India has adopted a multi-party system because of its immense social and geographical diversity. Such a large country with varied regional, social, and cultural divisions cannot be easily represented by just two or three parties. This diversity requires multiple parties to give political representation to different interests and opinions.
Source: Democratic Politics, Chapter 4 — "How many parties should we have?"
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The examiner expects two clear points:
The key phrase from the textbook is: "social and geographical diversity in such a large country is not easily absorbed by two or even three parties." Mention that party systems evolve over time based on a country's history and social conditions — this shows you understand the concept, not just memorised it. Avoid writing too much; 40–50 words is enough for 2 marks.