Civics Exercise (Class 6)

CHAPTER 1
UNDERSTANDING DIVERSITY
A. Choose the correct option.
1. The British Empire stretched from Myanmar to _______________.
a) Afghanistan b) Arunachal Pradesh c) Uttarakhand d) Tajikistan
2. Which of the following does not grow in Kerala? ______________
a) jackfruits b) cashews c) bananas d) sugarcane
3. Puducherry was a _______________ colony before independence.
a) British b) Portuguese c) Dutch d) French
4. _______________ coined the phrase 'unity in diversity'.
a) Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru b) Dr B R Ambedkar c) Mahatma Gandhi d) Subhash
Chandra Bose

B. Fill in the blanks.

1. Three spices Kerala traded in since ancient times were pepper, cloves and
cardamoms.
2. Soft downy wool from Cashmere goats is called Pashmina.
3. Siddhis of Gujarat are an African tribe sattled in India.
4. Coir is a stiff fibre made from the husk of coconut.
5. Immigrants are people who have moved to settle in a new place.
6. Two communities which made India their home were Jews and Parsis.

C. State true or false.

1. A plantain is a type of banana. (True)
2. Every person in this world is unique. (True)
3. Wheat is grown in Ladakh. (False)
4. Puducherry was a Dutch colony before independence. (False)
5. Saint Luke, a disciple of Christ who landed in Kerala, is credited with bringing
Christianity to India. (False)
6. All major religions of the world are practised in Kerala. (True)
D. Answer the following questions briefly.
1. India is a secular state. Explain.
Ans. Foreign cultures have had strong impact on our land for thousands of years. This
impact resulted in mixing of cultures and traditions, which created something very
new, but very Indian. Adivasis came from Africa and are found in the Andaman
Islands. Tribals of Andaman like Onges and Jarawas are the surviving Negritos. The
Siddhis of Gujarat came from Africa, the Moplahs of North Kerala (Malappuram) are of
Arabian origin. Cochin or Malabar Jews of Kerala and Parsis from Persia are some other
Indian communities of foreign origin. So in this way we can see that India is a secular
state.

2. What do the people of Ladakh do for living?

Ans. Ladakh is a cold desert. For most part of the year it is covered with snow and
receives very little rain. Nothing grows here and agriculture is almost impossible. They
eat meat and dairy products like cheese and butter. They melt snow and use the water
for drinking
The fine downy wool that they collect from the goats is known as Pashmina. It is highly
priced. They trade it. It is handwoven into exquisite costly shawls by the weavers of
Kashmir. They trade salt, dry fruits and semi-precious stones. In return they get tea,
tobacco, grain, sugar and other essential goods.

3. Describe briefly the climate of Kerala.

Ans. Kerala is a green state, thanks to its tropical climate and the heavy monsoon rain it
gets. Coconut palms grow in abundance. Coir, from which rope and mattresses are
made, is one of the important industries.

4. Where and how is Onam celebrated?

Ans. It is celebrated in Kerela. Onam is a festival they celebrate with great joy. It is their
harvest festival. They make patterns on the floor with flowers called pookolam. There
are snakeboat races in the rivers.

E. Answer the following questions in detail.

1. Define diversity in your own words with examples.
Ans. Diversity simply means variety. It means that there are lots of different kinds of
things, both living and non-living. Wouldn’t it be a boring world if everything was
exactly the same? If all places looked identical, if we dressed alike, ate the same food,
spoke the same language, it would be pretty drab! What makes the world exciting is

that everything is so different. There is diversity all around us. Look at the trees and
flowers around you, or the creatures that inhabit a park or your garden, or the things
we have at home. Even weather patterns vary, we may have rain today and bright
sunshine tomorrow.
People are diverse too. Physically, we are the same, but we look different from
each other, don't we? You don’t have to go far to find diversity in people. Just look at
your family and friends. Some of us are tall, some short, some thin, some fat. Our skin,
hair and eyes can be of many different colours and shades. There may be some
similarities—you must have heard people say that you look like your father or mother.
But every single person in this world is different.

