Political Parties Class 10 Solutions

Politics and power are studied from domestic, international, and comparative perspectives in political science. Understanding political ideas, ideologies, institutions, policies, procedures, and behavior, as well as groups, classes, government, diplomacy, law, strategy, and war, are all part of it. Political science employs a wide range of approaches, including psychology, social research, and political philosophy.

Ch 6 Civics Class 10 is Political Parties. It is one of the most significant chapters in Political Science. This chapter discusses the function of political parties in India, as well as a variety of other related issues. It will guide a student in comprehending the nature and functioning of Indian political parties. Through Political Parties Class 10 NCERT Solutions, students will learn about the regional political parties in India, including their symbols and leaders.

Students find Political Science to be an interesting subject but retaining all information and data could be challenging for students. Hence, Extramarks have introduced Political Parties Class 10 Questions and Answers to make the process easier for students. These NCERT Solutions provide detailed answers to the textual questions which will make it very convenient for students to remember all the concepts of the chapters. Subject experts prepare these solutions after great research on the subject.

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Key Topics Covered in Political Parties Class 10 Solutions

Mentioned below are the key topics that are covered in Political Parties Class 10 Solutions:

  • Why do we need Political Parties?
  • How many Parties should we have?
  • National Parties
  • State Parties
  • Challenges to Political Parties
  • How can Parties be reformed?

Let us look at Extramarks in-depth information on each subtopic in Political Parties Class 10 Solutions.

Why do we need Political Parties?

Political Parties Class 10 Solutions explains that a political party is a bunch of individuals who join to stand for an election in the government and win elections. They agree on a set of policies and programmes for society to advance the common good. Parties reflect a society’s basic political divides. As a result, a party’s identity is determined by which side it represents, which policies it supports, and which interests it represents. A political party is made up of three elements:

  • The leaders
  • The members
  • The followers

Functions of Political Parties

Political parties are responsible for filling political offices and exerting political power. Political Parties Class 10 Solutions states that parties do this by undertaking the following tasks:

  • Political parties are the primary means of contesting elections in most countries. To create a government, political parties nominate candidates who are elected. Then, the party’s members elect the candidate who will represent the party in elections.
  • Parties express their shared views through a variety of policies and initiatives.
  • Parties have a key influence in shaping the country’s laws and policies.
  • They are the fundamental elements that make up and administer a government.
  • Parties that lose elections to the opposing government serve as a check on the administration in power.
  • They also play an essential role in influencing public opinion and providing access to government institutions.

Necessity

  • This gives the electoral process a structure and flow. Without political parties, everyone would be self-governing, and no good policy decisions could be made.
  • The elected official would be held accountable for the local region, but the entire country would have no functional government.
  • The village is broken up during panchayat elections, and each nominates a slate of candidates.

How many Parties should we have?

Political Parties Class 10 Solutions explains how many parties a nation should/can have in the following section.

Any group of citizens can create a political party in a democracy. For example, the Election Commission of India has over 750 registered political parties. However, not all these parties are primary electoral challengers. So, how many prominent or influential political parties are suitable for democracy?

Only one political party can control and operate the government in some nations. They are named as One-party systems. This system is not seen as a realistic democratic choice.

In some nations,  power frequently shifts between the two major parties.  A two-party system is a name for such a political system. For example, the United States of America and the United Kingdom are two countries which have the two-party system.

A multiparty system exists when numerous parties strive for power, and more than two parties have a reasonable chance of gaining power either on their own or through alliances with others. Take, for example, India.

An alliance or a front is formed when numerous parties in a multiparty system join to contest elections and gain power.

National Parties

The Election Commission mandates every political party in the country to register. It has certain unique facilities for huge, established parties. The Election Commission sets defined criteria for votes and seats to be recognised.

  • A State Party is a political party that receives at least 6% of the total vote in a State’s Legislative Assembly election and wins at least two seats.
  • A National Party is a political party that receives at least 6% of the total vote in Lok Sabha or Assembly elections in four states and wins at least four seats in the Lok Sabha.

The major National Parties in India

As of 2018, the country has seven recognised national parties. Political Parties Class 10 Solutions explains the specifics of these Parties:

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)

  • Kanshi Ram was the driving force behind the group’s formation in 1984.
  • The Bahujan samaj, comprising Dalits, Adivasis, OBCs, and religious minorities, seeks to represent and win power for them.
  • Supports the cause of ensuring the Dalits’ and oppressed people’s interests and wellbeing.

