Changing Face of the Indian Democracy (1977-1986): ISC Class 12 History

What Changing Face of the Indian Democracy (1977–1986) is about

Weightage: CISCE publishes no chapter or unit weightage for ISC History. Changing Face of the Indian Democracy (1977–1986) is part of Section A: Indian History, 4 of the 2027 syllabus and can be asked anywhere in the 80-mark Paper I (Section A 16 one-mark items, Section B 4-mark short answers, Section C 8-mark long answers).Source: CISCE ISC History (851) syllabus, examination year 2027; ISC 2025 specimen question paper

Key concepts

The 1977 election and the Janata Government's policies

Elections of 1977

• In January 1977 Mrs Gandhi announced elections and released leaders. The Congress (O), Jan Sangh, Bharatiya Lok Dal and Socialists merged into the Janata Party; Jagjivan Ram left the Congress to form the Congress for Democracy, which allied with it.
• Issues: Emergency excesses, forced sterilisation, loss of liberties.
• Result (March 1977): the Janata Party and allies won a clear majority; the Congress was routed in north India, and Indira Gandhi herself lost at Rae Bareli to Raj Narain. Morarji Desai became Prime Minister, with Charan Singh and Jagjivan Ram as senior colleagues.

Policies and their implementation
1. Restoring democracy: MISA was repealed, press freedom restored, political prisoners released; the Shah Commission inquired into Emergency excesses.
2. Constitution: the 43rd and 44th Amendments undid much of the 42nd; judicial review was restored, 'internal disturbance' replaced by 'armed rebellion' as a ground for Emergency, the right to life and liberty made non-suspendable, and the Lok Sabha's term restored to five years.
3. Centre-state: nine Congress-ruled state governments were dismissed in 1977 and fresh elections held; Neelam Sanjiva Reddy was elected President.
4. Economy: priority to agriculture, villages and small and cottage industries; the 'Food for Work' programme and the Antyodaya scheme for the poorest families; rural employment.
5. Social policy: a Minorities Commission (1978) and the Backward Classes Commission under B. P. Mandal (1979).
6. Foreign policy: 'genuine non-alignment', better relations with neighbours; Foreign Minister Vajpayee visited Pakistan and China.

Achievements versus failures: it restored liberties and constitutional balance, but prices rose, rural violence and communal riots increased, and many promises remained unfulfilled.

Worked example

[4] Explain four measures taken by the Janata Government after it came to power in 1977. (Understanding)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Dismantled Emergency measures: repealed MISA, freed the press, appointed the Shah Commission - 1 mark.
2. 44th Amendment reversed key parts of the 42nd and restored judicial review - 1 mark.
3. Dismissed nine Congress state governments; elected Sanjiva Reddy as President - 1 mark.
4. Rural focus: Food for Work, Antyodaya, small industries; genuine non-alignment abroad - 1 mark.

Answer: The Janata Government (1) dismantled the Emergency by repealing MISA, freeing the press and setting up the Shah Commission; (2) passed the 43rd and 44th Amendments to undo the 42nd and restore judicial review and liberties; (3) dismissed nine Congress state governments and held fresh elections; and (4) shifted the economy towards agriculture and small industry through Food for Work and Antyodaya, while following 'genuine non-alignment' abroad.

Reasons for the downfall of the Janata Government

1. Leadership rivalry: Morarji Desai, Charan Singh and Jagjivan Ram all wanted the top job; Charan Singh was dropped from the Cabinet in 1978 and later brought back.
2. A coalition of opposites: the merged parties (Jan Sangh, Socialists, BLD, Congress (O)) had no common ideology or socio-economic programme.
3. 'Dual membership': Socialists objected to former Jan Sangh members keeping links with the RSS.
4. Defections: in July 1979 Charan Singh's supporters left; Morarji Desai resigned on 15 July 1979.
5. Charan Singh became Prime Minister with outside support from the Congress (I), which withdrew it before he could face Parliament; he resigned and the Lok Sabha was dissolved.
6. Poor performance: inflation and price rise (worsened by the 1979 oil shock and drought), rural atrocities such as the Belchi massacre (Bihar, 1977) and communal riots.
7. Vindictiveness: pursuing Indira Gandhi (her arrest in 1977) made her a martyr in the eyes of many.
8. The death of Jayaprakash Narayan (October 1979) removed the movement's moral guide.