2. What is the staple food of the people of Kerala? What is the staple food of the people
of Ladakh? Why?
Ans. The staple food of the people of Kerela is rice because it is hot and humid and it
gets plenty of rainfall. Here also coconut grow in abundance due to tropical climate.
Kerela also produce cashews, jackfruit and plantains. These are cooked in many ways
and we love to eat them. Many of our dishes have coconut in them. They also love to eat
meen—that is fish in Malayalam. Fishermen catch them with fishing nets called cheena-
vala or Chinese fishing net. We probably learnt to make them from the Chinese.
The staple food of the people of Ladakh is meat and diary products like cheese and
butter. It is because the region is very very cold and covered with snow most part of the
year. Agriculture is not possible due to extreme cold so people had no option. So they
mainly depend on diary and animal product for food.

3. Do you think living in India with her rich heritage of diversity benefits you? Explain
how.
Ans. Of course it benefits me a lot. I can meet people from different regions and
cultures which is very unique in nature and cannot be seen any country in the world. I
get to know their languages, customs, traditions, food habits etc.

4. Do you think the term 'unity in diversity' is an appropriate term to describe India?
Give reasons.
Ans. (This questions and question 3 has the same answer.)
5. How did the British try to exploit the diversity of Indian people?
Ans. The British came to India as traders in 1599 and by 1857 they had established an
Empire that stretched from Burma (Myanmar) to Afghanistan (the entire Indian
subcontinent). In spite of colonising India for more than 200 years, the British never
understood Indians well. They thought they could divide Indians because they were so
diverse. However, we proved them wrong. India’s freedom movement saw people from
different regions joining hands in opposing the British. Their methods of opposition
were unique—writings, powerful speeches, songs, flags and protest marches. Punjabis,
Bengalis, Maharashtrians, Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims, men and women, united in their
struggle against the British. The British used violent means to break this unity.

6. Why do people move from place to place in India?

Ans. The influence of different cultures on one another is an ongoing process. People
move from one place to another all the time. With each move cultural traditions of
immigrants and their way of life slowly become a part of the new place they settle in.
They learn to speak the language of the place they move to. The reverse also
happens. New words are added to the language of the region. They learn new skills.
Someone who had been a farmer in a village may learn how to repair cars and become a
mechanic in the city. People from different cultural backgrounds may marry and have
children together.

CHAPTER 2
PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION
A. Choose the correct option.
1. Fitting large number of people in one pattern is called
__________________________________.
(a) discrimination (b) inequality (c) stereotypes (d) prejudice
2. Which of the following is not true according to the Constitution?
__________________________
(a) Untouchability is seen as a crime. (b) Everyone has the freedom to follow his or her
religion.
(c) Government jobs are open only for some people. (d) Everyone has equal rights and
opportunities.
3. Which of the following is not true about Dr Ambedkar?
_________________________________
(a) He is considered as the father of Constitution. (b) He was from a class that was
discriminated against. (c) He converted to Jainism because it treated all members
equally.
(d) He was a saviour of the oppressed people.
4. Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar started fortnightly newspaper Mooknayak from
__________________.
(a) Delhi (b) Bombay (Mumbai) (c) Chennai (d) Kolkata

B. Match Column A with Column B.

COLUMN A COLUMN B
1. (a) Cheap unpaid labour treated as the
Apartheid property of the whites. (2)
2. Plantation (b) Boys are brave, they do not cry. (3)
slaves
3. (c) Natives were thought of as dirty and
Stereotype inferior and hence not fit to mix with. (1)

C. Fill in the blanks.

1. Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar belonged to the mahar caste.
2. India is a secular country.
3. President Abraham Lincoln, banned slavery in America.
4. An often unfair and untrue belief that many people have about others is called
discrimination.
5. The word 'Apartheid' in Afrikaans means segregation’ or ‘separation’.

