ISC Class 12 Specimen Paper 2022 Political Science Semester 1

ISC SEMESTER 1 EXAMINATION
SPECIMEN QUESTION PAPER
POLITICAL SCIENCE
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Maximum Marks: 80
Time allowed: One and a half hours
(Candidates are allowed additional 15 minutes for only reading the paper.)
ALL QUESTIONS ARE COMPULSORY
The marks intended for questions are given in brackets ( ).
Each question/subpart of a question carries 1 mark.
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Select the correct option for each of the following questions.
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SECTION A
(1×20 = 20)

Question 1
A totalitarian state encourages:
(a) Pluralism
(b) Controlled pluralism
(c) No pluralism
(d) None of the above

Question 2
Authoritarian state has:
(a) Manipulated legitimacy
(b) Forced legitimacy
(c) No legitimacy
(d) None of the above

Question 3
A Liberal Democratic state is characterized by:
(a) Limited government.
(b) All powerful government
(c) Weak government.
(d) All the above

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Question 4
In a Liberal Democratic State there is:
(a) Not a clear distinction between the state and the society
(b) A clear distinction between State and Civil Society
(c) State and Civil Society amalgamates completely.
(d) None of the above

Question 5
In an Authoritarian State, Government is based on:
(a) Public participation
(b) Controlled public participation
(c) There is no public participation.
(d) None of the above

Question 6
What is the basis of a state in a liberal democracy?
(a) Force and coercion
(b) Subjugation of people
(c) Will of the people
(d) All of the above

Question 7
In a unitary state the status of local government depends upon:
(a) The constitution
(b) Will of the local government itself
(c) Will of the central government.
(d) None of the above.

Question 8
A rigid constitution is essential for a federation to:
(a) To divide the powers between the union and states
(b) To prevent unilateral amendments
(c) To foster co-operation between the union and states
(d) None of the above

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Question 9
Who can dissolve the legislature in a parliamentary democracy?
(a) The Supreme Court
(b) The President
(c) The Speaker
(d) None of the above

Question 10
Identify the constitution which neither has a beginning nor an end.
(a) Enacted
(b) Evolved
(c) Rigid
(d) None of the above

Question 11
Which of the following is not a convention in the USA?
(a) Judicial Review
(b) Bi-cameral legislature
(c) Senatorial courtesy
(d) Presidential cabinet.

Question 12
Political homogeneity is not compulsory in which one of the following political set ups?
(a) Federation
(b) Parliamentary government
(c) Presidential government
(d) None of the above

Question 13
Parliamentary form of government is also known as:
(a) Responsible government
(b) Westminster model of government
(c) Cabinet form of government
(d) All of the above

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Question 14
A Totalitarian state is characterised as:
(a) A state with limited and regulated openness
(b) A state with internal unrest and civil war
(c) A state based on opinion and will of the people
(d) A state with unlimited authority and control

Question 15
What type of a Political system exist in Myanmar?
(a) Totalitarian
(b) Authoritarian
(c) Theocratic
(d) Democratic

Question 16
What is dual citizenship?
(a) Citizenship of India and USA
(b) Voting allowed in two states
(c) Citizenship of common federal government and of federating units.
(d) Citizenship of two countries

Question 17
What are conventions?
(a) Parliamentary rules which are followed.
(b) Supplements legislative statutes
(c) Unwritten informal practice or rule of conduct
(d) Laws of the Constitution

Question 18
What is a Constituency?
(a) Territorial area where voters elect their representatives
(b) Special representation of SCs /STs
(c) Power of franchise and suffrage
(d) A section in the constitution

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Question 19
J.S. Mill refers to the legislature as ‘Congress of Opinion’ because:
(a) It is directly elected and powerful.
(b) Dominates the executive.
(c) Deliberates and reflects the public opinion over various issues.
(d) Two houses of the US Congress.

Question 20
What is chief provision of Article 74 of the Indian Constitution?
(a) National emergency can be declared.
(b) The President will exercise the executive powers on the advice of the Council of Ministers.
(c) The President is indirectly elected by the MPs and MLAs.
(d) The powers of the Indian Rajya Sabha.

