3. Poverty as a Challenge – Worksheet

Multiple Choice Questions

Q1: How many people in India live below the poverty line?
(a) 30 crores
(b) 26 crores
(c) 28 crores
(d) 24 crores

Q2:Poverty line in rural areas is (As per 1999 – 2000 prices)
(a) Rs 328
(b) Rs. 370
(c) Rs 454
(d) Rs. 460

Q3:In which state have the land reform measures helped to reduce poverty?
(a) Tamil Nadu
(b) Punjab
(c) West Bengal
(d) Kerala

Q4:Which of the following is responsible for high poverty rates?
(a) Huge income inequalities
(b) Unequal distribution of land
(c) Lack of effective implementation of land reforms
(d) All the above

Q5:Poverty ratio in India as compared to Pakistan is
(a) same
(b) half
(c) two times
(d) two and a half times

Q6:Which state has the largest percentage of poors in India?
(a) Bihar
(b) Orissa
(c) Kerala
(d) Punjab

Q7:Who do not come under the category of urban poor?
(a) The casual workers
(b) The unemployed
(c) The shopkeepe
(d) Rickshawpullers

Q8:Which one of the social groups is vulnerable to poverty?
(a) Scheduled caste
(b) Urban casual labour
(c) Rural agricultural households
(d) All the above

Q9: The calorie requirement is higher in the rural areas because:
(a) they do not enjoy as much as people in the urban areas.
(b) food items are expensive.
(c) they are engaged in mental work.
(d) people are engaged in physical labour.

Q10: Which one from the following states is above the national average of poverty ratio?
(a) West Bengal
(b) Tamil Nadu
(c) Andhra Pradesh
(d) Karnataka

Very Short Answer Questions

Q1: When is a person considered poor?

Q2: Poverty which was officially non-existent earlier has resurfaced in which country?

Q3: Give one factor responsible for reduction of poverty in West Bengal.

Q4: Mention any one historical reason for poverty in India.

Q5: What is India’s most compelling challenge?

Q6: Which two states of India continue to be the poorest?

Q7: What are the factors of human poverty? 

Q8; What are the factors responsible for the reduction of poverty in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu?

Q9: How does a country measure its poverty?

Q10: Which states of India have seen a significant decline in poverty?

Q11: State the two consequences of poverty.

Q12: What are the factors responsible for the reduction of poverty in Punjab and Haryana?

Q13: How is regular growth of population a major cause of poverty?

Q14: Why is the calorie requirement higher in rural areas than in urban areas?

Q15: Who advocated that India would be truly independent only when the poorest of its people become free of human suffering?

You can access the solutions to this worksheet here.

2. People as Resource – Worksheet

Multiple Choice Questions

Q1. Which programme provides schooling to rural talented children?

(a) Kendriya Vidyalaya
(b) Navodaya Vidyalaya
(c) Mid-Day Meal
(d) Samagra Shiksha

Q2. Disguised unemployment is mostly found in:

(a) Industries
(b) Software jobs
(c) Agriculture
(d) Hospitals

Q3. Which of the following is a significant step towards providing elementary education to all the children in the age group of 6-14 years?

(a) Sarva Siksha Abhiyan
(b) Adult Education Programme
(c) Mid-day meal 
(d) Mid-day meal 

Q4.  Investment in human capital is expenditure on

(a) education 
(b) training 
(c) medical care
(d) All the above 

Q5. Which of these is not a market activity?
 (a) 
Teacher in a school
(b) Mother cooking at home
(c) Farmer selling crops
 (d) Doctor in hospital

Assertion-Reason Type Questions

Q1. Assertion (A): Sakal was able to get a job in a private firm.
Reason (R): He received vocational training and higher education.

(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, R is false
(d) A is false, R is true

Q2. Assertion (A): Investment in health does not impact productivity.
Reason (R): A sick worker cannot perform efficiently at work.

(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, R is false
(d) A is false, R is true

Q3. Assertion (A): Education plays no role in economic development.
Reason (R): Literacy rate is a measure of population quality.

(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, R is false
(d) A is false, R is true

Q4. Assertion (A): Disguised unemployment means more people are working than needed.
Reason (R): Removal of some workers does not affect total output.

(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, R is false
(d) A is false, R is true

Q5. Assertion (A): Women are mostly found in low-paid work.
Reason (R): Most women have low education and skills due to historical and cultural factors.

(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, R is false
(d) A is false, R is true

Very Short Answer Questions

Q1. Why is investment in education considered productive?

Q2. What is meant by the quality of the population?

Q3. What is the infant mortality rate?

Q4. Name two sectors other than agriculture that can absorb surplus labour.

Q5. When does population become human capital?

Imagine & Write

Imagine this:
You are the Prime Minister of India. You want to create more jobs and improve the skills of the youth.

Q. Write 5 points of your plan for improving human capital in India.

1. The Story of Palampur – Worksheet

Multiple Choice Questions

Q1: How many people in India live below the poverty line?
(a) 30 crores
(b) 26 crores
(c) 28 crores
(d) 24 crores

Q2:Poverty line in rural areas is (As per 1999 – 2000 prices)
(a) Rs 328
(b) Rs. 370
(c) Rs 454
(d) Rs. 460

Q3:In which state have the land reform measures helped to reduce poverty?
(a) Tamil Nadu
(b) Punjab
(c) West Bengal
(d) Kerala

Q4:Which of the following is responsible for high poverty rates?
(a) Huge income inequalities
(b) Unequal distribution of land
(c) Lack of effective implementation of land reforms
(d) All the above

Q5:Poverty ratio in India as compared to Pakistan is
(a) same
(b) half
(c) two times
(d) two and a half times

Q6:Which state has the largest percentage of poors in India?
(a) Bihar
(b) Orissa
(c) Kerala
(d) Punjab

Q7:Who do not come under the category of urban poor?
(a) The casual workers
(b) The unemployed
(c) The shopkeepe
(d) Rickshawpullers

Q8:Which one of the social groups is vulnerable to poverty?
(a) Scheduled caste
(b) Urban casual labour
(c) Rural agricultural households
(d) All the above

Q9: The calorie requirement is higher in the rural areas because:
(a) they do not enjoy as much as people in the urban areas.
(b) food items are expensive.
(c) they are engaged in mental work.
(d) people are engaged in physical labour.

Q10: Which one from the following states is above the national average of poverty ratio?
(a) West Bengal
(b) Tamil Nadu
(c) Andhra Pradesh
(d) Karnataka

Very Short Answer Questions

Q1: When is a person considered poor?

Q2: Poverty which was officially non-existent earlier has resurfaced in which country?

Q3: Give one factor responsible for reduction of poverty in West Bengal.

Q4: Mention any one historical reason for poverty in India.

Q5: What is India’s most compelling challenge?

Q6: Which two states of India continue to be the poorest?

Q7: What are the factors of human poverty? 

Q8; What are the factors responsible for the reduction of poverty in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu?

Q9: How does a country measure its poverty?

Q10: Which states of India have seen a significant decline in poverty?

Q11: State the two consequences of poverty.

Q12: What are the factors responsible for the reduction of poverty in Punjab and Haryana?

Q13: How is regular growth of population a major cause of poverty?

Q14: Why is the calorie requirement higher in rural areas than in urban areas?

Q15: Who advocated that India would be truly independent only when the poorest of its people become free of human suffering?

You can access the solutions to this worksheet here.

4. Food Security in India – Chapter Notes

Introduction

In our daily life, we see poverty all around us. They could be landless labourers in villages, people living in overcrowded jhuggis in cities, daily wage workers or child workers in dhabas. 

To study this problem, NITI Aayog uses something called the Multidimensional Poverty Index, which looks at poverty in many ways — not just money, but also education, health, and living conditions.
According to this index, poverty in India has reduced over time:

  • In 2005–06, about 55% of people were poor.
  • In 2015–16, it came down to 25%.
  • In 2019–21, it further dropped to 15%.

Experts believe that soon, poverty in India will come down to single digits (less than 10%).

What is Poverty?

Poverty involves hunger and the lack of shelter. It is a situation where parents cannot send their children to school or where sick individuals cannot afford medical care.

Poverty also signifies the absence of clean water and sanitation facilities and a lack of regular employment at a decent minimum level. Those who are poor often face mistreatment in various places, including farms, factories, government offices, hospitals, and railway stations.

Two Typical Cases of Poverty

Urban Case

  • Ram Saran, aged 33, works as a daily-wage labourer at a wheat flour mill near Ranchi, Jharkhand.
  • He earns about ₹3,500 per month, but only when work is available.
  • His income is not enough to support his family of six – his wife and four children aged between 12 years and 6 months.
  • He also sends money to his elderly parents living in a village near Ramgarh. His father is landless, and his brother in Hazaribagh also relies on him.
  • The family lives in a tiny, one-room rented house on the outskirts of the city, made of bricks and clay tiles.

Story of Ram Saran

  • His wife, Santa Devi, works as a part-time maid and earns about ₹1,500.
  • They manage only two meals a day—mostly dal and rice, which is not enough for all members.
  • Their elder son works in a tea shop, earning an additional ₹700.
  • The 10-year-old daughter attends school and looks after her younger siblings.
  • Each family member has only two sets of old clothes. New clothes are bought only when the old ones are completely worn out.
  • Shoes are a luxury they can rarely afford.
  • The youngest child enjoys the mid-day meal (dal-rice) provided at school.

Rural Case

  • Lakha Singh lives in a small village near Meerut in Uttar Pradesh.
  • His family does not own land and works as labourers for big farmers.
  • Their work is irregular, and income is uncertain. Sometimes they earn ₹200 for a full day’s work, but often they are paid in kind with wheat, dal, or vegetables.
  • The family of six struggles to get even two proper meals a day.
  • They live in a kuchha hut on the outskirts of the village.
  • The women of the family spend their day cutting fodder and collecting firewood from the fields.
  • Lakha’s father had tuberculosis and died two years ago because he couldn’t get treatment.
  • His mother now has the same illness and is getting weaker.
  • Although there is a primary school in the village, Lakha never went to school, but he is happy that his children do.
  • The family gets new clothes only once in a few years.
  • Even basic things like soap and oil are a luxury for them.

These two examples show that poverty has many sides. It is not just about having no money. Poverty means:

  • being hungry and not having a proper place to live,
  • parents not being able to give healthy food to their children three times a day,
  • sick people not getting medical help because they can’t afford it,
  • not having clean drinking water or proper toilets,
  • not having a regular job that pays enough for basic needs,
  • living with a feeling of helplessness, where poor people are often treated badly in places like farms, factories, government offices, hospitals, and railway stations.

Clearly, no one would want to live in such conditions.

One of the biggest problems for independent India has been to help millions of people come out of extreme poverty. Mahatma Gandhi said that India would only be truly free when even the poorest people are free from suffering.

Poverty as seen by social scientists

Poverty is not just about having less money, so social scientists use many different ways to understand it. They usually look at income and how much people are able to spend. But nowadays, other factors are also considered to find out if someone is poor.

For example, the National Multidimensional Poverty Index checks poverty using three main things:

  • Health – like nutrition, deaths of children and mothers.
  • Education – like how many years a person has gone to school and if children attend school regularly.
  • Living conditions – like whether the family has clean cooking fuel, toilets, clean drinking water, proper houses, electricity, useful items, and a bank account.

Factors like being left out of society (social exclusion) and facing risks or hardships (vulnerability) are also considered to understand poverty better.

Analysis of Poverty

Social Exclusion 

  • Poverty is not just about having less money, but also about living in poor surroundings with other poor people.
  • Poor people are often excluded from enjoying the benefits and equal treatment that richer people get.
  • This exclusion is called social exclusion.
  • Social exclusion can cause poverty or be a result of poverty.
  • It means some people or groups are kept away from facilities, benefits, and opportunities that others enjoy.
  • A common example is the caste system in India, where people from certain castes don’t get equal chances.
  • Social exclusion can sometimes cause more harm than just having a low income.

Try yourself:

What is one major aspect of poverty according to the text?

  • A.Lack of clean water
  • B.Access to luxury goods
  • C.High income
  • D.Abundant job opportunities

View Solution

Vulnerability

  • Vulnerability to poverty means the higher chance that some people or groups might become or stay poor.
  • Examples include people from backward castes, widows, or those who are physically disabled.
  • It depends on what options people have—like their assets, education, health, and job opportunities.
  • Vulnerable groups face more risks during natural disasters like earthquakes or tsunamis.
  • It also depends on how well they can cope with these risks socially and economically.
  • In short, vulnerable people are more likely to suffer worse effects than others when problems like floods, job losses, or disasters occur.

Poverty Line

  • The poverty line is a way to decide who is poor and who is not.
  • It is usually based on a person’s income or spending on basic needs like food and clothes.
  • If someone earns or spends less than a certain amount, they are considered poor.
  • The amount needed for basic needs is not the same in all countries or at all times.
  • So, each country sets its own poverty line based on its level of development and social standards.
  • For example, in the USA, not having a car might be seen as being poor, but in India, having a car is still a luxury.
  • In India, the poverty line was earlier decided by calculating the minimum needs like food, clothing, electricity, education, and medical care.
  • The cost of these items was calculated using their prices in rupees.
  • The poverty line was also linked to the calorie needs of people based on their age, gender, and work.
  • On average, a person in rural areas needed 2400 calories per day, and in urban areas, 2100 calories per day.
  • Rural people need more calories because they usually do more physical work.
  • The money needed to buy enough food to meet these calorie needs was used to set the poverty line.
  • This amount is updated regularly as prices of items go up.
  • Now, the Government of India also uses something called the Multidimensional Poverty Index.
  • This index uses 12 indicators like health, education, and living standards to measure poverty in a more complete way.
  • It helps to understand poverty beyond just income or spending.

