Telangana SCERT Class 10 Social Science Chapter 15 Solution – The Making of Independent India’s Constitution. Here in this post we have provided Class 10 Social Science The Making of Independent India’s Constitution Telangana State Board Solution. Telangana State Board English Class X Medium Students can download this Solution to Solve out Improve Your Learning Questions and Answers.
Telangana State Board Class 10 Social Science Chapter 15 The Making of Independent India’s Constitution Solution:
1.) Find the odd one out:
- Indian Constitution adopts from experiences of freedom struggle
- Indian Constitution adopts from already existing constitutions
- Indian Constitution has remained the same since its drafting
- Indian Constitution provides principles and provisions for ruling the country
Ans: Indian Constitution has remained the same since its drafting
2.) Correct the false statements:
- There was unanimity of opinion on all provisions during CA debates
Ans: There was no unanimity of opinion on all provisions during CA debates
- The makers of Constitution represented only certain regions of the country.
Ans: The makers of Constitution represented all regions of the country.
- Constitution provides certain provisions to amend articles in it.
Ans: Constitution provides all provisions to amend articles in it.
- Supreme Court of India has said that basic features of Constitution may also be amended.
Ans: Supreme Court of India has said that basic features of Constitution may not be amended.
3.) Describe the unitary and federal principles of Indian government as discussed in the CA debates.
Ans: Two principal forms of the Constitution are known to history – one is called Unitary and the other Federal. The two essential characteristics of a Unitary Constitution are: (1) the supremacy of the Central Polity [the word polity means system of government or political organisation] and (2) the absence of subsidiary Sovereign polities. Contrariwise, a Federal Constitution is marked: (1) by the existence of a Central polity and subsidiary polities side by side, and (2) by each being sovereign in the field assigned to it. In other words, Federation means the establishment of a Dual Polity [dual system of government central and state]. The Draft Constitution is, Federal Constitution in as much as it establishes what may be called a Dual Polity. This Dual Polity under the proposed Constitution will consist of the Union at the Centre and the States at the periphery each endowed with sovereign powers to be exercised in the field assigned to them respectively by the Constitution.
4.) How does the Constitution reflect the political events of the time? Draw from previous chapters on freedom struggle.
Ans: There was a turn of events and new political aspirations during the last few years of the British rule. That shaped the constitution. After 1936 Gandhi did not take much interest in politics, mostly confined to ashram. However he was guiding the events. Electoral politics began in 1936-37, and lasted with 1946 elections in which members of Constituent Assembly were elected. The same members have written the Constitution. The Congress remained a predominant political stream standing for the unified Indian Nationalism encompassing all social segments and it made huge strides in electoral politics also winning majority of seats in two elections. This period is also significant because during the elections religious nationalism – Hindu and Muslim was born little earlier but strengthened as political force. Both Hindu Mahasabha and Muslim League contested the election propagated religious ideas as politics and ideology.
In Special Scheduled Caste Political Conference held in Allahabad in December 1942 Ambedkar declared that India was not a nation but constellation of nations warning the British and Congress that the Scheduled Caste would have their specific identity. Ambedkar thus learnt to communicate with the top dominant nationalist leadership of the country without sacrificing his intended politics. In this debate in 1943 the Secretary of State for India opined that Ambedkar emerged a national leader and said Ambedkar was “the right and only proper representative of the Depressed Classes”. In November 1944 a Non-Party Conference was held under Tej Bahdur Sapru to discuss the basis of future constitution of India. It had invited Ambedkar to send a representative to be on the sub-committee on par with other parties. Further in May 1945 Ambedkar came to the dominant nationalist stance saying that Constitution should be “framed by Indians for Indians with voluntary consent of Indians”. At the same time he declared that “The Scheduled Castes stand for the freedom of India and not for the Congress-High class Hindu rule”. At the same time he categorized the people into “servile classes” and “governing classes”. That means he divided people into social justice forces and the other Indians.
5.) What difference would it have made to the making of our Constitution if the Assembly had been elected through universal adult franchise?
