Class 12 Political Science Chapter 2 NCERT Solutions: Era of One Party Dominance

1. Choose the correct option to fill in the blanks.

(a) The First General Elections in 1952 involved simultaneous

elections to the Lok Sabha and ......................(The President of

India/ State Assemblies/ Rajya Sabha/ The Prime Minister)

(b) The party that won the second largest number of Lok Sabha seats

in the first elections was the......................(Praja Socialist Party/

Bharatiya Jana Sangh/ Communist Party of India/Bharatiya Janata

Party)

(c) One of the guiding principles of the ideology of the Swatantra

Party was......................(Working class interests/ protection of

Princely States / economy free from State control / Autonomy of

States within the Union)

Answer:

(a) The First General Elections in 1952 involved simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.

(b) The party that won the second largest number of Lok Sabha seats in the first elections was the Communist Party of India.

(c) One of the guiding principles of the ideology of the Swatantra Party was economy free from State control.

2. Match the following leaders with their parties:

Answer:

3. Mark the following statements about one-party dominance as true or false:

(a) One-party dominance is rooted in the absence of strong alternative political parties.

(b) One-party dominance occurs because of weak public opinion.

(c) One-party dominance is linked to the nation’s colonial past.

(d) One-party dominance reflects the absence of democratic ideals in a country.

Answer:

(A) One-party dominance is rooted in the absence of strong alternative political parties. True

(b) One-party dominance occurs because of weak public opinion. False

(c ) One-party dominance is linked to the nation’s colonial past. True

(d) One-party dominance reflects the absence of democratic ideals in a country. False

4. Take a political map of India and mark:

(a) two states where Congress was not in power at some point

during 1952-67.

(b) two states where the Congress remained in power through

this period.

Answer:

(a) Two states where Congress was not in power at some point during 1952-67: Kerala, Madras (now Tamil Nadu).

(b) Two states where the Congress remained in power through this period: Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra.

5. Read the following passage and answer the questions below:

“Patel, the organisational man of the Congress, wanted to purge the Congress of other political groups and sought to make of it a cohesive and disciplined political party. He .... sought to take the Congress away from its all-embracing character and turn it into a close-knit party of disciplined cadres. ... Patel’s idea of transforming the Congress into strictly political party with a single ideology and tight discipline showed an equal lack of understanding of the eclectic role that the Congress, as a government, was to be called upon to perform in the decades to follow.” — Rajni Kothari

(a) Why does the author think that Congress should not have been a cohesive and disciplined party?

The author believes Congress should not have been a cohesive and disciplined party because its broad, all-embracing nature allowed it to function as a platform for diverse groups and interests, making it effective in representing the complexities of Indian society.

(b) Give some examples of the eclectic role of the Congress party in the early years.

In the early years, the Congress party included people from different ideologies—right, left, centre; represented varied groups like industrialists, peasants, workers, and accommodated multiple interests through internal negotiation and inclusion.

(c) Why does the author say that Gandhi’s view about Congress’ future was romantic?

The author calls Gandhi’s view romantic because Gandhi wanted Congress to disband after independence and become a social service organization, not considering the political needs and evolving roles Congress had to play as the governing party of a diverse nation.

6. LET US DO IT TOGETHER:

Make a chart of elections and governments in your State since 1952: Columns: year of election, name of winning party, name of ruling party/parties, name of Chief Minister(s).

Understanding the Era of One-party Dominance in Indian Politics

The Era of One-party Dominance marks a significant phase in Indian democracy, where the Congress party played a pivotal role after independence. Grasping this chapter helps students appreciate the evolution of the country's party system and the relevance of free and fair elections.

With the NCERT Solutions Class 12 Political Science Chapter 2 Era Of One Party Dominance (2025-26), learners can build a strong conceptual foundation. Focus on topics like Congress system, formation of opposition parties, and factors that shaped early political dynamics to excel in exams.

For top performance, revise key points regularly and practice answer-writing. Understanding the nature of one-party dominance and electoral challenges will help you connect theoretical knowledge with real-world political scenarios—crucial for Board success and deeper insights.