D. State true or false.

1. Prejudices lead to discrimination. (True)
2. Apartheid united the people of South Africa. (True)
3. India is home to all the major religions of the world. (True)
4. Maya Angelou fought against racial separation in South Africa peacefully. (False)
E. Answer the following questions briefly.
1. Who are Dalits? Can you name two prominent Dalit politicians?
Ans. The word dalit means ‘broken/scattered’ in Sanskrit. It is a term used for certain
oppressed castes in India. Two prominent dalit politicians are Mayawati and late Khasi
ram.

2. How do societies form stereotypes ?

Ans. Stereotypes are widely held as an oversimplified image about a particular type of
person or thing. Stereotypes based on whether you are a boy or a girl, are called gender
stereotypes. Some other ways to stereotype people are on the basis of their religion,
political views, race, cultural types and physical appearance. Generalisation of a
person’s behaviour based on their race, religion or cultural and physical appearance
should be avoided. Stereotypes prevent us from considering each person as unique with
special qualities and skills.

3. How can we fight discrimination?

Ans. Discrimination can be defined as unfair treatment of a person or particular group
on the grounds of race, religion, caste, region, age and gender. Discrimination happens
when people act on their prejudices or stereotypes.
We can fight discrimination by treating all sections of the people equally on the
basis of their caste, religion and sex.

4. How does the Preamble of our Constitution describe India?

Ans. The ultimate vision and goal of the Constitution was to ensure that all the people
of India were considered equal. This equality of citizens is seen as a key value that
unites us as Indians.
Our preamble describes India as : We the people of India having solemnly
resolved to constitutestatuteinto a Sovereign Democratic Republic and to secure all its
citizens Justice, Liberty, Equality and Fraternity.

F. Answer the following questions in detail.

1. What were the four main castes according to Manusmriti? How did the caste system
lead to discrimination?
Ans. In ancient times, the Hindu scripture Manusmriti divided people on the basis of
what they did. Everyone in ancient Indian society belonged to one of 4 groups or castes.
Together these four castes were supposed to run the state.
The Brahmins were the learned ones. They were teachers and intellectuals. The
Kshatriyas were warriors and rulers. They protected the state. The Vaishyas were
traders. They dealt in goods that came from near and far. The Shudras were those who
did menial jobs. They did physical chores like field work and maintenance. Outside the
caste system were those who were regarded as untouchables.
The flaw in the system was that one could not choose one’s caste, but was always
born into it. As a result, with time, the Brahmins and Kshatriyas felt that they were
superior to the others. Shudras, who did the menial tasks, were thought to be inferior.
This created prejudices and discrimination.

2. Write a short note on Dr B R Ambedkar.

Ans. Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar helped draft the Constitution for independent India. He
was also the first law minister of India. But to many Indians, Ambedkar was the saviour
of the Dalits and downtrodden in India. He was born on 14 April 1891 in Mhow
(presently in Madhya Pradesh). He belonged to the ‘untouchable’ Mahar Caste. He
received a good education thanks to his father's and grandfather’s service in the British
army. But this changed after his father retired to settle in Satara, Maharashtra. In the
local school Bhimrao was enrolled in, he faced discrimination. He had to sit on the floor
in one corner of the classroom.
With great determination to speak up against caste discrimination, he started a
fortnightly newspaper, the Mooknayak (Dumb Hero) in 1920 in Bombay (now
Mumbai), for the upliftment of the oppressed classes. He also addressed many meetings
and conferences. In 1927 he led the march at the Chowdar Tank Mahad, Maharashtra, to
give the untouchables the right to draw water from the public tank which was
prohibited.

