Social Science — CBSE Class 10 board question

Political parties play several crucial roles in a democracy:

1. Contesting elections – Parties select candidates and fight elections to win power.
2. Policy formation – They present different policies and programmes for voters to choose from.
3. Making laws – Party members in the legislature vote on laws largely following party direction.
4. Forming government – The winning party forms and runs the government.
5. Opposition role – Losing parties voice criticism and keep the government accountable.
6. Shaping public opinion – They raise issues, launch movements and highlight people's problems.
7. Providing access – They help ordinary citizens access government schemes and machinery.

Thus, political parties are a necessary condition for a functioning democracy.

Source: Democratic Politics – II, Chapter 4, "Why do we need political parties?"

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• This is a 3-mark question, so 3–4 well-stated functions with brief elaboration are sufficient. You can list 3 key points with one supporting sentence each, or give 6–7 crisp bullet points as above.
• Examiners look for specific functions (contest elections, form government, opposition, policy-making, public opinion) — not vague statements like "parties are important."
• Avoid writing an essay; bullet points with bold labels score well and save time.
• The concluding line ("necessary condition for democracy") adds a neat close that examiners appreciate.