Ans: the Constituent Assembly (CA) was not elected through universal adult franchise, but indirectly and as such did not represent all sections of Indian society. Only about 10% of the population could vote in the provincial elections then. In fact, the members from the princely states were not elected at all and were decided through consultation with the concerned princely states. Such a decision was taken keeping in view the special situation that had arisen due to intense political activity on the eve of freedom and mounting tensions among thepeople. The princely states had not yet agreed to become part of the Indian Union and many of them hoped to remain independent kingdoms. That is why their representatives were asked to join the Assembly. In the beginning, the Muslim League members did not attend the meetings, though they joined it later. Even though the C A was not strictly representative, it took great care to consider all shades of opinions and give wide publicity to its own work so that all kinds of people could provide their inputs through letters, writings in the newspapers and other mediums. Jawaharlal Nehru made this significant statement in the Assembly on 13th December, 1946: “ … the future of India that we have envisaged is not confined to any group or section or province or other, but it comprises all the four hundred million people of India… there is a duty cast upon us and that is to bear the absentees in mind, to remember always that we are here not to function for one party or one group, but always to think of India as a whole and always to think of the welfare of the four hundred millions that comprise India. …it seems to me, the time has come when we should, so far as we are capable of it, rise above our ordinary selves and party disputes and think of the great problem before us in the widest and most tolerant and most effective manner so that, whatever we may produce, should be worthy of India as a whole and should be such that the world should recognise that we have functioned, as we should have functioned, in this high adventure.”
6.) Write a short note on basic principles of Indian Constitution.
Ans: Some major principles in the Constitution were made during 1970s. The first among them is inclusion of two words into the Preamble of the Constitution “Secular” and “Socialist”. Many words in the preamble like “Equality”, “Liberty”, “Justice” etc emphasised the values of secularism and socialism and hence, these words were added. The second major event in the life of Indian Constitution has been a Supreme Court judgement popularly known as Keshavanada Bharati case.The ideas covered in the Preamble carry the basic objectives of the Constitution. The Supreme Court has outlined the essential features in series of judgement. Some of the elements of the basic structure are : The Supremacy of the Constitution; The sovereignty of the country; Fundamental rights; Democratic form of government; Secular character of the Constitution; Federal Character of the Constitution; The mandate to build a welfare state etc.
7.) How has the Constitution defined and changed political institutions in the country?
Ans: Some major changes in the Constitution were made during 1970s. The first among them is inclusion of two words into the Preamble of the Constitution “Secular” and “Socialist”. Many words in the preamble like “Equality”, “Liberty”, “Justice” etc emphasised the values of secularism and socialism and hence, these words were added. The second major event in the life of Indian Constitution has been a Supreme Court judgement popularly known as Keshavanada Bharati case. It was held that even Parliament does not have the power to alter or destroy the basic features of the Constitution. The ideas covered in the Preamble carry the basic objectives of the Constitution. The Supreme Court has outlined the essential features in series of judgement. Some of the elements of the basic structure are : The Supremacy of the Constitution; The sovereignty of the country; Fundamental rights; Democratic form of government; Secular character of the Constitution; Federal Character of the Constitution; The mandate to build a welfare state etc
8.) While Constitution provides basic principles it is the engagement of peoplewith the system that brings in social change. Do you agree with this statement, give reasons.
Ans: In May 1945 Ambedkar came to the dominant nationalist stance saying that Constitution should be “framed by Indians for Indians with voluntary consent of Indians”. At the same time he declared that “The Scheduled Castes stand for the freedom of India and not for the Congress-High class Hindu rule”. At the same time he categorized the people into “servile classes” and “governing classes”. That means he divided people into social justice forces and the other Indians. The Constitution of India was prepared and adopted by the Constituent Assembly. This was the culmination of the long struggle of the Indian people for freedom from British colonial rule. As the British government decided to give freedom to the people of India, a new Constitution was needed through which the people of India could rule themselves and set long term objectives for themselves. The Cabinet Mission appointed in 1946 allotted seats to each Province and each Princely State or group of States. Accordingly, Provinces or areas under direct British rule elected 292 members and all Princely States together elected 93 members. The plan also guaranteed that the seats in each Province had members from the major communities in India : Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and others, in proportion to their respective populations. The Council also ensured that 26 members from Scheduled Castes are represented in the Assembly. While elections were held in Provincial legislative houses, representatives of Princely States were identified through consultation. In all it had only nine women members.
The Constitutional makers were aware that laws will have to be amended from time to time. Thus, it laid down the provisions for amending the laws and the articles in the Constitution as well. Often laws can be made with approval of more than half the members in legislative houses. However, amending the articles in the Constitution can be initiated only by the Parliament.
9.) Locate the following on the map of the world.
a) Nepal b) Japan c) Delhi d) USA
10.) Observe the Bar graph given in page 226 and answer the following questions.
i) In which year the most number of constitutional amendments took place?
Ans: Between 1971 -1990 the most number of constitutional amendments took place.
ii) How many more number of amendments took place in the decade 1971-80 when compared to 1961-70?
Ans: 7 amendments
11.) Prepare a pamphlet on the implementation of equality in your school.
Ans: (To be done in class)