Deck 7: India

Question 1

What was unique about Manmohan Singh?

A) He was the first person to serve as prime minister who was neither the leader of his own party nor that of a ruling coalition.
B) He was the only non-Congress prime minister prior to 1989.
C) He was the first prime minister not to come from the Nehru - Gandhi dynasty.
D) He was the first prime minister to be assassinated by his own bodyguards.
E) He was the first prime minister to seek normalization with Pakistan.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Which of the following is NOT true of Indira Gandhi during her time as prime minister?

A) She contributed to the growth of Hindu nationalism.
B) She consolidated control over the Congress Party by replacing existing leaders with loyal allies and by cultivating a deeply personalistic leadership style.
C) She aggravated ethnic and religious tensions.
D) In response to increasing popular opposition, she suspended many democratic rights and ruled by decree.
E) She continued her predecessor's economic policies.

Answer 2

E

Question 3

Following independence, the Congress Party owed much of its success to a system in which it rewarded its supporters with important governmental posts. This is known as

A) clientelism.
B) sponsorship.
C) a party sponsorship system.
D) an affiliation system.
E) a patronage system.

Answer 3

E

Question 4

Which of the following does NOT accurately describe India's economic performance since around 2008?

A) The country's economic growth rate has declined by about half.
B) Consumer spending has declined.
C) Inflation has increased.
D) Capital inflow into the country has increased significantly.
E) The value of the country's currency has dropped to unprecedented levels.

Question 5

India has the third largest Muslim population after

A) Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
B) Turkey and Egypt.
C) Indonesia and Pakistan.
D) Indonesia and Turkey.
E) Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

Question 6

Sikhs are

A) a Muslim sect.
B) a group within the caste system.
C) the second largest religious group in India.
D) a small monotheistic religious minority.
E) a small tribal group concentrated in Punjab.

Question 7

During his tenure as prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru

A) promoted land reform and successfully brought about a redistribution of wealth.
B) established close ties to the United States.
C) established a communist party rule in the country.
D) significantly reduced the size of the country's military.
E) successfully promoted rapid industrialization.

Question 8

British colonialism contributed to the establishment of democracy in India by

A) significantly reducing the power of traditional elites.
B) creating effective political institutions such as the civil service.
C) eliminating the caste system.
D) allowing Indians to serve in the majority of administrative positions.
E) all of these.

Question 9

The effects of India's state-led economic development included all of the following EXCEPT

A) India developing into a significant industrial power.
B) the creation of a large middle class.
C) the stagnation of private enterprise.
D) uneven regional economic growth.
E) a decrease in corruption.

Question 10

After gaining independence, India established a

A) short-lived presidential system, modeled after the United States.
B) short-lived communist party system, modeled after the Soviet Union.
C) one-party authoritarian system.
D) parliamentary government, modeled after Britain, which has remained in use virtually ever since.
E) short-lived theocracy based on Hinduism.

Question 11

The Partition that led to the formation of the separate states of India and Pakistan

A) was supported by Mohandas Gandhi.
B) occurred without any kind of interethnic violence.
C) resulted in hardly any migration and displacement as the Muslim and Hindu populations were largely already settled in accordance to the Partition's boundaries.
D) was brought about, at least in part, due to tensions between the Hindu and Muslim populations.
E) was the result of a decision by the United Nations.

Question 12

Since the 1950s, India has created new states and redrawn state boundaries on the basis of

A) caste.
B) language.
C) religion.
D) ethnicity.
E) population size.

Question 13

The nationalist movement that led to India's independence

A) was promoted and supported by the traditional rural elite.
B) universally rejected violence in favor of civil disobedience.
C) developed in part because of economic modernization.
D) advocated an independent India that also advocated that Britain retain control of Pakistan.
E) was ruthlessly suppressed by the British who refused to make any concessions to it.

Question 14

Which of the following statements about India's initial economic strategy, which it adopted after Independence, is INCORRECT?