Poverty Estimates

  • Using the method explained earlier, experts calculate the number and percentage of poor people in India. This is called the Head Count Ratio (HCR).
  • In the 1990s, the percentage of poor people (based on how much they spent) came down from 45% to 37%, but the total number of poor people stayed around 40 crore.
  • Between 2000 and 2011, both the percentage and number of poor people started going down.
  • From 2015 to 2021, the percentage of people who were poor in many ways (called multidimensional poor) dropped from 25% to 15%.
  • According to official records, about 13.5 crore people came out of multidimensional poverty during this time.
  • Also, the reduction in poverty was faster in villages (rural areas) compared to cities (urban areas).Estimates of Poverty in India 1993 – 2019

Poverty Index: A Progress Review 2023, NITI Aayog, Government of India.

Try yourself:

What is the commonly used method to measure poverty?

  • A.Income and spending levels
  • B.Education and healthcare access
  • C.Social exclusion and vulnerability
  • D.Minimum level of living requirements

View Solution

Inter-State Disparities

  • Poverty is not the same across all states in India; some states have more poor people than others.
  • Since the 1970s, poverty has reduced in many states, but the progress is not equal everywhere.
  • States like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, and Maharashtra had less than 10% of their population living in poverty in 2019–21.
  • States such as Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan have also shown great improvement in reducing poverty.
  • Different states have used different ways to fight poverty based on their needs.
  • Kerala has focused on developing human resources like education and health.
  • West Bengal has used land reforms to reduce poverty.
  • In Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, the government has improved the supply of food grains to the poor through the public distribution system.

Vulnerable Groups

  • The number of people living below the poverty line varies across different social and economic groups in India. The most affected groups are those from the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe households.
  • In terms of economic status, the groups most at risk are rural agricultural labour households and urban casual labour households.
  • While the overall average of people below the poverty line in India is 22%, 43 out of 100 individuals from Scheduled Tribes struggle to meet their basic needs.  Additionally, around 34% of casual labourers in rural areas and 29% of those from Scheduled Castes are also poor.
  • The severe challenges faced by landless casual wage labour households from socially disadvantaged groups, such as Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes, illustrate the gravity of the issue. Recent studies indicate that, apart from Scheduled Tribe households, all other groups—Scheduled Castes, rural agricultural labourers, and urban casual labour households—have experienced a decline in poverty since the 1990s.
  • Women, the elderly, and female infants often lack equal access to resources within their families. Although all family members in poor households face hardship, some experience greater suffering. As a result, women, children (especially girls), and the elderly are among the most impoverished.

Try yourself:Which social group in India is most vulnerable to poverty?

  • A.Scheduled caste households
  • B.Urban casual labor households
  • C.Scheduled tribe households
  • D.Both Scheduled caste and Scheduled tribe households

View Solution

Global Poverty Scenario

Is India the only country with poor people?

No, India is not the only country that has poor people. Many other countries also face poverty. To compare poverty between countries, international organisations like the World Bank use a common standard called the poverty line. They consider a person extremely poor if they live on less than $2.15 a day.

You might wonder why the dollar ($) is used instead of the rupee. That’s because every country has its own currency. So, to compare poverty across the world in the same way, international groups use the US dollar as a common measuring unit.

Although poverty has reduced around the world, different regions show different results:

  • In China and Southeast Asia, poverty dropped a lot because of fast economic growth and large investments in education, health, and skills. In fact, in China, the number of poor people became just 0.1% in 2020.
  • In South Asia (which includes countries like India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Afghanistan, and Maldives), the percentage of poor people went down from 13% in 2017 to 11% in 2021. Also, the number of poor people came down from 233 million in 2017 to 207 million in 2021.
  • In Sub-Saharan Africa, poverty also declined slightly — from 36.6% in 2017 to 35% in 2019.
  • However, in Latin America and the Caribbean, poverty actually increased slightly, from 4.4% in 2017 to 4.6% in 2021.
  • In some former socialist countries like Russia, poverty has also come back. It was 0% earlier, but 3% of people were poor again by the year 2000.

Try yourself:

Which states in India have a poverty ratio higher than the national average?

  • A.Kerala and Maharashtra
  • B.Orissa and Bihar
  • C.Punjab and Haryana
  • D.Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu

View Solution

Poverty and Sustainable Development Goals

  • The United Nations (UN) has set new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end all types of poverty by the year 2030.
  • These goals are a shared plan to bring peace and prosperity to people and protect the planet—both now and in the future.
  • There are 17 goals in total that focus on improving life for everyone.
  • To achieve these goals, both rich (developed) and poor (developing) countries need to act quickly and work together.
  • Rich countries should help poorer countries by supporting them in ending poverty, improving health and education, reducing inequality, fighting climate change, and promoting sustainable development.

Causes of Poverty

  • One major reason for poverty in India is its slow economic growth during British rule.
  • The British destroyed local industries like handicrafts and textiles, which led to fewer job opportunities.
  • Even after independence, the economy grew slowly until the 1980s, resulting in low incomes and limited jobs.
  • The population kept growing, which made the situation worse.
  • The Green Revolution helped create some jobs in agriculture, but only in a few regions.
  • Industries created some employment, but not enough for everyone.
  • Many people moved to cities in search of work but could only find low-paying jobs like rickshaw pullers, vendors, construction workers, or domestic helpers.
  • With small and unstable incomes, they couldn’t afford proper homes and started living in slums.
  • Poverty, which was once mainly in rural areas, also became a problem in cities.
  • There is also a big gap between the rich and poor due to unequal distribution of land and resources.
  • Though the government made land reform policies, most states did not implement them properly.
  • If these policies had been applied well, they could have helped many poor rural families.
  • Social and cultural pressures also lead to poverty. Even poor people spend a lot on weddings, festivals, and religious events, which reduces their savings.
  • Small farmers need to buy seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides but have no money, so they take loans at high interest rates.
  • When they can’t repay the loans, they fall into debt, which makes their poverty worse.
  • So, debt and poverty are connected—each one causes the other.

Try yourself:Which of the following is NOT a cause of poverty?

  • A. British Rule
  • B. Rural Economy
  • C.Heavy Pressure of Population
  • D.Religious Factors

View Solution

Anti Poverty Measures

  • Main Goal: One of India’s main development goals has been to reduce poverty.
  • Government Strategy: The current anti-poverty plan has two main parts
    (i) Encouraging economic growth
    (ii) Running specific programmes for the poor
  • Early Situation (1950s to early 1980s):
    – India’s per capita income grew very slowly.
    – Poverty levels stayed high, around 45%, with little improvement.
  • Change Since 1980s:
    – Economic growth increased.
    – Growth rate went from 3.5% in the 1970s to 6% in the 1980s and 1990s.
    – From 2000 to 2020, India saw even faster economic progress.
    – This growth has helped reduce poverty a lot.
  • Link Between Growth and Poverty:
    – Economic growth gives more jobs and income opportunities.
    – It also gives the government more money to spend on health and education.
    – Families are now more likely to send children to school, including girls, hoping for better income in the future.
  • Limitations:
    – Poor people may not always benefit from economic growth.
    – Growth in the agriculture sector is still very slow.
    – Since many poor people live in villages and depend on farming, this affects them directly.
  • Need for Special Programmes:
    – Along with growth, we also need targeted programmes to fight poverty directly.
    – Many such government schemes exist, some of which are very important and have made a difference.

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005

This scheme was started to give 100 days of paid work each year to every rural household. Its goal is to provide jobs and income in villages, especially during tough times like droughts, deforestation, or soil erosion. One-third of the jobs are reserved for women. The wage rate is regularly updated for unskilled workers.

Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Abhiyan (PM POSHAN)

This is an important programme by the Government of India with two main goals:

  1. To give children nutritious food (with enough calories and protein).
  2. To increase school enrolment and stop children from dropping out of school.

It is for students of Classes I to VIII in government and government-aided schools, and special training centres under the Right to Education Act. The scheme is run with the help of local governments and community groups. It helps poor children attend school more regularly and focus better on studies.

Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA)

Launched in 2016, this scheme aims to reduce the death of mothers and babies by providing free health check-ups and medical care to pregnant women across the country. Services are provided on the 9th of every month. Private doctors are also encouraged to help by volunteering in government hospitals. The scheme ensures safe pregnancies and proper treatment during the pregnancy period.

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY)

Started in 2016, this scheme helps rural women by giving them clean cooking gas (LPG) instead of using wood, coal, or cow dung. It is for poor families (BPL, SC, ST, forest dwellers, etc.). The LPG connection is given in the name of the woman in the family. The first refill and stove are provided for free.

This scheme helps:

  • Reduce air pollution and health problems like breathing issues and weak eyesight.
  • Protect the environment by reducing the cutting of trees.
  • Save time and effort in collecting firewood.
  • Encourage women to take part in work and social activities.

Try yourself:

What is one of the challenges in the implementation of poverty alleviation programs?

  • A.Lack of proper monitoring and targeting
  • B.Wide disparities in poverty between rural and urban areas
  • C.Increasing stress on universal free elementary education
  • D.Eradication of poverty as a moving target

View Solution

The Challenges Ahead

  • Poverty in India has reduced, but it still remains a major challenge.
  • There are large differences in poverty levels between rural and urban areas, and also among different states.
  • Some social and economic groups are more affected by poverty than others.
  • Reducing poverty further will depend on faster economic growth, better education for all, slower population growth, and empowerment of women and weaker sections.
  • Measuring poverty only by income shows a limited view and focuses only on survival, not on living well.
  • Experts suggest we should also think about human poverty, which includes education, health care, shelter, job safety, confidence, and freedom from discrimination.
  • Child labour and caste or gender bias are still issues in some places.
  • As countries grow, the idea of what poverty means also changes.
  • The chapter explained different ways to measure poverty.
  • The National Multidimensional Poverty Index by NITI Aayog shows that fewer people in India are poor in multiple ways now.
  • This improvement may be because of various government efforts in recent years.

3. Poverty as a Challenge – Chapter Notes

Introduction

In our daily life, we see poverty all around us. They could be landless labourers in villages, people living in overcrowded jhuggis in cities, daily wage workers or child workers in dhabas. 

To study this problem, NITI Aayog uses something called the Multidimensional Poverty Index, which looks at poverty in many ways — not just money, but also education, health, and living conditions.
According to this index, poverty in India has reduced over time:

  • In 2005–06, about 55% of people were poor.
  • In 2015–16, it came down to 25%.
  • In 2019–21, it further dropped to 15%.

Experts believe that soon, poverty in India will come down to single digits (less than 10%).

What is Poverty?

Poverty involves hunger and the lack of shelter. It is a situation where parents cannot send their children to school or where sick individuals cannot afford medical care.

Poverty also signifies the absence of clean water and sanitation facilities and a lack of regular employment at a decent minimum level. Those who are poor often face mistreatment in various places, including farms, factories, government offices, hospitals, and railway stations.

Two Typical Cases of Poverty

Urban Case

  • Ram Saran, aged 33, works as a daily-wage labourer at a wheat flour mill near Ranchi, Jharkhand.
  • He earns about ₹3,500 per month, but only when work is available.
  • His income is not enough to support his family of six – his wife and four children aged between 12 years and 6 months.
  • He also sends money to his elderly parents living in a village near Ramgarh. His father is landless, and his brother in Hazaribagh also relies on him.
  • The family lives in a tiny, one-room rented house on the outskirts of the city, made of bricks and clay tiles.

Story of Ram Saran

  • His wife, Santa Devi, works as a part-time maid and earns about ₹1,500.
  • They manage only two meals a day—mostly dal and rice, which is not enough for all members.
  • Their elder son works in a tea shop, earning an additional ₹700.
  • The 10-year-old daughter attends school and looks after her younger siblings.
  • Each family member has only two sets of old clothes. New clothes are bought only when the old ones are completely worn out.
  • Shoes are a luxury they can rarely afford.
  • The youngest child enjoys the mid-day meal (dal-rice) provided at school.

Rural Case

  • Lakha Singh lives in a small village near Meerut in Uttar Pradesh.
  • His family does not own land and works as labourers for big farmers.
  • Their work is irregular, and income is uncertain. Sometimes they earn ₹200 for a full day’s work, but often they are paid in kind with wheat, dal, or vegetables.
  • The family of six struggles to get even two proper meals a day.
  • They live in a kuchha hut on the outskirts of the village.
  • The women of the family spend their day cutting fodder and collecting firewood from the fields.
  • Lakha’s father had tuberculosis and died two years ago because he couldn’t get treatment.
  • His mother now has the same illness and is getting weaker.
  • Although there is a primary school in the village, Lakha never went to school, but he is happy that his children do.
  • The family gets new clothes only once in a few years.
  • Even basic things like soap and oil are a luxury for them.

These two examples show that poverty has many sides. It is not just about having no money. Poverty means:

  • being hungry and not having a proper place to live,
  • parents not being able to give healthy food to their children three times a day,
  • sick people not getting medical help because they can’t afford it,
  • not having clean drinking water or proper toilets,
  • not having a regular job that pays enough for basic needs,
  • living with a feeling of helplessness, where poor people are often treated badly in places like farms, factories, government offices, hospitals, and railway stations.

