Evaluate the political and economic developments in India under Indira Gandhi.

The question requires that candidates make an appraisal of the political and economic developments under Indira Gandhi, weighing up the strengths and limitations or otherwise of each. Candidates may offer equal coverage of political and economic developments, or they may prioritize their evaluation of one of these aspects. However, both aspects will be a feature of the response. Candidates may refer to her socialist policies including the nationalization of banks and the coal mines, the Green Revolution and the Five-Year Plans. For political developments, they may refer to the splitting of the Congress, declaration of India as a nuclear state, the constitutional amendments, the Emergency, and the Twenty Point Programme as well as Operation Bluestar. Candidates may discuss the controversial nature of these events. Accusations against Indira Gandhi of malpractices in elections led to the formation of a grand opposition alliance, the Janta Morcha. Candidates’ opinions or conclusions will be presented clearly and supported by appropriate evidence.

The question required that candidates make an appraisal of the political and economic developments under Indira Gandhi, weighing up the strengths and limitations or otherwise of each. Candidates needed to include both political and economic developments and identify successes and failings of these policies.