Result: in the January 1980 election Indira Gandhi's Congress (I) returned with a large majority.

Worked example

[4] Discuss any four drawbacks that led to the fall of the Janata Government. (Analysis)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Infighting among Morarji Desai, Charan Singh and Jagjivan Ram - 1 mark.
2. No unified programme; the dual-membership quarrel over the RSS - 1 mark.
3. Price rise, drought and poor performance - 1 mark.
4. Rural atrocities (Belchi) and communal violence; JP's death removed a unifying figure - 1 mark.

Answer: (1) Personal rivalry among Morarji Desai, Charan Singh and Jagjivan Ram split the party. (2) Its constituents had no common programme and quarrelled over dual membership of the RSS. (3) Inflation, drought and the oil shock made it look ineffective. (4) Rural atrocities such as Belchi and communal riots, and JP's death in 1979, cost it support and moral authority.

Punjab: Akali demands, Bhindranwale, Operation Bluestar and the Punjab Accord

Demands of the Akali Dal: transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab; Punjabi-speaking areas left in other states; a fairer share of the Ravi-Beas waters; greater autonomy for states; protection of Sikh identity.

Anandpur Sahib Resolution (1973; reaffirmed 1978): the Centre's powers to be limited to defence, foreign affairs, communications, currency and railways, all other powers to the states; Chandigarh and other Punjabi areas to Punjab; recognition of Sikh distinctiveness. Moderates read it as a demand for federal autonomy; critics saw separatist overtones.

1977 elections: the Akali Dal, allied with the Janata Party, won in Punjab and formed the government under Prakash Singh Badal.

Rise of Bhindranwale

• Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, head of the Damdami Taksal, rose from 1977-78, preaching strict Sikh orthodoxy; a clash with the Nirankari sect at Amritsar in April 1978 made him prominent. Many believe the Congress encouraged him to weaken the Akalis.
• Demands: implementation of the Anandpur Sahib Resolution; action against the Nirankaris; return to orthodox practice; he spoke of Sikhs as a separate nation.
• Methods: fiery sermons, armed followers, targeted killings of opponents (including a newspaper editor in 1981 and a police officer at the Golden Temple in 1983); the Akalis' Dharam Yudh Morcha (1982) joined him; he fortified the Akal Takht inside the Golden Temple with arms.

Operation Bluestar (June 1984): the army entered the Golden Temple complex to flush out Bhindranwale and his armed men. Results: Bhindranwale was killed; there were heavy army and civilian casualties; the Akal Takht was badly damaged.
Impact: deep alienation among Sikhs; desertions in some Sikh units; the assassination of Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards on 31 October 1984; anti-Sikh violence in Delhi and elsewhere; militancy in Punjab for another decade.

Punjab Accord (Rajiv-Longowal Accord, 24 July 1985): Chandigarh to go to Punjab (with Hindi-speaking areas to Haryana, to be decided by a commission); river waters to be referred to a tribunal; compensation for victims of violence; the Anandpur Sahib Resolution's Centre-state aspects to be referred to the Sarkaria Commission; rehabilitation of army deserters; wider inquiry into the November 1984 riots. Sant Harchand Singh Longowal was assassinated in August 1985; the Akali Dal under Surjit Singh Barnala won the September 1985 election. Key clauses (Chandigarh, waters) were never implemented.

Worked example

[4] Explain the results and impact of Operation Bluestar. (Analysis)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Bhindranwale and many militants were killed and the Golden Temple cleared - 1 mark.
2. Heavy casualties; the Akal Takht damaged; Sikh sentiment deeply hurt - 1 mark.
3. Mutinies in some Sikh units; Indira Gandhi assassinated on 31 October 1984 - 1 mark.
4. Anti-Sikh riots followed; militancy in Punjab grew rather than ended - 1 mark.