Clearly, no one would want to live in such conditions.

One of the biggest problems for independent India has been to help millions of people come out of extreme poverty. Mahatma Gandhi said that India would only be truly free when even the poorest people are free from suffering.

Poverty as seen by social scientists

Poverty is not just about having less money, so social scientists use many different ways to understand it. They usually look at income and how much people are able to spend. But nowadays, other factors are also considered to find out if someone is poor.

For example, the National Multidimensional Poverty Index checks poverty using three main things:

  • Health – like nutrition, deaths of children and mothers.
  • Education – like how many years a person has gone to school and if children attend school regularly.
  • Living conditions – like whether the family has clean cooking fuel, toilets, clean drinking water, proper houses, electricity, useful items, and a bank account.

Factors like being left out of society (social exclusion) and facing risks or hardships (vulnerability) are also considered to understand poverty better.

Analysis of Poverty

Social Exclusion 

  • Poverty is not just about having less money, but also about living in poor surroundings with other poor people.
  • Poor people are often excluded from enjoying the benefits and equal treatment that richer people get.
  • This exclusion is called social exclusion.
  • Social exclusion can cause poverty or be a result of poverty.
  • It means some people or groups are kept away from facilities, benefits, and opportunities that others enjoy.
  • A common example is the caste system in India, where people from certain castes don’t get equal chances.
  • Social exclusion can sometimes cause more harm than just having a low income.

Try yourself:

What is one major aspect of poverty according to the text?

  • A.Lack of clean water
  • B.Access to luxury goods
  • C.High income
  • D.Abundant job opportunities

View Solution

Vulnerability

  • Vulnerability to poverty means the higher chance that some people or groups might become or stay poor.
  • Examples include people from backward castes, widows, or those who are physically disabled.
  • It depends on what options people have—like their assets, education, health, and job opportunities.
  • Vulnerable groups face more risks during natural disasters like earthquakes or tsunamis.
  • It also depends on how well they can cope with these risks socially and economically.
  • In short, vulnerable people are more likely to suffer worse effects than others when problems like floods, job losses, or disasters occur.

Poverty Line

  • The poverty line is a way to decide who is poor and who is not.
  • It is usually based on a person’s income or spending on basic needs like food and clothes.
  • If someone earns or spends less than a certain amount, they are considered poor.
  • The amount needed for basic needs is not the same in all countries or at all times.
  • So, each country sets its own poverty line based on its level of development and social standards.
  • For example, in the USA, not having a car might be seen as being poor, but in India, having a car is still a luxury.
  • In India, the poverty line was earlier decided by calculating the minimum needs like food, clothing, electricity, education, and medical care.
  • The cost of these items was calculated using their prices in rupees.
  • The poverty line was also linked to the calorie needs of people based on their age, gender, and work.
  • On average, a person in rural areas needed 2400 calories per day, and in urban areas, 2100 calories per day.
  • Rural people need more calories because they usually do more physical work.
  • The money needed to buy enough food to meet these calorie needs was used to set the poverty line.
  • This amount is updated regularly as prices of items go up.
  • Now, the Government of India also uses something called the Multidimensional Poverty Index.
  • This index uses 12 indicators like health, education, and living standards to measure poverty in a more complete way.
  • It helps to understand poverty beyond just income or spending.

Poverty Estimates

  • Using the method explained earlier, experts calculate the number and percentage of poor people in India. This is called the Head Count Ratio (HCR).
  • In the 1990s, the percentage of poor people (based on how much they spent) came down from 45% to 37%, but the total number of poor people stayed around 40 crore.
  • Between 2000 and 2011, both the percentage and number of poor people started going down.
  • From 2015 to 2021, the percentage of people who were poor in many ways (called multidimensional poor) dropped from 25% to 15%.
  • According to official records, about 13.5 crore people came out of multidimensional poverty during this time.
  • Also, the reduction in poverty was faster in villages (rural areas) compared to cities (urban areas).Estimates of Poverty in India 1993 – 2019

Poverty Index: A Progress Review 2023, NITI Aayog, Government of India.

Try yourself:

What is the commonly used method to measure poverty?

  • A.Income and spending levels
  • B.Education and healthcare access
  • C.Social exclusion and vulnerability
  • D.Minimum level of living requirements

View Solution

Inter-State Disparities

  • Poverty is not the same across all states in India; some states have more poor people than others.
  • Since the 1970s, poverty has reduced in many states, but the progress is not equal everywhere.
  • States like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, and Maharashtra had less than 10% of their population living in poverty in 2019–21.
  • States such as Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan have also shown great improvement in reducing poverty.
  • Different states have used different ways to fight poverty based on their needs.
  • Kerala has focused on developing human resources like education and health.
  • West Bengal has used land reforms to reduce poverty.
  • In Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, the government has improved the supply of food grains to the poor through the public distribution system.

Vulnerable Groups

  • The number of people living below the poverty line varies across different social and economic groups in India. The most affected groups are those from the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe households.
  • In terms of economic status, the groups most at risk are rural agricultural labour households and urban casual labour households.
  • While the overall average of people below the poverty line in India is 22%, 43 out of 100 individuals from Scheduled Tribes struggle to meet their basic needs.  Additionally, around 34% of casual labourers in rural areas and 29% of those from Scheduled Castes are also poor.
  • The severe challenges faced by landless casual wage labour households from socially disadvantaged groups, such as Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes, illustrate the gravity of the issue. Recent studies indicate that, apart from Scheduled Tribe households, all other groups—Scheduled Castes, rural agricultural labourers, and urban casual labour households—have experienced a decline in poverty since the 1990s.
  • Women, the elderly, and female infants often lack equal access to resources within their families. Although all family members in poor households face hardship, some experience greater suffering. As a result, women, children (especially girls), and the elderly are among the most impoverished.

Try yourself:Which social group in India is most vulnerable to poverty?

  • A.Scheduled caste households
  • B.Urban casual labor households
  • C.Scheduled tribe households
  • D.Both Scheduled caste and Scheduled tribe households

View Solution

Global Poverty Scenario

Is India the only country with poor people?

No, India is not the only country that has poor people. Many other countries also face poverty. To compare poverty between countries, international organisations like the World Bank use a common standard called the poverty line. They consider a person extremely poor if they live on less than $2.15 a day.

You might wonder why the dollar ($) is used instead of the rupee. That’s because every country has its own currency. So, to compare poverty across the world in the same way, international groups use the US dollar as a common measuring unit.

Although poverty has reduced around the world, different regions show different results:

  • In China and Southeast Asia, poverty dropped a lot because of fast economic growth and large investments in education, health, and skills. In fact, in China, the number of poor people became just 0.1% in 2020.
  • In South Asia (which includes countries like India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Afghanistan, and Maldives), the percentage of poor people went down from 13% in 2017 to 11% in 2021. Also, the number of poor people came down from 233 million in 2017 to 207 million in 2021.
  • In Sub-Saharan Africa, poverty also declined slightly — from 36.6% in 2017 to 35% in 2019.
  • However, in Latin America and the Caribbean, poverty actually increased slightly, from 4.4% in 2017 to 4.6% in 2021.
  • In some former socialist countries like Russia, poverty has also come back. It was 0% earlier, but 3% of people were poor again by the year 2000.

Try yourself:

Which states in India have a poverty ratio higher than the national average?

  • A.Kerala and Maharashtra
  • B.Orissa and Bihar
  • C.Punjab and Haryana
  • D.Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu

View Solution

Poverty and Sustainable Development Goals

  • The United Nations (UN) has set new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end all types of poverty by the year 2030.
  • These goals are a shared plan to bring peace and prosperity to people and protect the planet—both now and in the future.
  • There are 17 goals in total that focus on improving life for everyone.
  • To achieve these goals, both rich (developed) and poor (developing) countries need to act quickly and work together.
  • Rich countries should help poorer countries by supporting them in ending poverty, improving health and education, reducing inequality, fighting climate change, and promoting sustainable development.

Causes of Poverty

  • One major reason for poverty in India is its slow economic growth during British rule.
  • The British destroyed local industries like handicrafts and textiles, which led to fewer job opportunities.
  • Even after independence, the economy grew slowly until the 1980s, resulting in low incomes and limited jobs.
  • The population kept growing, which made the situation worse.
  • The Green Revolution helped create some jobs in agriculture, but only in a few regions.
  • Industries created some employment, but not enough for everyone.
  • Many people moved to cities in search of work but could only find low-paying jobs like rickshaw pullers, vendors, construction workers, or domestic helpers.
  • With small and unstable incomes, they couldn’t afford proper homes and started living in slums.
  • Poverty, which was once mainly in rural areas, also became a problem in cities.
  • There is also a big gap between the rich and poor due to unequal distribution of land and resources.
  • Though the government made land reform policies, most states did not implement them properly.
  • If these policies had been applied well, they could have helped many poor rural families.
  • Social and cultural pressures also lead to poverty. Even poor people spend a lot on weddings, festivals, and religious events, which reduces their savings.
  • Small farmers need to buy seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides but have no money, so they take loans at high interest rates.
  • When they can’t repay the loans, they fall into debt, which makes their poverty worse.
  • So, debt and poverty are connected—each one causes the other.

Try yourself:Which of the following is NOT a cause of poverty?

  • A. British Rule
  • B. Rural Economy
  • C.Heavy Pressure of Population
  • D.Religious Factors

View Solution

Anti Poverty Measures

  • Main Goal: One of India’s main development goals has been to reduce poverty.
  • Government Strategy: The current anti-poverty plan has two main parts
    (i) Encouraging economic growth
    (ii) Running specific programmes for the poor
  • Early Situation (1950s to early 1980s):
    – India’s per capita income grew very slowly.
    – Poverty levels stayed high, around 45%, with little improvement.
  • Change Since 1980s:
    – Economic growth increased.
    – Growth rate went from 3.5% in the 1970s to 6% in the 1980s and 1990s.
    – From 2000 to 2020, India saw even faster economic progress.
    – This growth has helped reduce poverty a lot.
  • Link Between Growth and Poverty:
    – Economic growth gives more jobs and income opportunities.
    – It also gives the government more money to spend on health and education.
    – Families are now more likely to send children to school, including girls, hoping for better income in the future.
  • Limitations:
    – Poor people may not always benefit from economic growth.
    – Growth in the agriculture sector is still very slow.
    – Since many poor people live in villages and depend on farming, this affects them directly.
  • Need for Special Programmes:
    – Along with growth, we also need targeted programmes to fight poverty directly.
    – Many such government schemes exist, some of which are very important and have made a difference.

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005

This scheme was started to give 100 days of paid work each year to every rural household. Its goal is to provide jobs and income in villages, especially during tough times like droughts, deforestation, or soil erosion. One-third of the jobs are reserved for women. The wage rate is regularly updated for unskilled workers.

Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Abhiyan (PM POSHAN)

This is an important programme by the Government of India with two main goals:

  1. To give children nutritious food (with enough calories and protein).
  2. To increase school enrolment and stop children from dropping out of school.

It is for students of Classes I to VIII in government and government-aided schools, and special training centres under the Right to Education Act. The scheme is run with the help of local governments and community groups. It helps poor children attend school more regularly and focus better on studies.

Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA)

Launched in 2016, this scheme aims to reduce the death of mothers and babies by providing free health check-ups and medical care to pregnant women across the country. Services are provided on the 9th of every month. Private doctors are also encouraged to help by volunteering in government hospitals. The scheme ensures safe pregnancies and proper treatment during the pregnancy period.

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY)

Started in 2016, this scheme helps rural women by giving them clean cooking gas (LPG) instead of using wood, coal, or cow dung. It is for poor families (BPL, SC, ST, forest dwellers, etc.). The LPG connection is given in the name of the woman in the family. The first refill and stove are provided for free.

This scheme helps:

  • Reduce air pollution and health problems like breathing issues and weak eyesight.
  • Protect the environment by reducing the cutting of trees.
  • Save time and effort in collecting firewood.
  • Encourage women to take part in work and social activities.

Try yourself:

What is one of the challenges in the implementation of poverty alleviation programs?

  • A.Lack of proper monitoring and targeting
  • B.Wide disparities in poverty between rural and urban areas
  • C.Increasing stress on universal free elementary education
  • D.Eradication of poverty as a moving target

View Solution

The Challenges Ahead

  • Poverty in India has reduced, but it still remains a major challenge.
  • There are large differences in poverty levels between rural and urban areas, and also among different states.
  • Some social and economic groups are more affected by poverty than others.
  • Reducing poverty further will depend on faster economic growth, better education for all, slower population growth, and empowerment of women and weaker sections.
  • Measuring poverty only by income shows a limited view and focuses only on survival, not on living well.
  • Experts suggest we should also think about human poverty, which includes education, health care, shelter, job safety, confidence, and freedom from discrimination.
  • Child labour and caste or gender bias are still issues in some places.
  • As countries grow, the idea of what poverty means also changes.
  • The chapter explained different ways to measure poverty.
  • The National Multidimensional Poverty Index by NITI Aayog shows that fewer people in India are poor in multiple ways now.
  • This improvement may be because of various government efforts in recent years.

2. People as Resource – Chapter Notes

Introduction

This chapter explains how population can be an asset (something valuable) rather than a burden for a country.

