Social Science Class 10 Civics Ch 4
Exercises, Page no - 55
1. Mention different aspects of life in which women are discriminated or disadvantaged in India.
Answer :
India is basically a male dominated society where females have to suffer a lot from the hands of society. A male dominated society is that society in which males are of utmost importance and females are of no importance. Females are confined only to four walls of the house and males are used to go out of the house to earn bread and butter. Lot of differences are there between the work done by males and females. But in modern times, this situation is changing and women are coming out of their houses to do some work. They are getting education doing jobs, living life accoeding to their wish.
However, if we see the situation of majortiy of women in India, then they are discriminated by males on certain grounds which are given below :
- Less education - Females are given less education as compared to males. Literacy rate of India is 73% out of which 81% males are educated and 65% females are educated . Very few females are going for higher studies. School results of girls are better than boys but their parents usually drop out their girls because they like to spend their money on boy's education. That is why girls are discriminated on the grounds of education.
- Less pay for same work - Highly paid women are very less in our society as compared to males. Even if she does more work in offices than males, she is given less wages than males because her work is not given much importance.
- Wish to have male child - In most parts of the country, people like to have a male child than female child because they think that son is necessary to bring next generation in the world. That is why they prefer to abort girl - child. This is the reason why sex ratio in India is declining. So this is another reason of discrimination against women.
- Exploitation of women - Women in India are exploited a lot. A number of crimes cause harrassment to women. Dowry deaths, rape, abusing, beating, conjugal violence, etc. are examples of crimes against women.
In this way we can say that women are being exploited and discriminated to a great extent in the male dominated society of India.
2. State different forms of communal politics with one example each.
Answer :
The meaning of communalism is to encourage the teachings of one religion by undermining the teachings or ideology of other religion. This idea of communalism brings tension in the society but it divides the society in a number of communal groups. The basic idea of communalism state that followers of one religion are of different community and hence they are not the part of nation as a whole. Idea of communalism is deeply rooted in politics and that's why it takes many forms which are given below :
- The most common form of communalism is our day to day beliefs or religious ideas of people of daily life. These daily ideas include the belief of superiority of one religion as compared to another religion, religious prejudices, streotypes of religious communities. These beliefs are very common that we are unable to recognize it because we use them in our day to day life.
- If any person is of communal mind or views then it can lead to quest for political dominance of his religion over the others. If that person belongs to majority of that nation then he can take the form of majoritian dominance. Then a desire to form a separate political unit also comes in the minority community of that nation.
- Another most frequent form of communalism is the political mobilization on religious lines. For this, religious leaders can use their speech, emotional appeal, sacred symbol to unite followers of one religion in the political field. In elections we can often see religious leaders give order to their followers to cast their votes in favour of any political party.
- The most ugly form of communalism is riots, communal violence between the followers of different religions. Riots between Hindus and Muslims is one of its examples. At the time of partition, both India and Pakistan had suffered a lot due to this type of communalism. Even after Independence this has happened in many parts of country like U.P., Maharashtra, Gujrat, etc.
Answer :
In the country like India, where caste system predominantly was the main force in running the society, caste inequalities still persists. Caste system is a system which is based on the discrimination against the outcaste groups or lower castes. Still a number of factors are there which show us that caste inequalities are still continuing in India and these are given below :
- Endogamy - The meaning of Endogamy is to marry within one's own caste or group and not to marry out of its caste or group. Even in modern age people never like to do intercaste marriages, even it is legally sanctioned, and they don't like to marry out of their caste. They think that their caste is superior to the other and that's why they look at the other caste with hatredness. In this way endogamy proved to be a factor of inequality based on caste.
- Untouchability - Untouchability is a concept in which people of lower caste cannot touch people of higher caste. If they do then they were given severe punishment. Yet constitutional provision has stopped the practice of untouchability but still this has not been ended completely.
- Education - During the period of dominance of caste system lower caste groups had no access to education and even today they don't have access to education or they are prohibited from acquiring it because of which they have naturally lagged behind.
- Occupation - People of lower caste still are given their hereditary occupation of cleaning and are not allowed to adopt any other occupation which show us inequality on the basis of caste.
In this way we can say that caste inequalities still persist in India.
4. State two reasons to say that caste alone cannot determine election results in India.
Answer :
Caste system is a system which is basically based on superiority of higher castes and lower status of lower caste. Every caste has certain rights, privilages and discriminations. But in modern politics caste system plays an important role. Political parties choose candidates for elections who is related to any particular major caste of that area so that he can get support of his caste members. Even political parties do certain promises to different castes to uplift their status. However, in modern politics caste alone is not the only reason which could determine the election results in India and the other reasons are given below :
- These days people are getting education after which they come to know that who is doing false promises and who is doing actual work for them. These days people like to give their vote to that candidate who likes to do developmental work instead of false promises. So the issue of development also affects the election results.
- Popularity of any particular leader also affects result of election. If any particular leader is popular enough then he can win elections very easily, but if he is not popular then he could loose elections irrespective of his belongingness to major caste.
- These days people belong to different political parties instead of caste. They like to give vote to their political party instead of caste.
5. What is the status of women's representation in India's legislative bodies ?
Answer :
This is a well known fact the participation of women in India's legislative bodies is very less. In India the women's representation in India's legislative bodies is very low. In every election the share of women's winning percentage in Parliament never exceed than 10%. But their representation in state's assemblies is as low as 5%. In the whole sphere of the world, India is at the bottom of the list in women's representation in legislative assemblies. Even if females heads the government then cabinet is dominated by males.
6. Mention any two constitutional provisions that makes India a secular state.
Answer :
Secular state is that state which has no religion of its own and which respects all the religions of the country in equal terms. Our constitution has given a status of Secular State to our country due to diversity of religions in our country. Constitution has provided many provisions which reflects secular state's status given to India :
- India has not been given any official religion of its own. Many countries like Pakistan, Srilanka, England etc. have their official religion but there is no official religion for the India State.
- All the citizens of the country are given the right to profess any religion. Citizens can profess, propagate and practise any religion of their wish.
- Constitution says that government shall not discriminate with any citizen on the basis of his religion. That's why the most key positions of country, President and Prime Minister, are held by the people who belong to minority religions.
7. 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 men and women
(c) Unequal child sex ratio
(d) Absence of voting rights for women in democracies
Answer :
(b) unequal roles assigned by the society to men and women
8. In India seats are reserved for women in
(a) Lok Sabha
(b) State legislative assemblies
(c) Cabinets
(d) Panchayti Raj bodies
Answer :
(d) Panchayti Raj bodies
9. Consider the following statements on the meaning of communal politics. Communal politics is based on the belief that :
A. One religion is superior to that of others.
B. People belonging to different religions can live together happily as equal citizens.
C. Followers of a particular religion constitute one community.
D. State power cannot be used to establish the domination of one religious group over others.
Which of the statements is/are correct ?
(a) A, B, C and D
(b) A, B and D
(c) A and C
(d) B and D
Answer :
(c) A and C
10. Which among the following statements about India's Constitution is wrong ? It
(a) prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion
(b) gives official status to one religion.
(c) Provides to all individuals freedom to profess any religion.
(d) ensures equality of citizens within religious communities.
Answer :
(b) gives official status to one religion.
11. Social divisions based on __________ are preculiar to India.
Answer : caste
12. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the Lists :
Answer to this question is option (b)