NCERT Solutions For Class 11 Political Science Chapter 3 Election and Representation - 2025-26

1. Which of the following resembles most a direct democracy?

(a) Discussions in a family meeting.

(b) Election of the class monitor.

(c) Choice of a candidate by a political party.

(d) Decisions taken by the Gram Sabha.

(e) Opinion polls conducted by the media

Answer:
(d) Decisions taken by the Gram Sabha.

2. Which of the following tasks are not performed by the Election Commission?

(a) Preparing the Electoral Rolls.

(b) Nominating the candidates.

(c) Setting up polling booths.

(d) Implementing the model code of conduct.

(e) Supervising the Panchayat elections.

Answer:
(e) Supervising the Panchayat elections.

3. Which of the following is common to the method of election of the members of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha?

(a) Every citizen above the age of 18 is an eligible voter.

(b) Voter can give preference order for different candidates.

(c) Every vote has equal value.

(d) The winner must get more than half the votes.

Answer:
(a) Every citizen above the age of 18 is an eligible voter.

4. In the First Past the Post System, that candidate is declared winner who:

(a) Secures the largest number of postal ballots.

(b) Belongs to the party that has highest number of votes in the country.

(c) Has more votes than any other candidate in the constituency.

(d) Attains first position by securing more than 50% votes.

Answer:
(c) Has more votes than any other candidate in the constituency.

5. What is the difference between the system of reservation of constituencies and the system of separate electorate? Why did the Constitution makers reject the latter?

Answer:

• Separate electorate: Introduced by the British, this system allowed certain communities like Muslims and Sikhs to elect their own representatives separately. Only voters of that community could choose the candidate. It encouraged divisions and weakened national unity.
  
  

• Reservation of constituencies: Here, the seat is reserved for a particular community, but all voters in the constituency can cast their votes. Only the candidates belong to the reserved category.
  
  

The Constitution makers rejected the separate electorate as it promoted communal divisions, whereas reservation promoted inclusion without harming unity.

6. Which of the following statements are incorrect? Identify and correct them by substituting, adding or rearranging only one word or phrase.

(a) FPTP system is followed for all the elections in India.

(b) Election Commission does not supervise Panchayat and Municipal elections.

(c) President of India cannot remove an Election Commissioner.

(d) Appointment of more than one Election Commissioner in the Election Commission is mandatory.

Answer:
(a) Incorrect – FPTP is used for all elections except for the President, Vice-President, Rajya Sabha and State Legislative Councils.

(b) Correct.

(c) Incorrect – The President can remove an Election Commissioner.

(d) Incorrect – Appointment of multiple Election Commissioners is optional, not compulsory.

7. Indian electoral system aims at ensuring representation of socially disadvantaged sections. However, we are yet to have even 10 per cent women members in our legislatures. What measures would you suggest to improve the situation?

Answer:
While SCs and STs have reservation in legislatures, women do not. To address this, a constitutional amendment ensuring reservation of seats for women should be passed, making space for fairer gender representation in Parliament and State Assemblies.

8. Here are some wishes expressed in a conference to discuss a constitution for a new country. Write against each of these whether FPTP or Proportional Representation system is more suited to meet each of these wishes.

(a) People should clearly know who is their representative so that they can hold him or her personally accountable.

(b) We have small linguistic minorities who are spread all over the country; we should ensure fair representation to them.

(c) There should be no discrepancy between votes and seats for different parties.

(d) People should be able to elect a good candidate even if they do not like his or her political party.

Answer:
(a) FPTP
(b) Proportional Representation
(c) Proportional Representation
(d) FPTP

9. A former Chief Election Commissioner joined a political party and contested elections. There are various views on this issue. One view is that a former Election Commissioner is an independent citizen and has a right to join any political party and to contest election. According to the other view, leaving this possibility open can affect the impartiality of the Election Commission. So, former Election Commissioners must not be allowed to contest any elections. Which position do you agree with and why?

Answer:
The Election Commission is meant to be neutral and ensure free and fair elections. If a former Chief Election Commissioner joins politics, it may raise doubts about the Commission’s past impartiality. Therefore, to maintain public trust and credibility, former Election Commissioners should not be allowed to contest elections.

10. “Indian democracy is now ready to shift from a crude First Past the Post system to a system of Proportional Representation”. Do you agree with this statement? Give your reasons for or against this statement.

Answer:
Yes, Proportional Representation (PR) has advantages in India’s context:

• India’s multi-party system, including many regional parties, can be represented more fairly under PR.
  
  

• It ensures seats are distributed in proportion to votes, making representation more balanced.
  
  

• It strengthens unity by giving smaller parties a voice.
  
  

• It enhances accountability and avoids excessive dominance of a single party.
  
  

Thus, PR could make democracy more inclusive, fair, and representative of India’s diversity.

Election and Representation: Key Concepts for Class 11 Political Science

Understanding the Election and Representation chapter is essential for scoring well in Class 11 Political Science. Grasping concepts like FPTP vs PR systems and the role of the Election Commission helps students answer exam questions confidently.

Focus on the significance of universal adult franchise and the idea of reserved constituencies. These topics often appear in exams and ensure a deep understanding of how democracy functions in India’s context.

Dedicate time to practicing NCERT-based questions from this chapter to build confidence and clarify doubts. Consistent revision and concept clarity will help boost your performance in the 2025-26 Political Science exam.