Answer: Operation Bluestar (June 1984) killed Bhindranwale and cleared the Golden Temple, but at the cost of heavy casualties and severe damage to the Akal Takht. It alienated many Sikhs, led to desertions in some Sikh units and to the assassination of Indira Gandhi on 31 October 1984, which was followed by anti-Sikh riots; far from ending militancy, it fuelled it for years.

Assam: discontent, agitation and the Assam Accord

Reasons for Assamese discontent
1. Large-scale illegal migration from East Pakistan/Bangladesh changed the population balance; the Assamese feared becoming a minority in their own land.
2. Names of foreigners on electoral rolls: the trigger was the Mangaldoi by-election (1978-79), where many such names were found.
3. Economic backwardness: Assam's oil, tea and timber benefited outsiders; crude was refined outside the state; jobs went to non-Assamese.
4. Fear for Assamese language and culture.

Course of the agitation (1979-85)

• Led by the All Assam Students' Union (AASU, under Prafulla Kumar Mahanta) and the All Assam Gana Sangram Parishad (AAGSP).
• Demands: detection of foreigners, deletion of their names from electoral rolls and their deportation.
• Methods: largely non-violent mass protests, satyagraha, picketing, strikes and blockades that stopped crude oil leaving Assam; closure of schools and offices.
• The Centre held talks from 1980 but no agreement was reached; President's rule was imposed.
• The Centre held assembly elections in February 1983 on the old rolls despite a boycott; widespread violence followed, including the Nellie massacre, and a Congress government came to power with a very low turnout.

The Assam Accord (15 August 1985), signed by the Rajiv Gandhi government with AASU and AAGSP
1. Foreigners who came before 1 January 1966 would be regularised.
2. Those who came between 1 January 1966 and 24 March 1971 would be detected and their names deleted from the rolls for ten years.
3. Those who came on or after 25 March 1971 would be detected and expelled.
4. Border fencing and stronger checks on infiltration.
5. Safeguards for the culture and identity of the Assamese people; economic development (such as a new refinery and educational institutions).
6. Fresh elections: in December 1985 the Asom Gana Parishad, formed by the agitation leaders, won, and Prafulla Kumar Mahanta became Chief Minister.

Evaluation: the Accord ended six years of agitation and brought its leaders into constitutional politics, but the Centre's earlier handling was slow and inconsistent, the 1983 elections inflamed violence, and detection and deportation proved difficult to implement.

Worked example

[4] How successful was the Centre in dealing with the Assam agitation between 1979 and 1985? Give a reasoned judgement. (Evaluate)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Ineffective: slow, inconsistent talks; the core demand on illegal immigrants was not met for years - 1 mark.
2. Ineffective: holding elections in 1983 on disputed rolls led to boycott, violence and the Nellie massacre - 1 mark.
3. Effective: the Assam Accord of 15 August 1985 set cut-off dates and promised safeguards and development - 1 mark.
4. Effective: fresh elections in December 1985 brought the AGP to power, ending the agitation; implementation remained weak, so only partly effective - 1 mark.

Answer: Until 1985 the Centre's response was weak: talks dragged on without results and the decision to hold the 1983 elections on disputed rolls provoked a boycott and terrible violence, including the Nellie massacre. Under Rajiv Gandhi, the Assam Accord of 15 August 1985 set clear cut-off dates, promised safeguards and development, and the December 1985 elections brought the agitation's leaders to power. The policy was thus finally successful in restoring democratic politics, but only partly effective, as detection and deportation were never fully carried out.