G. Read the sentences below. Write P if a sentence reflects prejudice, D if shows

Discrimination, and S if it reflects stereotype.
1. Ravi is a boy so he can come late. D
2. Men go out to work while women stay at home raising children. S

CHAPTER 3
OUR GOVERNMENT
A. Choose the correct option.
1. Which of these is an alternative dispute resolution mechanism?
a) Anarchy b) Lok Adalat c) Oligarchy d) Trias Politica
2. Which of these is not a function of the government of a country?
a) protecting fundamental rights of the citizens b) maintaining law and order
c) both a and b d) neither a nor b
3. Which of these is an intermediate level of governance and is headed by the Chief
Minister?
a) Central level b) State level c) Local level d) None of the options
4. Bureaucrats and civil servants are part of which branch of the government?
a) Legislature b) Executive c) Judiciary d) All of the them

B. Fill in the blanks.

1. A government is a system where a group of people govern a state or community.
2. The word government has been derived from the Latin noun gubernator.
3. Central government is the highest level of governance.
4. The functions of government safeguards the interests and the fundamental rights of
the people.
5. Nelson Mandela became to the first black president in South Africa's history.

C. Match Column A with Column B.

COLUMN A COLUMN B
1. (a) The state controls and operates the
Communism economy on behalf of the people (1)
2. (b) People or their elected
Anarchy representatives govern themselves (3)
3. (c) Absence of law (2)
Democracy

D. Answer the following questions briefly.

1. List the different branches of the government.
Ans. In order to carry out the functions of the government, the Constitution provides
three distinct branches. They are:
i) Executive
ii) Legislative
iii) Judiciary

2. What is a Union List?

Ans. The union list are :
i) Defence.
ii) Railways.
iii) Foreign relations.

3. What are the different levels of judiciary?

Ans. The different levels of judiciary are :
i) Supreme court.
ii) High court.
iii) District and session courts.
iv) Lok adalats.

E. Answer the following questions in detail.

1. Why is judiciary regarded as the most important branch of the government?
Ans. This is the most important branch of democracy. It safeguards the interests and
rights of the people. Judiciary consists of the Supreme Court, High courts and other
lower courts. It also examines the validity of the laws enacted by the Parliament on the
Constitutional parameters. In short, we can say that the legislature makes laws, the
executive enforces them and the judiciary applies them to the specific cases arising out
of the breach of law.
2. Describe the three levels of the government.
3. Mention the differences between communism and democracy.
Ans. Communism is a form of government in which the state controls and operates the
economy on behalf of the people.
Democracy is a system of government in which people choose their
representatives by voting for them in elections. Hence, the real power always with the
people. Today, India is the largest democracy in the world.

4. What is the role of lok adalats?

Ans. Lok Adalat is one of the alternative dispute resolution mechanisms in India. It is a
forum where cases pending in the court of law or at pre-litigation stages are sett led or
resolved amicably. Lok Adalats are organised at district, state and national level to
settle disputes. The first Lok Adalat was held on 14 March 1982 at Junagarh in Gujarat.

5. Discuss the evolution of universal adult suffrage in India.

Ans. In the early 20th century, women's organisations fought for the right to vote in
public elections. Women did not have right to vote always. This movement was known
as women's suffrage movement and each member was known as a suffragette.
.The woman suffrage movement started in 1848 when the women’s rights
convention was held in Seneca Falls, New York. By the end of the 19th century, the
struggle gave women the right to vote in several countries. In India, from the first
general elections after the independence of India in 1947, women had the right to vote.
In 1917, the Women's Indian Association (WIA) was founded that sought votes for
women and the right to hold legislative office on the same basis as men. Do you know
in 1918, British and Indian feminists published a magazine titled Stri Dharma that
featured international news from a feminist perspective?

6. Define Universal Adult Franchise.

Ans. The right of the people to vote and elect their representatives is called franchise
and Adult franchise means that all citizens who are 18 years of age and above have the
right to vote, irrespective of their caste, gender, religion and colour. The timeline below
shows the main events that led to the adoption of universal adult franchise in India.
Indian National Congress, in the Karachi session of 1931 summarised the notion of
universal adult franchise.

