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Politics of Planned Development

NCERT Class 12 · Political Science Based on NCERT Class 12 Political Science textbook · Free CBSE study kit

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Chapter Notes

Overview
This chapter explores the political choices and debates surrounding India's economic development after independence. It examines the consensus on state-led planning, the adoption of the five-year plan model, and the specific strategies of the First and Second Five Year Plans. The one big idea a student must walk away with is that economic development was not a purely technical matter but a deeply political process involving contestation over the very meaning of development, the role of the state, and the balance between growth and justice.
Key Concepts (12)
Planning Commission
A non-constitutional, advisory body set up in March 1950 by a simple resolution of the Government of India, with the Prime Minister as its Chairperson, to formulate five-year plans for the country's development.
e.g. The Planning Commission drafted the First Five Year Plan (1951-1956) to address the cycle of poverty.
Five Year Plan (FYP)
A document prepared by the Government of India that outlines all its income and expenditure for the next five years, dividing the budget into 'non-plan' (routine yearly expenditure) and 'plan' (five-year priority-based expenditure).
e.g. The Second Five Year Plan (1956-1961) focused on heavy industrialisation.
Bombay Plan
A joint proposal drafted in 1944 by a section of big industrialists for setting up a planned economy in India, which wanted the state to take major initiatives in industrial and other economic investments.
e.g. This plan showed that even industrialists supported state-led planning for development.
Left
A political ideology that favours state control of the economy and prefers state regulation over free competition, often associated with social change and economic redistribution.
e.g. The Communist Party of India and the Socialist Party were considered left parties in the 1960s.
Right
A political ideology that believes free competition and market economy alone ensure progress and that the government should not unnecessarily intervene in the economy.
e.g. Parties that opposed state control of the economy were considered rightist.
Modernisation
A process of development associated with the ideas of growth, material progress, and scientific rationality, often involving the breakdown of traditional social structures and the rise of capitalism and liberalism.
e.g. In the 1950s, 'development' was often equated with becoming more like the industrialised countries of the West.
Plan Holiday
A period (1966-1969) when the government decided to take a break from the five-year plan cycle due to an acute economic crisis and declining novelty of planning.
e.g. The Fourth Plan was due in 1966, but the government declared a 'plan holiday' instead.
P.C. Mahalanobis
A scientist and statistician of international repute, founder of the Indian Statistical Institute (1931), and the architect of the Second Five Year Plan who supported rapid industrialisation and an active role for the public sector.
e.g. Mahalanobis drafted the Second FYP which stressed on heavy industries.
Socialist Pattern of Society
A goal declared by the Congress party at its Avadi session, which was reflected in the Second Five Year Plan, aiming for state ownership and control over key sectors of the economy.
e.g. The Second Plan's focus on public sector industries like steel and electricity was a reflection of this goal.
NITI Aayog
The National Institution for Transforming India, which replaced the Planning Commission on 1 January 2015 as the new institution for formulating development policy.
e.g. NITI Aayog was created to foster cooperative federalism and involve states in the planning process.
K.N. Raj
A young economist involved in drafting the First Five Year Plan who argued that India should 'hasten slowly' for the first two decades as a fast rate of development might endanger democracy.
e.g. Raj's philosophy influenced the cautious, agrarian-focused approach of the First Plan.
Political Contestation
The process of weighing the interests of one social group against another, present generation against future generations, in decisions about development, which in a democracy should be taken or approved by the people's representatives.
e.g. The conflict between tribal populations, environmentalists, and industrialists over the POSCO plant in Orissa is an example of political contestation.
How It Works
Setting up of the Planning Commission
  1. Step 1: The Government of India passed a simple resolution in March 1950 to set up the Planning Commission.
