KSLU Solved Question Papers
Indian Society: Continuity and Change
Previous Year Question Paper with Solution
B.A. LL.B. (Five Years) · Sem 2
2016 Dec Examination
munotes.in
Mumbai
B.A. LL.B. (Five Years) Sem 2 Indian Society: Continuity and Change 2016 Dec Question Paper with Solutions
First published on munotes.in on 21 October 2026.
Published by munotes.in, Mumbai.
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The question paper reproduced here is the paper as set by Karnataka State Law University at the 2016 Dec examination.
Contents
The questions below are the paper as Karnataka State Law University set it at the 2016 Dec examination, in the order it was set.
MarksPage
The Paper as Set
The questions in this volume are the questions asked at the 2016 Dec examination, reproduced as Karnataka State Law University set them, in the order it set them. Long reading passages are shortened to their first and last lines and our summary; the original paper prints them in full. Only the answers are ours. See the original question paper.
Duration 3 hours · Total marks 100 · 13 questions answered
How to use this volume
Solve the paper first, under exam conditions and against the clock. Then read the answers here and mark your own. Reading a solution before attempting the question feels productive and teaches very little, because recognising an answer is not the same as being able to write one.
Q1Illustrate the challenges faced by India in maintaining the unity.[16]
Answer
For full marks, cover: what unity means for a society as diverse as India's and what the Constitution commits to; the challenges, each illustrated with a real episode or case (language, sons of the soil, regional autonomy, communalism, personal law and equal citizenship in Shah Bano, caste violence and Shakti Vahini, inter-State disputes, the North East, tribal alienation, regional imbalance and Article 371J); the common pattern behind the challenges; how India has met them; a table; a conclusion.
Unity in a plural society
India's unity has never meant sameness. It means many languages, religions, castes and regions sharing one homeland, one Constitution and one citizenship. The Preamble speaks of "the unity and integrity of the Nation". Article 51A asks every citizen to uphold that unity and to promote harmony across differences of religion, language and region. Maintaining this unity is a continuing task, and its difficulty is best shown through actual episodes.
The challenges, illustrated
1. Language. In 1952 Potti Sriramulu died after a fast of 58 days for a Telugu-speaking State. The protests that followed forced the creation of Andhra State in 1953, the first State drawn on linguistic lines. In 1965 the DMK led fierce resistance in what is now Tamil Nadu to the imposition of Hindi. These episodes show that language, the medium of identity and opportunity, can set a region against the Centre.
2. Sons of the soil. The Shiv Sena was founded in Mumbai on 19 June 1966 with the demand that jobs go first to Marathi speakers. Such movements treat fellow citizens from other States as outsiders. They test the constitutional promise of Article 19(1)(d) and (e), the right to move and settle anywhere in India.
3. Regional autonomy. The Anandpur Sahib Resolution of 1973 in Punjab demanded wider powers for the States. Demands of this kind are legitimate within a federation. They become a challenge to unity when they turn into separatism.
4. Communalism. Conflict between religious communities is the gravest internal challenge. The munotes Sociology book describes how riots are often organised: Paul Brass called this an "institutionalised riot system". A dispute over a procession route or a rumour can be turned into violence by people who gain from it. The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 punishes promoting enmity between groups (section 196) and assertions prejudicial to national integration (section 197). Sections 298 to 302 punish offences relating to religion, such as defiling a place of worship.
5. Personal law and equal citizenship. Mohd. Ahmed Khan v. Shah Bano Begum, AIR 1985 SC 945. Shah Bano, married in 1932 and divorced by talaq in 1978, claimed maintenance from her husband under section 125 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. A Constitution Bench held on 23 April 1985 that section 125 applies to a divorced Muslim wife who cannot maintain herself. It also held that payment of mahr does not end the husband's duty. The judgment provoked organised protest, and Parliament passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act 1986. The case shows the difficulty of balancing equal rights for all citizens with respect for community laws.
6. Caste violence. Couples who marry across caste lines have faced threats and even murder from families and caste councils. Shakti Vahini v. Union of India (2018) concerned such so-called honour crimes. The Supreme Court held that any attempt by a khap or other assembly to stop two consenting adults from marrying is illegal. It also gave directions to the police and the States. Caste violence divides citizens from within.
7. Inter-State disputes. Karnataka and Maharashtra have long disputed the Belagavi border. States sharing rivers such as the Cauvery have quarrelled bitterly over water in years of poor rainfall. Article 262 allows Parliament to provide for settling inter-State river disputes, but the quarrels still inflame public feeling.
