Social Science (087) — CBSE Class 10 board question

Political parties are necessary for democracy due to the following reasons:

1. Elections: Parties contest elections and select candidates, enabling citizens to choose their representatives.
2. Policy Formation: Parties group similar opinions and present clear policies, helping governments make decisions.
3. Forming Government: Parties recruit and train leaders who form and run governments.
4. Opposition Role: Losing parties act as opposition, criticising the government and keeping it accountable.
5. Shaping Public Opinion: Parties raise issues, mobilise people and influence public thinking.
6. Access to Government: Parties help ordinary citizens access government schemes and welfare programmes.

Without parties, elected representatives would be accountable only to their constituencies, with no one responsible for running the country as a whole.

Source: Chapter 4 — Democratic Politics, "Why do we need political parties?" — Necessity and Functions

---

• This is a 3-mark question, so list 3–4 well-labelled points or write 2 short paragraphs. The answer above is slightly fuller for completeness; in the exam, you may write any 3–4 clear points with one-line explanations each.
• Examiners look for functions as reasons — each function justifies why parties are needed.
• The key closing line about "no one responsible for running the country" is from the textbook's "Necessity" section — including it shows you've read the chapter carefully and earns full marks.
• Avoid vague statements like "parties are important" — always link to a specific function.