Ignou Sure Success Questions Paper for Term End Examination, December-2012

BACHELOR'S DEGREE PROGRAMME

Term-End Examination- December, 2012

POLITICAL SCIENCE

EPS-12: GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL SCIENCE

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 Note: (i) Section - I -Any two questions to he answered.

(ii)Section - II -Any four questions to be answered.

(iii)Section - III -Any two parts to be answered.

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SECTION-I

Answer any two of the following questions in about 500 words each. Each question carries 20 marks. 2x20=40

Q. Discuss the main characteristics of federalism in India. 20

Q. Examine the impact of liberalization on Indian bureaucracy.20

Q. Why were the special provisions introduced for north-east India? Discuss. 20

Q. Discuss the impact of crime on politics in India.

Q. Write an essay on the nature of extremist nationalism in the colonial india. 20

Q. Describe the relationship between president and prime minister in the Indian political system.20

Q. Write a note on communist parties in India. 20

Q. How do communalism and casteism effect unity of women’s movement. 20

Q. Analyze the impact of colonialism on the Indian peasantry.

Q. Critically examine the essential features of the constitution of India.

Q. Discuss the features of the parliamentary system of government.

Q. Compare the main features of the 73rd and 74^th Constitutional Amendments.

SECTION-II

Answer any four of the following questions in about 250 words each. Each question carries 12 marks.  4x12=48

Q. Enumerate the reasons for the rise of modern Indian intelligentsia.12

Q. Explain the significance of the Inter-state Council.12

Q. What are the special powers of the Rajya Sabha? Explain.12

Q. Comment on the role of caste in Indian politics.12

Q. Discuss the impact of environment movements in India.12

Q. What do you mean by social base of a party? Explain with some examples.12

Q. Discuss the impact of reservation on social change in India.12

Q. Explain the difference between Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles of state policy.12

Q. Describe the response of the peasantry to the colonial rule in India. 12

Q. How is citizenship acquired in India? 12

Q. Describe the special powers of the Rajya shaba. 12

Q. Describe the basic features of the 73 constitutional amendment acts. 12

Q. Discuss the special provisions for the state of Jammu and Kashmir under article 370.

Q. Write a note on the Dravida Munnerta Kazhagam(DMK). 12

Q. Discuss the impact of elections on indias weaker sections. 12

Q. Write a note on Chipko Movement. 12

Q. Discuss the factors which led to the growth of modern industry in India.

Q. Analyze the composition of the Constituent Assembly.

Q. What were the essential features of the Government of India Act of 1935? Explain.

Q. Discuss the states reorganization of 1956.

Q. Why do we call certain parties as regional parties? Explain.

Q. Evaluate the role of women in the social movements in India.

Q. Comment on the cultural impact of globalization in India.

Q. What are the main challenges to secularism? Explain.

SECTION –III

13. Write short notes on any two of the following in about 100 words each. Each part carries 6 marks.  2x6=12

(Q)Caste and voting behaviour (Q)The V schedule of the constitution (Q)Regionalism (Q)Money Bill(Q) Question hours

(Q) Inter-state council(Q) Election commission.(Q) Gender equality (Q) The Finance Commission(Q) The Right to Freedom.(Q) Election Commission.(Q) Communalism.(contact for  Sure Success Question Papers for every Term End Examination. Interested Candidates may contact at ignousolutions99@gmail.com)

Judicial Review in India

Literally the notion of judicial review means the revision of the decree or

sentence of an inferior court by a superior court. Judicial review has a more

technical significance in pubic law, particularly in countries having a written

constitution, founded on the concept of limited government. Judicial review in this

case means that Courts of law have the power of testing the validity of legislative

as well as other governmental action with reference to the pr ovisions of the

constitution.

In England, there is no written constitution. Here the Parliament exercises

supreme authority. The courts do not have the power to review laws passed by

the sovereign parliament. However, English Courts review the legality of

executive actions. In the United States, the judiciary assumed the power to

scrutinise exec utive actions and examine the constitutional validity of legislation

by the doctrine of ‘due process’. By contrast, in India, the power of the court to

declare legislative enactments invalid is expressly enacted in the constitution.

Fundamental rights enumerated in the Constitution are made justiciable and the

right to constitutional remedy has itself been made a Fundamental right.

The Supreme Court’s power  of judicial review extends to constitutional

amendments as well as to other actions of the legislatures, the executive and the

other governmental agencies. However, judicial review has been particularly

significant and contentious in regard to constitutional amendments. Under Article

368, constitutional amendments could be made by the Parliament. But Article 13

provides that the state shall not make any law which takes away or abridges

fundamental rights and that any law made in contravention with this rule shall be

void. The issue is, would the amendment of the constitution be a law made by

the state? Can such a law infringing fundamental rights be declared

unconstitutional? This was a riddle before the judiciary for about two decades

after India became a republic. 

