Read the passage given below carefully and answer the following questions :

Thus, began an era of the multi-party system... Our Parliament always had representatives from several political parties. But after 1989, no single party secured a clear majority of seats in Lok Sabha till 2014. This development initiated an era of coalition governments at the Centre.

(i) Which political party won a clear majority in the Lok Sabha elections in 2014?

(ii) In your opinion, what are the two main problems of coalition governments?

(iii) Analyze any two merits of the multi-party system in India.

The passage is given below carefully and answer the following questions :

The old system of social welfare was systematically destroyed. The withdrawal of government subsidies pushed large sections of the people into poverty. The middle classes were pushed to the periphery of society..... Besides, privatization led to more disparities.

(i) What is meant by government subsidy?

(ii) How did the withdrawal of government subsidy lead the people into poverty?

(iii) Do you support or oppose the policy of privatization? Support your answer with any two suitable arguments.

OR

Read the passage given below carefully and answer the following questions :

The non-aligned countries were more than merely mediators during the Cold War. The challenge for most of the non-aligned countries — a majority of them were categorized as the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) — was to be more developed economically and to lift their people out of poverty. Economic development was also vital for the independence of the new countries. Without sustained development, a country could not be truly free.

(i) Name any two founder countries of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) during the Cold War period.

(ii) Suggest any two methods to lift the people of the Least Developed Countries out of poverty.

(iii) Explain the concept of ‘sustained development’.

Read the passage given below carefully and answer the following questions :

Most of the time, when we read and hear about the security we are talking about traditional, national security conceptions of security related to dangers from military threats. The source of this type of danger to security is another country which, by threatening military action endangers the core values of sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.

(i) What is meant by national security?

(ii) Explain the traditional notion of security.

(iii) Suggest any two methods to respond to the threat of war from another country.

OR

Read the passage given below carefully and answer the following questions :

One of India’s major concerns has been the composition of the Security Council, which has remained largely static while the UN General Assembly membership has expanded considerably. India considers that this has harmed the representative character of the Security Council. It also argues that an expanded Council, with more representation, will enjoy greater support in the world community.

(i) Why has the composition of the Security Council been said to have remained ‘static’?

(ii) How has the static composition of the Security Council harmed its representative character?

(iii) Explain India’s view about the role of the developing countries in the Security Council.

Study the cartoon given below carefully and answer the following questions :

(i) Write the full name of the organisation represented by the tiger in this cartoon.

(ii) Explain the dilemma of Sri Lankan leadership in trying to resolve this ethnic conflict.

(iii) How did this ethnic problem affect the economic growth of Sri Lanka?

Note: The following questions are for the Visually Impaired Candidates only, instead of Question No. 20 :

20.1) Name the two ethnic groups of Sri Lanka.

(20.2) Explain the ethnic conflict of Sri Lanka.

(20.3) How did this ethnic problem affect the economic growth of Sri Lanka.