Nagaland: separatist demands, statehood and the Shillong Accord

Separatist demands

• The Nagas, a group of tribes with a distinct culture, felt they had never been part of India. The Naga National Council (NNC), led by A. Z. Phizo, declared Naga independence on 14 August 1947 and claimed in 1951 that a plebiscite had shown overwhelming support for it.
• The NNC boycotted the 1952 elections and, from the mid-1950s, began an armed struggle and set up an underground 'Federal Government'. The army was deployed and the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act was passed in 1958.

Birth of Nagaland

• Moderate Nagas formed the Naga People's Convention (1957), which negotiated a 16-point agreement with the Centre (1960).
• The Naga Hills-Tuensang area became the state of Nagaland, inaugurated on 1 December 1963, with special constitutional protection for Naga customary law and land (Article 371A).

Course of the agitation after statehood

• A Peace Mission (including Jayaprakash Narayan, B. P. Chaliha and Rev. Michael Scott) arranged a ceasefire in 1964, but talks failed; violence resumed, and the ceasefire ended in 1972 when the NNC was banned.

Shillong Accord (11 November 1975): a section of the underground leaders agreed to accept the Constitution of India unconditionally, to surrender arms, and to formulate other issues for a final settlement.

Aftermath: hard-liners (Isak Chisi Swu, Thuingaleng Muivah, S. S. Khaplang) rejected the Accord as a sell-out and formed the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) in 1980, so the conflict continued.

Worked example

[4] State the main terms of the Shillong Accord, 1975, and why it failed to end the Naga problem. (Analysis)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Underground Naga leaders accepted the Indian Constitution without conditions - 1 mark.
2. They agreed to surrender arms; other issues to be discussed for a final settlement - 1 mark.
3. Hard-liners (Muivah, Isak Swu, Khaplang) rejected it as a surrender - 1 mark.
4. They formed the NSCN in 1980 and continued the armed struggle - 1 mark.

Answer: Under the Shillong Accord of November 1975 a section of the underground Naga leadership accepted the Constitution of India unconditionally and agreed to give up arms, with remaining issues left for later talks. It did not end the problem because hard-liners led by Muivah, Isak Chisi Swu and Khaplang rejected it as a surrender and in 1980 formed the NSCN, which continued the insurgency.

Mizoram Movement (1959-1986): course and resolution

Origins

• The Mizo Hills were a district of Assam. In 1959 bamboo flowering caused a plague of rats that destroyed crops (the 'mautam' famine). Relief from the Assam government was slow.
• The Mizo National Famine Front was formed and became the Mizo National Front (MNF) in 1961 under Laldenga. Assam's decision to make Assamese the official language added to resentment.

Course
1. The MNF demanded independence. On 28 February-1 March 1966 it launched an armed uprising, attacked government posts and declared independence.
2. The government responded with force, including air strikes around Aizawl, and the controversial regrouping of villages to cut off support to the rebels.
3. Laldenga and the MNF fought from bases across the border in East Pakistan; the insurgency continued for two decades.
4. In 1972 the Mizo Hills became the union territory of Mizoram.
5. On-and-off talks were held with Laldenga from the mid-1970s.

Resolution

• The Mizo Accord (30 June 1986), signed between the Rajiv Gandhi government and the MNF: the MNF gave up violence and surrendered arms; Mizoram would become a full state with special protection for Mizo religious and social practices and customary law (Article 371G); Laldenga became Chief Minister of an interim government.
• Mizoram became a state in February 1987.

Significance: the Mizo Accord is regarded as one of India's most successful peace settlements; the MNF entered democratic politics and peace has largely held.

Worked example

[4] Trace the course of the Mizoram Movement and its resolution. (Understanding)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. 1959 mautam famine and slow relief led to the MNF under Laldenga (1961) - 1 mark.
2. Armed uprising in 1966 and declaration of independence; military response and village regrouping - 1 mark.
3. Mizoram made a union territory in 1972; talks with Laldenga - 1 mark.
4. Mizo Accord, 30 June 1986: arms surrendered, statehood (1987), Laldenga Chief Minister - 1 mark.