SECTION B
(2×20 =40)
Question 21
(i) The US Senatorial Courtesy means:
(a) Approval of appoints and ratification of treaties.
(b) Financial approvals and powers of the Senate
(c) Legislative powers of the Senate
(d) Executive powers of the Senate
(ii) Senatorial Courtesy is a:
(a) Constitutional law
(b) Convention
(c) Federal Law
(d) All of these

Question 22
(i) Relationship between the two houses of Indian Parliament can be well explained as:
(a) The lower house is more powerful than the upper house
(b) The upper house is more powerful than the lower house
(c) Both have equal powers
(d) None of these

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(ii) Which of the following are the special powers of the Rajya Sabha?
(a) Declaration of war
(b) Power of creation or abolition of any All-India Service
(c) Introduction of private bills
(d) Introduction of money bill

Question 23
On the basis of concentration or distribution of powers and the relations between central and
local authorities, states are classified into Unitary states and Federal
states.
(i) The local government in a unitary state exists_______________.
(a) According to the letter and spirit of the constitution.
(b) At the will of the Central government
(c) At the will of the State Government
(d) None of these
(ii) The constitution in a federal state is _____________.
(a) Written and Flexible
(b) Rigid and Written
(c) Evolved and Rigid
(d) Enacted and evolved

Question 24
One of the key underlying principles of a federation is equality of all federating units.
(i) It is an essential condition for a federal state to have a ___________legislature.
(a) bi-cameral
(b) Uni-cameral
(c) Single legislature
(d) All of these
(ii) Units of a federation are given equal representation in the __________chamber.
(a) Lower/First
(b) Upper/Second
(c) Federal
(d) Unitary

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Question 25
Federation involves the division of work between the national government and the state
governments of the federal units.
(i) The subjects of national importance granted to the national government of India are:
(a) Police, Prison and Public health.
(b) Defence, railways and shipping.
(c) Education, Textile, and state administration.
(d) Forest, fisheries and agriculture.
(ii) Residuary powers in the US federation have been vested with the ___________.
(a) Central government
(b) State government
(c) Local government
(d) All of these

Question 26
Article 1 of the Indian constitution declares “India that is Bharat shall be a Union of States”
(i) India is a _______________state.
(a) Federal
(b) Quasi federal
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) Unitary
(ii) One of the subsidiary Unitary feature of Indian federal state is_____________.
(a) Dual polity
(b) Single Integrated judicial system
(c) Dual citizenship
(d) Bicameral legislature

Question 27
On the basis of nature of relationship between legislature and executive , two alternative forms of
government can be identified namely Parliamentary and Presidential.
(i) What is the nature of relationship between legislature and executive in a presidential form of
government?
(a) Close and continuous
(b) Separation of powers
(c) None of the above
(d) Both a and b

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(ii) The Real Executive is individually and collectively responsible to the legislature in a
____________ democracy.
(a) Parliamentary
(b) Presidential
(c) Unitary
(d) People’s

Question 28
Prof. Wheare defines Constitution as “that body of rules which regulates the ends for which and
the organs through which governmental power is exercised in the state.”
(i) Choose the constitution from the following which is a product of the ‘Constituent Assembly’
of a state.
(a) Rigid, enacted and written constitution.
(b) Unwritten constitution
(c) Flexible and evolved constitution.
(d) None of the above
(ii) Being a definite constitution, ________constitution is ideal for a federal state.
(a) Written
(b) Unwritten
(c) Flexible
(d) Evolved

Question 29
According to Dicey “Conventions are the unwritten maxims of the constitution”
(i) Judicial Review emerged as a historic judicial convention in the USA after the case of _____.
(a) Marbury vs Maryland
(b) Marbury vs Madison (1803)
(c) Dred Scott case
(d) None of the above
(ii) Which one of the following is not a convention in India?
(a) ‘Once a speaker Always a speaker’
(b) Governor of a state has to be a resident of another state.
(c) The Prime Minister can be from either house of Parliament.
(d) None of the above