  2. Step 2: The resolution defined the scope of work, linking it to the Directive Principles of State Policy, particularly securing a social order with justice and ensuring adequate means of livelihood, distribution of resources for common good, and preventing concentration of wealth.
  3. Step 3: The Prime Minister was made the Chairperson of the Commission.
  4. Step 4: The Commission had an advisory role; its recommendations became effective only when approved by the Union Cabinet.
💡 The Planning Commission was NOT a constitutional body; it was set up by an executive resolution.
Operation of a Five Year Plan
  1. Step 1: The Government of India prepares a document with a plan for all its income and expenditure for the next five years.
  2. Step 2: The budget of the central and all state governments is divided into two parts: 'non-plan' budget (routine yearly expenditure) and 'plan' budget (five-year priority-based expenditure).
  3. Step 3: The plan budget is spent as per the priorities fixed by the plan, allowing the government to focus on the larger picture and make long-term intervention in the economy.
💡 Students often confuse 'plan' and 'non-plan' expenditure; plan expenditure is for development projects, non-plan is for routine maintenance and salaries.
The First Five Year Plan (1951-1956)
  1. Step 1: The plan sought to get the country's economy out of the cycle of poverty.
  2. Step 2: It addressed mainly the agrarian sector, including investment in dams and irrigation, as agriculture was hit hardest by Partition.
  3. Step 3: Huge allocations were made for large-scale projects like the Bhakhra Nangal Dam.
  4. Step 4: It identified land distribution as the principal obstacle to agricultural growth and focused on land reforms.
  5. Step 5: The plan aimed to raise national income by pushing up savings, which did rise initially but not as spectacularly as expected.
💡 The First Plan's approach was cautious ('hasten slowly') and focused on agriculture, unlike the Second Plan's focus on heavy industry.
The Second Five Year Plan (1956-1961)
  1. Step 1: The plan was drafted under the leadership of P.C. Mahalanobis and stressed on heavy industries.
  2. Step 2: It aimed for quick structural transformation by making changes simultaneously in all directions.
  3. Step 3: The Congress party's Avadi resolution declaring a 'socialist pattern of society' was reflected in this plan.
  4. Step 4: The government imposed substantial tariffs on imports to protect domestic industries.
  5. Step 5: A bulk of industries like electricity, railways, steel, machinery, and communication were developed in the public sector.
  6. Step 6: This push for industrialisation marked a turning point in India's development.
💡 The Second Plan is also known as the Mahalanobis Plan and is associated with the 'socialist pattern of society'.
Political Contestation in Development Decisions
  1. Step 1: A development issue arises (e.g., setting up a steel plant in a tribal area).
  2. Step 2: Different stakeholders (industrialists, tribal population, environmentalists, government) have conflicting interests and definitions of 'development'.
  3. Step 3: The decision involves weighing the interests of one social group against another, and present generation against future generations.
  4. Step 4: In a democracy, the final decision must be a political decision, taken by people's representatives who are in touch with the feelings of the people, not just by experts.
💡 Development is not a neutral concept; it has different meanings for different sections of people, leading to contradictions and conflicts.
Exam Traps — Don't Make These Mistakes
⚠ Confusing Planning Commission with a Constitutional Body
✗ The Planning Commission was a constitutional body set up by the Constitution of India.
→ The chapter explicitly states that the Planning Commission was set up by a simple resolution of the Government of India in March 1950, and it is not one of the commissions set up by the Constitution.
✓ The Planning Commission was a non-constitutional, advisory body set up by a resolution of the Government of India in 1950.
⚠ Mixing up the Focus of First and Second Five Year Plans
✗ The First Five Year Plan focused on heavy industrialisation, while the Second Plan focused on agriculture.
→ This is the exact opposite of the truth. The First Plan addressed mainly the agrarian sector, while the Second Plan stressed on heavy industries.
✓ The First Five Year Plan (1951-1956) focused on agriculture, irrigation, and land reforms. The Second Five Year Plan (1956-1961) focused on rapid industrialisation and heavy industries.
⚠ Assuming the Bombay Plan was a Government Initiative
