Q1. [4]
POWER SHARING
Power sharing arrangements can also be seen in the way political parties, pressure groups and movements control or influence those in power. In a democracy, the citizens must have freedom to choose among various contenders for power. In contemporary democracies, this takes the form of competition among different parties. Such competition ensures that power does not remain in one hand. In the long run, power is shared among different political parties that represent different ideologies and social groups. Sometimes this kind of sharing can be direct, when two or more parties form an alliance to contest elections. If their alliance is elected, they form a coalition government and thus share power. In a democracy, we find interest groups, such as those of traders, businessmen, industrialists, farmers and industrial workers. They also will have a share in governmental power, either through participation in governmental committees or bringing influence on the decision-making process.
Read the given source carefully and answer the questions that follow :
- 28.1 How do pressure groups influence the government ? [1]
- 28.2 How do social groups benefit from power sharing ? [1]
- 28.3 Explain the contributions of citizens in the power sharing process. [2]
Previously asked in CBSE board exam
2026 32/1/1 Q28
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-15 07:00 · grounding stimulus
Model Answer
28.1 Pressure groups influence the government by participating in governmental committees or by bringing influence on the decision-making process.
28.2 Political parties represent different ideologies and social groups. In the long run, power is shared among these parties, allowing various social groups to have a share in governmental power and benefit from power sharing arrangements.
28.3 In a democracy, citizens must have the freedom to choose among various contenders for power. This takes the form of competition among different political parties in contemporary democracies. By voting and choosing their representatives, citizens ensure that power does not remain in one hand. They also participate through interest groups (traders, farmers, workers, etc.) that influence governmental decisions.
Source: Power Sharing, Class 10 Political Science (Democratic Politics II)
---
Explanation
- 28.1 is 1 mark — one direct line from the passage is enough.
- 28.2 is 1 mark — link "parties representing social groups" to power sharing benefit; one line suffices.
- 28.3 is 2 marks — needs two distinct points: (i) freedom to choose/vote among competing parties, and (ii) competition ensures power doesn't concentrate. Mentioning interest groups adds depth. Examiners look for both points clearly stated. Always anchor answers in the passage for source-based questions.
If a question refers to an image, map, graph or diagram that is not shown here, open the Study Guide single page app, go to
Library and find the actual CBSE question paper. The original papers are also available on the CBSE website:
cbse.gov.in.