A) India's strategy involved state planning, while allowing for a role for private entrepreneurs.
B) This strategy included heavy tariffs in order to protect domestic industry.
C) This strategy enabled the country to build up an impressive industrial base fairly quickly.
D) India's economic development strategy included the creation of large public enterprises.
E) To achieve economic development, India streamlined government red tape to increase the start-up and expansion of private industries.

Question 15

The period known as the Emergency refers to

A) the period following the assassination of Mohandas Gandhi that left the Indian independence movement leaderless.
B) the period following the death of Jawaharlal Nehru that left the future direction of the Congress Party in question.
C) a short period in which many formal democratic rights were suspended, and the country was ruled in an authoritarian fashion.
D) the short period between the two periods in which Indira Gandhi served as the prime minister.
E) a period of mass migration and interethnic violence that followed the creation of the separate states of India and Pakistan.

Question 16

Which statement about the Congress Party is INCORRECT?

A) It was the dominant party until the late 1960s in large part because it grew out of the independence movement.
B) Its ideological stance has varied over the years, but it is generally known today as a centrist secular party.
C) It has been fairly centralized since the term of Indira Gandhi.
D) It has been the dominant party in every coalition government.
E) It is associated with the Nehru - Gandhi dynasty.

Question 17

Which of the following statements about India's geography and population is INCORRECT?

A) Although it is called a subcontinent, India is in fact larger than the United States.
B) Only India's northwest frontier is easily passable.
C) India has three distinctive topographic zones.
D) India is the third largest country in Asia.
E) Although most of the country's people live in rural villages, India's major cities are among the largest and most densely populated in the world.

Question 18

The Green Revolution was a strategy

A) involving environmental planning in India.
B) for improving agricultural production involving improved seeds, heavy use of fertilizers, and irrigation.
C) for decreasing India's output of greenhouse gases.
D) for improving agricultural production through the creation of large publicly-owned collectives.
E) for increased environmental protection regulation in the aftermath of a major disaster at a foreign-owned chemical plant.

Question 19

Which of the following statements about India's population is CORRECT?

A) India has the third largest Muslim population in the world behind Pakistan and Indonesia..
B) India has the largest Muslim population of any country outside the Middle East.
C) Although India has 22 official languages, the majority of its citizens speak Hindi.
D) India has the largest population in the world.
E) Although very religiously diverse, India does not have any Jewish communities.

Question 20

From 1947 until 1989, virtually all of India's prime ministers came from a single family. Who among the following was NOT among them?

A) Indira Gandhi
B) Rajiv Gandhi
C) Sonia Gandhi
D) Jawaharlal Nehru
E) Lal Bahadur Shastri

Question 21

The Untouchables are also called

A) scheduled castes.
B) low castes.
C) dalit.
D) varna.
E) shudra.

Question 22

Which of the following is NOT true of population growth in India?

A) India has double the population growth rate of China.
B) India has consistently had a lower percentage of females than males, indicating its societal prejudices against women.
C) Poverty, the lack of literacy among women, and the lack of clear governmental policy have all contributed to the country's high population growth rate.
D) In the long run, India's growing population will inhibit its economic development as the country has more people than it can use productively.
E) India's democratic government, just as China's authoritarian system, has attempted to implement, albeit unsuccessfully, coercive population control policies.

Question 23

The Indian Administrative Service refers to the

A) entire national bureaucracy of India.
B) labor union to which national bureaucrats belong.
C) the elite corps of top bureaucrats in India's civil service.
D) part of the national bureaucracy that is responsible for overseeing and administering the most important functions of government.
E) personal staff of the prime minister and cabinet.

Question 24

Which of the following statements about economic liberalization in India is INCORRECT?

A) It began in the 1980s and intensified in the 1990s.
B) It occurred because the country's political and economic elite were concerned with India's growth relative to other Asian countries.
C) It required the borrowing of foreign capital, thus increasing the country's level of debt.
D) It has helped to integrate the country into the world economy.
E) It has helped to significantly expand the country's agricultural sector.