  • When people get education, training, and medical care, they become human capital — a useful resource for the economy.
  • Human capital means the skills, knowledge, and abilities that people use to work and earn a living.
  • It is created by investing in education, healthcare, and skill development.
  • Just like machines and buildings (called physical capital), investing in people also brings benefits.
  • Skilled and healthy people can work more efficiently and produce more.
  • These working people help increase the country’s income, known as the Gross National Product (GNP).
  • So, population is not just about how many people need food and jobs, but also about how many can contribute to development.
  • When we spend on education, healthcare, and training:
    a) People get better jobs
    b) They earn higher incomes
    c) They become more productive

Investing in People Means Investing in Progress

  • Educated and healthy people also help others in society by sharing their knowledge and contributing to progress. So, not only individuals but the whole society benefits.
  • Land and machines cannot work on their own. But people (human capital) can use land and machines to produce goods and services. This makes human capital more important than land or tools.
  • For many years, India’s large population was seen as a problem. Now we understand that it can be a strength if:
    – People are educated and healthy
    – Workers are trained to use modern methods
    – Scientific research is promoted
  • A population becomes a productive asset when we invest in human capital.

Examples:
The Green Revolution in India demonstrated how scientific knowledge and training can improve agricultural productivity.

The IT Revolution showcased the role of educated youth in placing India on the global map as a hub for software and technology services.

Case Studies: Sakal and Vilas

Sakal’s Story

  • Sakal and Vilas were two friends who lived in a village called Semapur.
  • Sakal was 12 years old. His mother, Sheela, took care of household work, and his father, Buta Chaudhary, worked in the fields.
  • Sakal helped his mother at home and also took care of his younger siblings, Jeetu and Seetu.
  • His uncle, Shyam, had passed Class 10 but was unemployed.
  • Sakal’s parents wanted him to get a good education, so they made sure he joined the village school.
  • He studied well and passed his higher secondary (Class 12) exams.
  • His father encouraged him to study further and took a loan so Sakal could learn computers through a vocational course.
  • Sakal was a bright and hardworking student. He completed the course with great enthusiasm.
  • Soon, he got a job in a private company. There, he designed a special kind of software that helped the company increase its sales.
  • His boss appreciated his work and gave him a promotion.

Stories of Vilas and Sakal

Vilas’s Story

  • Vilas was 11 years old and lived in the same village as Sakal.
  • His father, Mahesh, was a fisherman but died when Vilas was just 2 years old.
  • His mother, Geeta, sold fish to earn money. She used to buy fish from a landowner’s pond and sell it in the market.
  • She earned only around ₹150 a day.
  • Vilas had arthritis, a joint disease, but his mother couldn’t afford treatment.
  • He never went to school and had no interest in studies.
  • Vilas helped his mother with housework and looked after his younger brother, Mohan.
  • Later, his mother also became ill and couldn’t take care of the family.
  • Since there was no one to help them, Vilas had to start selling fish like his mother.
  • He earned only a small amount of money and continued living a hard life.

What Do We Learn from Sakal and Vilas’s Stories?

  • Sakal went to school, got good health care, and was healthy. He didn’t need to visit the doctor often.
  • Vilas, on the other hand, was sick with arthritis and couldn’t afford to see a doctor. He never went to school.
  • Sakal studied computer programming and got a job in a private company. Vilas continued doing what his mother did—selling fish and earning very little money.
  • Because Sakal got an education, he became skilled. This increased his productivity (how much useful work he could do), which helped in the growth of the economy.
  • Higher productivity means people can earn better salaries or income.
  • Vilas did not get any education or health care, so he stayed unskilled and poor, earning the same low income as his mother.

Why Are Education and Health  Important?

  • When we invest in people by giving them education and medical care, they become more skilled and healthy.
  • This helps them earn more money in the future and contribute better to society—just like how investing in land or machines brings returns.
  • Even a child, if given proper education and healthcare, can grow up to earn more and help society.
  • Educated parents understand the value of education and health. They make sure their children go to school, eat nutritious food and stay clean and healthy.
  • This creates a positive cycle—one generation helps the next do better.

In a virtuous cycle, educated and healthy parents raise educated and healthy children. 
In a vicious cycle, uneducated and poor parents are unable to support their children well, who also remain uneducated and unhealthy.

Example: Japan

  • Japan became rich and developed not because it had natural resources, but because it invested in its people—especially in education and health.
  • The educated and skilled people of Japan used other resources, like land and capital, very efficiently.
  • This smart use of people and technology made Japan a rich and developed country, even though it had to import natural resources.

Try yourself:

How does human capital formation contribute to economic growth?

  • A.By increasing the productivity of workers
  • B.By reducing the population size
  • C.By promoting technological advancements
  • D.By encouraging foreign investment

View Solution

Economic Activities by Men and Women

Just like Sakal and Vilas, people around us do different kinds of work. Vilas sold fish, while Sakal worked in an office. All types of work can be divided into three main sectors:

1. Primary Sector

  • This includes work like farming, fishing, forestry, mining, poultry, and animal rearing.
  • These jobs use natural resources directly.

2. Secondary Sector

  • This includes manufacturing and factory work.
  • Raw materials are changed into finished goods here.

3. Tertiary Sector

  • This includes services like transport, trade, banking, education, health, tourism, communication, insurance, etc.
  • These activities help produce goods and services and add to the country’s national income.

What Are Economic Activities?

Economic activities are those that produce goods or services and add value to the economy.

They are of two types:

a. Market Activities: Work done for money or profit. Example: Government jobs, business, or private firm jobs.
b. Non-Market Activities: Work done for self-use or without payment. Example: A farmer growing food just for family use or building your own house.

Try yourself:

What activities are included in the tertiary sector?

  • A.Agriculture and forestry
  • B.Manufacturing and mining
  • C.Trade and transport
  • D.Fishing and poultry farming

View Solution

Work Done by Men and Women

  • In most families, there is a division of work between men and women:
    a) Women, like Sakal’s mother, Sheela, usually take care of the house — cooking, cleaning, looking after children, etc.
    b) Men, like Sakal’s father Buta, work outside, earn money, and support the family.
  • The work women do at home is important, but unpaid. That’s why it is not counted in the country’s income.

When Are Women Paid?

  • Women get paid when they work outside, like Vilas’s mother, Geeta, who sold fish.
  • Their income, like men’s, depends on their education and skills.

Education and Income

  • People who are educated and skilled get better jobs and higher pay.
  • Most women in India have less education and fewer skills, so:
    – They get less pay than men.
    – They work in places with no job security.
    – They have no maternity leave, no childcare, and no social security.
  • But when women are well-educated and skilled, they:
    – Get jobs with equal pay as men.
    – Work in good sectors like teaching, medicine, and sometimes in government and scientific jobs.

Primary Sector (Activities that involve the use of natural resources):

  • Farming (shown by the tractor working in the field at the top)

Secondary Sector (Activities that involve manufacturing or processing):

  • Industrial work or factory production (shown in the middle part with factories and chimneys)

Tertiary Sector (Activities that provide services):

  • Transport and trade (shown by the cargo ship, airplane, and port at the bottom)

Quality of Population

The quality of a country’s population depends on Literacy Rate, Life Expectancy, Health Status, and Skill Formation. A high-quality population is considered an asset. A literate, skilled, and healthy population contributes positively to society and the economy.

Try yourself:

What is one reason why women’s domestic work is not recognized in the National Income?

  • A.Women do not contribute significantly to the economy.
  • B.Domestic work is not considered a valuable economic activity.
  • C.Women prefer to work in unpaid domestic roles.
  • D.The government does not have the necessary data to calculate women’s contributions.

View Solution

Education

Education enhances national income, cultural richness, and governance efficiency.

  • Efforts include universal access, retention, and quality in elementary education, with special emphasis on girls.
  • Establishment of pace-setting schools like Navodaya Vidyalaya in each district.
  • Development of vocational streams for high school students.

Budgetary Allocations and Expenditure

  • Plan outlay on education increased from Rs 151 crore in the first plan to Rs 99,300 crore in 2020–21.
  • Expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP rose from 0.64% in 1951–52 to 3.1% in 2019–20 (B.E.).
  • However, there is a decline to 2.8% in 2020–21 (B.E.), as per the Budget Documents of Union State Governments and the Reserve Bank of India.Trends in Literacy Rates In Post – Independent India

Literacy Rates and Disparities

  • Over the years, literacy rates have shown a commendable upward trend, reaching 85% in 2018. 
  • Literacy is acknowledged not just as a fundamental right but also as a prerequisite for citizens to effectively fulfil their duties and enjoy their rights. 
  • However, gender and regional disparities persist, with males exhibiting a 16.1% higher literacy rate than females. 
  • Urban areas also show a 14.2% advantage over rural areas, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions to bridge these gaps.

Challenges in Primary Education

  • While the expansion of the primary school system to over 7.78 lakh in 2019–20 reflects a positive stride, concerns arise over the dilution of educational quality and high dropout rates. 
  • The implementation of initiatives like Sarva Siksha Abhiyan, with elements such as bridge courses, back-to-school camps, and the mid-day meal scheme, aims to counter these challenges, striving for universal elementary education.

Higher Education Scenario

  • In the realm of higher education, the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) for the age group of 18 to 23 years reached 27% in 2019–20, aligning broadly with the world average. 
  • The strategic focus revolves around increasing access, ensuring quality, modifying curricula to suit state-specific needs, encouraging vocationalization, and embracing information technology. 
  • Noteworthy is the emphasis on distance education and the convergence of various education formats, encompassing formal, non-formal, distance, and IT education institutions.

Health

  • In the pursuit of profit maximization, firms place a significant emphasis on workforce efficiency. 
  • The selection of employees with optimal health is crucial for ensuring productivity and achieving organizational goals. 
  • The premise is that individuals in good health are better positioned to contribute effectively to the overall growth and success of the organization.

Significance of Health

  • Good health enables individuals to realize their potential and effectively contribute to organizational growth.
  • Healthy individuals can maximize their output, positively impacting overall organizational performance.Children standing in queue for health check-up

Health Infrastructure in India

  • National Policy Focus: The national policy emphasizes improving healthcare access and services, focusing on the underprivileged.
  • Infrastructure Development: Over the last five decades, India has built extensive health infrastructure in the government and private sectors. Manpower development spans primary, secondary, and tertiary sectors.

Health Progress Indicators

  • Life Expectancy: Increased life expectancy to over 67.2 years in 2021.
  • Infant Mortality Rate (IMR): IMR reduced from 147 in 1951 to 28 in 2020.
  • Crude Birth Rates: Dropped to 20.0 (2018).
  • Death Rates: Reduced to 6 (2020).

Healthcare Disparities and Infrastructure Gaps

  • Despite progress, healthcare disparities persist in various regions of India. Many areas lack even basic healthcare facilities. 
  • The availability of medical and dental colleges is unevenly distributed, with only 542 medical colleges and 313 dental colleges nationwide. 
  • States such as Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu host a concentration of medical colleges, revealing regional imbalances in healthcare infrastructure.

Health infratructure over the years

Try yourself:

Why do firms place emphasis on selecting employees with optimal health?

  • A.To maximize profit
  • B.To improve healthcare access
  • C.To reduce healthcare disparities
  • D.To increase life expectancy

View Solution

Unemployment

Unemployment is characterized by the inability of willing individuals to secure jobs at prevailing wages. It is crucial to differentiate between those not seeking employment and those facing challenges in finding suitable opportunities. In India, both rural and city areas face unemployment, but the reasons differ. 

Impact of Unemployment

  • Wastage of Manpower Resource: Converts potential assets into liabilities for the economy. Creates a feeling of hopelessness and despair among the youth.
  • Economic Overload: Increases dependence on the working population. Adversely affects the quality of life for individuals and society.
  • Social Consequences: Decline in health status, withdrawal from the school system, and general despair.
  • Indicator of a Depressed Economy: An increase in unemployment signals economic challenges.

Types of Unemployment

  • Seasonal Unemployment: In rural areas, seasonal unemployment is prevalent, particularly among those dependent on agriculture. Certain months witness reduced agricultural activities, leading to temporary job scarcity for these individuals. 
  • Disguised Unemployment: Disguised unemployment, common in family-based agricultural settings, gives the appearance of employment. However, surplus workers engage in activities that do not significantly contribute to productivity, highlighting the inefficiencies in resource utilization. 
  • Educated Unemployment (Urban): Urban areas witness a paradoxical situation where educated individuals, even with matriculation, graduation, or post-graduate degrees, struggle to find suitable employment. This creates a coexistence of surplus manpower in certain categories and a shortage in others.

Try yourself:What type of unemployment is prevalent in rural areas?

  • A.Seasonal Unemployment
  • B.Disguised Unemployment
  • C.Both Seasonal and Disguised Unemployment
  • D.None of the above

View Solution

Statistical Perspective

  • While official statistics may indicate low unemployment rates, many individuals with low income and productivity are considered employed. 
  • Forced work for subsistence rather than by choice is prevalent, contributing to the statistical landscape.

Disguised Unemployment in Agriculture

  • The agriculture sector in India experiences disguised unemployment, with self-employment characterized by surplus labour. 
  • Despite shared work and produce among family members, surplus labour eventually migrates from villages in search of alternative job opportunities.

Sectoral Employment Trends

  • Agriculture: Most labor-absorbing; recent decline due to migration to secondary and tertiary sectors.
  • Secondary Sector: Small-scale manufacturing as labor-absorbing.
  • Tertiary Sector: Growth in new services like biotechnology and IT.

