Class 12 Political Science Chapter 5 Contemporary South Asia
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Selected Questions-Answers
1. Very Short Answer Questions (Marks: 1 each)
(a) What is the full form of SAARC?
Ans: South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.
(b) “SAFTA was signed at the 12th SAARC Summit held inIslamabad.” Is the statement correct?
Ans: Correct.
(c) In Sri Lanka, politics is dominated by the majority community. (Fill in the blank)
Ans: Sinhalese.
(d) Which country is a part of India’s ‘Look East Policy’?
Ans: Bangladesh.
Note: India’s Look East Policy primarily focused on Southeast Asiancountries (especially ASEAN members). Bangladesh is part of India’s“Neighbourhood Policy” rather than the original Look East framework.
(e) What does South Asia refer to?
Ans: South Asia refers to seven countries – Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
(f) Is China a part of South Asia?
Ans: No, China is not a part of South Asia.
(g) Which country first liberalized its economy in the South Asianregion?
Ans: Sri Lanka.
(h) Who was the leader of the Chinese Communist Revolution?
Ans: Mao Zedong.
(i) Where did India conduct its nuclear tests in 1998?
Ans: At Pokhran in Rajasthan..
(j) What is the main objective of SAARC?
Ans: To establish cooperation among South Asian countries and to promotecollaboration in political, economic, social, cultural, technical and scientificfields.
(k) Where was the 14th SAARC Summit held?
Ans: In New Delhi, in 2007.
(l) Which Indian Prime Minister undertook the bus journey toLahore?
Ans: Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
(m) Where was the 15th SAARC Summit held?
Ans: In Colombo, in 2008.
(n) Where was the first SAARC Summit held?
Ans: In Dhaka, in 1985.
(o) When was SAARC formed? H.S. ’18
Ans: In 1985.
(p) In which year did Sri Lanka gain independence?
Ans: In 1948.
(q) In which year did India and Pakistan conduct nuclear tests?
Ans: In 1998.
(r) In which year did India send a Peace Keeping Force to Sri Lanka?
Ans: In 1987.
(s) Fill in the blank: Bangladesh was a part of Pakistan from ______to ______.
Ans: From 1947 to 1971.
(t) Which country is a partner in India’s Look East Policy? H.S. ’18
Ans: Sri Lanka.
(u) What is the full form of WTO? H.S. ’18
Ans: World Trade Organization.
2. Short Answer Type Questions (Marks: 2 each)
(a) Mention two areas of cooperation between India and Bangladesh.
Ans: Two areas of cooperation between India and Bangladesh are-
(1) Both countries have expressed their intention to cooperate in thedevelopment of economy, finance, trade, transport and communication.
(2) Both countries have agreed not to allow their territories to be used byterrorists.
(b) What was Pakistan’s reaction to India’s nuclear tests?
Ans: In 1998, India conducted nuclear tests at Pokhran. In response, Pakistan conducted nuclear tests at Chagai Hills shortly thereafter. Since then, a form of military balance has been established between the two countries, reducing the likelihood of a full-scale conventional war.
(c) Name the two conflicting groups in Sri Lanka.
Ans: Sinhalese and Tamils.
(d) What is the Look East Policy?
Ans: India adopted a policy to strengthen economic relations with fiveSoutheast Asian countries – Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singaporeand Thailand. This policy is known as the Look East Policy.
(e) Do you think India and Nepal share a special relationship?
Ans: Despite certain differences, India and Nepal share a special relationship. For example, there is an agreement that allows citizens of bothcountries to travel and work without passports and visas. Secondly, there isfull cooperation between the two countries in trade, scientific collaboration, natural resource management and electricity generation.
(f) What is the full form of SAFTA?
Ans: South Asian Free Trade Area.
(g) What is LTTE?
Ans: Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.
(h) How was democracy introduced in Nepal? H.S. ’18
Ans: Until 2006, Nepal had a monarchy in which the king held extensivepowers. Although internal conflicts began from 1990 onward, a majordemocratic movement in 2006 led to the restoration of a representativeparliament. Later, according to the agreement of 23 December 2007, themonarchy was abolished and Nepal was declared a Federal DemocraticRepublic.
Nepal was officially declared a Federal Democratic Republic in May 2008.
(i) Name two observer states of SAARC.
Ans: China and Japan.
(j) Mention any two areas of conflict between India and Pakistan.
Ans: The two ares of conflict between India and Pakistan are-
(1) The border dispute over Jammu and Kashmir.
(2) Pakistan’s alleged support for terrorism against India.
(k) Mention one area of cooperation and one area of conflict betweenIndia and Bangladesh. H.S. ’15, ’20
Ans: One area of cooperation and one area of conflict between India andBangladesh areCooperation: Both countries have taken measures to enhance traderelations. Conflict: Migration from Bangladesh to Assam has created political issues.
(l) Name the two communities involved in the Sri Lankan conflict. H.S. ’18
Ans: Tamils and Sinhalese.
3. Medium Length Answer Questions (Marks: 4 each)
(a) What were the basic reasons for the formation of SAARC?
Or
Discuss the role of SAARC as an organization for cooperation. H.S. ’12, ’17
Ans: The roles of SAARC as an organization for cooperation include:
(1) Promoting the welfare of the peoples of South Asia.