Question 25

Which of the following is NOT an example of the poor's impact on Indian politics?

A) In some states, the poor have organized to elect left-leaning governments.
B) Many parties and politicians adopt populist or socialist platforms.
C) The Naxalite movement has organized the landless poor to engage in land seizures.
D) Over the years, the government has undertaken a number of poverty alleviation programs although many of these have not been successful.
E) The government recently banned child labor and has declared primary education to be a human right.

Question 26

State governors

A) serve as the heads of state governments.
B) are elected by popular vote.
C) often become powerful independently of other political actors.
D) have the power to appoint state-level ministers.
E) are also known as chief ministers.

Question 27

All of the following are TRUE about the Indian president EXCEPT

A) S/he serves as the country's head of state symbolizing the unity of the country.
B) S/he chooses the prime minister when parliamentary elections fail to produce a clear verdict as to which party should head a new government.
C) S/he must approve most parliamentary bills in order for them to become laws.
D) S/he is selected by an electoral college comprised of elected representatives from the national and state governments.
E) S/he chooses the members of the prime minister's cabinet.

Question 28

Societal prejudices against women can be seen in all of the following ways EXCEPT

A) the continued practice of giving and receiving a dowry.
B) the fact that the country has a lower percentage of females than males.
C) illiteracy rates that are higher among girls and women than among boys and men.
D) a lower survival rate of female versus male infants.
E) the imposition of the veil upon women.

Question 29

The prime minister is selected by

A) the party with the most seats in the Rajya Sabha.
B) the party with the most seats in the Lok Sabha.
C) the party with the most seats in both the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha.
D) a direct election.
E) the cabinet from among its members.

Question 30

Which of the following about environmental politics in India is NOT correct?

A) Environmental issues rarely drive Indian politics, even though the country faces severe environmental problems.
B) India has strongly promoted the reduction of greenhouse gases at international forums because it recognizes that climate change will significantly impact the country.
C) The Indian Supreme Court has taken a very proactive role in protecting the environment.
D) India's environmental movement has only sometimes been successful in affecting the policies of the government.
E) Many of India's environmental problems are the result of the country's focus on economic growth and development.

Question 31

Which of the following does NOT characterize the Indian policy-making process?

A) When the prime minister's party or bloc of parties controls the legislature, the passage of most legislation is ensured except in very controversial manners.
B) Well-designed national policies are often not implemented because they face resistance from vested interests at all levels, and these interests may simply drag their feet or even actively sabotage the implementation process.
C) In order to get some major controversial legislation passed, the government often has to compromise and modify its position.
D) Civil servants, both in individual ministries and in cross-ministry offices, play a major role in presenting alternative solutions to political leaders.
E) Of the two legislative chambers, the Rajya Sabha can act as the major roadblock in the policy-making process, because its assent is required in the passage of all legislative bills.

Question 32

Which of the following is NOT an example of a recent attempt to alleviate poverty in India?

A) The National Healthcare Law, which provides basic healthcare at highly subsidized prices to the poor
B) The Food Security Bill, which provides rice and grain at highly subsidized prices to the poor
C) The Employment Guarantee Scheme, which provides off-season jobs
D) A law requiring that private schools reserve 25 percent of their seats to the poor, to be reimbursed by the state
E) Increasing public spending on primary education

Question 33

Which of the following is NOT true about India's federal system?

A) Under the Indian federal system, states formally control agriculture and education although their actual power is limited as they are dependent upon the central government for funds in these areas.
B) States have demanded the devolution of power from the national government, a greater allocation of resources from the central government, and recognition of their distinctive cultural identities.
C) Economic liberalization has allowed states to pursue foreign investment independently of the national government, thus resulting in widening regional disparities.
D) Central - state relations are particularly intense when conflicting parties are in power at each level.
E) Under India's federal system, the resources and planning and authority capabilities of local governments are very significant.