✗ The Bombay Plan was a government proposal for a planned economy.
→ The chapter states that the Bombay Plan was drafted by a section of big industrialists, not the government. It was a joint proposal from the private sector.
✓ The Bombay Plan was a joint proposal drafted in 1944 by big industrialists, which wanted the state to take major initiatives in industrial investments.
⚠ Thinking 'Plan Holiday' Means No Planning at All
✗ During the Plan Holiday, the government stopped all economic planning.
→ The Plan Holiday was a break from the five-year plan cycle due to an economic crisis, not a complete abandonment of planning. The government still managed the economy, but without a formal five-year plan.
✓ The Plan Holiday (1966-1969) was a period when the government decided to take a break from the five-year plan cycle due to an acute economic crisis.
⚠ Equating 'Left' and 'Right' with Specific Parties Only
✗ The Congress party was always a left party.
→ The chapter asks where one would place the Congress party of the 1960s, implying it had both left and right tendencies. The Congress party at that time had internal contradictions, endorsing socialist principles while also pursuing liberal economic policies.
✓ The Congress party in the 1960s had a complex ideological position; it endorsed socialist principles at the national level but also pursued liberal economic policies, making it difficult to classify strictly as left or right.
Compare & Contrast
Main focus of development
First Five Year Plan
Second Five Year Plan
The First Plan focused on agriculture, irrigation, and land reforms ('hasten slowly'), while the Second Plan focused on rapid industrialisation and heavy industries (Mahalanobis model).
Role of the state in the economy
Left Ideology
Right Ideology
Left ideology favours state control of the economy and state regulation over free competition, while Right ideology believes that free competition and market economy alone ensure progress and that the government should not unnecessarily intervene.
Constitutional status and role
Planning Commission
NITI Aayog
The Planning Commission was a non-constitutional, advisory body set up by a resolution in 1950, while NITI Aayog replaced it in 2015 as a new institution for transforming India, with a different composition and objectives.
Exam Focus
Marks pattern: This chapter typically appears with 2 MCQs (1 mark each), 1 Short Answer question (3 marks), and 1 Long Answer question (5 marks).
Most asked: Differences between First and Second Five Year Plans · Role and nature of the Planning Commission · The Bombay Plan and its significance · Concept of 'Left' and 'Right' in Indian politics · Political contestation over development (e.g., Orissa POSCO example) · The 'socialist pattern of society' and the Avadi session
Don't skip: Compare and contrast the First and Second Five Year Plans (5 marks).; Explain the political contestation involved in development decisions with reference to the Orissa POSCO example (5 marks).; What was the Bombay Plan and why was it significant? (3 marks)
One-Line Revision (read aloud before the exam)
  1. The Planning Commission was a non-constitutional, advisory body set up in 1950 with the Prime Minister as Chairperson.
  2. The First Five Year Plan (1951-1956) focused on agriculture, irrigation, and land reforms to address the cycle of poverty.
  3. The Second Five Year Plan (1956-1961), drafted by P.C. Mahalanobis, focused on heavy industrialisation and reflected the 'socialist pattern of society'.
  4. The Bombay Plan (1944) was a proposal by big industrialists for state-led planning, showing support for planning from the private sector.
  5. 'Left' ideology favours state control of the economy, while 'Right' ideology favours free competition and market economy.
  6. Development has different meanings for different sections of people, leading to political contestation.
  7. The Orissa POSCO plant example illustrates the conflict between industrialists, tribal populations, and environmentalists over development.
  8. The 'Plan Holiday' (1966-1969) was a break from the five-year plan cycle due to an acute economic crisis.
  9. The Congress party's Avadi session (1955) declared 'socialist pattern of society' as its goal.
  10. K.N. Raj argued for a cautious approach ('hasten slowly') in the First Plan to protect democracy.
  11. The Planning Commission was replaced by NITI Aayog on 1 January 2015.
  12. The Second Plan imposed substantial tariffs on imports to protect domestic industries.
  13. The First Plan identified land distribution as the principal obstacle to agricultural growth.
  14. The Second Plan developed industries like electricity, railways, steel, and communication in the public sector.