8. The North East. The North East has so many linguistic and ethnic groups that it cannot be reorganised on linguistic lines, unlike the rest of India. Its distance and its narrow land link with the rest of the country add to a feeling of neglect.
9. Tribal alienation. Tribal communities of central India depend on land and forests that mining, dams and industry often take away. When they lose their land and livelihood without fair return, their trust in the State weakens. The Fifth and Sixth Schedules were meant to protect them, but their working has been uneven.
10. Regional imbalance. Uneven development leaves some regions far behind others. In Karnataka, the backwardness of the Hyderabad-Karnataka region led to Article 371J, inserted by the Constitution (Ninety-eighth Amendment) Act 2012. It allows a separate development board, a fair share of funds and reservation in education and jobs for the region.
The pattern behind the challenges
The munotes Sociology book notes that communalism, casteism and regionalism share one structure. An identity that was one among many is made the main one, and the group's interests are asserted against others. Each challenge above follows this pattern, whether the identity is language, region, religion or caste. Most of them also grow where people feel left behind, which is why justice and development matter as much as law.
Why the challenges keep arising
- Unequal development. Regions, castes and communities that feel left behind are quick to see their difference as a grievance. Prosperity that reaches some groups and not others sharpens identity politics.
- Political mobilisation. An identity that already exists is easy to stir. Leaders who gain votes by appealing to language, caste or religion have an interest in keeping differences alive.
- Fear of losing identity. Migration, a dominant language or rapid cultural change can make a group fear for its culture. That fear produces defensive movements.
- Weak institutions. Where the police, courts or administration act slowly or with bias, groups lose faith in fair treatment and turn to agitation.
- Rumour and misinformation. A false report can turn a local dispute into wider violence, as the organised riot shows.
The role of citizens
The Constitution does not leave unity to the State alone. Article 51A asks every citizen to uphold the unity and integrity of India and to promote harmony across differences of religion, language and region. In daily life this means refusing to spread rumours, defending neighbours of other communities and settling disputes through law rather than force.
How India has met the challenges
- Accommodation, not uniformity. Linguistic States, recognition of 22 languages in the Eighth Schedule and special provisions such as Article 371J gave groups a place within the Union.
- Constitutional rights. Equality, freedom of movement, protection of minority cultures under Article 29 and the abolition of untouchability under Article 17 bind citizens together.
- Federal institutions. Zonal Councils under the States Reorganisation Act 1956 and the Inter-State Council under Article 263 offer places to settle disputes.
- The courts. Judgments such as Shakti Vahini protect individuals against group pressure.
- Democracy. Elections let groups pursue their claims through votes rather than violence.
Challenges and responses at a glance
| Challenge | Illustration | Response |
|---|---|---|
| Language | Andhra 1953; Hindi agitation 1965 | Linguistic States; Eighth Schedule |
| Sons of the soil | Shiv Sena 1966 | Article 19(1)(d), (e) |
| Autonomy | Anandpur Sahib Resolution 1973 | Federal bargaining |
| Challenge | Illustration | Response |
|---|---|---|
| Communalism | Organised riots | BNS ss. 196, 299; policing |
| Personal law | Shah Bano (1985) | 1986 Act; later judgments |
| Caste violence | Honour crimes | Shakti Vahini (2018) |
| Inter-State disputes | Belagavi; Cauvery | Article 262; tribunals |
| Regional imbalance | Hyderabad-Karnataka | Article 371J |
An assessment
Historians such as Eric Hobsbawm have noted that India as a nation grew out of the anti-colonial movement. It did not grow from a single language or religion. That origin explains both its strength and its difficulty. Unity rests on shared institutions and shared experience, so it must be renewed constantly. Every challenge above was met, at least in part, by adapting the system rather than by force alone.
Conclusion. India's unity faces challenges from language, sons-of-the-soil movements, regional autonomy and communalism. Tensions between personal law and equal citizenship, caste violence, inter-State disputes, the North East, tribal alienation and regional imbalance add to them. Episodes from Potti Sriramulu's fast to Shah Bano, Shakti Vahini and Article 371J show each challenge in action. India has survived them by accommodating diversity through linguistic States, constitutional rights, federal institutions, courts and democracy. Unity in India is not a fixed achievement but a task renewed in each generation.
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