What is Case Study Question / Paragraph Based Question?
A case study is a scenario in a particular academic / professional context which students are expected to analyse and respond to, guided by specific questions posed concerning the situation. In many cases, the scenario or case study involves a number of issues or problems that must be dealt with in a academic / professional workplace.
Why Case Study Questions are included in academics?
Case study assignments usually require students to identify problems and issues in a scenario, to demonstrate their developing knowledge of theories and academic / professional policies and to make decisions and recommendations based on these to either prevent or solve some of the issues in that scenario.
How to solve Case Study Questions?
There are several steps to writing an answer to a case study assignment:
STEP 1: Read the case study and questions carefully.
- Read the case and associated questions carefully.
- Highlight the main points of the case and any issues that you can identify.
- Read the questions closely and analyse what they are requiring you to do.
- Read the case again, linking the information that is relevant to each question you have been asked.
STEP 2: Identify the issues in the case study.
Case studies describe a situation which may arise in a particular profession or social context. They often involve a number of people in a complex situation. They will often describe a situation which is problematic, possibly in how it is dealt with, or in its complexity. An important part of your answer is to analyse the situation and to identify the issues/actions described in the case which may be problematic. The following questions may help you to do this:
- What actions were taken in the case?
- Were these actions the most appropriate and why?
- Were there any consequences of the actions taken?
- Was anything omitted or not considered?
- Were actions/procedures in line with existing codes of practice, policy or theories?
STEP 3: Link theory to practice.
Use your knowledge of existing codes of practice, theories and/or other academic / professional documents and behaviours to decide what was done appropriately and what was not.
STEP 4: Plan your answer.
It can be useful to use the questions you have been set as headings and to answer each part in turn, reducing the chance of omitting set questions. You can always take out the headings before you submit if you wish. Lecturers usually set questions in a logical order, so answer in the order they are written in your question.
STEP 5: Start writing your case study answer (for theory only)
Like any assignment, you will need an introduction, body sections in which you answer the questions put to you regarding the case study, and a conclusion.
STEP 6: Edit and proofread.
Read through your paper yourself to detect and correct other errors and omissions.
Check you have answered all questions and backed up your answer with relevant passage.
Types of Case Study Questions / Paragraph Based Questions
Case Study Questions / Paragraph Based Questions can be broadly classified into two types:
- MCQs type: In this type, student has to tick the correct option from various options.
- Theory type: In this type, student has to write proper solution / answer in cotext to the case study.
Case Study/ Passage Based Questions Chapter 4 Political Parties
Type 1: MCQ type
Case Study Question 01
Read the source given below and answer the following questions:
The first challenge is lack of internal democracy within parties. All over the world there is a tendency in political parties towards the concentration of power in one or few leaders at the top. Parties do not keep membership registers, do not hold organisational meetings, and do not conduct internal elections regularly. Ordinary members of the party do not get sufficient information on what happens inside the party. The second challenge of dynastic succession is related to the first one. Since most political parties do not practice open and transparent procedures for their functioning, there are very few ways for an ordinary worker to rise to the top in a party. Those who happen to be the leaders are in a position of unfair advantage to favour people close to them or even their family members. In many parties, the top positions are always controlled by members of one family. The third challenge is about the growing role of money and muscle power in parties, especially during elections. Since parties are focused only on winning elections, they tend to use short-cuts to win elections. Democrats all over the world are worried about the increasing role of rich people and big companies in democratic politics. The fourth challenge is that very often parties do not seem to offer a meaningful choice to the voters. In order to offer meaningful choice, parties must be significantly different. In recent years there has been a decline in the ideological differences among parties in most parts of the world.
Answer the following MCQs by choosing the most appropriate option:
Question.1. Identify the challenge faced by political parties that they need to overcome to remain effective instruments of democracy.
(a) Secularism.
(b) Concentration of power in one or a few leaders at the top.
(c) To gain paramount power in the world.
(d) Decision-making by citizens.
Question.2. How do leaders at the top level take unfair advantage of their position?
(a) Support secularism and democracy and oppose imperialism.
(b) Espouse secularism and welfare of weaker sections and minorities.
(c) Favour people close to them or even their family members.
(d) Support all members of the party to play an equal role in progress and development of the nation.
Question.3. What are the democrats all over the world worried about?
(a) Increasing role of rich people and big companies in democratic politics.
(b) Major ideological differences among parties in most parts of the world.
(c) Distribution of power among the different members of the party.
(d) Equal distribution of power and money in parties.
Question.4. Why do parties fail to offer a meaningful choice to the voters?
(a) Only rich people are favoured to cast their vote to the party.
(b) Parties use money and muscle power, and voters have no role as citizens.
(c) Huge ideological differences among parties, which confuse the citizens.
(d) Decline in ideological differences among parties in most parts of the world.
Ans.1. (b) Concentration of power in one or a few leaders at the top.
Ans.2. (c) Favour people close to them or even their family members.
