In the following sentence, choose the alternative that best improves the bracketed part. Even after seventy years of achieving independence, democracy (in its true senses) was yet to come to India.

Introduction / Context:
This question tests knowledge of correct English usage in a fixed expression: "in its true sense". The sentence states, "Even after seventy years of achieving independence, democracy (in its true senses) was yet to come to India." The phrase in brackets is grammatically awkward. We need to choose a more natural and idiomatic alternative from the options. Such questions are common in competitive exams to check familiarity with standard collocations and correct singular or plural forms of abstract nouns.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The base sentence talks about democracy not having fully arrived in India even after seventy years of independence.
• The bracketed phrase is "in its true senses".
• The options involve variations of "true" or "real" and singular or plural "sense/senses" plus a "No improvement" choice.
• We assume the intended idea is that democracy in India had not yet existed "in the true sense of the term".

Concept / Approach:
To solve improvement questions, we:

• Identify the standard expression in English used to convey the intended meaning.
• Check subject–verb agreement and singular–plural consistency.
• Reject options that sound unnatural in formal written English.
• Compare each option with the expression we know is idiomatic.

In formal English, we usually say "in its true sense" or "in the true sense of the term", not "in its true senses".

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Consider the original bracketed phrase "in its true senses". The word "sense" in the abstract meaning of "real meaning" or "essence" is usually uncountable and occurs in the singular. Step 2: Option A, "in its true sense", is exactly the standard collocation and matches the idea of democracy in its genuine or fullest meaning. Step 3: Option B, "in its real sense", is grammatically acceptable but less common and slightly weaker in idiomatic force than "true sense". The exam typically expects the most standard phrase. Step 4: Option C, "in its real senses", repeats the incorrect pluralisation and is therefore not acceptable. Step 5: Option D, "No improvement", is incorrect because the original "in its true senses" is not idiomatic. Step 6: Therefore, "in its true sense" is the best and most natural choice.

Verification / Alternative check:
Read the full sentence with each option substituted: Even after seventy years of achieving independence, democracy in its true sense was yet to come to India. Even after seventy years of achieving independence, democracy in its real sense was yet to come to India. The first version feels more natural and is commonly used in newspapers and academic writing. The plural forms ("true senses", "real senses") sound odd because democracy is being considered in one essential meaning, not many separate senses. Thus, the singular "sense" is required.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• in its real sense: Grammatically fine, but slightly weaker and less idiomatic than "in its true sense"; exams usually prefer the most widely accepted expression.
• in its real senses: Incorrect because "senses" suggests multiple meanings here; the sentence is about one core meaning of democracy.
• No improvement: Wrong because the bracketed phrase clearly needs correction from "senses" to "sense".

Common Pitfalls:
Candidates sometimes think that using "real" instead of "true" sounds more modern, but they forget that many expressions in English are fixed collocations and sound most natural in one particular form. Another mistake is to ignore number agreement for abstract nouns. Although "sense" can be countable in some contexts ("the word has several senses"), in this idiom we refer to one overarching meaning and therefore use the singular. It is also important not to choose "No improvement" just because the sentence sounds roughly understandable; the goal is the most accurate and idiomatic version.

Final Answer:
The improved expression is in its true sense, so the correct option is "in its true sense".