Universal Franchise and India’s Electoral System Class 8 MCQ with Answers provides important multiple-choice questions from the chapter to help students understand elections, voting rights, universal adult franchise, and India’s electoral system. These MCQs are useful for revision, practice, and exam preparation. Students can test their knowledge and improve their understanding of key concepts from the chapter.
Universal Franchise and India’s Electoral System Class 8 MCQ with Answers
Conceptual Recall
Q. Which Article of the Indian Constitution provides for elections based on universal adult franchise?
a) Article 324
b) Article 326
c) Article 370
d) Article 356
Answer: b) Article 326
Q. Who is responsible for organising elections in India?
a) Parliament of India
b) Election Commission of India
c) Supreme Court of India
d) President of India
Answer: b) Election Commission of India
Q. When was the Election Commission of India (ECI) established?
a) 1947
b) 1950
c) 1952
d) 1962
Answer: b) 1950
Q. In which year did the Election Commission of India (ECI) first circulate the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) to political parties?
a) 1960
b) 1962
c) 1971
d) 1991
Answer: b) 1962
Q. How many members of the Rajya Sabha are nominated by the President of India?
a) 10
b) 12
c) 15
d) 20
Answer: b) 12
Q. If the Suryodaya School council is elected by class representatives instead of all students, what type of election is this similar to?
a) Direct election like Lok Sabha
b) Indirect election like Rajya Sabha
c) Presidential election
d) Local body election
Answer: b) Indirect election like Rajya Sabha
Q. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a challenge to India’s electoral system?
a) Influence of money in elections
b) Candidates with criminal records
c) Voter apathy in urban areas
d) Universal adult franchise
Answer: d) Universal adult franchise
Application‑Based
Q. India reduced the voting age from 21 to 18 in 1988. Which of the following is the most likely impact of this change?
a) Increase in voter base and youth participation
b) Decrease in literacy rate
c) Restriction of women’s voting rights
d) Reduction in Lok Sabha constituencies
Answer: a) Increase in voter base and youth participation
Q. In 2024, elderly voters and persons with disabilities were allowed to vote from home. Which democratic principle does this measure strengthen the most?
a) Rule of law
b) Equality and inclusiveness
c) Judicial independence
d) Separation of powers
Answer: b) Equality and inclusiveness
Q. A political party wants to contest elections but is not registered with the ECI. What will be the consequence?
a) It can contest but without a symbol
b) It cannot contest elections
c) It can contest only in local bodies
d) It can contest only for Rajya Sabha seats
Answer: a) It can contest but without a symbol
Q. A ruling party announces a new welfare scheme just before elections. According to the MCC, this is a violation because:
a) It influences voters using government resources
b) It reduces literacy levels
c) It restricts opposition campaigning
d) It increases the number of constituencies
Answer: a) It influences voters using government resources
Q. A group of college students starts a campaign to educate first‑time voters about the importance of voting wisely. Which challenge are they directly addressing?
a) Criminalisation of politics
b) Voter apathy
c) Influence of money power
d) Reservation of constituencies
Answer: b) Voter apathy
Q. Which of the following reasons is NOT shown in the mindmap but can be added?
a) Strengthens national unity
b) Ensures accountability of representatives
c) Promotes discrimination based on wealth
d) Gives power to determine one’s future
Answer: c) Promotes discrimination based on wealth
Q. Who is responsible for conducting elections at the district level?
a) Chief Election Commissioner
b) Chief Electoral Officer
c) District Election Officer
d) Returning Officer
Answer: c) District Election Officer
Q. Which step in the voting process ensures that voters can verify their vote?
a) Finger inking by the 2nd polling officer
b) Checking name on voter list by the 1st polling officer
c) Printed slip in the VVPAT system
d) Signature collection by the 2nd polling officer
Answer: c) Printed slip in the VVPAT system
Q. Which of the following groups is NOT part of the Electoral College for electing the President of India?
a) Elected MPs of Lok Sabha
b) Elected MPs of Rajya Sabha
c) MLAs of states and UTs (Delhi, Puducherry)
d) Nominated members of Rajya Sabha
Answer: d) Nominated members of Rajya Sabha
Q. Which democratic value does “Awareness campaigns” strengthen the most?
a) Equality of all citizens
b) Responsible voting
c) Reservation of seats
d) Indirect elections
Answer: b) Responsible voting
Assertion–Reason
Q. Assertion (A): Universal adult franchise ensures equality in democracy.
Reason (R): Every citizen’s vote carries equal value, irrespective of caste, creed, or wealth.
a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
c) A is true, R is false.
d) A is false, R is true.