Story of a Village

  • Self-Sufficient Village: Families produced food, made clothes, and taught children independently.
    Education & Innovation: One family sent their son to agriculture college. The son became an agro-engineer, designed an improved plough, increasing wheat yield. New job of agro-engineer was created.
  • Economic Growth: Family sold surplus wheat in a neighboring village, earned profit. Success inspired other families to seek better futures for their children.
  • Establishment of School: Families requested the panchayat to open a school. A teacher was recruited; all village children began attending school.
  • Creation of Tailoring Job: A daughter trained in tailoring, started stitching clothes for villagers. New job of tailor was created, saving farmers’ time and increasing farm yield.
  • Village Prosperity: Farmers sold surplus produce in village markets. Village, initially with no job opportunities, now had multiple jobs (teacher, tailor, agro-engineer). The rise in human capital led to diverse and modern economic activities.

In conclusion, the chapter “People as a Resource” demonstrates that education and health are crucial in transforming a population into an asset. By investing in human capital, a nation can ensure sustainable development, improve living standards, and reduce poverty and unemployment. The focus should not only be on increasing the number of people employed, but also on improving the quality of employment and the quality of the population.

Key Terms

  1. Human Capital: A measure of the economic value of an employee’s skill set. This concept emphasizes that not all labor is equal and that the quality of employees can be improved by investing in them.
  2. Vocational Training: Education or training that prepares individuals for specific crafts, trades, or careers at various levels from a trade, a craft, technician, or a professional position in engineering, accountancy, nursing, medicine, architecture, pharmacy, law etc.
  3. Green Revolution: Refers to a series of research, development, and technology transfer initiatives, occurring between the 1940s and the late 1960s, that increased agriculture production worldwide, particularly in the developing world.
  4. IT Revolution: Refers to the rapid advancements and widespread adoption of information technology that began in the late 20th century and continues to affect the global economy, communication, and efficiency.
  5. Market Activities: Economic activities that involve transactions of goods and services for money, contributing directly to the economy.
  6. Non-Market Activities: Economic activities that do not involve monetary transactions but satisfy personal and family needs, such as subsistence farming or household work.
  7. Disguised Unemployment: Occurs when more people are engaged in a job than are actually needed to perform the job; these extra people do not increase productivity.
  8. Educated Unemployment: A situation where individuals with academic and training qualifications cannot find employment at an appropriate level or wage.
  9. Virtuous and Vicious Cycles: In economics, a virtuous cycle has favorable results while a vicious cycle has detrimental effects. For instance, investment in education can lead to higher incomes, which can lead to more investments in education (virtuous cycle), whereas lack of education can lead to low income and thus less investment in education (vicious cycle).
  10. Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER): The number of students enrolled in a given level of education, regardless of age, expressed as a percentage of the official school-age population corresponding to the same level of education.
  11. Navodaya Vidyalaya: A system of central schools for talented students predominantly from rural India. They are run by Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, New Delhi, an autonomous organization under the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education (MoE), Government of India.
  12. Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA): A government of India program aimed at the universalization of elementary education in a time-bound manner, as mandated by the 86th amendment to the Constitution of India making free and compulsory education to children aged 6–14 a fundamental right.
  13. Mid-Day Meal Scheme: A school meal program in India designed to improve the nutritional status of school-age children nationwide.

1. The Story of Palampur – Chapter Notes

Introduction

  • Farming is the main source of income in Palampur. Other activities include small-scale manufacturing, dairy transportation, and so on. 
  • Various resources are combined in these production activities to create the desired goods and services.
  • Palampur is well connected to nearby villages and towns. An all-weather road connects the village to Raiganj and, further on, to the nearest small town.
  • This road is lined with various modes of transportation, including bullock carts, tongas, bogeys, motorcycles, jeeps, tractors, and trucks.
  • Palampur is home to approximately 450 families from various castes. The majority of the land is owned by 80 upper-caste families.
  • Their houses are quite large, built of brick and plastered with cement.
  • The SCs (Dalits) makeup one-third of the population and live in a small section of the village in much smaller houses made of mud and straw.
  • The majority of the houses are wired for electricity.
  • All of the tube wells in the fields are powered by electricity. Electricity is also used in many small businesses.
  • There are two primary schools and one high school in Palampur. There is one government-run primary health care centre and one private dispensary. 

Try yourself:How many families live in the village of Palampur?

  • A.150
  • B.250
  • C.350
  • D.450

View Solution


Organization of Production

Production of any type of goods or services necessitated the services of four production factors, which aid in the overall production organization.

  • The first requirement is land, as well as other natural resources like water, forests, and minerals.
  • The second requirement is labour. Some production activities necessitate highly educated workers, while others necessitate manual labourers.
  • The third requirement is physical capital, which refers to the variety of inputs needed at each stage of production. Fixed capital refers to tools, machines, and buildings that can be used in production for many years. Working capital refers to raw materials and cash on hand that are consumed during production.
  • There is also the fourth requirement. To be able to combine land, labour, and physical capital and produce an output, knowledge and enterprise are required. These days, this is referred to as human capital. Every production is organized by combining factors of production such as land, labour, physical capital, and human capital.

Try yourself:Working capital stands for :

  • A.Tools, machines and buildings
  • B.Raw materials and money in hand
  • C.Total share capital
  • D.Fixed deposits in financial institutions

View Solution


Farming in Palampur

1. Land is Fixed

  • Farming is the primary source of income in Palampur.
  • Farming provides a living for 75 percent of the working population.
  • There has been no increase in the amount of land under cultivation in Palampur since 1960. Some of the village’s wastelands had been converted to cultivable land by that time.
  • There is no more opportunity to increase farm production by cultivating new land.

2. Is there a way one can grow more from the same land?

  • In Palampur, all land is farmed. There is no idle land.
  • People grow jawar and bajra during the rainy (Kharif) season for cattle feed. Potatoes are grown from October to December.
  • Wheat is sown during the winter (or Rabi) season. A portion of the land is also dedicated to sugarcane, which is harvested once a year.

3. Will the land be sustained?

  • Land is a vital natural resource that requires careful usage.
  • Modern farming methods have overused natural resources.
  • The Green Revolution has led to loss of soil fertility due to increased chemical fertilizer use.
  • Continuous use of groundwater for irrigation has depleted the water table.
  • Environmental resources like soil fertility and groundwater take years to develop and are hard to restore once destroyed.
  • Chemical fertilizers provide minerals that are readily available to plants but can leach from the soil and pollute water sources.
  • These fertilizers can kill beneficial soil microorganisms, reducing soil fertility over time.
  • Punjab has the highest chemical fertilizer consumption in India, leading to soil health degradation.
  • Punjab farmers must use more fertilizers and other inputs to maintain production, increasing cultivation costs.
  • Sustainable agriculture requires careful environmental management.

4. How is land distributed between the farmers of Palampur?

  • Not everyone involved in agriculture has enough land to cultivate. In Palampur, approximately one-third of the 450 families are landless, i.e. 150 families, the majority of whom are Dalits, lack cultivable land.
  • 240 of the remaining land-owning families cultivate small plots of land less than 2 hectares in size.

Land Distribution between Farmers of Palampur 

  • There are 60 families of medium and large farmers in Palampur who cultivate more than 2 hectares of land. A few of the large farmers own 10 hectares or more of land.

5. Who will Provide the Labour?

  • Farming requires a great deal of effort. Small farmers cultivate their own fields with their families. As a result, they provide the labour required for farming. Farm labourers are hired by medium and large farmers to work in their fields.
  • Farm labourers are either from landless families or from families who cultivate small plots of land. Farm labourers, unlike farmers, have no ownership of the crops grown on the land. Instead, they are paid by the farmer for whose benefit they work. Wages can be paid in cash or in crop form. Labourers are sometimes provided with meals as well.
  • Wages vary greatly from region to region, crop to crop, and farm activity to farm activity (such as sowing and harvesting). There is also a wide variation in the duration of employment; a farm labourer may be employed on a daily basis, for one specific farm activity such as harvesting, or for the entire year.

6. The Capital needed in Farming

  • To obtain capital, the majority of small farmers must borrow money. They borrow from large farmers, village moneylenders, or traders who supply various agricultural inputs.
  • The interest rate on such loans is extremely high. They are put in a difficult situation in order to repay the loan.
  • In contrast to small farmers, medium and large farmers have their own farming savings. As a result, they are able to arrange or the capital required.
  • Small farmers have a small surplus because their total production is small, and a significant portion of this is kept for their own family needs. As a result, wheat is supplied to the market by medium and large farmers.
  • Large and medium-sized farmers sell excess farm products. A portion of the earnings is saved and kept for the purpose of purchasing capital for the following season. As a result, they are able to arrange for farm capital from their own savings. Some farmers may also use their savings to purchase cattle, trucks, or to open new businesses.

7. Sale of Surplus Farm Products

  • Farmers produce wheat using the three factors of production.
  • After harvest, farmers keep part of the wheat for family consumption and sell the surplus.
  • Small farmers have little surplus due to smaller production and higher family needs.
  • Medium and large farmers are the primary suppliers of wheat to the market.
  • Traders buy wheat from farmers and sell it to shopkeepers in towns and cities.
  • Large farmers like Tejpal Singh sell substantial surplus wheat and earn significant income.
  • Tejpal Singh uses his earnings for:
    • Savings in a bank account
    • Lending to other farmers in need
    • Working capital for the next farming season
    • Buying additional farming equipment, such as another tractor
  • Other medium and large farmers similarly save part of their earnings for future capital needs.
  • Savings may be used to buy cattle, trucks, or set up non-farm businesses.
  • These activities contribute to the capital for non-farm activities.

9. Sustainable use of Land

  • Because land is a natural resource, it must be used with caution. Modern farming methods have depleted the earth’s resources.
  • Because of the increased use of chemical fertilizers, the Green Revolution is associated with a loss of soil fertility.
  • The continuous use of groundwater for tube well irrigation has resulted in a decrease in the water level beneath the ground.
  • Environmental resources, such as soil fertility and groundwater, are built up over time. It is extremely difficult to restore them once they have been destroyed.

10. How does Electricity help the Farmers in Palampur?

  • The main impact of the spread of electricity in Palampur was the transformation of the irrigation system.
  • Electricity helped farmers in transitioning from traditional Persian wheels to electricity-powered tube wells.
  • The irrigation capacity of electricity-powered tube wells far exceeds that of Persian wheels.

Solar Tube Wells

  • The spread of electrical wires literally shifted the entire society from darkness to light. It altered all social and economic norms. It’s like entering a different world.

Modern Farming Methods

The main reasons why farmers are able to grow three different crops in a year are:
(i) As a result of the coming of electricity in the Palampur village, people have greatly improved the system of irrigation. They can now irrigate more lands quite effectively.
(ii) Tube wells were first installed by the government but soon people were able to set up their own tube wells.
(iii) By multiple cropping more than one crop is grown on a piece of land during the same year. All farmers in Palampur grow at least two main crops; many are growing potato as the third crop.
(iv) The other way is to use modern farming methods for higher yield. Higher yields are possible from a combination of HYV seeds, irrigation, chemical fertilizers, pesticides etc.

Green Revolution

  • The large increase in crop yields, leading to record food production, began in our country in 1960 and marked a turning point in Indian agriculture, leading to our country’s green revolution.
  • The Green Revolution refers to the significant increase in the production of food grain crops, particularly wheat, in our country over the last 30 years. This is due to a sort of agricultural revolution in India, which has resulted in massive food grain production.
  • The revolution is called because it has led to unmatched greenery of crops everywhere. The period 1960 to 1980 is also called the ‘golden era’ for the record food grain production.
  • It is because of the green revolution that our country has become self-sufficient in food production and even buffer stocks of food grains have been created for use in times of natural calamities like drought and floods.

Try yourself:The Green Revolution introduced the farmers to

  • A.cultivation of wheat and rice
  • B.cultivation of green vegetables
  • C.cultivation of sugar cane
  • D.cultivation of forests

View Solution

Non-Farming Activities in Palampur

Dairy

  • Dairy is a common activity in many families of Palampur. People feed their buffalos on various kinds of grass and the jawar and bajra that grow during the Kharif season.
  • The milk is sold in Raiganj, the nearby large village. Two traders from Shahpur town have set up collection cum chilling centres at Raiganj from where the milk is transported to faraway towns and cities.

An Example of Small Scale Manufacturing in Palampur

  • Less than fifty people are engaged in manufacturing in Palampur, unlike the manufacturing that takes place in the big factories in the towns and cities. 
  • Manufacturing in Palampur involves very simple production methods and is done on a small scale. It is carried out mostly at home or in the fields with the help of family labour.

The Shopkeepers of Palampur

  • People involved in the trade (exchange of goods) are not many in Palampur. the traders of Palampur are shopkeepers who buy various goods from wholesale markets in the cities and sell them in the village.
  • There are a few small general stores in the village selling a wide range of items like rice, wheat, sugar, tea, oil, biscuits, soap, toothpaste, batteries, candies, notebooks, pen, pencil, and even some cloth.

Transport: A Fast Developing Sector

  • There are a variety of vehicles on the road connecting Palampur and Raiganj, including rickshawalas, tanga walas, jeep, tractor, truck drivers, and people driving the traditional bullock cart and bogey.
  • They transport people and goods from one location to another for a fee.