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Question 30
The US congress has been assigned a role in the election of the President and Vice President in
specific situations.
(i) ____________has the power to elect one candidate as the Vice President of US if no
candidate secures the absolute majority of votes.
(a) House of Representatives
(b) Senate
(c) Congress
(d) None of the these
(ii) The Presidential Electoral college (PEC) in the USA is composed of___________________.
(a) Elected members of House of Representatives
(b) The delegates elected by the people in their respective states.
(c) Elected members of the Senate
(d) Elected members of the State legislatures

Question 31
The Senators enjoy full freedom of speech in the Senate. In this context, answer the following
questions:
(i) What is the freedom of debate, which is sometimes misused by a group of Senators to block a
bill, called?
(a) Gerrymandering
(b) Filibuster
(c) Rigging
(d) Pigeonhole the bill
(ii) Who regulates the debates of the Senate?
(a) Senate
(b) Vice President of US
(c) President Pro-tempore
(d) None of these

Question 32
‘US Senate is a second but not a secondary chamber’. In this context, answer the following
questions:
(i) With regard to the exercise of ‘special powers’, which of the following second chamber is
powerful?
(a) Rajya Sabha
(b) Senate
(c) Both the Chambers
(d) None of the chambers

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(ii) In case of a deadlock between Senate and the House of Representative, how is the deadlock
resolved?
(a) By constituting a Joint Conference Committee (JCC).
(b) By constituting a Joint session of the congress.
(c) By the Chairman of Senate.
(d) By the Speaker of House of Representatives.

Question 33
In the words of Jennings, ‘It is the function of Civil service to administer and of the ministers to
control the administration’. In this context, answer the following questions:
(i) To whom are the civil servants answerable and accountable to?
(a) Permanent Executives
(b) Political Executives
(c) Political party
(d) People
(ii) Which of the following Executive is associated with the system of ‘Administrative justice’?
(a) Civil Servants
(b) Ministers
(c) President
(d) Prime Minister

Question 34
Article 53 declares “The executive powers of the Union shall be vested in the President and shall
be exercised by him either directly or through officers subordinate to him in accordance with the
constitution”. In this context, answer the following questions:
(i) Which Amendment Act makes it mandatory for the Indian President to act in accordance
with the advice of Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister?
(a) 44th Amendment Act
(b) 42nd Amendment Act
(c) 46th Amendment Act
(d) 45th Amendment Act
(ii) Which of following is an indication of the exercise of ‘discretionary power ‘by the Indian
President?
(a) Suspensory Veto
(b) Emergency powers
(c) Judicial powers
(d) None of these

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Question 35
Select appropriate answer:
(i) The President of USA is dependent on the _______ for finances.
(a) Senate
(b) Home of Representatives
(c) Congress
(d) None of the above
(ii) How many members are nominated by the President of India in the Rajya Sabha?
(a) 2
(b) 12
(c) 14
(d) None of the above

Question 36
The Prime Minister of India and the President of USA are the real Executive. In the context of
the given statement, answer the following:
(i) The PM of India follows the principle of ________ for forming his team of Council of
Ministers.
(a) Heterogeneity
(b) Homogeneity
(c) Merit
(d) All of the above

(iii)The power to get the legislature dissolved belongs to the:
(a) President of India.
(b) Prime Minister of India.
(c) Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
(d) Vice president of India.

Question 37
In the context of the powers of the legislature of India and USA, answer the following questions:
(i) The power to initiate an impeachment bill to remove the President of USA is with:
(a) Senate
(b) House of Representatives
(c) Both the houses
(d) None of the houses

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(ii) Whose consent is required to introduce the budget in the Lok Sabha?
(a) The Finance Minister.
(b) The Prime Minister.
(c) The President.
(d) The Commerce Minister.