CHAPTER 4
KEY ELEMENTS OF DEMOCRACY
A. Choose the correct option.
1. Which of our neighbouring countries has recently adopted democracy?
a) France b) Greece c) Bangladesh (d) Nepal
2. Which of these is a way in which people can participate in the working of the
government?
a) by participating in peace march and lighting candles b) by taking out rallies c) by
starting signature campaigns d) all of the above
3. Checks and balances is a way of ___________________ power.
a) limiting b) giving c) ending d) enjoying

4. Which of these statements is true about democracy?

a) In a democracy, all the citizens are considered equal.
b) In a democracy, justice is given only to the poor.
c) In a democracy, there is no scope for conflicts.
d) In a democracy, the citizens are considered unequal before law.

B. Fill in the blanks:

1. The Constitution of India came into force on 26 January 1950.
2. Democracy ensures conflicts are resolved in a peaceful manner.
3. Separation of powers play an important role in letting the different branches of the
government decide whether and how to exercise its checks and balances.
4. Abraham Lincoln was the President of United States of America.

C. Match Column A with Column B.

COLUMN A COLUMN B
1. a) Comes from the Greek word demos
Democracy (meaning ‘the people’) and kratos
(meaning ‘rule’) (1)
2. Sukanya Samriddhi b) Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign
account (2)
3. Article 262 of the Indian c) The Interstate River Water Disputes
Constitution Act, 1956 (IRWD Act) (3)

D. Answer the following questions briefly.

1. What is public opinion?
Ans. Citizens should voice their views and opinions about governmental policies,
processes and public affairs. This is called public opinion. Public opinion can be defined
as the collective evaluations expressed by people on political issues, policies,
institutions and individuals.

2. How does the government scheme Beti Bachao Beti Padhao help?
Ans. Often in a society, we are faced with gender inequality. To bridge this gap in the
treatment of girls and boys, the government has extended many benefits to a girl child
and her parents. Sukanya Samriddhi account is a popular scheme backed by the
Government of India as part of Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign. The scheme helps to
secure the future of a girl child.

3. Where did the word 'Democracy' originate from?

Ans. The word ‘democracy’ comes from the Greek word demos (meaning ‘the people’)
and kratos (meaning ‘rule’).

4. Why do conflicts arise in a society?

Ans. While playing a game, like football or cricket, you have to follow certain rules
carefully. However, in spite of adhering to the rules, there are instances of conflict. To
resolve these conflicts and ensure an uninterrupted play, there is a referee.
Just as there are conflicts in a game, there can be differences among different
sections of a society. In a society, there are people of different religions, caste and creed
living together. They have their own set of traditions and customs and speak different
languages. Conflicts arise when one community is given preference over the other.

E. Answer the following questions in detail.

1. How do people participate in the working of a government?
Ans. We know that in a democracy, people cast their votes to elect representatives, who
in turn, govern the nation. Election, thus, is an important democratic procedure in
which people can participate in the formation and functioning of the government.
2. Describe how the system of checks and balances works. Different political parties
present before the people their manifestos before elections. Manifestos are a public
declaration of the policy and aims of a political party. People analyse the agenda of
different parties and vote for the political party they want in power. People can raise
their voice through the following means:
i) By staging mass protests or participating in peace and candle marches.
ii) By taking out rallies.
iii) By starting signature campaigns.
iv) By writing for or against government policies on social media.
v) By participating in debates organised by various news channels.
vi) By writing articles in newspapers and magazines or through letters to editors.

3. Why are there conflicts in the society?

Ans. D question no. 4 already answered.

4. Mention two types of inequalities prevalent in the society.

Ans. Two types of inequalities prevalent in the society are rich and poor. Some sections
of people are rich while some are poor. The rich may enjoy numerous privileges while
the poor may be deprived of even their basic rights. Such differences create clash and
conflict in the society. One of the key elements of democracy is to ensure that equal
rights are given to people irrespective of their caste, creed and religion. Further, people
belonging to all the section of the society (majority and minority) are given fair
representation in the government, so that their needs are taken care of.

5. Discuss how equality and justice go hand in hand.

Ans. Equality and justice are essential to any good form of government. In fact, they go
hand in hand. Equality essentially means that everyone is treated equally irrespective of
their caste, creed, religion, sex and language. In a democratic government everyone
enjoys freedom of speech and expression, freedom to practise any religion, take up any
job and enjoy all social and economic benefits. Further, equality means that right to vote
is extended to all the eligible citizens through universal adult franchise.