Question 34

Which of the following statements about India's Supreme Court is CORRECT?

A) It has been successful in challenging the national but not state governments.
B) It has been successful in challenging the parliament but not the executive.
C) Its members are appointed by the prime minister for life.
D) It has a significant backlog of cases due to its heavy workload.
E) It does not have the power of judicial review but does have the power to rule on the legality of regulatory matters.

Question 35

All of the following are TRUE of the caste system EXCEPT

A) people are assigned to a specific occupation based on their caste.
B) caste is a powerful force around which electoral politics and voting blocs coalesce.
C) the link between caste and occupation remains quite strong in urban areas.
D) caste divides the lower classes, so it makes it difficult for the poor to organize.
E) caste groups sometimes re-designate their caste identities to achieve social and economic mobility for the group as a whole.

Question 36

Reservations refers to a

A) a system in which a percentage of political and administrative positions are reserved for women and other underprivileged groups.
B) a tradition by which the parliament reserves the right to name the cabinet, although this role normally falls to the prime minister.
C) the constitutional allowance by which the national government reserves the right to intervene in state politics.
D) the traditional right of the Indian government to intervene in the affairs of firms that are deemed to be of national importance.
E) the constitutional allowance by which the president reserves the right to act as the country's commander-in-chief, although this role normally falls to the prime minister.

Question 37

How often has the military taken control of Indian politics?

A) For one extended period of time
B) For two extended periods of time
C) Never
D) Very frequently, but only for brief periods of time
E) Very frequently for extended periods of time

Question 38

Which of the following is NOT a feature of the Indian constitution?

A) It includes a directive to promote social and economic justice.
B) It is not particularly detailed and thus subject to interpretation.
C) It provides for religious freedom.
D) It allows for the temporary suspension of democratic rights in times of emergency.
E) It allows the national government to suspend elected state government.

Question 39

Which statement about India's integration into the global economy is CORRECT?

A) It has led to an increase in both imports and exports.
B) It has promoted the expansion of the country's middle class, although, because such individuals are cut off from traditional Indian society, this may be intensifying India's social fragmentation.
C) It has generally not been beneficial to country's agricultural sector.
D) It has resulted in an increase in foreign investment in the country, but most of this has been directed towards industries servicing the domestic market.
E) It has stabilized the Indian stock market.

Question 40

President's Rule

A) refers to the constitutional provision by which the national government can suspend state government.
B) refers to the constitutional provision by which the president can remove the prime minister for acting in a manner dangerous to the state.
C) has been invoked only a few times in India's history.
D) refers to the idea that the president, rather than the prime minister, is the major political force in India.
E) was removed from the constitution by a landmark Supreme Court decision.

Question 41

Which of the following statements about the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is INCORRECT?

A) It was the first major Indian party to mobilize on the basis of religious identity.
B) The BJP is a highly centralized and well-disciplined political party.
C) It was the first major Indian party to adopt an openly anti-Muslim stance.
D) The BJP maintains close ties to two nonparliamentary groups through which many of its leaders have been recruited.
E) The BJP has been the ruling party only once in the history of the country.

Question 42

The main roles of the Lok Sabha, the lower house of parliament, include all of the following EXCEPT

A) passing legislation.
B) electing the prime minister.
C) debating government action.
D) voting to unmake government.
E) policy-making.

Question 43

The two parties considered to be the main contenders in India's multiparty democracy are

A) the BJP and the Congress Party.
B) the Janata and the Congress Party.
C) the BJP and the communists.
D) the AAP and the Janata.
E) the Congress Party and the communists.

Question 44

Which of the following statements about state parties is INCORRECT?

A) They have largely determined the outcome of the last three elections.
B) Some are regional powerhouses and control state governments.
C) National parties have become dependent upon them to form coalition governments.
D) Although there are 28 Indian states, there are 40 officially recognized state parties.
E) Despite the rise in state parties, it has not deterred the government from acting decisively.