Watch the video below for detailed explanation:

Difficult Words

  1. All-weather road: A road constructed in a manner that ensures it is usable all year round, regardless of weather conditions.
  2. Dalits: Members of the lowest social group in the Hindu caste system; traditionally regarded as untouchables or outcastes.
  3. Physical capital: Assets used in the production of goods and services, which in this context include tools, machines, and buildings.
  4. Human capital: The skills, knowledge, and experience possessed by an individual or population, viewed in terms of their value or cost to an organization or country.
  5. Fixed capital: Long-term assets used over time in the production process, such as machinery and buildings.
  6. Working capital: Short-term assets used in day-to-day operations, including raw materials and cash on hand.
  7. Kharif season: The cropping season in India during the southwest monsoon, typically from June to October, when crops like jawar (sorghum) and bajra (pearl millet) are grown.
  8. Rabi season: The cropping season in India that begins after the monsoon and continues during the cooler months, usually from October/November to March/April, when crops like wheat are sown.
  9. Green Revolution: A large increase in crop production in developing countries achieved by the use of fertilizers, pesticides, and high-yield crop varieties starting in the 1960s.
  10. HYV seeds: High-yielding variety seeds that are engineered to produce more than traditional seeds when given sufficient irrigation, pesticides, and fertilizers.
  11. Tube well: A deep well that is made by driving a tube into the earth to a stratum that bears water, equipped with a pump to draw water, commonly powered by electricity in modern farming.
  12. Sustainable use of land: Agricultural practices that attempt to ensure the viability of the land to continue to yield crops and livestock into the future, without irreversible damage to soil fertility and overall environment.
  13. Solar tube wells: Tube wells that operate on solar power instead of traditional electricity or diesel, reflecting a move towards more sustainable and environmentally friendly farming practices.
  14. Persian wheel: An irrigation device used to lift water, traditionally powered by animals or humans, now largely replaced by electric-powered pumps.

5. Democratic Rights – HOTS Question and answer – 2

108) Why do we need rights in a democracy?

Answer: Rights are very essential part for the very sustenance of a democracy. Without rights democracy will became meaningless and ineffective. For democratic elections, it is necessary that citizens should have the right to express their opinions, from political parties and take part in political activities. Rights protect minorities from the oppression of majority. They ensure the majority cannot do whatever it likes. The government is expected to protect citizen’s rights. But sometimes elected government may not protect or  may even attack the rights of their own citizens. So, g some rights need to be placed higher than the government so that it cannot violate them. 

109) Write any four features of the Right to Equality as a Fundamental Right. Or Explain the main provisions of the Right to Equality.

Answer: Right to Equality is an important right provided for in Article 14-18 of Indian Constitution. It guarantees
(i) Equality   Before   Law Article   14   of  the Constitution guarantees that all citizens shall be equally protected by the laws of the country. It means that the state cannot discriminate any of the Indian citizen on the basis of their caste, creed, colour, sex, gender, religion or place of birth.
(ii) Social Equality and Equal Access to Public Areas Article 15 states that every person shall have equal access to public places like public parks, museums, wells, bathing ghats, temples, etc.
(iii) Equality in Matters of Public Employment Article 16 states that all citizen can apply for government jobs. But this right shall not be conferred to overseas citizens of India.
(iv) Abolition of un touch ability Article 17 of the Constitution   abolishes   the   practice   of un touch ability and anyone doing so is punishable by law. 

110)   (a) Right to Constitutional Remedies is very special right. What is so special about this right? 
(b) What values/lesson you have learnt from the given constitutional right?

Answer:  (a) Right to Constitutional Remedies is very special Right because it is through this Right that all other Fundamental Rights are safeguarded and arbitrary action of the state is checked. This right makes other rights effective. It is possible that sometimes our rights may be violated by fellow citizens, private bodies or by the government. If it is a Fundamental Right, we can directly approach the Supreme Court or the High Court of a State. The Supreme Court and High Courts have the power to issue directions, orders or writs for the enforcement of the Fundamental Rights. Most eminent of the writs are?Habeas corpus, Mandamus,  Prohibition,  Quo-warranto  and Cerdorari. They award compensation for the violation for Fundamental Rights. Thus, without the Right to Constitutional Remedies, the other Fundamental Rights become meaningless. (b) From the given constitutional right I have learnt, that everyone should respect the Constitutional Rights. 

111) List out any four characteristics of Fundamental Rights.

Answer:Some rights which are fundamental to our life are given a special status in our Constitution, these are called Fundamental Rights. Some features of Fundamental Rights are as follow
(i) Fundamental Rights are the promotion and enhancement of Human Rights.
(ii) Fundamental    Rights    primarily    protect individuals from any arbitrary state action. But some rights are enforceable against individuals. For  instance,   the  Constitution  abolishes un touch ability and also prohibits ‘begar’.
(iii) These rights are not absolute or uncontrolled and are subject to reasonable restrictions.
(iv) Fundamental Rights given in the Constitution are universal, justiciable and comprehensive. Universal means they are for all the citizens of India without any discrimination. Justiciable means individual can move to the court if his rights are violated, comprehensive means these rights safeguard our social, economic, cultural and religious interest. 

112) What was the Amnesty International’s report regarding the prisoners in Guantanamo Bay? State the condition of prisoners according to the report of Amnesty International in Guantanamo Bay. 

Answer:The Amnesty International reported that the prisoners were being tortured in ways that violated the US laws. They were being denied the treatment that even prisoners of war must get as per international treaties. Prisoners were not released even after they were officially declared not guilty, Condition of prisoners in Guantanamo Bay
(i) About 600 people were secretly picked up by the US forces from all over the world and put in a prison in Guantanamo Bay. The America government said they were enemies of the US and linked to the attack on the US.
(ii) In most cases the governments of their countries were not asked or even informed about their imprisonment.
(iii) Families of prisoners, media or even UN representatives were not allowed to meet them.
(iv) The US army arrested them, interrogated them and decided whether to keep them.
(v) There was no trial before any magistrate in ins US. Even the prisoners could not approach courts in their own country.  

113) ‘Go to the playground of the school or any stadium and watch a 400 metre race on any track. Why are the competitors in the outer lane placed ahead of those in the inner lane at the starting point of the race’? Read the above passage and answer the following questions (a) What would happen if all the competitors start the race from the same line? Which of these would be an equal and fair race? Apply this example to a competition for jobs. (b) What values do you learn from the above passage?

Answer:(a) Since, the outer lane has a bigger circumference than the inner lane, more than 400 metre distance will be covered in one round of the track. Thus competitors in the outer lane are placed ahead, so that they are given an equal opportunity compared to the person in the inner lane. If all the competitors start at the same line, the outer track competitors will have to run a longer distance, which will not be fair. So, in the first case, it will be a fair race. Similarly, in a competition for jobs, if the Scheduled Castes are given reservations, they can compete on an equal basis, because they are educationally and culturally backward, although they may be fit, for the job, for which they have applied. (b) From the above passage I have learnt, the values like impartiality and equality. 

114)  Observe any big public building. Is there a ramp for physically handicapped? Are there any other facilities that make it possible for physically handicapped to use the building in the same way as any one else? Should these special facilities be provided, if it leads to extra expenditure on the building? Do these special provisions go against the principle of equality?

Answer: In many public buildings like hospitals and big offices, there are such ramps. Some airports have special toilets for the physically handicapped. These special provisions do not go against the Right to Equality, as handicapped persons also have the same rights as normal citizens and the government must provide for them accordingly.

115)   Are these cases instances of violation of the Right to Freedom? If yes, which constitutional provision does each violate? (a) The Government of India banned Salman Rushdie’s book “the Satanic Verses’ on the ground that it was disrespectful to Prophet Muhammed and was likely to hurt the feelings of the Muslim community. (b) Every film has to be approved by the Censor Board of the Government before it can be shown to the public. But, there is no such restriction if the same story is published in a book or a magazine. (c) The government is considering a proposal that there will be industrial zones or sectors of the economy, where workers will not be allowed to form unions or go on strike. (d) City administration has imposed a ban on use of public microphones after 10pm in view of the approaching secondary school examinations.

Answer:(a) Yes, this violates the Right to Freedom of Thought and Expression.
(b) Yes, this violates the Right to Freedom of Thought and Expression.
(c) Yes, this violates the Right to Freedom to form associations and unions.
(d) No, this is not a violation of the Right to Freedom because the Constitution restricts freedom to a group of people (who are likely to use public microphones after (10 PM) as long as that freedom does not affect or hamper freedom of anyone else. Also the ban is imposed in the larger interests of the people. 

116)   Which of these statements about the, relationship between democracy and rights is more valid? Give reasons for your preference. (a) Every country that is a democracy gives; rights to its citizens. (b) Every country that gives rights to its citizens is a democracy. (c) Giving rights is good, but it is not necessary for a democracy.

Answer:Statement (a) is the most valid statement, democracy is a system of government elected by the people, g which works for the people and so a democracy must provide rights to the citizens. 

117)   Read the following news reports and identify the right that is being debated in each of these cases? (a) An emergency session of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) rejected the proposal to form a separate body to manage the affairs of Sikh shrines in Haryana. It warned the government that the Sikh community would not tolerate any interference in their religious affairs (June 2005). (b) The Allahabad High Court quashed the Central Law, which gave Aligarh Muslim University its minority status and held illegal reservation of seats for Muslims in its post-graduate medical courses (January 2006). (c) The Rajasthan Government has decided to enact an anti-conversion law. Christian leaders have said that the Bill would aggravate the sense of insecurity and fear in the minds of minorities (March 2005).

Answer:(a) Here, it is the Right to Freedom of Religion.
(b) Here, it is the Right to Equality.
(c) Here, it is the Right to Freedom of Religion. 

118)   Name the Fundamental Right under which each of the following rights falls. (a) Freedom to propagate one’s religion (b) Right to life (c) Abolition of untouchability (d) Ban on bonded labour

Answer:  (a) Right to Freedom of Religion (b) Right to Freedom (c) Right to Equality (d) Right against Exploitation 

119)   Which of the following is not an instance of an exercise of a Fundamental Right? (a) Workers from Bihar go to the Punjab to work on the farms (b) Christian missions set up a chain of missionary schools (c) Men and women government employees get the same salary (d) Parents’ property is inherited by their children

Answer: (d) Parents’ property is inherited by their children. 

120)   Are these restrictions on the right to freedom justified? Give reasons for your answer. (a) Indian citizens need permission to visit some border areas of the country for reasons of security. (b) Outsiders are not allowed to buy property in some areas to protect the interest of the local population. (c) The government bans the publication of a book that can go against the ruling party in the next elections.

Answer:  (a) Statement (a) is justified to protect the interests of the nation and its people. (b) Statement
(b) is justified because it protects the interest of local people and help to maintain ecological balance.
(c) Statement (c) is not justified because it violates the Right to Freedom of Speech and Expression of citizens. 

121)   When Madhurima went to the property registration office, the Registrar told her’ You can’t write your name as Madhurima Bannerjee d/o AK Bannerjee’. You are married, so, you must give your husband’s name. Your husband’s surname is Rao. So, your name should be changed to Madhurima Rao. She did not agree. She said If my husband’s name has not changed after marriage, why should mine?’ In your opinion, who is right in this dispute? And why?

Answer:Madhurima is right. She has the right to use her either maiden surname or her husband’s surname. She cannot be forced to change her name. It will violate her Fundamental Right, Right to Equality. 

122) Which of the following freedoms is not available to an Indian citizen? (a) Freedom to criticise the government (b) Freedom to participate in armed revolution (c) Freedom to start a movement to change the government (d) Freedom to oppose the central values of the Constitution

Answer:  (b) Freedom to participate in armed revolution.

123) Name any four Political Rights,

Answer: Four Political Rights are                            
(i) Right to Vote              
(ii) Right to Assembly  
(iii) Right to Hold any Public Office;              
(iv) Right to Petition       

124) Which of the following rights is available under the Indian Constitution? (a) Right to Work (b) Right to Adequate Livelihood (c) Right to Protect One’s Culture (d) Right to Privacy

Answer: Right to protect one’s culture

125)   Draw a web interconnecting different rights discussed in this chapter i.e., right to freedom of movement is connected to the freedom of occupation. One reason for this is that freedom of movement enables a person to go to place of work within ones village or city or to another village, city or state. Similarly, this right can be used for pilgrimage, connected with freedom to follow one’s religion. Draw a circle for each right and mark arrows that show connection between or among different rights. For each arrow, give an example that shows the linkage.

Answer:The arrow labels details are given below
(i) In case, somebody is not allowed to work in a particular job even though selected, he can approach the court for restoring this right.
(ii) If somebody is not allowed access to a public place because of his caste, he can approach the court for restoring this right.
(iii) If a person is accused for a crime, he can engage a lawyer to defend him.
(iv) Freedom to work anywhere in the country.
(v) Establishing an educational institution for a minority community.
(vi) Somebody going for a pilgrimage.
(vii) We can conduct a peaceful demonstration in a group against some government policies, which affect us adversely. 