CHAPTER 5
LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT
A. Choose the correct option.
1. At the _________________ level, the local self-government is known as the Gaon Panchayat.
a) village b) town c) state d) district
2. What is unique about a ‘self-government’ system?
a. Local people manage their own affairs.
b. External authority manages the affair of the people.
c. Local people cannot participate in the decision-making process.
d. External authority’s approval is mandatory in the decision-making process.
3. Mahatma Gandhi called the system of self-governance __________________.
a) Panchas b) Sabhas c) Gram Swaraj d) Gram Panchayat
4. The normal term of a Panchayat is _________________ years.
a) 5 b) 6 c) 1 d) 2
5. The history of the Panchayati Raj dates back to the time of the _________________.
a) Rig Veda b) Sama Veda c) Yajur Veda d) Atharva Veda

B. Complete the sentences in the table below to bring out the differences between Gram
Sabha and Gram Panchayat.
Gram Sabha Gram Panchayat
Members include : It consists of all the adult Comprises of few (7-17) elected members.
(18 years and above) members of the village.

Function: The Gram Sabha monitors and Function: The Gram Panchayat acts as an executive
evaluates the work of the Gram Panchayat. organ of the Gram Sabha.

C. State true or false.

1. On 27 August 2009, the Union Cabinet of the Government of India approved 50%
reservation for women in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI). (True)
2. Constructing roads in a village is a function of the village panchayat. (True)
3. Grants-in-aid from the Central or the State Government is a source of income for the
village panchayat. (True)
4. The head of the Panchayat is known as secretary. (False)

5. All the Block Development Officers are answerable to the Zila Parishad. (True)

D. Fill in the blanks.

1. A village having population not less than 1500 forms the Gram Sabha.
2. The Gram Sabha monitors and checks the working of the Gram Panchayat.
3. At the block level, the local self-government is called the Janpad Panchayat,
Anchalik Samiti, Janpad Samiti or Panchayat Samiti.
4. The Nyaya Panchayat passes judgements for minor offences such as minor injury,
wrongful restraint, etc.
5. The vice-sarpanch of the panchayat is called the up-sarpanch.

E. Answer the following questions briefly.

1. What are the different committees formed by the Gram Sabha?
Ans. In some states, Gram Sabhas form committees like construction and development
committees. These committees include some members of the Gram Sabha and some
from the Gram Panchayat who work together to carry out specific tasks.

2. Define Gram Panchayat.

Ans. The members of the Gram Sabha elect a few members called panchas who together
form an organisation called the Gram Panchayat.

3. List some advantages of the Nyaya Panchayat.

Ans. The advantages are :
i) Inexpensive method to settle disputes.
ii) Faster resolution of disputes.
iii) Justice is delivered to the village folks at their doorsteps.
iv) Provides protection to local customs and traditions.

4. Who is a sarpanch?
Ans. The head of the Panchayat is known as the Sarpanch. The vice sarpanch of the
panchayat is called the up-sarpanch. He/She takes care of the responsibilities of the
sarpanch in his/her absence.

F. Answer the following questions in detail.

1. Explain the three-tier structure of the village panchayat.
Ans. The panchayat takes care of the administrative, social, economic and judiciary
functions. It is a three-tier system and operates at three distinct levels. Now, as a local self-
government, the Panchayati Raj system operates at the village, block and district levels.
i) At the village level, the local self-government is known as gaon panchayat, gram
panchayat or village panchayat. It comprises the sarpanch, panch and gram sabha
members.
ii) At the block level, it is called the Janpad Panchayat, Anchalik Samiti, Janpad Samiti
or Panchayat Samiti. Many village panchayats are under each Panchayat Samiti. At the
block level, a Block Development Officer (BDO) looks after a group of villages.

iii) At the district level, we have Zila Parishad. All the Block Development Officers are
answerable to the Zila Parishad. The Zila Parishad with the help of the Panchayat Samiti
makes developmental plans at the district level.