Ans.3. (a) Increasing role of rich people and big companies in democratic politics.
Ans.4. (d) Decline in ideological differences among parties in most parts of the world.
Case Study Question 02
Read the extract given below and answer the following questions:
In some countries, only one party is allowed to control and run the government. These are called one-party systems. In China, only the Communist Party is allowed to rule. Although, legally speaking, people are free to form political parties, it does not permit free competition for power. In some countries, power usually changes between two main parties. Several other parties may exists, contest elections and win a few seats in the national legislature. If several parties compete for power, and more than two parties have a reasonable chance of coming to power either on their own strength or in alliance with others, we call it a multi-party system.
Answer the following MCQs by choosing the most appropriate option:
Question.1. The government formed by several political parties is known as:
(a) Community government
(b) Uni-party system
(c) Group
(d) Coalition government
Question.2. Political party system is of _________ types.
(a) 2
(b) 3
(c) 4
(d) All of these
Question.3. In which of the following countries only bi-party system exist?
(a) The USA
(b) India
(c) China
(d) All of these
Question.4. In which of the following countries multi-party system exist?
(a) India
(b) China
(c) South Korea
(d) Canada
Ans.1. (a) Community government
Ans.2. (b) 3
Ans.3. (a) The USA
Ans.4. (a) India
Type 2: Theory Type
Case Study Question 03
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Political parties are easily one of the most visible institutions in a democracy. For most ordinary citizens, democracy is equal to political parties. If you travel to remote parts of our country and speak to the less educated citizens, you could come across people who may not know anything about our Constitution or about the nature of our government. But chances are that they would know something about our political parties. At the same time this visibility does not mean popularity. Most people tend to be very critical of political parties. They tend to blame parties for all that is wrong with our democracy and our political life. Parties have become identified with social and political divisions. Therefore, it is natural to ask – do we need political parties at all? About hundred years ago there were few countries of the world that had any political party. Now there are few that do not have parties. Why did political parties become so omnipresent in democracies all over the world ? Let us first answer what political parties are and what they do, before we say why we need them. A political party is a group of people who come together to contest elections and hold power in the government. They agree on some policies and programmes for the society with a view to promote the collective good. Since there can be different views on what is good for all, parties try to persuade people why their policies are better than others. They seek to implement these policies by winning popular support through elections. Thus, parties reflect fundamental political divisions in a society. Parties are about a part of the society and thus involve PARTISANSHIP. Thus a party is known by which part it stands for, which policies it supports and whose interests it upholds.
Question.1. How do political parties reflect fundamental political divisions in a society?
Question.2. Who identifies themselves with social and political divisions?
Ans.1.
(i) Political parties agree on some policies and programmes for the society with a view to promote collective good.
(ii) Since there can be different views on what is good for all, parties try to persuade people why their policies are better than others.
(iii) They seek to implement these policies by winning popular support through elections. Thus, parties reflect fundamental political divisions in a society.
Ans.2. Political parties identify themselves with social and political divisions.
Case Study Question 04
Read the sources given below and answer the questions that follow:
Source A- All India Trinamool Congress (AITC)
All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) was launched on 1 January 1998 under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee. Recognised as a national party in 2016. The party’s symbol is flowers and grass. Committed to secularism and federalism. Has been in power in West Bengal since 2011. Also has a presence in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Tripura. In the General Elections held in 2014, it got 3.84% votes and won 34 seats, making it the fourth largest party in the Lok Sabha.
Source B- Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) was formed in 1984 under the leadership of Kanshi Ram. Seeks to represent and secure power for the bahujan samaj which includes the dalits, adivasis, OBCs and religious minorities. Draws inspiration from the ideas and teachings of Sahu Maharaj, Mahatma Phule, Periyar Ramaswami Naicker and Babasaheb Ambedkar. Stands for the cause of securing the interests and welfare of the dalits and oppressed people.
Source C- Communist Party of India (CPI)
Communist Party of India (CPI) was formed in 1925. Believes in Marxism-Leninism, secularism and democracy. Opposed to the forces of secessionism and communalism. Accepts parliamentary democracy as a means of promoting the interests of the working class, farmers and the poor. Became weak after the split in the party in 1964 that led to the formation of the CPI(M).
Source A- All India Trinamool Congress (AITC)
Question.1. When was All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) recognised as a national party?
Source B- Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)
Question.2. From where Kanshi Ram draw inspiration while forming the political party?
Source C- Communist Party of India (CPI)
Question.3. What is the best example of parliamentary democracy according to the Communist Party of India (CPI)?
Ans.1. All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) recognised as a national party in 2016.
Ans.2. Kanshi Ram draw inspiration from the ideas and teachings of Sahu Maharaj, Mahatma Phule, Periyar Ramaswami Naicker and Babasaheb Ambedkar.
Ans.3. Communist Party of India (CPI) accepts parliamentary democracy as a means of promoting the interests of the working class, farmers and the poor.
