form compact provinces of Assamese, Bengali, Oriya, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Telugu speakers respectively.
- The large Hindi-speaking region of North India was broken up into several states. A little later, in 1960, the bilingual state of Bombay was divided into sperate states of Marathi and Gujarati speakers.