CBSE Class 10 Notes & Important Questions Social Science Civics Democratic Politics Chapter 2 Federalism

CBSE Class 10 Notes Social Science Civics Democratic Politics Chapter 2 Federalism

CBSE Class 10 Social Science Civics Chapter 2 – Federalism:

Overview: In this chapter, students will learn about the concept of federalism and how it works in India. They will also learn about the different types of federalism and the challenges faced by federal systems of government.

Key Concepts:

1. Federalism: Federalism is a system of government where power is divided between a central government and its constituent units, such as states or provinces. In this system, both the central government and the constituent units have their own powers and functions.
2. Features of Federalism: The key features of federalism include a written constitution, division of powers between the central government and the states, and an independent judiciary to resolve disputes between the two levels of government.
3. Types of Federalism: There are two main types of federalism – ‘coming together’ federalism and ‘holding together’ federalism. In the former, the states voluntarily join together to form a federal government, while in the latter, the central government holds the power to create or dissolve states.
4. Federalism in India: India has a federal system of government where power is divided between the central government and the states. The Indian Constitution provides for a clear division of powers between the two levels of government, and an independent judiciary to resolve disputes between them.
5. Challenges to Federalism: Some of the challenges faced by federal systems of government include the balance between centralization and decentralization, linguistic and regional differences, and the distribution of financial resources.

Important Terms:

• Federalism
• Unitary System
• Centre-State Relations
• Concurrent List
• Federal Court
• Linguistic States
• Fiscal Federalism

Students should also be familiar with the different articles of the Indian Constitution that deal with federalism, such as Article 1, Article 245, Article 246, and Article 356.

CBSE Class 10 Important Questions Social Science Civics Democratic Politics Chapter 2 Federalism

1. What is federalism?
2. What are the features of federalism?
3. What is the difference between ‘coming together’ federalism and ‘holding together’ federalism?
4. What type of federalism does India have?
5. What are the advantages of federalism?
6. What are the challenges faced by federal systems of government?
7. What is the significance of the 73rd and 74th Amendments to the Indian Constitution?
8. What is the role of the judiciary in ensuring the balance of power between the central government and the states?
9. How does fiscal federalism work in India?
10. What is the role of the President in the Indian federal system?

CBSE Class 10 Important Questions Answers Social Science Civics Democratic Politics Chapter 2 Federalism

1. What is federalism? Ans: Federalism is a system of government in which the powers are divided between a central authority and the constituent political units. In a federal system, the powers are shared between the central government and the state governments.
2. What are the features of federalism? Ans: The features of federalism are:

• The powers are divided between the central authority and the constituent political units.
• The powers of both the central government and the state governments are protected by the constitution.
• Both the central government and the state governments have their own sphere of activities.
• Both the central government and the state governments are independent in their own sphere of activities.
• The federal system provides for a dual government, i.e., the central government and the state governments.
• The central government and the state governments have their own sources of revenue and their own expenditure.

3. What is the difference between ‘coming together’ federalism and ‘holding together’ federalism? Ans: The difference between ‘coming together’ federalism and ‘holding together’ federalism is as follows:

• ‘Coming together’ federalism is a system in which the independent states come together to form a bigger unit. This type of federalism is found in countries like USA, Australia, and Switzerland.
• ‘Holding together’ federalism is a system in which a single country with a strong central government divides its powers among the states. This type of federalism is found in countries like India, Spain, and Belgium.

4. What type of federalism does India have? Ans: India has a ‘holding together’ federal system.
5. What are the advantages of federalism? Ans: The advantages of federalism are:

• Federalism helps to share the power and authority between the central government and the state governments.
• It provides an opportunity for regional self-government.
• It allows for the protection of the rights of the minority communities.
• It leads to better administration and decision-making by allowing for greater participation by the people.
• It helps in the formation of a strong national government.

6. What are the challenges faced by federal systems of government? Ans: The challenges faced by federal systems of government are:

• The distribution of power between the central government and the state governments is a constant challenge.
• The central government and the state governments often have conflicting interests.
• Maintaining unity and integrity of the country in the face of regionalism and separatist tendencies is a challenge.
• Fiscal federalism, i.e., the distribution of financial resources between the central government and the state governments, can be a major challenge.
• Ensuring that the weaker sections of the society are not exploited by the dominant sections can also be a challenge.

7. What is the significance of the 73rd and 74th Amendments to the Indian Constitution? Ans: The 73rd and 74th Amendments to the Indian Constitution provided for the establishment of Panchayati Raj institutions in rural areas and Nagar Palika Parishads in urban areas, respectively. These amendments transferred power and resources to these institutions, thereby ensuring greater participation of the people in the decision-making process at the local level.
8. What is the role of the judiciary in ensuring the balance of power between the central government and the states? Ans: The judiciary plays an important role in ensuring the balance of power between the central government and the states. It interprets the constitution and determines the limits of power of the central government and the state governments. In case of any dispute between the central government and the state governments, the judiciary acts as the final arbiter.
9. How does fiscal federalism work in India? Ans: Fiscal federalism in India is based on the principle of sharing of resources between the central government and the state governments. The central government collects taxes

CBSE Class 10 Important Questions Answers MCQs Social Science Civics Democratic Politics Chapter 2 Federalism

Which of the following is an example of a unitary system of government?
a) India
b) USA
c) France
d) China
Answer: d) China

In which year was the Indian federal system introduced?
a) 1947
b) 1950
c) 1971
d) 1980
Answer: b) 1950

Which of the following is a feature of a federal system of government?
a) Power is concentrated in the hands of the central government
b) Power is concentrated in the hands of the state government
c) Power is divided between the central and state governments
d) Power is divided between the central and local governments
Answer: c) Power is divided between the central and state governments

Which of the following is a concurrent list subject in India?
a) Education
b) Defence
c) Foreign Affairs
d) Currency
Answer: a) Education

Which of the following is not a feature of a federal system of government?
a) Dual government
b) Written constitution
c) Separation of powers
d) Unitary government
Answer: d) Unitary government

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Social Science Civics Democratic Politics Chapter 2 Federalism

Federalism CBSE Class 10 Democratic Policies NCERT Solutions

Question-1
Point out one feature in the practice of federalism in India that is similar to and one feature that is different from that of Belgium.
Solution:
India and Belgium are similar in the aspect of ‘holding together’ federations.

Question-2
What is the main difference between a federal form of government and a unitary one? Explain with an example.
Solution:
A unitary system of government is where the national government has all the powers. But, whereas the federal form of government has two powers. One at the state level and one at the central level.

Question-3
State any two differences between the local government before and after the Constitutional amendment in 1992.
Solution:
Two differences between the local government before and after the constitutional amendment in 1992 are as follows:

1. Before 1992, elections to the local bodies were not held regularly. Since 1992, it is constitutionally mandated to hold regular elections to local government bodies.
2. Before 1992, local bodies did not have any powers or resources of their own. After 1992, the state governments are required to share some powers and revenue with local government bodies.

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