MCQs — 10 Questions with Answers

Q1. The Planning Commission of independent India was established in which year and under whose chairpersonship?

  • A. 1950, Pandit Nehru ✓
  • B. 1948, Sardar Patel
  • C. 1951, C. Rajagopalachari
  • D. 1952, B.R. Ambedkar

Answer: A — The Planning Commission was established in 1950 with Pandit Nehru as its first chairperson to centrally plan India's economic development.

Q2. Which of the following BEST defines 'development' in the context of post-Independence India?

  • A. Only economic growth measured by GDP increase
  • B. Economic growth combined with social and economic justice ✓
  • C. Complete copying of Western capitalist model
  • D. Full adoption of Soviet socialist planning

Answer: B — Indian leaders agreed that development must mean both economic growth AND social-economic justice, balancing progress with equitable distribution.

Q3. According to the text, what were the two main models of modern development available to India at Independence?

  • A. British colonial model and Japanese model
  • B. Liberal-capitalist model (West) and socialist model (USSR) ✓
  • C. Agricultural model and industrial model
  • D. Private sector model and public sector model

Answer: B — India faced a choice between liberal-capitalist development as practised in Europe and the US, or socialist planned economy as in the USSR.

Q4. The Orissa iron ore case demonstrates that development decisions involve political contestation because:

  • A. Experts cannot be trusted to advise on mining
  • B. Different groups (industrialists, tribals, environmentalists, government) have conflicting interests that must be politically reconciled ✓
  • C. Environmental pollution is always more important than employment
  • D. The state should never allow any industrial projects in tribal areas

Answer: B — The case shows how one group's development vision (steel industry) conflicts with another's need (tribal livelihood and environment), requiring political decision-making.

Q5. Which of the following statements about 'Left' and 'Right' ideologies in development politics is CORRECT?

  • A. Left supports free market competition; Right supports state control
  • B. Left favours state control and economic regulation; Right favours free market and minimal government intervention ✓
  • C. Both Left and Right reject any government role in economy
  • D. Left and Right have no difference in development philosophy

Answer: B — Left ideology emphasises state control for redistribution and planning; Right ideology emphasises free market forces and private enterprise with minimal state interference.

Q6. According to the text, why is development a POLITICAL decision rather than merely an expert or technical one?

  • A. Because politicians always know more than experts
  • B. Because development involves weighing interests of different social groups and generations, requiring democratic approval by people's representatives ✓
  • C. Because economists always disagree with each other
  • D. Because developing countries have more politicians than experts

Answer: B — Development decisions involve conflicting interests and value judgements (growth vs. justice, profit vs. livelihood) that only elected representatives in a democracy can legitimately resolve.

Q7. Assertion: India's leaders agreed that economic growth should be the ONLY goal of development. Reason: The market alone can ensure both growth and justice without government intervention. Which of the following is correct?

  • A. Both Assertion and Reason are correct
  • B. Assertion is correct but Reason is incorrect
  • C. Assertion is incorrect but Reason is correct
  • D. Both Assertion and Reason are incorrect ✓

Answer: D — The text clearly states Indian leaders agreed development must mean BOTH growth AND justice (Assertion false), and they believed government must play a key role (Reason false).

Q8. The concept of 'modernisation' in Western development theory included all of the following EXCEPT:

  • A. Breakdown of traditional social structures
  • B. Rise of capitalism and liberalism
  • C. Scientific rationality and material progress
  • D. Preservation of village-based agrarian economies and traditional hierarchies ✓

Answer: D — Western modernisation theory explicitly involved breakdown of traditional structures; preservation of agrarian economies contradicts the modernisation concept.

Q9. Why were all development decisions in independent India bound together by a 'shared vision' according to the text?

