The question was not very popular with the candidates as majority of them avoided it. The few that attempted the question correctly defined proportional representation as electoral system in which parties are allocated seats on the percentage of votes in an election.
However, majority of the candidates could not give five merits of proportional representation as demanded by the question. Few, who were able to give up to two to three points failed to expatiate their points. The overall candidates' performance in the question was poor. Candidates were expected to outline some of the following merits of proportional representation:
ensuring majority rule;
representation of minority parties in the legislature;
gives wider choice to the people;
checks misrule or dictatorship;
suits heterogeneous countries, etc.