Answer: Anger at slow relief during the 1959 famine gave rise to the Mizo National Front under Laldenga, which launched an armed revolt in 1966 and declared independence. The Centre suppressed it by force and regrouped villages, then made Mizoram a union territory in 1972 and opened talks. The Mizo Accord of 30 June 1986 ended the insurgency: the MNF laid down arms, Mizoram became a state in 1987 and Laldenga became Chief Minister.

Changing Face of the Indian Democracy (1977–1986) in real life

Each concept, met in an everyday situation. Read the situation, answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

Topics in this chapter

• Assam: Discontent, Agitation and the Assam Accord
• Nagaland and Mizoram: From Insurgency to Accord
• Punjab: Akali Demands, Operation Bluestar and the Punjab Accord

Changing Face of the Indian Democracy (1977–1986): key facts

Janata Government

March 1977-July 1979 (Morarji Desai); Charan Singh to January 1980

MISA repealed; 44th Amendment; Food for Work; Mandal Commission (1979).

Anandpur Sahib Resolution

1973 (reaffirmed 1978)

Centre limited to defence, foreign affairs, communications, currency, railways.

Operation Bluestar

June 1984, Golden Temple, Amritsar

Bhindranwale killed; Indira Gandhi assassinated 31 October 1984.

Punjab Accord

24 July 1985: Rajiv Gandhi and Sant Longowal

Chandigarh to Punjab (not implemented); river waters tribunal.

Assam Accord

15 August 1985: Rajiv Gandhi with AASU and AAGSP

Cut-offs 1 January 1966 and 25 March 1971; AGP wins December 1985.

Nagaland

NNC (Phizo); state 1 December 1963; Shillong Accord 11 November 1975

NSCN formed 1980 by those rejecting the Accord.

Mizoram

MNF (Laldenga) 1961; revolt 1966; UT 1972; Mizo Accord 30 June 1986; state 1987

Mautam famine 1959.

How the board asks Changing Face of the Indian Democracy (1977–1986)

The question patterns to expect, and the method that works for each.

Tricks to remember Changing Face of the Indian Democracy (1977–1986)

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

• Four regions, four accords

  Punjab - Rajiv-Longowal (July 1985); Assam - AASU (August 1985); Nagaland - Shillong (1975); Mizoram - Laldenga (1986).

  Use it when: Matching accords to regions and dates.

• Leaders: 'B-M-P-L'

  Bhindranwale (Punjab), Mahanta (Assam), Phizo (Nagaland), Laldenga (Mizoram).

  Use it when: Name-the-leader items.

• Janata fall: 'RIPE'

  Rivalry, Ideological mix (dual membership), Prices, Ethnic/communal and rural violence.

  Use it when: Four-point answer on the downfall.

Changing Face of the Indian Democracy (1977–1986): board-level solved questions

Ordered from board level to HOTS. Cover the solution, write your own, then compare step by step.

Case-study practice (Section D style)

Read the situation, then answer every part. In the board paper this is a 8-mark question split into 2 + 2 + 4 marks.

Where the marks are

How a typical answer is split into step marks. Show every step: a right final answer alone rarely earns full marks.

Where students lose marks in Changing Face of the Indian Democracy (1977–1986)

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

• ✗Mistake: Describing causes when 'evaluate' is asked

  CISCE examiners' comments, 2025 (Assam): candidates 'Misread "evaluate" and gave a descriptive account of causes instead of assessing effectiveness.'

  Wrong working

  Assamese were angry about immigrants, so AASU began an agitation...

  Right working

  The Centre's response was slow until 1985 (failure), but the Accord and elections ended the agitation (success); overall partly effective.

  ✓Do this: For 'evaluate', write what worked, what did not, and a verdict.

  Usually costs: Up to 3 marks.

• ✗Mistake: Explaining how the Janata Party came to power instead of its policies

  CISCE examiners' comments, 2024: candidates 'Gave unnecessary detail on circumstances leading to Janata Party coming to power'.

  ✓Do this: Start with the first policy; one line of background at most.

  Usually costs: Time and 1-2 marks.