  • A. Because the Planning Commission forced all decisions to follow one model
  • B. Because they were connected to an overall model of economic development linking growth and justice goals ✓
  • C. Because all political parties had identical development philosophies
  • D. Because each decision was completely independent of others and could be made separately

Answer: B — The text states all development decisions were bound together by a shared vision or model of economic development, meaning choices in one area affected the entire strategy.

Q10. In the Orissa iron ore dispute, which stakeholder group's primary concern is reflected in the statement: 'The iron ore resources lie in some of the most underdeveloped and predominantly tribal districts'?

  • A. Steel industry investors seeking natural resources
  • B. Central government focused on encouraging foreign investment
  • C. Tribal population fearing displacement from their homes and livelihood ✓
  • D. Environmentalists concerned about pollution from mining

Answer: C — This statement highlights the location of resources in tribal districts, directly linking to the tribal population's fear of displacement — their core development concern.

Flashcards

What is the Planning Commission and who was its first chairperson?

Institution created in 1950 to centrally plan India's economic development; Pandit Nehru was its first chairperson.

Define 'development' in the Indian context post-Independence.

Development meant achieving both economic growth and social-economic justice through planned state intervention, not just copying Western modernisation.

What were the two main models of development available to India in 1947?

Liberal-capitalist model (free market, private enterprise — followed by West) and socialist model (state control, planned economy — followed by USSR).

What does 'modernisation' mean in Western development theory?

Modernisation meant breakdown of traditional structures, rise of capitalism-liberalism, growth, material progress, and scientific rationality following the Western path.

Why was the Orissa iron ore case an example of political contestation over development?

Different groups — industrialists, tribals, environmentalists, central government — had conflicting interests (profit vs. livelihood vs. environment vs. investment), requiring political decision-making.

What is the difference between 'Left' and 'Right' in development politics?

Left favours state control of economy and regulation; Right favours free market competition and minimal government intervention in economic decisions.

Why could development decisions not be made independently of each other?

All development decisions were bound together by a shared vision or model of economic development; each choice affected the overall strategy.

What was the consensus among Indian leaders on development immediately after Independence?

Almost all agreed development should mean economic growth AND social-economic justice, and government must play a key role — disagreement was on how.

Why is development a political issue rather than just an expert issue?

Development involves weighing interests of different social groups and generations; in democracy, such major decisions must be approved by people's representatives, not experts alone.

What does the term 'political contestation' mean in the context of development?

Political contestation refers to ongoing disagreements and debates between different groups with competing interests over what kind of development a country should pursue.

Important Board Questions

Define 'political contestation' in the context of development decisions. Give one example from the Orissa iron ore case. [2 marks]

Political contestation = disagreement between groups with conflicting interests over development choices. Example: conflict between steel makers' profit goals vs. tribals' livelihood needs vs. environmentalists' pollution concerns in Orissa.

Explain why Indian leaders believed development must include both economic growth AND social-economic justice. What was the role of government in achieving this dual goal? (4 marks) [4 marks]

Key points: (1) Development ≠ just GDP growth — must benefit all sections; (2) Left unchecked, free market creates inequality; (3) Government must plan and regulate to ensure justice alongside growth; (4) State should run key industries (steel, railways) to control profit distribution. Use contrasts: capitalist West vs. socialist USSR vs. India's mixed approach.

Analyse why development decisions are political decisions and not merely expert or technical decisions. How did the Orissa iron ore case illustrate this principle? Discuss at least three competing interests and explain how a democracy should resolve such conflicts. (6 marks) [6 marks]

Structure: (1) Definition — development involves weighing competing interests of social groups and generations; (2) Why political not technical — experts advise but elected representatives must decide (democracy principle); (3) Orissa case competing interests: industrialists (profit/FDI), tribals (livelihood/displacement), environmentalists (pollution), govt (investment); (4) Democratic resolution — consultations among parties, approval by people's representatives, balancing all interests; (5) Fundamental question: 'Whose need = Orissa's need?' shows contestation is inherent. Conclude: development is inherently political in democratic India.

