With the CBSE Class 10th board exams approaching, many students find it difficult to revise Civics theory chapters effectively in the final days of preparation. Power Sharing is a concept-based chapter in CBSE Class 10 Social Science Civics that often requires clarity of examples and definitions to score well in the upcoming CBSE 10th board exam scheduled on March 7, 2026.
This chapter explains why no single organ of government holds absolute power in a democracy and highlights the importance of power sharing among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. Through case studies of Belgium and Sri Lanka, students understand different forms of power sharing and their role in maintaining political stability. These CBSE Class 10 Civics Chapter 1 Notes are structured for quick revision before the board exams, helping students recall key concepts, compare examples accurately, and write well-organised answers as per the CBSE exam pattern.
Topics Covered in Power Sharing Class 10 Notes
Class 10 Civics Chapter 1 Notes: Power Sharing includes the following topics:
Civics Class 10 Chapter 1 Power Sharing Notes
Chapter 1 – Power Sharing in CBSE Class 10 Civics explains why sharing power is essential in a democracy to maintain stability and reduce conflicts. It also covers different forms of power sharing among governments, institutions, and social groups.
Story of Belgium
Almost one crore people live in the small European nation of Belgium, which is roughly half the population of Haryana. Five-nine percent of the nation's population speaks Dutch, forty percent speaks French, and one percent speaks German. To learn about Belgium's language variations, look at the map below. Due to their wealth and influence, the minority French-speaking population benefited from both economic growth and educational advancement. In the 1950s and 1960s, this led to tensions between the Dutch- and French-speaking communities.
Belgium's Accommodation
Belgium is a small European country with a diverse population.
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Ethnic Composition: 59% speak Dutch, 40% speak French, and 1% speak German. French speakers were wealthy and influential. This led to tensions between Dutch and French-speaking communities.
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Belgian Model: Belgian leaders amended their constitution four times (1970-1993). They created a unique power-sharing arrangement.
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Equal Representation: Dutch and French-speaking ministers are equal in the Central Government. Special laws need support from both linguistic groups. No single community makes decisions alone.
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State Government Autonomy: State governments are not under the Central Government. They have their own powers.
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Brussels Government: Brussels has a separate government with equal representation for both language communities.
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Community Government: This third government type is elected by the people of one language group (Dutch, French, German). It handles cultural, educational, and language matters. This complex model prevented conflict.
Story of Sri Lanka
Let us now examine the circumstances in Sri Lanka, a different nation. With a population of roughly 2 crore, it is an island nation comparable in size to Haryana. Sri Lanka's population is diverse. The two largest social groupings are those who speak Tamil (18%) and Sinhala (74%). There are two subcategories of Tamils: "Tamil Indians" and "Sri Lankan Tamils." The population distribution of Sri Lanka's various communities may be seen on the map below.
Majoritarianism in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka gained independence in 1948, but the Sinhalese majority sought to dominate the government, creating tensions with minority communities. In 1956, an act was passed making Sinhala the sole official language, and preferential policies were introduced to favour Sinhalese candidates in universities and government jobs.
These actions left the Sri Lankan Tamils feeling excluded and marginalised. By the 1980s, several political groups had emerged demanding a separate Tamil Eelam in the northern and eastern regions of the country.
The growing distrust and alienation between the communities escalated into serious conflict, eventually leading to a prolonged civil war, highlighting the risks of ignoring minority rights in a democracy.
Why is Power Sharing Desirable?
Power sharing is important because it reduces the chances of conflict among different social groups and helps maintain political stability. In a democracy, power should be shared with those who are affected by government decisions, as people have the right to be consulted and participate in how they are governed.
Forms of Power Sharing
The majority of you probably believe that splitting power equals weakening the nation. In the past, people believed something similar. It was believed that a government's whole power must be vested in a single individual or collection of individuals in a single location. If not, it would be exceedingly challenging to make snap decisions and follow through on them. But as democracy has grown, these ideas have evolved. People control themselves in democracies through institutions of self-government. Everybody can influence how public policies are formulated. Therefore, political authority ought to be shared among the people in a democracy. Power sharing can occur in a variety of ways in modern democracies, as listed below:
- The legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government all share authority. The reason this is known as the horizontal distribution of power is that it permits several government agencies positioned at the same level to exercise various authorities.
- This division guarantees that no organ has unlimited authority. Every organ assesses every other one. We refer to this setup as a system of checks and balances.
- Two types of governments can share power: the federal government, which is the main government for the entire nation, and the province or regional governments.
- Different social groupings, including linguistic and religious ones, may also share power. Belgium's "community government" is an excellent illustration of this structure.
- Minority populations are given a fair amount of power through the employment of this technique.
- How political parties, pressure groups, and movements influence or control the powerful can also be interpreted as power sharing relationships. When two or more political parties band together to run for office, they form a coalition government and share power if they win.
Benefits of Power Sharing
Power sharing is supported by both prudential and moral reasons.
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Prudential reasons focus on reducing conflicts and promoting social harmony.
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Moral reasons emphasise democratic values, equality, and active citizen participation.
Repeated Questions from Power Sharing (CBSE Class 10 Board Exam)
In the CBSE Class 10th board exams, questions from Power Sharing are frequently repeated in similar formats. Students preparing for the CBSE 10th board exam should prioritise these commonly asked areas to improve accuracy and scoring.
Frequently Asked Questions Include:
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Why is power sharing desirable in a democracy?
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How does power sharing help reduce social and political conflict?
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Explain power sharing among the legislative, executive, and judiciary.
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Compare power sharing in Belgium and Sri Lanka.
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What are the different forms of power sharing? Explain with examples.
Revising these repeated questions helps students understand the CBSE question pattern and prepare well-structured answers for 3, 4, and 5 mark questions in the Civics board exam.
Common Mistakes to Avoid in Civics Chapter 1 – Power Sharing
Despite being a conceptual and scoring chapter, students often lose marks in Power Sharing due to avoidable mistakes. Being aware of these errors is especially useful during last-minute revision for the CBSE Class 10 board exams.
Common Mistakes Made by Students:
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Confusing power sharing with separation of powers
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Writing about Belgium and Sri Lanka without proper comparison
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Missing key terms such as democracy, accommodation, majority rule, and unity
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Giving examples without explaining their significance
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Writing long answers without clear headings or structure
Avoiding these mistakes can significantly improve answer clarity, presentation, and overall performance in the CBSE Class 10 Social Science Civics board exam.