(2) Improving the standard of living of the people.
(3) Promoting collective self-reliance.
(4) Accelerating economic growth.
(5) Fostering mutual trust and understanding.
(6) Enhancing cooperation in economic, social, political, cultural andscientific fields.
(7) Establishing cooperation with regional and international organizations.
(b) Mention the factors responsible for Pakistan’s failure to establishstable democracy.
Ans: In Pakistan, several factors have hindered the development of stabledemocracy. The dominance of the military, religious elites, landed aristocracyand privileged classes has often led to the fall of elected governments. Conflict with India has strengthened the role of the military. In addition, weaknessesin political parties and democratic institutions have sometimes resulted inmilitary rule being considered more effective than civilian governance.
(c) Write a note on the 2001 Agra Summit.
Ans: On 14–15 July 2001, a historic summit was held between India andPakistan in Agra, India. During the summit, proposals were discussed regardingnuclear weapons, the Kashmir issue and Indo-Pak border relations.
(d) Point out the reasons why the people of East Pakistan adoptedthe path of a liberation movement. H.S. ’15
Ans: Pakistan gained independence from British rule on 14 August 1947. It consisted of two geographically separate regions – West Pakistan andEast Pakistan. East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) remained a part of Pakistanuntil 1971. The people of East Pakistan were primarily Bengali-speaking andculturally different from West Pakistan. However, West Pakistan imposed Urdulanguage and its cultural dominance over East Pakistan. As a result, the peopleof East Pakistan protested and demanded proper representation in governance.
In the 1970 general elections, the Awami League under the leadership ofSheikh Mujibur Rahman won a majority of seats in the proposed Constituent Assembly. However, the leaders of West Pakistan did not allow the Assemblyto convene and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was arrested.
These factors led the people of East Pakistan to launch a liberationmovement, which resulted in the creation of independent Bangladesh in 1971.
4. Essay Type Questions (Marks: 6 each)
(a) Write about the role and limitations of SAARC.
Ans: In 1985, a regional organization called SAARC was formed. Itsmember states were India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lankaand Maldives. India plays a significant role in SAARC due to its geographical size, population and economic capacity within South Asia. India has raisedissues such as environmental diversity, climate change and protection of theozone layer in SAARC forums.
At one SAARC Summit, the South Asian Free Trade Agreement wasconcluded. Special sessions of SAARC have discussed agriculture, scienceand technology.
However, SAARC faces several limitations. Member countries often lacksufficient financial resources for development initiatives. Mutual distrust andthe raising of bilateral issues during meetings have hindered progress. Somesmaller member states have criticized India for acting like a dominant “bigbrother,” expressing concern over their sovereignty.
(b) For what purpose was SAFTA formed? Examine the concept ofSAFTA. H.S. ’16
Ans: At the 12th SAARC Summit held in Islamabad, it was decided toestablish the South Asian Free Trade Area to promote intra-regional trade.
Accordingly, member states signed the agreement in 2004, and it came intoforce on 1 January 2006. The main objective of SAFTA is to establish SouthAsia as a free trade area. If each member state allows free trade beyondnarrow national interests, it could usher in a new era of peace and cooperationin South Asia. One objective of SAFTA was to reduce trade barrierssignificantly within the region.
Some countries feared that India might dominate regional markets throughSAFTA and interfere in their social and political systems. However, accordingto India, SAFTA would promote genuine economic development and helpresolve political problems.
(c) How can permanent peace be established in South Asia?
Ans: As an important region of the world, South Asia is currently facinginstability and unrest. Permanent peace can be established by:
(1) Increasing cooperation among countries.
(2) Eliminating terrorism.
(3) Resolving bilateral disputes.
(4) Avoiding interference in internal affairs and resolving issues throughdialogue.
(5) Accelerating development through trade and technological cooperation.
(d) Briefly write about the recent relations between India andPakistan. H.S. ’17
Or
Briefly discuss the causes of conflict between India and Pakistan. H.S. ’20
Ans: Although India and Pakistan are neighbouring countries, conflictshave arisen between them mainly due to:
(1) The dispute over Jammu and Kashmir.
(2) The issue of terrorism.
Recently, tensions have intensified, particularly regarding Jammu andKashmir, which India considers an integral part of its territory, while Pakistandisputes this claim. Allegations of cross-border terrorism have increasedtensions. As a result, limited military conflicts have occurred from time to time, for example, the Kargil War of 1999.
Pakistan has strengthened ties with China, while India has developed closerrelations with the United States. However, experts emphasize the urgent needto establish cordial relations between India and Pakistan as neighbouring states.
(e) Describe the objectives and achievements of ASEAN. H.S. ’20
Ans: ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) was formed in1967 and since then has worked toward political and economic development and regional stability.
Its objectives and achievements include:
(1) Promoting intergovernmental cooperation for economic development.
(2) Encouraging educational and socio-cultural exchange among memberstates.
(3) Resolving regional disputes through mutual understanding.
(4) Strengthening political security and enhancing military cooperationamong member states.
(5) Adopting an outward-looking approach in international affairs throughinitiatives such as ASEAN Vision 2020.
Although ASEAN has made significant progress, it cannot be said to haveachieved complete success in all its objectives.