Question 45

Which of the following statements about India's youth politics is INCORRECT?

A) Over half of all Indians are under the age of 25.
B) India's youth are inactive politically.
C) Youth unemployment is almost triple that of the population as a whole.
D) Youth unemployment is higher in rural areas than in urban ones.
E) Urban-middle class youth represent the face of globalizing India and often incur the resentment of lower middle classes.

Question 46

The Mandal Commission was formed to

A) consider seat reservations and quotas to redress caste discrimination.
B) investigate charges of corruption within the Indian government.
C) develop an environmentally sustainable economic growth and development policy in India.
D) establish a comprehensive national healthcare system.
E) develop antipoverty policies.

Question 47

The Lok Sabha, the lower house of parliament, is unable to play a significant role in policy-making for all of the following reasons EXCEPT

A) most legislation is introduced by the government.
B) most legislators are beholden to their party leaders.
C) parties maintain tight discipline.
D) parliament's social composition makes this difficult.
E) it can only amend bills.

Question 48

Which of the following does NOT explain the conflict in Kashmir?

A) Indo-Pakistani relations
B) India's undemocratic practices in Kashmir
C) Britain's policy of divide and rule
D) Kashmir's strategic location
E) The presence of a mixture of Hindu and Muslim populations in Kashmir

Question 49

Which statement about Indian elections and electoral system is INCORRECT?

A) Members of parliament are elected using a single-member district, first-past-the-post system.
B) Indian elections have generally high turnout rates.
C) Because of the high level of illiteracy among Indians, parties have adopted symbols that appear on the ballot.
D) India's independent Election Commission has been highly successful in protecting the integrity of the country's elections.
E) Electoral campaigning has become increasingly reliant on television and other forms of mass media including social media.

Question 50

Which of the following statements about Indian political culture is NOT correct?

A) Because the public and private spheres are not separate, corruption can result.
B) While group fragmentation may play a role in promoting political stability, it may also help contribute to identity-based conflicts.
C) Because the Indian elite are highly factionalized, political consensus is difficult to achieve.
D) Because the public and private spheres are not separate, there is a high level of citizen involvement in politics.
E) Because the public and private spheres are not separate, citizen political involvement is low.

Question 51

Which of the following is NOT true about India's interest groups and social movements?

A) Although they are highly fragmented, labor unions have occasionally played a major role in Indian politics.
B) There has never been any government effort to restrict the activities of social movements and organizations in India.
C) In India, organizations associated with the religious right sometimes form tactical alliances with left-wing organizations.
D) Most Indian social movements have increasingly ceased to focus on poverty and class inequality.
E) Many Indian social movements have developed close relationships with the state and have become engaged in electoral politics.

Question 52

The Aam Admi Party (AAP) is

A) India's only Muslim Party.
B) associated with anticorruption and some populist issues.
C) an environmentalist, or "green," party.
D) a state party that has been in the last three national coalition governments.
E) far-right party that is known for its opposition to immigration.

Question 53

Which of the following is TRUE about the Rajya Sabha, India's upper house of parliament?

A) Most members of the Rajya Sabha are chosen through direct elections.
B) The Rajya Sabha must approve all spending measures.
C) The Rajya Sabha cannot amend bills.
D) Most parliamentary bills require the assent of both houses of parliament.
E) The Rajya Sabha helps to choose the Indian prime minister.

Question 54

Which of the following statements about India's relations with its neighbors is NOT true?

A) Since the mid-2000s, India and China have increasingly focused on building closer economic relations.
B) India and Nepal have generally had strong economic and political ties.
C) Indian troops intervened in the Sri Lankan civil war on the side of the Sri Lankan government.
D) With the exception of Pakistan, India has never fought a war with any of its neighbors.
E) India has occasionally violated Bangladesh's territory, although the two generally enjoy good relations.

