CBSE Class 8 Social Science Our Past 3 Important Questions Chapter - 10 India After Independence - Free PDF Download
FAQs on Important Questions for CBSE Class 8 Social Science Our Past 3 Chapter 10 - India After Independence
1. What were the five major challenges India faced immediately after independence, as highlighted in Chapter 10?
According to the CBSE Class 8 syllabus, the newly independent India faced several critical challenges:
- Refugee Crisis: The partition resulted in nearly 8 million refugees migrating from Pakistan to India, who urgently needed homes and employment.
- Integration of Princely States: There were over 500 princely states, ruled by maharajas or nawabs, that had to be convinced to join the new nation.
- Establishing a Political System: A new political structure had to be developed that would serve the hopes and aspirations of a diverse population.
- National Unity: The country was deeply divided along religious and caste lines, posing a significant threat to national unity.
- Economic Development: Widespread poverty needed to be addressed by creating jobs, setting up new industries, and boosting agricultural productivity to lift the masses out of poverty.
2. What important constitutional provisions were made to grant justice to disadvantaged social groups?
The Indian Constitution introduced key provisions to ensure justice for the poor and disadvantaged:
- Abolition of Untouchability: The practice of "untouchability" was legally abolished, and the so-called "untouchables," or Harijans, were granted the right to enter temples and use public facilities.
- Reservation Policy: To address historical injustice, a percentage of seats in legislatures and jobs in government services were reserved for members of the lowest castes, now known as Scheduled Castes (SCs).
- Rights for Adivasis: Similar to the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes (STs), or Adivasis, were also granted reservation in jobs and seats in legislatures to protect their interests and ensure their representation.
3. Explain how the formation of Andhra Pradesh was a turning point in the creation of linguistic states in India.
The formation of Andhra Pradesh was a pivotal event. Initially, Prime Minister Nehru and Deputy PM Patel were against creating states based on language, fearing it would cause further division. However, Telugu-speaking people in the Madras Presidency demanded a separate state of Andhra. Their protest intensified when a Gandhian leader, Potti Sriramulu, died after a 58-day hunger strike for this cause. The widespread agitation following his death forced the central government to concede the demand, and the state of Andhra Pradesh was created on 1 October 1953. This event set a precedent, leading other linguistic communities to demand their own states, which resulted in the formation of the States Reorganisation Commission in 1956.
4. How did the Constitution divide powers between the Central and State governments? This is a frequently asked question.
To ensure a balance of power in a diverse country, the Constitution of India established a federal system with a clear division of legislative powers through three lists:
- Union List: Subjects on this list, such as defence, foreign affairs, and taxation, were the exclusive responsibility of the Central Government.
- State List: Subjects like education and health were to be managed by the State Governments.
- Concurrent List: For subjects like forests and agriculture, both the Centre and the States would have joint responsibility and could make laws.
5. Why were national leaders initially hesitant to divide the country on linguistic lines after independence?
National leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and Vallabhbhai Patel were initially against creating states based on language for two main reasons. First, they feared it would lead to further divisions and instability in a country that had just suffered the trauma of partition on the basis of religion. They believed that focusing on linguistic identity could undermine the fragile sense of national unity. Second, they felt that the nation's priority should be economic development and poverty alleviation, and that linguistic reorganisation would distract from these crucial tasks.
6. What was the role and objective of the Planning Commission established in 1950?
The Planning Commission was established in 1950 to help design and execute suitable policies for India's economic development. Its main objective was to promote a "mixed economy" model, where both the state and the private sector would play important roles in increasing production and creating jobs. The Commission formulated a series of Five-Year Plans, with the Second Five-Year Plan (1956) focusing heavily on the development of heavy industries like steel and the construction of large dams.
7. Assess India's major achievements and failures in its first sixty years, as per the chapter's conclusion.
As per the NCERT textbook, India's journey since 1947 has seen both significant successes and persistent failures.
Key Achievements:
- India has remained a united and democratic country, despite predictions of its disintegration.
- It has maintained a free press and an independent judiciary, which are hallmarks of a strong democracy.
- National unity has been preserved despite deep-seated linguistic and regional diversities.
Key Failures:
- Deep divisions between the rich and the poor have widened over time, with many people still living below the poverty line.
- Despite constitutional guarantees, Dalits and other lower-caste groups continue to face violence and discrimination.
- Clashes between different religious groups continue to occur in many parts of the country, challenging the ideal of a secular nation.
8. For my Class 8 exam, what are some expected 3 or 5-mark questions from the chapter 'India After Independence'?
Based on CBSE exam patterns for Class 8 Social Science, some expected important questions from this chapter are:
- Describing the immediate problems faced by India after partition (a classic 5-mark question).
- Explaining the process and challenges of integrating the princely states.
- The reasons for and consequences of the formation of linguistic states, with a focus on Andhra Pradesh.
- The key features of the Indian Constitution, such as the division of powers or universal adult franchise.
- An evaluation of India's successes and failures in its initial decades.