• ✗Mistake: Irrelevant material in the downfall answer

  CISCE examiners' comments, 2024: candidates 'Included irrelevant detail on events leading to the 1977 election' and 'Wrote about political adjustments among parties, which was irrelevant'.

  ✓Do this: Use the RIPE list: Rivalry, Ideological mix, Prices, violence.

  Usually costs: 1-2 marks.

• ✗Mistake: Confusing Rajiv Gandhi with Indira Gandhi

  CISCE examiners' comments, 2024: on the Assam Accord, candidates 'Confused Rajiv Gandhi with Indira Gandhi'.

  ✓Do this: Remember: Indira died in October 1984; all the 1985-86 accords are Rajiv's.

  Usually costs: 1 mark.

• ✗Mistake: Naming the wrong leader of the Mizo movement

  CISCE examiners' comments, 2024: candidates 'Named an incorrect leader' for the Mizoram Movement.

  ✓Do this: Laldenga (MNF), not Phizo (NNC, Nagaland).

  Usually costs: 1 mark.

Practice questions on Changing Face of the Indian Democracy (1977–1986)

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

1. Q1 · 1 mark · Very short answerBoard level

   Who founded and led the Mizo National Front?

   Hint

   MNF founder.

   Answer

   Laldenga.

2. Q2 · 1 mark · Very short answerBoard level

   Expand NNC.

   Hint

   Phizo's organisation.

   Answer

   Naga National Council.

3. Q3 · 1 mark · MCQHarder board level

   Who defeated Indira Gandhi at Rae Bareli in 1977?
   (a) Charan Singh
   (b) Raj Narain
   (c) George Fernandes
   (d) Jagjivan Ram

   Hint

   He had also filed the Allahabad case.

   Answer

   (b) Raj Narain.

4. Q4 · 1 mark · Very short answerHarder board level

   Which state was inaugurated on 1 December 1963?

   Hint

   Article 371A.

   Answer

   Nagaland.

5. Q5 · 4 marks · Short answerBoard level

   [4] State the main features of the Anandpur Sahib Resolution.

   Hint

   Centre's five subjects.

   Answer

   (1) The Centre's powers to be limited to defence, foreign affairs, communications, currency and railways. (2) All residual powers to the states (real federalism). (3) Chandigarh and Punjabi-speaking areas in other states to be given to Punjab. (4) Protection of Sikh religious identity and a fair share of river waters.

6. Q6 · 4 marks · Short answerHarder board level

   [4] Describe the course of the Naga agitation from 1947 to 1975.

   Hint

   Independence claim, armed struggle, statehood, ceasefire, Shillong.

   Answer

   (1) The NNC under Phizo declared independence in 1947 and boycotted the 1952 elections. (2) From the mid-1950s it waged armed struggle with an underground government; the army was deployed. (3) Moderates' talks led to the state of Nagaland in 1963. (4) A ceasefire in 1964 broke down by 1972; the Shillong Accord of 1975 brought a section of the rebels to accept the Constitution.

7. Q7 · 4 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency

   [4] Analyse why the Mizo Accord is considered more successful than the Shillong Accord.

   Hint

   Who signed, what was offered, what followed.

   Answer

   (1) The Mizo Accord was signed by the MNF's undisputed leader Laldenga, whereas the Shillong Accord was signed by only a section of the Naga underground. (2) It offered statehood and protection of Mizo customs, giving the rebels a stake in power; Laldenga became Chief Minister. (3) The MNF as a whole surrendered arms and joined electoral politics. (4) Peace has largely held in Mizoram, while Naga hard-liners formed the NSCN and continued fighting.

8. Q8 · 4 marks · Short answerHarder board level

   [4] Give four provisions of the Punjab Accord (1985) and state why it did not bring lasting peace.

   Hint

   Chandigarh, waters, Sarkaria, compensation.