Question 55

What was the impact of the 2008 global economic crisis upon India?

A) The country was largely unaffected by the crisis due to being fairly insulated from the global financial networks.
B) The country's growth rate declined and its deficit grew.
C) The country's growth rate declined, although its exports continued to be strong.
D) The country's growth rate declined, but foreign investment in the country grew.
E) The country's growth rate grew.

Question 56

Which of the following is NOT true about India and nuclear weapons?

A) India developed nuclear weapons in part because of electoral considerations.
B) India developed nuclear weapons after Pakistan did so.
C) India developed nuclear weapons in part because of tense relations with China.
D) Even though India has consistently violated nonproliferation norms since developing its arsenal, the country has recently pledged to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
E) India has refused to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.

Question 57

Which of the following statements about Indian parties since 1989 is TRUE?

A) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has replaced the Congress Party as the dominant party and thus has been able to form governments fairly easily.
B) Despite some losses, the Congress Party remains the dominant party and is still able to form governments fairly easily.
C) No party has been able to form a government on its own coalition governments have become the norm.
D) The two major parties, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress Party, have consistently formed coalition governments.
E) Regional parties have become less important.

Question 58

A major change in the social composition of parliament has been the increasing representation of

A) women.
B) the poor.
C) the middle caste.
D) Muslims.
E) urban dwellers

Question 59

Which statement is CORRECT about the Janata and Janata Dal parties?

A) The Janata Dal is successor to the Janata Party.
B) Neither the Janata Party nor the Janata Dal has ever been a member of a governing coalition at the national level.
C) When the Janata Dal merged with the BJP in 2013, some of its members formed the new Janata Party.
D) The Janata Dal is the state-level counterpart to the national Janata Party.
E) The Janata Party emerged in the 1990s as an opponent of economic liberalization.

Question 60

The Communist Party of India

A) advocates nationalization of key industries and a return to centralized economic planning.
B) is a loosely organized party with little discipline among its members.
C) objects to the creation of Special Economic Zones in which multinational corporations are offered tax breaks and other incentives.
D) is a social democratic party that supports the market economy while seeking to gain greater benefits for the poor.
E) has frequently been able to form ruling governments in many Indian state largely by appealing to the poor.

Question 61

One major problem facing India is institutional decay. Citing examples, explain what is meant by this and why it is a problem.

Question 62

To what extent has federalism contributed to democracy in India, and to what extent has it endangered democracy? On balance, has it contributed more to promoting democracy or endangering it? What factors in contemporary Indian politics will likely shape the impact of federalism in this regard?

Question 63

India is typically cited as a large, successful democracy. What historical factors have contributed to the country's generally stable democracy? What current factors threaten the country's democracy?

Question 64

Although India is often seen as being a growing economy on the verge of becoming a major force in global economics, the fact remains that the country also has a large portion of poor people. First, explain how the poor represent both a political and economic problem for India. Second, address how the country has sought to address this problem, both historically and in contemporary times.

Question 65

Discuss the major underpinnings to secularism in India. Explain why the challenges to secularism have grown and yet why India remains a secular state.

Question 66

What lessons does India offer those studying the challenges of developing democracy in multiethnic societies? To what extent does India offer a positive role model? To what extent has the recent surge in ethnic violence suggested that India may not be such a positive role model?

Question 67

Discuss the ways in which India's numerous bases of stratification-along lines of caste, class, gender, religion, and ethnicity-have both undermined and enhanced democratic processes in the country. Please cite specific examples in your answer.

Question 68

Describe how India's relations with the United States have evolved over the years.  What factors do you think have contributed to this evolution?

Question 69

A major desire of India since independence has been to become a significant regional and global power.  Describe how this desire has affected the country's internal policies.

Question 70

What is the balance sheet (advantages and shortcomings) of India's two principal economic orientations-state-led industrialization and economic liberalization? Which would you argue has been superior? Please cite specific evidence in your argument.