Social Science (087) — AI-generated practice question

Federalism has a dual objective: to safeguard and promote the unity of the country, while simultaneously accommodating regional diversity.

Both parts are necessary because India is an extremely diverse nation with different languages, cultures, and regions. Unity ensures the country stays together under a common government; accommodating diversity ensures no region or group feels dominated or suppressed.

If unity were maintained but regional diversity was not accommodated — as happened in Sri Lanka with its Tamil minority — it would lead to resentment, demands for separation, and conflict. In India, ignoring linguistic diversity could have caused disintegration. Instead, creation of linguistic States and protection of multiple languages actually made India more united, not less. Without accommodation of diversity, forced uniformity breeds discontent and undermines democracy itself.

Source: Chapter 2 — What is federalism?, Linguistic States, Language policy

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• The examiner wants you to define the dual objective first (1 mark), then explain why both parts are needed (1 mark), then give a consequence if only unity is maintained without diversity accommodation (1 mark).
• Use the Sri Lanka contrast — it's directly from the textbook and is the classic example examiners expect.
• The point that linguistic States made India more united is a key textbook finding — always include it.
• Don't write more than ~80 words in the actual exam answer.