Question 1

Q1: Mention different aspects of life in which women are discriminated or disadvantaged in India.

Accepted Answer

In India, women face discrimination and disadvantage in various aspects of life. These are:    Education: The literacy rate among women is only 54 percent compared to 76 percent among men. A smaller proportion of girls go for higher studies because parents often prefer to spend their resources on th...

Question 2

Q10: Which among the following statements about India's Constitution is wrong? It (a) prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion. (b) gives official s...

Accepted Answer

(b) gives official status to one religion. Explanation: This statement is wrong because the Indian Constitution establishes a secular state. It explicitly states that there is no official religion for the Indian state, unlike in some other countries. The other three statements are correct provisions...

Question 3

Q11: Social divisions based on _____ are peculiar to India.

Accepted Answer

Social divisions based on caste are peculiar to India. Explanation: The chapter states, "Unlike gender and religion, caste division is special to India."

Question 4

Q12: Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the Lists: | | List I | | List II | |---|---|---|---| | 1. | A per...

Accepted Answer

(b) B A D C Explanation:    1. A person who believes in equal rights and opportunities for women and men is a Feminist (B).    2. A person who says that religion is the principal basis of community is a Communalist (A).    3. A person who thinks that caste is the principal basis of community is a Ca...

Question 5

Q2: State different forms of communal politics with one example each.

Accepted Answer

Communalism can take various forms in politics. The main forms are:    Everyday Beliefs: This is the most common form, which involves religious prejudices, stereotypes of religious communities, and the belief in the superiority of one's own religion over others. For example, cracking jokes that targ...

Question 6

Q3: State how caste inequalities are still continuing in India.

Accepted Answer

Despite constitutional prohibitions and socio-economic changes, caste inequalities continue to persist in contemporary India in the following ways:    Social Practices: Even now, most people marry within their own caste or tribe. The practice of untouchability has not completely ended, especially in...

Question 7

Q4: State two reasons to say that caste alone cannot determine election results in India.

Accepted Answer

Two reasons to say that caste alone cannot determine election results in India are: 1.  No Single-Caste Majority Constituency: No parliamentary constituency in the country has a clear majority of one single caste. Therefore, every candidate and party needs to win the confidence of more than one cast...

Question 8

Q5: What is the status of women's representation in India's legislative bodies?

Accepted Answer

The status of women's representation in India's legislative bodies has been very low.     In the Lok Sabha, the percentage of elected women members reached 14.36 percent of its total strength for the first time in 2019.     Their share in the state assemblies is even lower, at less than 5 percent....

Question 9

Q6: Mention any two constitutional provisions that make India a secular state.

Accepted Answer

Two constitutional provisions that make India a secular state are: 1.  No Official Religion: The Indian Constitution does not give a special status to any religion. Unlike countries like Sri Lanka (Buddhism) or Pakistan (Islam), there is no official religion for the Indian state. 2.  Freedom of Reli...

Question 10

Q7: When we speak of gender divisions, we usually refer to: (a) Biological difference between men and women (b) Unequal roles assigned by the society to m...

Accepted Answer

(b) Unequal roles assigned by the society to men and women Explanation: The chapter clarifies that gender division is not based on biology but on social expectations and stereotypes. It refers to the system of sexual division of labour where society assigns specific roles, such as housework and chil...

Question 11

Q8: In India seats are reserved for women in (a) Lok Sabha (b) State legislative assemblies (c) Cabinets (d) Panchayati Raj bodies

Accepted Answer

(d) Panchayati Raj bodies Explanation: The chapter states that one-third of seats in local government bodies, which include panchayats and municipalities (collectively known as Panchayati Raj bodies), are reserved for women. While a bill for reservation in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies has been...

Question 12

Q9: Consider the following statements on the meaning of communal politics. Communal politics is based on the belief that: A. One religion is superior to t...

Accepted Answer

(c) A and C Explanation: Communal politics is based on the idea that religion is the main basis of a social community. This involves the belief that followers of one religion belong to a single community with the same interests (Statement C) and often includes the belief that one's own religion is s...

NCERT Solutions