Communist Party of India

  • It was founded in 1925. Marxism-Leninism, secularism, and democracy are its beliefs.
  • It opposed  secessionist and communist forces. .
  • Accepts parliamentary democracy as a tool for advancing the interests of workers, farmers, and the poor.

Indian National Congress

  • The Congress Party is one of the most well-known political parties in the United States. One of the world’s oldest parties. It was founded in 1885 and has gone through several splits.
  • The party intended to establish a modern secular democratic republic in India under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru.
  • The fundamental goal of the party is to promote secularism and the welfare of marginalised groups and minorities.

All India Trinamool Congress

  • Mamata Banerjee was the first to lead the movement, which began on January 1, 1998.
  • In 2016, the party was recognised as a national party.
  • It holds the values like Secularism and federalism. 

Nationalist Congress Party

  • Following a split of the Congress Party, this  party was formed in 1999.
  • Democracy, Gandhian secularism, fairness, social justice, and federalism are all values it believes in.

Bhartiya Janta Party

  • Shyama Prasad Mukherjee founded the party in 1951 and was founded in 1980.
  • Draws inspiration from India’s traditional culture and traditions, as well as Deendayal Upadhyaya’s ideals of integrated humanism and Antyodaya, to develop a strong and contemporary India.
  • In its idea of Indian nationhood and politics, cultural nationalism (or ‘Hindutva’) is a key component.

State Parties

  • The Election Commission classifies the remainder of the parties as ‘State parties’, except for the six-state parties. Regional parties are another name for them.
  • National-level political organisations like the Samajwadi Party, Samata Party, and Rashtriya Janata Dal have units in various states. Biju Janata Dal, Sikkim Democratic Front, and Mizo National Front are among the parties aware of their state’s identity.
  • Since 1996, practically every state party has had the option to participate in one or more national coalition governments.

Challenges to Political Parties

The public’s dissatisfaction and criticism have centred on four areas of political party functioning. Political Parties Class 10 Solutions states these are the following:

  • Within parties, there is a lack of internal democracy, and power tends to consolidate in the hands of one or a few leaders. In addition, few parties can hold meetings with all their members, and as a result, ordinary members are unaware of what is happening within the party.
  • Ordinary members cannot ascend to the top of political parties because the working of Parties is not transparent. As a result, only those close to the leaders or those with authority have edge over others.
  • There has also been a rise in the misuse of money and brute power, focusing on winning rather than obeying democratic norms.
  • The parties do not give citizens a genuine choice. Many concepts and pledges are the same or offered with little variations, and only renowned and popular members are frequently featured. For example, Britain has minimal distinction between the Labour Party and the Conservative Party. They agree on the basics but disagree on how policies should be articulated and implemented.

How can Parties be reformed?

Look at some of India’s recent reform initiatives and ideas for political parties and leaders. The following are some examples of efforts:

  • The Constitution was changed to make it illegal for elected MLAs and MPs to switch parties.
    • Deflection in politics is defined as an MLA / MP moving from one party to another party for personal benefits. It means that the MLA / MP is changing the party alliance from the party through which he / she got elected.
  • The Supreme Court issued an order to limit the power of money and crime in society. As a result, every candidate who contests election  must file an AFFIDAVIT detailing his assets and any pending criminal proceedings against him.
  • Political parties must hold organisational elections and file income tax filings, according to an order issued by the Election Commission.

Aside from that, other recommendations for reforming political parties are given. But unfortunately, political parties have yet to embrace these recommendations.

  • Legislation should be established to control political parties’ internal affairs.
  • Political parties should allocate a minimum number of tickets, perhaps one-third, to female candidates. Similarly, a quota for women in the party’s decision-making structures should be established.
  • The government should fund elections. In addition, the government should provide funds to political parties to help them pay for election expenditures.

There are two alternative approaches to reforming political parties:

  • First, people can exert pressure on political parties. This can be accomplished through petitions, public awareness campaigns, and agitations.
  • Political parties will improve if those who wish to change can join political parties. However, reforming politics is difficult if ordinary folks do not participate and instead criticise it from the outside.

Political Parties Class 10 Solutions Exercise and Solutions

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Class 10 Civics Chapter 6: Very Short Answer Type Questions

Class 10 Civics Chapter 6: Short Answer Type Questions

Class 10 Civics Chapter 6: Long Answer Type Questions

Students may access Political Parties Class 10 Solutions and other chapters by clicking here. In addition, students can also explore NCERT Solutions for other classes below.