Answer: a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
Q. Assertion (A): Assistive technologies like braille voter cards and ramps increase voter participation.
Reason (R): They remove physical and communication barriers faced by certain groups of citizens.
a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
c) A is true, R is false.
d) A is false, R is true.
Answer: a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
Q. Assertion (A): The ECI enforces the Model Code of Conduct during elections.
Reason (R): This ensures that political parties and candidates follow fair practices and do not misuse power.
a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
c) A is true, R is false.
d) A is false, R is true.
Answer: a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
Q. Assertion (A): Distributing money or gifts to voters is punishable under the MCC.
Reason (R): Such practices compromise free and fair elections by unfairly influencing voter choice.
a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
c) A is true, R is false.
d) A is false, R is true.
Answer: a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
Q. Assertion (A): The President of India is elected by an electoral college.
Reason (R): This ensures that only directly elected representatives of the people participate in the election.
a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
c) A is true, R is false.
d) A is false, R is true.
Answer: a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
Q. Assertion (A): An aware and vigilant voter is the strongest safeguard of democracy.
Reason (R): Awareness helps citizens resist unfair influence and make responsible choices.
a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
c) A is true, R is false.
d) A is false, R is true.
Answer: a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
Case Study
Q. Read the passage and answer: In 1947, India’s literacy rate was only 14%. Some argued that voting rights should be given only to literate people. However, the Constitution makers decided on universal adult franchise from the beginning.
Question: Why was this decision important for Indian democracy?
a) It prevented discrimination and promoted equality.
b) It restricted voting to educated elites.
c) It delayed women’s right to vote.
d) It reduced the number of constituencies.
Answer: a) It prevented discrimination and promoted equality.
Q. Read the caselet: In Suryodaya School, three students contested for Class Representative. The election was conducted by secret ballot, with a braille ballot paper provided for Neha. Gurmat won with 12 votes.
Question: Which democratic values were upheld in this election process?
a) Transparency, fairness, inclusiveness
b) Restriction, secrecy, inequality
c) Authority, hierarchy, discrimination
d) Centralisation, exclusion, secrecy
Answer: a) Transparency, fairness, inclusiveness
Q. Read the case: In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, about 968 million voters cast their votes across 543 constituencies, with over 1 million polling stations set up. Teachers and officials were deployed to manage the process.
Question: What does this case highlight about the role of the ECI?
a) It shows the massive scale and organisational capacity required for free and fair elections.
b) It shows that only literate citizens can vote.
c) It shows that elections are conducted only in urban areas.
d) It shows that the President directly manages elections.
Answer: a) It shows the massive scale and organisational capacity required for free and fair elections.
Q. Read the case: India follows the First‑Past‑the‑Post system. In the 2024 elections, a candidate won with 38% of the votes in a constituency, while the remaining votes were split among other candidates.
Question: What does this case highlight about India’s electoral system?
a) A candidate can win without securing majority votes.
b) Only literate citizens can vote.
c) Elections are conducted only in rural areas.
d) Candidates must secure more than 50% votes to win.
Answer: a) A candidate can win without securing majority votes.
Q. Case: The Rajya Sabha is called the “Permanent House” because it is never dissolved. Instead, one‑third of its members retire every two years.
Question: What democratic principle does this system uphold?
a) Continuity and stability in governance
b) Direct participation of citizens
c) Restriction of smaller states
d) Elimination of indirect elections
Answer: a) Continuity and stability in governance
Q. Case: In a city election, many voters did not turn up, while some candidates spent huge sums on campaigning.
Question: Which two challenges of Indian democracy are reflected here?
a) Voter apathy and money power
b) Reservation and literacy
c) Criminalisation and coalition politics
d) Universal franchise and secrecy of ballot
Answer: a) Voter apathy and money power
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