   Answer

   Provisions: Chandigarh to Punjab; a tribunal on river waters; Centre-state issues referred to the Sarkaria Commission; compensation and rehabilitation for victims of violence (and army deserters). It failed to bring lasting peace because Longowal was assassinated within a month and the clauses on Chandigarh and waters were never implemented, so militancy continued.

9. Q9 · 8 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency

   [8] (a) Explain the reasons for the rise of militancy in Punjab between 1977 and 1984. [4]
   (b) Evaluate the Centre's handling of the Punjab problem up to 1985. [4]

   Hint

   (a) unmet demands, Bhindranwale, politics; (b) both sides.

   Answer

   (a) (1) Unmet Akali demands on Chandigarh, river waters and autonomy (Anandpur Sahib Resolution). (2) The rise of Bhindranwale and the Nirankari clash of 1978. (3) Party politics: the Congress was accused of encouraging Bhindranwale to undercut the Akalis. (4) The Dharam Yudh Morcha and the fortification of the Golden Temple allowed militancy to grow. (b) The Centre delayed and played politics with the Akali demands, then used massive force in Bluestar, which alienated Sikhs and led to Indira Gandhi's assassination and the 1984 riots. Under Rajiv Gandhi the Punjab Accord and the 1985 election restored a popular government, but non-implementation of its key clauses left the problem unsolved. Overall the handling was poor until 1985 and only partly effective afterwards.

10. Q10 · 8 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency

    [8] 'The Janata experiment proved that India could change governments peacefully but not that a coalition could govern.' Evaluate.

    Hint

    Achievements versus failures.

    Answer

    Achievements: (1) the 1977 election showed voters could peacefully remove a powerful government; (2) civil liberties and press freedom were restored and MISA repealed; (3) the 44th Amendment protected the Constitution against a future Emergency; (4) new rural and social initiatives (Food for Work, Antyodaya, the Mandal Commission). Failures: (1) leadership rivalry among Desai, Charan Singh and Jagjivan Ram; (2) no common ideology, and the dual-membership quarrel; (3) price rise, drought and violence; (4) collapse in 1979 and the return of the Congress in 1980. Judgement: the statement is fair; the experiment strengthened democracy but showed that a coalition without a common programme could not provide stable government.

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

1. 1.Who became Prime Minister in March 1977?Show answer

   Morarji Desai.

2. 2.What was the Belchi incident?Show answer

   A massacre of Dalit labourers in Bihar in 1977, a sign of rural violence under the Janata Government.

3. 3.Who led the AASU during the Assam agitation?Show answer

   Prafulla Kumar Mahanta.

4. 4.With whom did Rajiv Gandhi sign the Punjab Accord?Show answer

   Sant Harchand Singh Longowal.

5. 5.What caused the mautam famine of 1959?Show answer

   Bamboo flowering led to a plague of rats that destroyed crops in the Mizo Hills.

6. 6.Which organisation was formed in 1980 by those rejecting the Shillong Accord?Show answer

   The National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN).

Quick revision checklist

The night before the exam: can you do each of these without looking?

• ☐1977: Janata Party wins; Desai PM; MISA repealed; 44th Amendment; nine state governments dismissed; Food for Work; Antyodaya.
• ☐Fall: rivalry (Desai, Charan Singh, Jagjivan Ram), dual membership, prices, violence, JP's death; Congress returns January 1980.
• ☐Punjab: Anandpur Sahib 1973; Akali-Janata government 1977; Bhindranwale; Bluestar June 1984; Rajiv-Longowal Accord July 1985.
• ☐Assam: illegal migration, rolls, economic neglect; AASU and AAGSP 1979-85; 1983 elections; Assam Accord 15 August 1985; AGP.
• ☐Nagaland: NNC (Phizo); state 1963; ceasefire 1964; Shillong Accord 1975; NSCN 1980.
• ☐Mizoram: mautam 1959; MNF (Laldenga) 1961; revolt 1966; UT 1972; Mizo Accord 30 June 1986; state 1987.

Changing Face of the Indian Democracy (1977–1986): frequently asked questions