NCERT Class 10 Social Science Books Available for:
NCERT Solutions Class 10 Social Science – Understanding Economic Development
NCERT Solutions Class 10 Social Science – India and the Contemporary World
NCERT Solutions Class 10 Social Science – Contemporary India

By accessing Political Parties Class 10 Solutions, students can easily understand all the concepts relating to Political Parties.

Key Features of Political Parties Class 10 Solutions

Designed in such a way so that students grab the fundamentals of the chapters, NCERT Solutions of Extramarks are working its magic for the students. Political Parties Class 10 Solutions are enough in themselves to provide all the intricacies of the chapter. But why choose Extramarks? Here’s why:

  • Political Parties Class 10 Solutions are written in easy-to-understand language.
  • It covers all the chapter-end questions along with their comprehensive answers explained in detail with proper instances and case studies.
  • These solutions help students in overcoming any hurdles in solving textual questions.
  • Based on the CBSE curriculum, Extramarks has compiled the most important material on this topic.

Q.1 State the various functions political parties perform in a democracy.

Ans-

In a democracy, a political party has the following functions –

  • Parties contest elections. Parties select their candidates for elections in different ways. In USA, members and supporters of a party choose its candidate. In India, senior party leaders choose the candidate.
  • Different policies and programmes are put forward by political parties. Voters decide which party to vote for based on their policies.
  • Parties play a decisive role in law making for the country. Laws are debated and passed in the legislature. But members of the legislature belong to some party of the other. They generally take the line of their party while debating a law.
  • Parties form and run governments. Party that wins maximum seats in legislature forms government. Party leaders are appointed as ministers in the government.
  • Parties that lose in the elections play the role of opposition. They voice different views and criticize the government for its failures or wrong policies.
  • Parties shape public opinion. They raise and highlight issues. Parties sometimes also launch movements for the resolution of problems faced by people.

Parties provide people access to government machinery and welfare schemes implemented by governments. For an ordinary citizen, it is easy to approach a local party leader than a government officer.

Q.2 What are the various challenges faced by political parties?

Ans-

The various challenges faced by political parties are –

  • Lack of internal democracy: This challenge is faced by political parties all over the world. There is a tendency that power is concentrated with some big leaders within the party. Parties do not hold organizational meetings and do not hold internal elections regularly. Ordinary members of a party are not aware of what is going on in the party.
  • Dynastic succession: In many parties, top positions are always controlled by members of one family. This is unfair to other members of a party and it is bad for democracy.
  • Role of money and muscle power: Parties are mainly interested in winning elections. They tend to use short-cuts to win elections. Parties pick candidates that can raise huge amounts of money. As a result, rich people and companies who fund parties also shape the policies of the party. In many cases, political parties give tickets to criminals who can win the election.
  • No meaningful choice: Another challenge is the lack of any meaningful choice to the voters. In recent years, there has been a decline in the ideological differences among parties in most parts of the world. For example, the difference between the Labour Party and the Conservative Party in Britain is very little. They agree on more fundamental aspects but differ only in details on how policies are to be framed and implemented. In India too, the differences among all the major parties on the economic policies have reduced. Those who want really different policies have no option available to them.

Q.3 Suggest some reforms to strengthen parties so that they perform their functions well?

Ans-

Some reforms that are suggested to strengthen parties are –

  • A law should be brought into force to regulate internal affairs of political parties. It should be made compulsory for a political party to:
    • Maintain a register of its members
    • Follow its own constitution
    • Have an independent authority to act as judge in case of party disputes
    • Hold independent elections for highest posts
  • It should be made mandatory for all political parties to give one-third tickets to women candidates. There should also be a quota for women in the decision making body of a party.
  • There should be state funding of elections. Funds should be given by the government to the parties for their election expenses.

Q.4 What is a political party?

Ans-

A political party is a group of people who come together to contest elections and hold power in the government. They agree on some policies and programmes for the society with a view to promote the collective good.

Q.5 What are the characteristics of a political party?

Ans-

Important characteristics of political parties are –

  • They agree on some policies and programmes for the society with a view to promote the collective good.
  • Since there can be different views on what is good for all, parties try to persuade people why their policies are better than others.
  • They seek to implement these policies by winning popular support through elections.
  • Parties reflect fundamental political divisions in a society.
  • Parties are a part of society and thus involve partisanship. Thus, a party is known by which part it stands for, which policies its supports and whose interests it upholds.

Q.6 A group of people who come together to contest elections and hold power in the government is called a _____________________.

Ans-

A group of people who come together to contest elections and hold power in the government is called a political party.