126) Read about the National Human Rights Commission and answer the given question. Do you notice references to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in the news collage on this page? These references reflect the growing awareness of human rights and struggles for human dignity. Many cases of human rights violations in diverse fields, for instance, Gujarat riots, are being brought to the public notice from across India. Human rights organisations and the media often criticise government agencies for not seriously pursuing these cases or catching the culprits. Someone had to intervene on behalf of the victims. This is where the National Human Rights Commission stepped in. This is an independent commission set up by law in 1993. Like judiciary, the Commission is independent of the government. The Commission is appointed by the President and includes retired judges, officers and eminent citizens. Yet it does not have the burden of deciding court cases. So, it can focus on helping the victims secure their human rights. These include all the rights granted to the citizens by the Constitution. For NHRC, human rights also include the rights mentioned in the UN sponsored international treaties that India has signed. The NHRC cannot by itself punish the guilty. That is the responsibility of courts. The NHRC is there to make independent and credible inquiry into any case of violation of human rights. It also inquires into any case of abetment of such violation or negligence in controlling it by any government officer and takes other general steps to promote human rights in the country. The Commission presents its findings and recommendations to the government or intervene in the court on behalf of the victims. It has wide ranging powers to carry out its inquiry. Like any court, it can summon witnesses, question any government official, demand any official paper, visit any prison for inspection or send its own team for on the spot inquiry. Citizen of India can write a letter to this address to complain against the violation of Human Rights = National Human Rights Commission, Faridkot House, Copernicus Marg, New Delhi 110001. There is no fee or any formal procedure to approach the NHRC. Like NHRC, there are State Human Rights Commissions in 16 states of the country. Are the rights only for adults? Which of these rights are available to children? 

Answer: No, Fundamental Rights, are not only for the adults, they are available to all the citizens of the country without any discrimination. Right against exploitation is specially devoted to children because it protects the children from exploitation. These rights prohibit child labour.                                                                        
No one can employ a child below the age of 14 to work in any factory or mine or in any other hazardous work such as railways and s ports. Using this right as a basis, many laws have been made to prohibit children from working in industries such as beedi making, fire crackers, matches, printing and dyeing.

5. Democratic Rights – HOTS Question and answer – 1

81) Under which Article of the Constitution, ‘abolition of un touch ability’ lies in?

Answer:‘Abolition of un touch ability’ lies in Article 17, of Indian Constitution. 

82) How many Fundamental Rights does the Indian Constitution provide?

Answer: Indian Constitution provides six Fundamental Rights. 

83) What is meant by ‘Begar’?

Answer: ‘Begar’ is a practice where the worker is forced to render service to the ‘master’ free of charge or at a nominal remuneration. 

84) What is the meaning of ‘traffic in human beings’ as described in Indian Constitution?

Answer: In Indian Constitution, traffic means selling and buying of human beings, usually women, for immoral purposes. 

85) What is inspiration behind the Directive Principles of State Policy?

Answer:  The Directive Principles of State Policy have been inspired by the Directive Principles given   in the Constitution of Ireland and also by the principles of Gandhism. 

86) What is a secular state?

Answer: In a secular state, no religion can get any privilege or favour and there is no official religion.

87) In the Indian Constitution, the Right to Equality is granted by five articles. Which are these articles?

Answer:The Right to Equality is granted by Articles 14 to 18. 

88) Name any two political rights.

Answer:Two political rights are Right to Vote and Right to Fight Election. 

89) Give any two features of Fundamental Rights. 

Answer: Two important features of Fundamental Rights are that these are limited and these can be suspended during emergency.   

90) If you were a Serb, would you support what Milosevic did in Kosovo? Do you think this project of establishing Serb Dominance was good for the Serbs?

Answer:  If I were a Serb, I would not support what Milosevic did in Kosovo because what he did was very unjust and discriminatory towards the Albani This method of establishing Serb dominance was not good for the Serbs because this action of Milosevic led to conflict and hostility between the Serbs and the Albani The Albanians were massacred by the army of their own country. Ultimately, Milosevic lost power and was tried by the International Court of Justice for crimes against humanity. 

91) What are the examples of elected governments not protecting or even attacking the rights of their own citizens? Why do they do that?

Answer:  Examples of elected governments not protecting or even attacking the rights of their own citizens are
(i) Ethnic Massacre of Albanians in Kosovo.
(ii) Policy of apartheid in South Africa.
(iii) Rule of Augusto Pinochet in Chile.
(iv)Rule of Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe. These rulers wanted to hold power and keep the people under their control so that they would not oppose them and they could rule without problems. 

92) Everyone knows that the rich can have better lawyers in the courts. What is the point in talking about equality before law?

Answer: It is true that the rich can have better lawyers in the courts, but the law is the same for everyone. Being rich or having good lawyers does not mean that equality of law also changes. Whether a person is rich or poor, the law remains the same for all citizens. The judiciary follows the rule of law for all without discriminating on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth

93) Should the freedom of expression be extended to those who are spreading wrong and narrow minded ideas? Should they be allowed to confuse the public?

Answer: No, the freedom of expression should not be extended to those who are spreading wrong and narrow minded ideas, since it is harmful for society and democracy. No, they should not be allowed to confuse the public because it would be wrong to do so. Spreading wrong information for personal gains is wrong. Their views can instigate violence, which is dangerous for our society. Nobody can use freedom of speech and expression to incite people or rebel against government.

94) “Rights are not limited only to Fundamental Rights as enumerated in the Constitution.” Justify the statement. Or How is the scope of rights always expanding? Mention any five facts. Or How has the scope of rights expanded in the present scenario?

Answer: Our Constitution and law offer a wider range of rights. Over the year the scope of rights has expanded.  Sometimes it leads to expansion in the legal rights that the citizen can enjoy.  From time to time, the courts gave judgments to expand the scope of rights. Certain rights like right to freedom of press, right to information and right to education are derived from the Fundamental Rights. So, we can say that, rights are not limited only to  Fundamental  Rights  as  enumerated  in the Constitution. In fact, Constitution provides many more rights which may not be Fundament Riehts. 

95)  The Constitution does not give people their religion. Then, how can it give people the Right to Practice their Religion?

Answer: It is true that the Constitution does not give the people their religion. However, it does not prevent the people from the Right to Practice their Religion, because the Constitution provides every person has a right to profess, practice and propagate the religion he or she believes in. Every religious group or sect is free to manage its religious affairs. In this way, our Constitution gives people the Right to Practice their Religion. 

96) Can the President of India stop you from approaching the Supreme Court to secure your Fundamental Rights?

Answer: No, the President of India even cannot stop me from approaching the Supreme Court to secure my Fundamental Rights because the Fundamental Rights have been enshrined in our Constitution. This means that our Constitution provides and protects these rights and they can not be taken away or violated by any person or government action or law, which also includes the President of India. The Right to Constitutional Remedies is a Fundamental Right, according to which we have the right to approach the Supreme Court in case of violation of rights by any person or government, law. So, nobody can stop us from going to court to secure our Fundamental Rights. 

97) Mention the Fundamental Rights which have been provided to the citizens by the Constitution.

Answer:The Indian Constitution itself classifies the Fundamental Rights under seven groups as follow
(i) Right to Equality
(ii) Right to Freedom
(iii) Right against Exploitation
(iv) Right to Freedom of Religion
(v) Cultural and Educational Rights
(vi) Right to Property
(vii) Right to Constitutional Remedies Of these, the Right to Property has been eliminated by the 44th Amendment Act of the Constitution. The remaining six Fundamental Rights are necessary for the very sustenance of our democracy. These Fundamental Rights are given a special status in our Constitution.

98) What is the meaning of Fundamental Rights?

Answer:In Indian Constitution, some rights which are fundamental to our life are given a special status. These are called Fundamental Rights. The Preamble to our Constitution talks about securing for all its citizens equality, liberty and justice. Fundamental Rights put this promise into effect. Fundamental Rights are considered essential for the overall development of a person. Sometimes, even elected government may not protect these rights of their own citizens. That is why some rights need to be placed higher than the government, so that the government can not violate these. 

99) (a) When was National Human Rights Commission established? (b) Who appoints the commission? (c) What is its main objectives?

Answer: (a) National Human Rights Commission was established in 1993.
(b) The Commission is appointed by the President.
(c) The Commission focuses on helping the victims to secure their human rights. These include all the rights granted to the citizens by the Constitution. The Commission also consider the Human Rights mentioned in the UN sponsored international treatise that India has signed. The NHRC makes independent and credible inquiry into any case of violation of human rights. The Commission presents its findings and recommendations to the government. 

100)  Right to Freedom is the ‘cluster of freedoms’. Justify.

Answer: The Right to Freedom is considered as the ‘cluster of six freedoms’. Article 19 of Indian Constitution guarantees the following freedoms to all the citizens
(i) Freedom of speech and expression
(ii) Freedom to assemble in a peaceful manner without arms
(iii) Freedom to form associations or unions
(iv) Freedom to move freely throughout the territory of India
(v) Freedom to reside in any part of India
(vi) Freedom to practice any profession or to carry on any occupation, trade or business. 

101)   “The Right to Constitutional Remedy is the ‘heart and soul’ of the Indian Constitution” Justify the statement. Or Who said that the Right to Constitutional Remedies is the ‘heart and soul of our Constitution? What does this statement mean? Or Why is the Right to Constitutional Remedies considered the ‘heart and soul of our Constitution’? 

Answer:The Right to Constitutional Remedy is the ‘heart and soul’ of the Indian Constitution the following ways
(i) When any of our rights is violated, we can seek remedy through courts. If it is a fundamental right, we can directly approach the Supreme Court or the High Court of the state.
(ii) If any act of legislature or executive takes away or limits any of the fundamental rights, it will be invalid. We can challenge such laws of the central or the State Government in the court of law.
(iii) The Supreme Court and the High Courts have the power to issue directions, orders or writs for the enforcement of the Fundamental Rights.
(iv) Rights to Constitutional Remedies makes other rights effective. This right is the guardian of other rights.

102) Describe the features of Right against Exploitation.

Answer:Right against Exploitation, given in Articles 23 and 24 of Indian Constitution saves people from any type of exploitation. The Constitution prohibits ‘traffic in human beings’. Traffic means selling and buying of human beings, usually women for immoral purposes. The Constitution prohibits bonded labour, begar or forced labour. ‘Begar’ is a practice where the worker is forced to render service to the master free of charge or at a nominal remuneration. When this practice takes place on a life-long basis, it becomes ‘bonded labour’. The Constitution also prohibits child labour. No one can employ a child below the age of 14 to work in any factory or mine or any other hazardous work, such as railways and ports.

103) Discuss the position of the citizens of Saudi Arabia with regard to their government.

Answer:  Saudi Arabia is ruled by a hereditary king and the people have no role in electing or changing their rulers. The Saudi King rules as absolute monarch. The king governs according to Islamic law. He selects the legislature as well as executives. He appoints the judges and can change their decisions. Citizens are not allowed to form political parties on political organisations. Media cannot report anything that the monarch does not like. There is no freedom of religion. Every citizen is required to be Muslim. Non-Muslim residents can follow their religion in private, but not in public. Women are subjected to many public restrictions. The testimony of one man is considered equal to that of two women. 

104) How do the Right to Constitutional remedies ensures and guarantees the enforcement of our fundamental rights?

Answer:  The Fundamental Rights are enforceable. If it affected then Right to Constitutional remedies can save it. Fundamental Rights are guaranteed against the actions of the legislature/the executive or any other authorities instituted by the government. There can be no low or action that violates the Fundamental Rights. If any acts of the government takes away or limits any of the Fundamental Rights, it will be null and void. Under the Right to Constitutional Remedies, the courts have the power to enforce the Fundamental Rights against any private individuals or bodies. They have the power to issue direction orders or writ for the enforcement of Fundamental Right. The courts also award compensation to the victims and punishment to the violators. It exercises its jurisdiction Suo motu on the basis of Public Interest Litigation (PIL). 

105)   (a) Is Right to Education a Fundamental Right? Justify your answer. (b) What values/lesson you have learnt from the given constitutional right?

Answer: (a) On 1st April, 2010, India joined a group of few countries in the world with a historic law, making education a Fundamental Right of every child. This Right to Education is included in Article 21-A of Indian Constitution. This right makes elementary education is compulsory and a” entitlement for children in the 6-14 age group. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory  Education Act will directly benefit children, who do not go to school at present. Children, who had either dropped out of schools or never been to any educational institution, will get elementary education as it is binding on the part of the local and State Government to ensure that all children in the 6-14 age group get schooling. The financial burden will be shared between the centre and the states. (b) From the given constitutional right I have learnt, that we should desire to bring everyone on the education platform. 

106) Write short notes on the following Fundamental Rights. (a) Right to Freedom of Religion (b) Cultural and Educational Rights

Answer:  (a) Right to Freedom of Religion Right to Freedom of Religion, covered in Articles 25, 26, 27 and 28 of our Constitution, which provides religious freedom to all citizens of India. The objective of this right is to sustain the principle of secularism in India. India is a secular state and there is no official religion in India. According to the Constitution, all religions are equal before the state. Every person has a right to profess, practice and propagate the religion of his choice.
(b) Cultural and Educational Rights As India is a country of many languages, religions and cultures, the Constitution provides special measures in Article 29-30, to protect the rights of the minorities. Here, the Constitution specifies the Cultural and Educational Rights of the minorities. Any section of citizens with a distinct language or culture have a right to conserve it. No citizen can be discriminated against for admission in state or state aided institution. All minorities, religious or linguistic can set up their own educational institutions to preserve and develop their own culture. 

107) Thousands of tribals and other forest dwellers gathered at Piparia in Hoshangabad district in Madhya Pradesh to protest against their proposed displacement from the Satpura National Park and Bori Wildlife Sanctuary. They argue that such a displacement is an attack on their livelihood and beliefs. Government claims that their displacement is essential for the development of the area and for protection of wildlife. Write a petition on behalf of the forest dwellers to the NHRC a response from the government and a report of the NHRC on this matter.

