What were the challenges faced by independent India?
(A) Shape a nation that was united, yet accommodative of the diversity of Indian society.
(B) Develop democratic practices in accordance with the Constitution.
(C) Divide the administrative apparatus and financial assets and liabilities after partition.
(D) Ensure the development and well-being of the entire society.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → (A), (B) and (D) only
(A) Shape a nation that was united, yet accommodative of the diversity of Indian society. Correct. This was the first and the immediate challenge.
(B) Develop democratic practices in accordance with the Constitution. Correct. This was the second challenge, of establishing democracy.
(C) Divide the administrative apparatus and financial assets and liabilities after partition. Incorrect. Partition meant that the administrative apparatus, the financial assets and even the employees of the government and the railways had to be divided between India and Pakistan. That division was a consequence of partition, not one of the three challenges that independent India faced. The three challenges were national unity with diversity, democracy, and the development and well-being of the whole society.
(D) Ensure the development and well-being of the entire society. Correct. This was the third challenge, for the whole society and not only some sections.
Note: One can argue that statement (C) was also a challenge: dividing the administrative apparatus, the financial assets and liabilities, and even the government and railway employees was a hard task for the new state. The reading taken here follows the book, which names three challenges — unity with diversity, democracy and development — and treats the division as a consequence of partition.
NCERT (2025-26): “Three Challenges … Broadly, independent India faced three kinds of challenges. The first and the immediate challenge was to shape a nation that was united, yet accommodative of the diversity in our society.… Three Challenges … The second challenge was to establish democracy. You have already studied the Indian Constitution. You know that the Constitution granted fundamental rights and extended the right to vote to every citizen. India adopted representative democracy based on the parliamentary form of government. These features ensure that the political competition would take place in a democratic framework. A democratic constitution is necessary but not sufficient for establishing a democracy. The challenge was to develop democratic practices in accordance with the Constitution. The third challenge was to ensure the development and wellbeing of the entire society and not only of some sections. Here again the Constitution clearly laid down the principle of equality and special protection to socially disadvantaged groups and religious and cultural communities.…” |