In 1970, when the Supreme Court struck down some of Mrs Indira Gandhi’s

populist measures, such as the abolition of the privy purses of the former princes

and nationalisation of banks, the Prime Minister set about to assert the

supremacy of the Parliament. She was able to give effect to her wishes after

gaining two-thirds majority in the 1971 General Elections. In 1972, the Parliament

passed the 25th Constitutional Amendment act which allowed the legislature to

encroach on fundamental rights if it was said to be done pursuant to giving effect

to the Directive Principles of State Policy. No court was permitted to question

such a declaration. The 28th Amendment act ended the recognition granted to

former rulers of Indian states and their privy purses were abolished.

One of the limits on judicial review has been the principle of locus standi. This

means that only a person aggrieved by an administrative action or by an unjust

provision of law shall have the right to move the court for redressal. In 1982,

however, the Supreme Court in a judgement on the democratic rights of

construction workers of the Asian Games granted the Peoples Union of

Democratic Rights, the right of Public Interest Litigation (PIL). Taking recourse to

epistolary jurisdiction under which the US  Supreme Court treated a post card

from a prisoner as petition, the Supreme Court of India stated that any ‘public

spirited’ individual or organisation could move the court even by writing a letter.

In 1988, the Supreme Court delineated the matters to be entertained as PIL. The

categories are: matter concerning bonded labour, neglected children, petition

from prisoners, petition against police, petition against atrocities on women,

children, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, environmental matters,

adulteration of drugs and foods, maintenance of heritage and culture and other

such matters of public interest.

Since the granting of the right to PIL, what some claim to be the only major

democratic right of the people of India, and granted not by the Parliament but by

the judiciary, the courts have been flooded by PILs. While the flood of such

litigation indicates the widespread nature of the deprivation of democratic rights.

Challenges of Education.

Challenge to provide Equality and Quality in Education

HRD Minister has paved the way for huge challenges ahead by promising quality education to all. It has already been seen that it will be difficult to do so in the absence of good teachers. The Act says that no student would be dropped from school or not passed till the age of 14. With the mix of such students in class, it would be very difficult for the teachers to ensure quality. Substantial efforts would be required to maintain and impart quality education.Teachers and the supporting staff of schools will find it tough to remain impartial and treat all the students on an equal footing without any biases. Besides this, they will also be responsible for encouraging harmony amongst the varying strata of students.

Challenge to Enforce 25% Quota for Weaker Sections

We Can Study Together Now!

It remains to be seen whether this clause to reserve 25% of seats for weaker sections by Private unaided schools will turn out to be a boon or a bane. On one hand the Act aims at removing this bipolarity in education and on the other it is feared that interfering in the functioning of private schools will have an adverse effect on the quality of education. These institutes claim to have brought some semblance of order to the education system in our country.It is going to be a challenge for the government to work out modalities which can strike a balance between a six year old child who has just entered school and a child who has been to a school since the age of 3. It will be a cultural and social shock for him. Since it will be mandatory not to fail any child till standard 8th, the classes would be full and ensuring quality education in the light of this a huge challenge. The biggest challenge in this is going to be the definition of weaker sections. This is where malpractices can creep in. A monitoring mechanism will also have to be set up to ensure its fair implementation.

What will happen when a child belonging to the quota category wants to change school in higher classes? Logistics need to be worked out for a smooth transition there also. Will this help in eradicating the socioeconomic divide? It is tough task to bring together children from varying economic and social backgrounds on the same platform. It would indeed be challenging for the teachers to maintain equilibrium and create an environment for them to blend together.

Challenge to Bring Child Laborers to Schools

Will we get a chance to go to school?

Now that right to education has become a fundamental right of each and every child , it should also be applicable to those thousands of students who are being used as child laborers and have been denied education till now.There are more than 12 million children in India who are engaged in child labor and these are just official figures. Unless and until a special provision is made in the Act, it would be challenging to bring back these children to school.These are some of the problems that have littered the path but our HRD Minister is quite confident of overcoming these challenges and propel India towards even greater heights.This Act has put India in the same league as U.S.A. and 130 other Nations as far as the right to education is concerned. Nothing can change overnight but there is a ray of hope. A hope that if all these hurdles and shortcomings are overcome and the loopholes removed, then this will become the road leading towards an Educated India, a Proud India.