Answer: (i) The Petition should be as follows We, the tribal and the forest people have been living in and near the forests for hundreds of years and have earned our livelihood from the forests. The forests are our home and place of work. It is wrong to displace us from our traditional homes. By doing so, you are taking away our livelihood and traditions because we know no other work. We request the NHRC to take up our cause and prevent our displacement from the forest due to the setting up of the wildlife sanctuaries.
(ii) The Response of the Government The government, in order to protect the wildlife which is nearing extinction, has decided to set up wildlife parks and wildlife sanctuaries and provide natural habitats to the endangered species and other animals. For doing this, human interference has to be stopped and so the tribals and forest dwellers are to be displaced from these areas. However, keeping in mind the welfare of the tribals and ensuring a future for the, tribals will be rehabilitated in some other suitable place. (iii) NHRC Report The National Human Rights Commission gave its report on the proposed displacement of the tribals and the forest dwellers from the wildlife parks and sanctuaries like the Satpura National Park, Bori Wildlife Sanctuary and Panchmarhi Wildlife Sanctuary. NHRC said that the tribals and the forest dwellers have since ages lived in the forests and also earned their livelihood from the forests. However, realising the importance of the forests in their lives they have taken care not to harm it or damage it in any manner. They have co-existed in the forests with all the flora and fauna and they have many beliefs and traditions, which in fact protect the forests and the animals. Finally, they are not a threat to the flora and the fauna and they can help to protect, preserve and conserve the forest flora and fauna, so they should be allowed to live in the forests as a part of the forest.

4. Working of Institutions – HOTS Question and answer – 2

Q26: What is the role of the Cabinet Ministers in a democracy?
Ans: (i) Parliamentary democracy in most countries is often known as the Cabinet form of government.
(ii) The Cabinet works as a team.
(iii) The ministers may have different views and opinions, but everyone has to own up to every decision of the Cabinet.
(iv) No minister can openly criticise any decision of the government even if it is about another ministry or department.
(v) Every ministry has secretaries who are civil servants. The secretaries provide the necessary background information to the ministers to take decisions.
(vi) The Cabinet as a team is assisted by the Cabinet Secretariat. This includes many senior civil servants who try to coordinate the working of different ministries.  

Q27) ‘The Prime Minister is the real executive head of our country.’ Elucidate.
Ans:(i) As political parties have come to play a major role in politics, the Prime Minister controls the Cabinet and the Parliament through the party.
(ii) In India, we have a tendency towards the concentration of powers in the hands of the Prime Minister.
(iii) The President, who is the executive head of India, also takes decision as per the advice of the Prime Minister.
(iv) The extent of power wielded by a PM also depends on the personality of the person holding that position. For example, Indira Gandhi was a very powerful leader compared to her colleagues in the Cabinet.  

Q28: State the powers of the President.
Ans:  (i) All government activities take place in the name of the President.
(ii) All laws and major policy decisions of the government are issued in her name.
(iii) All major appointments are made in the name of the President. These include the appointment of the Chief Justice of India, the judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts of the states, the governors of the states, the Election Commissioners, and ambassadors to other countries, etc.
(iv) All international treaties and agreements are made in the name of the President.
(v) The President is the supreme commander of the defence forces of India.  

Q29: How are the judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts appointed and how can a judge be removed?
Ans:  Appointment: 
(i) The judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts are appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister and in consultation with the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
(ii) The senior most judge of the Supreme Court is usually appointed by the Chief Justice. Removal: 
(i) Once a person is appointed as judge’ of the Supreme Court or the High Court, it is nearly impossible to remove him or her from that position. It  is as difficult as removing the President of India.
(ii) A judge can be removed only by an impeachment motion passed separately by two-third members of the two Houses of the Parliament.  

Q30: Explain any five powers of the Supreme Court of India. 
Ans: (i) The Supreme Court can take up disputes between governments, citizens and government, governments at the union and state level.
(ii) Highest Court of justice and hears appeals against High Court decisions, civil and criminal cases.
(iii) Guardian of our constitution and fundamental rights.
(iv) It can declare any law of the legislature or executive invalid.
(v) People can approach Supreme Court if their rights are violated.  

Q31: Suppose you are MLA of your area. What values would you follow to become popular in your area?
Ans: (i) Take up community service
(ii) Ensure hygiene
(iii) Solve water and electricity problems
(iv) Interact with people on a regular basis
(v) Try to solve grievances of people.  

Q32: You are elected a civil servant who is a permanent executive. What values would you idolise to serve as a public servant?
Ans:  (i) Follow integrity (ii) Be neutral (iii) Make policies oriented in public interest (iv) Serve people impartially (v) Not to be iron-hearted. Implement policies with full zeal and endeavor.  

Q33: A teacher has to organise a mock parliament. She can either hold a mock parliament of Rajya Sabha or Lok Sabha. Which one should the teacher choose and why?
Ans:  The teacher should choose to hold a session of Lok Sabha as it is the House of People. It represents people’s interests directly. The government enjoys majority in Lok Sabha and is responsible to it. The government can be removed by passing a no-confidence motion or rejecting a budget. These are rational grounds for conducting a mock session of Lok Sabha instead of Rajya Sabha.  

Q34: Imagine you witnessed the movie Nayak. In it, the chief minister portrayed by Anil Kapoor introduced changes in his one-day stint as a chief minister. Do you think this is possible? Comment. 
Ans: Yes, it is possible to have great change even in a short time. It is obviously not possible to change course of action in one day but things can be changed if politicians are willing to change them. For this what is required is a change in their attitude. This may not be an easy task but the role played by Anil Kapoor in Nayak reflects Nitish Kumar of Bihar, Shivraj Singh Chauhan of Madhya Pradesh and Bhupinder Singh Hooda of Haryana. These chief ministers have tried to implement pro-people decisions which have helped them to be re-elected.  

Q35: The full form of SEBC is
(a) Socially and Economically Backward Classes 
(b) Society of Economically Backward Classes 
(c) Socially and Enlisted Block Classes 
(d) Socially and Economically Benefitted Classes
Ans:  

Q36: Who is the real head of the government? 
(a) Defence Minister 
(b) President 
(c) Chief Justice 
(d) Prime Minister
Ans:  

Q37: In which year did the Mandal Commission give its Report? 
(a) 1979
(b) 1980
(c)1981 
(d) 1982
Ans:  

Q38: Which institution resolved the dispute regarding the Mandal Commission? 
(a) High Court
(b) Prime Minister, V.P. Singh 
(c) President of India 
(d) Supreme Court
Ans:  

Q39: The Prime Minister and the Cabinet are institutions that take care of 
(a) disputes between citizens and government 
(b) all important policy decisions 
(c) the functions assigned to them 
(d) the people of this country
Ans: B 

Q40: The Supreme Commander of the defence forces of India is the 
(a) Army Chief
(b) Air Force Chief 
(c) President 
(d) Naval Chief 
Ans: C   

Q41: Amnesty International is an international organisation for 
(a) human rights 
(b) world peace 
(c) restoring democracy
(d) justice
Ans:  

Q42: Kosova was a province of which of the following countries? 
(a) Czechoslovakia 
(b) Yugoslavia 
(c) Serbia
(d) Russia
Ans: B 

Q43:  Which one of the following is not a Fundamental Right? 
(a) Right to Equality (b) Right to Constitutional Remedies 
(c) Right to sacrifice animals under the Right to Freedom of Religion (d) Right against Exploitation
Ans:  

Q44:   A secular state is one (a) that does not establish any one religion as the official religion (b) that does not confer any privilege or favour on any particular religion (c) that which has to be neutral and impartial in dealing with all religions (d) all of the above
Ans:  

Q45:   In which year was the National Human Rights Commission set up in India? (a) 1991 (b) 1992 (c) 1993 (d) 1994 
Ans: C    

Q46: Amnesty International is an international organisation for (a) human rights (b) world peace (c) restoring democracy (d) justice
Ans:  

Q47: Kosova was a province of which of the following countries? (a) Czechoslovakia (b) Yugoslavia (c) Serbia (d) Russia
Ans:  

Q48: Which one of the following is not a Fundamental Right?
(a) Right to Equality 
(b) Right to Constitutional Remedies 
(c) Right to sacrifice animals under the Right to Freedom of Religion 
(d) Right against Exploitation
Ans:  

Q49: A secular state is one 
(a) that does not establish any one religion as the official religion
(b) that does not confer any privilege or favour on any particular religion 
(c) that which has to be neutral and impartial in dealing with all religions 
(d) all of the above
Ans:  

Q50: In which year was the National Human Rights Commission set up in India? (a) 1991 (b) 1992 (c) 1993 (d) 1994 
Ans: C 

Q51: Amnesty International is an international organisation for (a) human rights (b) world peace (c) restoring democracy (d) justice
Ans: A 

Q52: Kosova was a province of which of the following countries? 
(a) Czechoslovakia 
(b) Yugoslavia 
(c) Serbia 
(d) Russia
Ans:  

Q53: Which one of the following is not a Fundamental Right? 
(a) Right to Equality 
(b) Right to Constitutional Remedies 
(c) Right to sacrifice animals under the Right to Freedom of Religion 
(d) Right against Exploitation
Ans:  

Q54: A secular state is one 
(a) that does not establish any one religion as the official religion 
(b) that does not confer any privilege or favour on any particular religion 
(c) that which has to be neutral and impartial in dealing with all religions 
(d) all of the above
Ans:  

Q55: In which year was the National Human Rights Commission set up in India? 
(a) 1991
(b) 1992
(c) 1993 
(d) 1994 
Ans: C    

Q56: Which institution can make changes to an existing law of the country?
Ans:  The Parliament is the final authority for changing laws in our country.  

Q57: What is Lok Sabha?
Ans: Lok Sabha is the Lower House of the Indian Parliament, which is directly elected by the people and exercises the real power on behalf of the people.  

Q58: Who presides over the joint session of Parliament?
Ans:  Speaker of Lok Sabha presides over the joint session of Parliament.  

Q59: Who appoints the Judges of Supreme Court?
Ans: The Judges of the Supreme Court are appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister and in consultation with the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.  

Q60: Which is known as the Apex Court of India?
Ans: The Supreme Court is known as the Apex Court of India.  

Q61: How many members can be nominated by President in Rajya Sabha?
Ans: President can nominate 12 members of Rajya Sabha.  

Q62: Who is the Presiding Officer of the Lok Sabha?
Ans:  Speaker is the Presiding Officer of the Lok Sabha.  

Q63: What does SEBCs stand for?
Ans: SEBCs stands for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes.  

Q6: What is called ‘Upper Chamber’?
Ans: Rajya Sabha is called ‘Upper Chamber’. 

Q65: How are the members of the Rajya Sabha elected?
Ans: The members of the Rajya Sabha are elected indirectly by the Legislative Assemblies of the various States and Territorial Legislatures in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote.  

Q66: How many members are presently in Rajya Sabha?
Ans: There are 245 members in Rajya Sabha presently.  

Q67: Who was the first Chairman of Rajya Sabha?
Ans:  Dr S Radhakrishanan was the first Chairman of Rajya Sabha.  

Q68: When was the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) first constituted?
Ans: On 3rd April, 1952, the Council of States was first constituted.  

Q69: Who acts as the Chairman of Rajya Sabha?
Ans: The Vice President is the ex-officio Chairman of Rajya Sabha.  

Q70: How many members nominated in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha respectively?
Ans: Two members are nominated in Lok Sabha and twelve members are nominated in Rajya Sabha, 

Q71: How the Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha elected?
Ans: The Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha is elected by the members of the Rajya Sabha.  

Q72: A person who is not a Member of Parliament is appointed as minister. Within what time he has to get elected to one of the Houses of the Parliament?
Ans: Within six month, he has to get elected to one of the Houses of the Parliament.  

Q73: In which House of the Parliament a Money Bill can be introduced?
Ans: A Money Bill can be introduced only in Lok Sabha.  

Q74: Which House is better placed with regard to control over the Executive?
Ans: Lok Sabha is better placed with regard to control over the Executive.  

Q75: What is the age of retirement for the Judges of the Supreme Court?
Ans: The Judges of Supreme Court hold the office till the age of 65 years.  

Q76: Who is the Real Executive of the Indian Union?
Ans: The Prime Minister is the Real Executive of the Indian Union.  

Q77: In what ways Lok Sabha exercises supreme power over Rajya Sabha?
Ans: Lok Sabha exercises more powers on money matter and during the joint session final decision is taken by Lok Sabha because of its large number of members.  

Q78: Can the Houses of the Parliament be dissolved?
Ans: Rajya Sabha is a permanent House, so it cannot be dissolved whereas, Lok Sabha can be dissolved.  

Q79: Which types of Ministers are included in the Union Council of Ministers?
Ans:  Union Council of Ministers include Cabinet Ministers, Ministers of State and Ministers of State with independent charges. 

Q80: Why does the Political Executive have more powers than the Permanent Executive?
Ans: The Political Executive have more powers than the Permanent Executive because Political Executive consists of the direct representatives of the people.  

Q81: Why is the Prime Minister the most powerful man in the government? Explain.
Ans: Prime Minister is the most important political figure of the country. He is the head of the government. All the important decisions regarding the country are taken by him. He is the real executive head.  

Q82: How is the Prime Minister of India appointed? Explain the composition of the Union Council of Ministers?   
Ans:  The President appoints the leader of the majority party or coalition of parties that commands a majority in the Lok Sabha as the Prime Minister. The party or coalition which has the highest number of members in the Lok Sabha elects one of its member as the leader.