Assertion-Reason Questions for Politics of Planned Development

Q1. Assertion (A):

India's leaders agreed that development should include both economic growth and social-economic justice.

Reason (R):

There was a consensus that development could not be left entirely to businessmen and industrialists but required active government intervention.

Answer: B — Both A and R are true, but R is NOT the correct explanation of A — Both statements are true. The assertion correctly identifies the shared goal of growth with justice. The reason explains one consequence of this belief (need for government role) but does not explain WHY growth and justice should both be pursued—it explains a policy response to that belief.

Q2. Assertion (A):

The concept of 'modernization' in post-independence India was primarily understood as becoming more like industrialized Western countries.

Reason (R):

India rejected all foreign influences and chose to preserve completely traditional social structures.

Answer: C — A is true but R is false — The assertion is correct—modernization was indeed understood as Western-style industrialization. However, the reason is false. The chapter states that modernization involved breakdown of traditional structures and adoption of capitalism and liberalism, not preservation of tradition.

Q3. Assertion (A):

Major development decisions in a democracy should be taken by people's representatives rather than experts alone.

Reason (R):

Representatives have more technical expertise in mining, environmental science, and economics than experts do.

Answer: C — A is true but R is false — The assertion is correct—the chapter states final decisions must be political decisions by representatives. However, the reason is false. The reason given is actually backwards; representatives typically have LESS technical expertise than specialists, but they bring democratic legitimacy and can weigh competing social interests.

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Case-Based Questions (CBQ) for Politics of Planned Development

Case Study:

In 1952, India launched its First Five-Year Plan (1951-56), which prioritized agricultural development and addressed food security. The government invested heavily in irrigation dams and agricultural extension programs. However, by the 1960s, despite these investments, India faced severe food shortages and had to import 10 million tonnes of wheat annually from the United States under the PL-480 program. This created a food crisis that threatened national development goals. The Second Five-Year Plan (1956-61) then shifted focus to heavy industry, steel plants, and capital goods, partly because planners believed rapid industrialization would generate resources for the agricultural sector later.

Q1. What was the primary reason India had to import wheat through PL-480 despite the First Plan's agricultural focus?

  • A. Agricultural investments were sufficient, but population growth exceeded food production capacity
  • B. The First Plan's agricultural strategy, while well-intentioned, could not immediately solve the food crisis of a large population with traditional farming methods ✓
  • C. India deliberately chose to import food to support American farmers
  • D. The First Plan completely ignored agriculture

Answer: B

Q2. The shift from the First Plan's agricultural priority to the Second Plan's industrial focus reflects which development debate mentioned in the chapter?

  • A. Whether government should have any role in development
  • B. Whether to prioritize heavy industry for self-reliance or immediate agriculture to feed people ✓
  • C. Whether to follow Western models or Soviet models exclusively
  • D. Whether development should include social justice

Answer: B

Q3. According to the passage, the planners believed that heavy industrialization would eventually benefit agriculture. This reflects which model of development discussed in the chapter?

  • A. The Gandhian model of cottage industries
  • B. The Western liberal-capitalist model
  • C. The Nehru-Mahalanobis model emphasizing capital goods and heavy industry as the foundation ✓
  • D. The model of equal priority to all sectors simultaneously

Answer: C

Q4. If India had instead adopted a Gandhian approach of decentralized cottage industries and sustainable agriculture in the First Plan, what might have been a likely consequence?

  • A. Immediate food security without any industrial development
  • B. Faster industrialization and self-reliant heavy industry sectors
  • C. Slower overall economic growth but potentially better-distributed rural development and employment ✓
  • D. Complete rejection of all modern technology

Answer: C

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Previous Year Questions (PYQ) for Politics of Planned Development

Real CBSE board exam questions from past papers — free to attempt.

