📋 Written Ability Test (WAT)/Essay Analysis Guide: Should India Have a Fixed Parliamentary Term?

🌐 Understanding the Topic’s Importance

The structure of parliamentary terms directly affects political stability, economic planning, and governance efficiency. For B-school students, analyzing this topic offers insights into how political frameworks influence business environments and economic policies.

📊 Effective Planning and Writing

• Time Allocation:
  • Planning: 5 minutes
  • Writing: 20 minutes
  • Reviewing: 5 minutes
• Structure:
  • Introduction: Introduce the debate on fixed versus flexible parliamentary terms.
  • Body:
    • Current System Overview: Explain India’s existing framework allowing mid-term dissolutions.
    • Advantages of Fixed Terms: Discuss potential benefits like stability and reduced election costs.
    • Challenges of Fixed Terms: Highlight issues such as reduced flexibility in crises.
    • Global Examples: Provide insights from countries with fixed terms.
  • Conclusion: Present a balanced view or recommend a hybrid approach.

📚 Introduction Techniques for Essays

• Contrast Approach: “While India’s parliamentary system thrives on its flexibility, allowing for mid-term dissolutions, the high costs and disruptions of frequent elections raise questions about adopting fixed parliamentary terms.”
• Global Lens Approach: “As democracies like the United States and Germany maintain fixed terms to ensure stability, India’s flexible parliamentary system stands out for its adaptability, prompting a debate over whether this flexibility is a strength or a liability.”

📖 Structuring the Essay Body

1. Current System Overview

India’s parliamentary democracy permits the dissolution of the Lok Sabha before its five-year term ends, often due to loss of majority or political crises. This flexibility ensures accountability but has resulted in 11 dissolutions since independence, including the notable dissolutions in 1979 and 1998. These disruptions often lead to economic slowdowns, policy paralysis, and increased administrative costs.

2. Advantages of Fixed Parliamentary Terms

• Political Stability: Fixed terms provide a predictable governance timeline, enabling long-term planning and consistent policy implementation. For instance, Germany’s fixed parliamentary terms have supported stable coalition governments and economic growth.
• Economic Benefits: With elections estimated to cost ₹55,000 crore in 2019, fixed terms could reduce frequent electoral expenditures, allowing funds to be redirected toward public welfare programs.
• Reduced Election Fatigue: Fixed terms minimize voter fatigue and prevent political parties from focusing excessively on short-term populism during election cycles.

3. Challenges of Fixed Parliamentary Terms

• Reduced Flexibility: Fixed terms might lead to prolonged ineffective governance if a government loses its majority but remains in power until the end of the term.
• Potential for Gridlock: In the absence of dissolution provisions, political crises could result in administrative paralysis, delaying critical decisions during emergencies.
• Adaptability in Diverse Contexts: India’s complex political landscape, with coalition governments and regional parties, might struggle under rigid term limits.

4. Global Examples

• United States: The fixed four-year term for presidents ensures continuity, but the inability to dissolve Congress during gridlock sometimes hampers governance.
• United Kingdom: The Fixed-term Parliaments Act of 2011 aimed to establish regular five-year election cycles but retains provisions for early dissolution through a parliamentary vote of no confidence.
• India’s Hybrid Path: India could consider a hybrid model, incorporating provisions for dissolution in extraordinary circumstances while ensuring term stability under normal conditions.

📌 Concluding Effectively

• Balanced Approach: “India’s current parliamentary system, with its flexibility for mid-term dissolutions, has served the nation’s dynamic political needs. However, the high costs and frequent disruptions of this model underscore the need to explore fixed terms with mechanisms for dissolution in exceptional cases. Striking the right balance could strengthen governance while preserving democratic accountability.”
• Global Comparison Conclusion: “Drawing lessons from global practices, India could adopt a hybrid governance model that ensures stability akin to fixed-term systems while retaining provisions for flexibility during crises. This approach would align with India’s unique political landscape and diverse electorate.”

✨ Sample Short Essays

1. Balanced Perspective:

“India’s parliamentary system thrives on flexibility, allowing for dissolutions in times of political crises. However, the economic and administrative costs of frequent elections highlight the need for reforms. A hybrid model ensuring stability through fixed terms while permitting dissolution under strict conditions could provide a balanced solution.”

2. Solution-Oriented:

“Adopting fixed parliamentary terms, combined with conditional dissolution provisions, could enhance India’s political stability. Fixed terms would encourage long-term policy planning, while the option for dissolution ensures responsiveness to unforeseen crises, balancing stability with adaptability.”

3. Global Comparison:

“While countries like Germany benefit from fixed parliamentary terms and political stability, India’s flexibility allows for dynamic governance. A tailored approach blending fixed terms with dissolution options could help India address governance inefficiencies without compromising its democratic ethos.”