Q.7 Match List I (organisations and struggles) with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists:

List I List II
1. Congress Party A.National Democratic Alliance
2. Bharatiya Janata Party B. State Party
3. Communist Party of India (Marxist) C. United Progressive Alliance
4. Telugu Desam Party D. Left Front
1 2 3 4
(a) C A B D
(b) C D A B
(c) C A D B
(d) D C A B

Ans-

(c)

Q.8 Who among the following is the founder of the Bahujan Samaj Party?
A. Kanshi Ram
B. Sahu Maharaj
C. B.R. Ambedkar
D. Jotiba Phule

Ans-

A. Kanshi Ram

Q.9 What is the guiding philosophy of the Bharatiya Janata Party?
A. Bahujan Samaj
B. Revolutionary democracy
C. Integral humanism
D. Modernity

Ans-

C. Integral humanism

Q.10 Consider the following statements on parties.
(A) Political parties do not enjoy much trust among the people.
(B) Parties are often rocked by scandals involving top party leaders.
(C) Parties are not necessary to run governments.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) A, B and C (b) A and B (c) B and C (d) A and C

Ans-

(b) A and B

Q.11 Read the following passage and answer the questions given below:

Muhammad Yunus is a famous economist of Bangladesh. He received several international honours for his efforts to promote economic and social development for the benefit of the poor. He and the Grameen Bank he started jointly, received the Nobel Peace Prize for 2006. In February 2007, he decided to launch a political party and contest in the parliamentary elections. His objective was to foster proper leadership, good governance and build a new Bangladesh. He felt that only a political party different from the traditional ones would bring about new political culture. His party would be democratic from the grassroots level.

The launching of the new party, called Nagarik Shakti (Citizens’ Power), has caused a stir among the Bangladeshis. While many welcomed his decision, some did not like it. “Now I think Bangladesh will have a chance to choose between good and bad and eventually have a good government,” said Shahedul Islam, a government official. “That government, we hope, would not only keep itself away from corruption but also make fighting corruption and black money a top priority.”

But leaders of traditional political parties who dominated the country’s politics for decades were apprehensive. “There was no debate (over him) winning the Nobel, but politics is different – very challenging and often controversial,” said a senior leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. Some others were highly critical. They asked why he was rushing into politics. “Is he being planted in politics by mentors from outside the country,” asked one political observer.

Do you think Yunus made a right decision to float a new political party?

Do you agree with the statements and fears expressed by various people? How do you want this new party organised to make it different from other parties? If you were the one to begin this political party, how would you defend it?

Ans-

  • Yunus did the right thing by forming a new party. He launched a party that was different from traditional parties. His party also promised to be democratic from the grass-root levels. Being democratic from the grass-root level meant the party would not allow power concentration with few top leaders. It would also give a fair chance to young and budding leaders to prosper. Since the party was different from traditional ones, it would give the voters a meaningful choice.
  • I agree with the statement made by Shahedul Islam in support of the party. The party would provide the people with a meaningful choice which was not there with traditional parties. It would allow the people to choose a government free from corruption. On the other hand, I do not agree with the fears and apprehensions of the people opposing the new political party. These fears and apprehensions are baseless.
  • To make this party different from others, the party should truly be democratic at grass-root level. The leaders and candidates should be selected by open election. The party should maintain a membership register and regularly hold organizational meetings. Moreover, the party must give one-third of the tickets to women candidates and also reserve seats for women in decision making bodies.
  • I would defend the party with the following arguments –
    • Traditional parties do not offer a meaningful choice to the voters
    • They have failed to check corruption and flow of black money
    • The party is democratic at grass-root levels which prevents power concentration with a few big leaders
    • The party gives a fair chance to young and budding leaders and does not allow power concentration in one family

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NCERT Class 10 Social Science Chapterwise Solutions

Chapter 1 - Power Sharing

Chapter 2 - Federalism

Chapter 3 - Democracy and Diversity

Chapter 4 - Gender, Religion and Caste

Chapter 5 - Popular Struggles and Movements

Chapter 7 - Outcomes of Democracy

Chapter 8 - Challenges to Democracy

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

If students desire better results, they should always follow the CBSE syllabus. Political Parties Class 10 Solutions by Extramarks are made by following all the guidelines laid by CBSE. Most of the CBSE board questions are from the NCERT books.

Nothing is complicated if you understand the principles and concepts in a thorough way. This chapter focuses on political parties, their roles, the influence they wield, opposition, and so on. In this chapter, you will learn about the areas in which political parties may develop and how they can differentiate themselves by implementing specific reforms in their current working style, such as how women’s participation can improve the image of their political party.