Question 38
Both, the Prime Minister of India and the President of USA are assisted by a team called the
Cabinet.
Answer the following based on the given statement.
(i) The Cabinet in USA is responsible to__________.
(a) The President
(b) Federating units
(c) Congress
(d) Vice president
(ii) Policy making in India is the function of the:
(a) Cabinet
(b) The President
(c) Civil servants
(d) Vice president

Question 39
In the context of the emergency powers of the Indian President, answer the following:
(i) The President of India exercises his emergency powers, on the:
(a) advise of the Army Chief of India
(b) advise of PM and the Council of Ministers
(c) advise of the Vice President of India.
(d) None of these
(ii) In case of a war, which emergency will be proclaimed?
(a) National emergency
(b) Constitutional emergency
(c) Financial emergency
(d) Administrative emergency

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Question 40
Match the following by choosing the correct option:
(1) Merit based (i) pocket veto power
(2) Members of the legislature (ii) Suspensory veto
(3) TheCongress needs 2/3rd majority to pass (iii) US cabinet
it again.
(4) The President of USA may not respond on (iv) Indian Council of Ministers
the bill in the last 10 days of the Congress
session

(a) (1)-(iii), (2)- (iv), (3)-(ii), (4)-(i)
(b) (1)-(iv), (2)-(i), (3)- (iii), (4)-(ii)
(c) (1)-(ii), (2)-(iv), (3)-(i), (4)-(iii)
(d) (1)-(i), (2)-(ii), (3)-(iii), (4)-(iv)

SECTION C
(4×5= 20 Marks)
Question 41
In its content and form an authoritarian state is quite similar to a totalitarian state. Answer the
following based on the given statement.
(i) Authoritarian state allows:
(a) Limited openness
(b) Regulated openness
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) None of the above
(ii) What enjoys low priority in an authoritarian state?
(a) Civil liberties
(b) Military junta
(c) Civil rule
(d) All of the above
(iii) ___________ exists in an authoritarian state.
(a) Manipulation
(b) Totalitarianism
(c) Democracy
(d) None of these

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(iv) _______ has no independence in an authoritarian state.
(a) Press
(b) Judiciary
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) None of the above

Question 42
Nature of amendment can be rigid or flexible, based on the type of constitutional amendment
procedure. Answer the following based on the statement.
(i) Amendment in India is:
(a) Rigid
(b) Partly rigid and flexible
(c) Flexible
(d) None of the above
(ii) In USA, who can initiate amendments?
(a) Centre
(b) States
(c) Both Centre and States
(d) None of the above
(iii) British constitution can be amended by:
(a) Simple majority
(b) 2/3 rd majority
(c) 3/4 th majority
(d) None of the above
(iv) Which country out of these has had the highest number of Amendments till date?
(a) USA
(b) India
(c) UK
(d) China

Question 43
Universal adult franchise is available without any discrimination. In the light of the given
statement, answer the following:
(i) In India voting age is:
(a) 21
(b) 18
(c) 20
(d) 22

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(ii) Franchise is universal in:
(a) Dictatorship
(b) Democracy
(c) Capitalist states
(d) All of these
(iii) What is the other word for those who vote?
(a) Electorate
(b) Citizen
(c) Suffrage
(d) People
(iv) UAF reduces chances of:
(a) Reaction
(b) Participation
(c) Revolution
(d) None of these

Question 44
In the light of the powers of the Indian Parliament, as given in the constitution, answer the
following:
(i) Failure of Budget leads to:
(a) Resignation of the ministry
(b) Re-introduction of the budget in the other house.
(c) Resignation of the Head of the State.
(d) All of these
(ii) Rajya Sabha can delay money bills by:
(a) 60 days
(b) 14 days
(c) 30 days
(d) 40 days
(iii) On ordinary bills, deadlock in Parliament is solved through:
(a) President’s intervention
(b) PM’s intervention
(c) Joint sitting
(d) All of these

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(iv) ___________ can authorise parliament to make laws on state list.
(a) President
(b) Rajya Sabha
(c) State Legislatures
(d) Prime Minister

Question 45
"Political executive has a short period while permanent executive has a longer tenure."
(i) Who all constitute the political executive?
(a) President
(b) Prime Minister
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) None of the above
(ii) What does Permanent executive consist of?
(a) Civil Servants
(b) Ministers of the Union Parliament
(c) Ministers of the State Legislature
(d) All of the above
(iii) Amateurs is an attribute of:
(a) Political executive
(b) Permanent executive
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) None of the above
(iv) ___________ is accountable to the people.
(a) Permanent executive
(b) Political executive
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) None of the above

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