Question

January 26 is celebrated as Republic Day in our country. It was on this

day, in 1950, the new constitution of independent India came into force

and India became a democratic republic. The Constituent Assembly

headed by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, with Dr. B.R. Ambedkar as the

Chairman of the Drafting Committee, took more than two years to

bring the world’s lengthiest constitution to its final shape.

The enormous task before the Constituent Assembly was to frame the

basic law that would formalize India as a truly democratic nation.

Democracy is aptly defined as a system of Government by the people,

for the people and of the people. The founding fathers of the

Constitution, therefore, had to ensure that the basic law of the land

contained sufficient provisions for the fulfilment of the democratic

aspirations of the people of India not only in the political sphere but

also in the social and economic spheres. That explains the inclusion of

a separate part in the Constitution, called the Directive Principles of

State Policy.

These principles signify the fact that the framers of the Constitution

were well aware of the wide gaps and inequalities that existed among

the various sections of the Indian population. The Constitution makers

had the wisdom to appreciate that political democracy is meaningless

when an overwhelming majority of the population is historically

trapped in poverty, illiteracy, ill-health and superstition. The Central

and State Governments were expected to frame policies so that every

citizen is assured of a decent living standard irrespective of sex, caste,

religion, language and region.The makers of our Constitution describe India as a Union of States

and not as a federation. Being well conversant with the diversity of the

nation in terms of the language, religion, caste and region, and its

implications on the intended socio-economic development of the

country as a whole, the makers of the Constitution opted for a political

system in which the Central Government is equipped with

overwhelming administrative, legislative and financial muscle. Most of

the nations’ policies and programmes for socio-economic development

originate at the Central Government, and the responsibility for their

successful implementation is entrusted to the states.

On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer

ANY TEN questions from the twelve that follow:

(1x10=10)

1. The programmes for the socio-economic development originate at

(a)state level (b) regional level

(c) district level (d) central government level

2. The British had left behind

(a)a developed India (b) a wealthy India

(c) a poverty-stricken, illiterate India (d) a strong and healthy

India

3. The constitution-makers describe India as a ________.

(a) Union of states (b) Union of nations

(c) Union of territories (d) Union of districts

4. The constitution-makers took more than two years to bring the

world’s ________ constitution to its final shape(a)Simplest (b) lengthiest (c) heaviest (d) shortest

5. Find the word from the passage which means the same as recognizing

the good quality of somebody.

(a)overlook (b) appreciate (c) disparage (d) condemn

6. Who is the Chairman of the Drafting Committee?

(a) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar (b) Dr.Rajendra Prasad

(c) JawaharLal Nehru (d) Sachchidananda Sinha

7. Who is the Head of the Constituent Assembly?

(a) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar (b) Dr.Rajendra Prasad

(c) JawaharLal Nehru (d) Sachchidananda Sinha

8. ________ is equipped with overwhelming administrative,

legislative and financial muscle.

(a) State Government (b) Constitution

(c) Central Government (d) Supreme Court

9. When did the Indian Constitution come into force?

(a|) 1949 (b) 1947 (c) 1948 (d) 1950

10. In how much time was our Constitution made?

(a) In two years (b) More than two years

(c) In one year (d) More than three year

11. Antonyms of word ‘enormous’:

(a)insignificant (b) mammoth (c) vast (d) humongous

12. Synonyms of word ‘inclusion’:

(a) omission (b) oversight (c) append (d) preclude​

Answer 1

Answer:

1.(a)2.(c)3.(c)4.(b)5.(b)6.(d)7.(b)8.(c)9.(b)10.(a)11.(a)12.(a)

Answer 2

1. The programmes for the socio-economic development originate at the central government level (option d).

• The programmes for socio-economic development generally originate at the central government level. The central government sets national goals, policies and programmes for socio-economic development in various sectors such as agriculture, industry, education, health, etc. and provides financial and technical assistance to state governments and other stakeholders to implement them.

2. The British had left behind a poverty-stricken, illiterate India (option c).

• The British colonial rule in India lasted for over 200 years and had a significant impact on the country's socio-economic and political landscape. During this period, India's resources were exploited for the benefit of the British Empire, which led to the impoverishment of the Indian population.

3. The constitution-makers describe India as a Union of states (option a).

• The Constitution of India describes India as a "Union of States." India is a federal country with a central government and individual state governments that have their own separate powers and responsibilities.

4. The constitution-makers took more than two years to bring the world's lengthiest constitution to its final shape (option b).

• The Constitution of India is one of the longest and most comprehensive constitutions in the world. It took the constitution-makers more than two years to bring the world's lengthiest constitution to its final shape.

5. The correct word from the passage which means the same as recognizing the good quality of somebody is appreciate (option b).

• To appreciate someone means to recognize their worth or value, and to acknowledge and admire their positive qualities. This word is often used to express gratitude or admiration towards someone for their actions or qualities.

6. The Chairman of the Drafting Committee is Dr B.R. Ambedkar (option a).

• He was the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly of India, which was responsible for drafting the Constitution of India. He is often referred to as the "Father of the Indian Constitution" for his significant contribution to the development of the Constitution.

7. The Head of the Constituent Assembly is Dr Rajendra Prasad (option b).

• Dr Rajendra Prasad was the President of the Constituent Assembly of India, which was responsible for drafting the Constitution of India. He served as the President of India from 1950 to 1962 and played a key role in the Indian independence movement.

8. Central Government is equipped with overwhelming administrative, legislative and financial muscle (option c).

• The Central Government in India is equipped with overwhelming administrative, legislative, and financial muscle. It is responsible for the overall governance of the country and has the power to make laws and policies that affect the entire nation.

9. The Indian Constitution came into force in 1950 (option d).

• The Indian Constitution was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on November 26, 1949, but it came into force on January 26, 1950. This date is celebrated every year as Republic Day in India.

10.  Our Constitution was made in two years (option b).

• The Constituent Assembly of India was formed in 1946 to draft a constitution for India. The process of drafting the Constitution took more than two years, and the final version was adopted on November 26, 1949.

11. Antonyms of the word ‘enormous’ is insignificant (option a).

• The word "enormous" means very large in size, extent, or quantity. The antonym of "enormous" is "insignificant", which means small or unimportant.

12. Synonyms of the word ‘inclusion’ is append (option c).

• The word "inclusion" means the act of including or the state of being included.

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