CBSE 2026 · Set 59/1/1 · 2 marks

Highlight any two objectives of establishing Planning Commission.

CBSE 2026 · Set 59/1/2 · 2 marks

Show with the help of example that the set-up of Planning Commission was not a sudden invention.

CBSE 2026 · Set 59/1/3 · 2 marks

"Planning was the most obvious choice for India after independence." Support the statement.

CBSE 2026 · Set 59/2/1 · 1 mark

Assertion (A) : The idea of Five Year Plans (FYP) in India was inspired by the USSR. Reason (R) : Due to acute economic crisis, the Indian Government started 'Plan Holiday' in 1966. Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, and Reason (R) is the correct explanation of Assertion (A). OR Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, but Reason (R) is not the correct explanation of Assertion (A). OR Assertion (A) is false, but Reason (R) is true. OR Assertion (A) is true, but Reason (R) is false.

  • Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, and Reason (R) is the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
  • Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, but Reason (R) is not the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
  • Assertion (A) is false, but Reason (R) is true.
  • Assertion (A) is true, but Reason (R) is false.

CBSE 2026 · Set 59/2/1 · 1 mark

Which one of the following statements is NOT correct about the first two Five Year Plan?

  • The first Five Year Plan was drafted by K.N. Raj and the second Five Year Plan was drafted by P.C. Mahalnobis.
  • The first Five Year Plan focussed on agriculture and the second Five Year Plan focussed on industries.
  • The first Five Year Plan emphasized on the active role of the public sector and the second Five Year Plan made huge allocations for large scale projects.
  • The aim of first Five Year Plan was to raise the industrial production and in the second Five Year Plan, the government imposed substantial tariffs on imports in order to protect both public and private sector industries.

CBSE 2026 · Set 59/2/2 · 1 mark

Given below are two statements marked as Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Read these statements and choose the correct answer from the given options: Assertion (A): The idea of Five Year Plans (FYP) in India was inspired by the USSR. Reason (R): Due to acute economic crisis, the Indian Government started 'Plan Holiday' in 1966.

  • Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, and Reason (R) is the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
  • Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, but Reason (R) is not the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
  • Assertion (A) is false, but Reason (R) is true.
  • Assertion (A) is true, but Reason (R) is false.

CBSE 2026 · Set 59/3/1 · 2 marks

Highlight any two fundamental differences between the First Five Year Plan and the Second Five Year Plan.

CBSE 2026 · Set 59/3/2 · 2 marks

After independence, which model did India decide to choose for its development and why? Explain.

CBSE 2026 · Set 59/4/1 · 1 mark

The focus of the Second Five Year Plan was:

  • Agriculture
  • Atomic Energy
  • Heavy Industries
  • Small Scale Industries

CBSE 2026 · Set 59/5/1 · 1 mark

Arrange the following events in chronological order: (i) P.C. Mahalanobis led a Five-Year Plan. (ii) K.N. Raj was involved in drafting the First Five-Year Plan. (iii) The 'Bombay Plan' was drafted. (iv) The Planning Commission was set up.

  • (iii), (iv), (ii), (i)
  • (iv), (iii), (ii), (i)
  • (iii), (iv), (i), (ii)
  • (iv), (iii), (i), (ii)

CBSE 2026 · Set 59/4/1 · 1 mark

Choose the correct full form of 'NITI' of NITI Aayog.

  • National Improvement Trust of India
  • National Institution for Technology Improvement
  • National Institute for Transformed India
  • National Institution for Transforming India

CBSE 2026 · Set 59/5/1 · 1 mark

'NITI Aayog' came into existence on:

  • 1st January, 2015
  • 26th January, 2015
  • 15th August, 2015
  • 1st November, 2015

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Class 12 Political Science Previous Year Questions, Chapter-wise

All 761 CBSE board questions from 2022–2026, sorted by chapter and question type. Free PDF download.

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Class 12 Political Science Map Work

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