2. State the differences between the Gram Sabha and the Gram Panchayat.
Ans. Already discussed in question B.

3. Trace the history of the development of the current local self-government in India.
Ans. The history of the Panchayati Raj dates back to around 1700 BCE— the time of the Rig
Veda. As per evidence, self-governing village bodies called 'sabhas' existed during that
period too. With time, ‘sabhas’ got replaced by a council of five persons or ‘panchas’. This
council was called the panchayat. The word ‘panchayat’ means ‘assembly’ of five and ‘raj’
means rule. Mahatma Gandhi’s dream was to have a system where people could directly
participate in the local government. He believed that implementation of rural development
programmes would be easy and effective through panchayats. He called this system ‘Gram
Swaraj’ which meant ‘village self-governance’. In 1992, this system was formalised by a
Constitutional amendment and Panchayati Raj came into being as a modern self-governing
body.
The Panchayati Raj is the oldest system of local government in South Asia. It is found
mainly in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal.
4. Complete the table.
Function of panchayat
a) constructs and maintains
water resources—
construction and repair of
wells, drains, tanks, etc.
Village Panchayat b) constructs roads and
drainage system in the
village
maintains school buildings
and CPR (common property
resources)
levies and collects local taxes
c) executes government
schemes related to rural
employment
provides healthcare facilities
like health centres and
dispensaries
CHAPTER 6
URBAN LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT
Sources of income
a) Taxes imposed on land
and houses
Taxes imposed on trade and
commerce
b) Collection of customs
duties and license fees on
transport and
communication
Collection from toll tax
c) Grants-in-aid from the
Central or the State
government or from the
Zila Parishad or the
Panchayat Samiti
Loans from the Central
Government, State
Government or other
financial agencies
A. Choose the correct option.
1. Which Amendment of the Constitution provides for three types of urban self-
governing bodies?
(a) 71st Amendment (b) 72nd Amendment (c) 74th Amendment (d) 73rd Amendment
2. Which self-governing body administers a city of minimum population of more than
100,000 but less than 1,000,000?
(a) City Council (b) Nagar Panchayat (c) Nagar Palika (d) Municipal Corporation
3. Which is another name for the Municipal Corporation?
(a) City Council (b) Nagar Nigam (c) Nagar Palika (d) Nagar Panchayat
4. How many years is the normal term of a mayor?
(a) 5 (b) 6 (c) 1 (d) 2
5. Sridhar stays in Bengaluru. He is governed by which self-governing body?
(a) City Council (b) Municipal Corporation (c) Nagar Palika (d) Nagar Panchayat

B. Match Column A with Column B.

COLUMN A COLUMN B
1. Collection from property a) Function of the Municipal
tax Corporation (2)
2. Registration of births and b) Sources of income of the Municipal
deaths Corporation (1)
3. Participates in the council c) Function of a mayor (4)
meetings
4. Presides over the meeting of the d) Function of a ward councilor (3)
Municipal Corporation

C. State true or false.

1. The State Government appoints the Municipal Commissioner for a term of 5 years
who is also known as the Chief Executive Officer. (True)
2. Several committees which help the Corporation to perform many functions are
known as Standing Committees. (True)
3. Grants-in-aid from the State Government are a source of income for the Municipal
Corporation. (True)
4. E-governance leads to excess use of paper. (False)
5. The Central Government appoints a mayor and a deputy mayor. (False)
D. Fill in the blanks.
1. An urban centre with more than 11,000 and less than 25,000 inhabitants is
administered by the City Council or Nagar Panchayat.
2. Metros such as Delhi and Mumbai are governed by Municipal Corporation or Nagar
Nigam.
3. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) of Mumbai is the richest
Municipal Corporation in India.
4. All elected councillors form the general council, which is an organ of the Municipal
Corporation.

E. Answer the following questions briefly.

1. List the different urban self-governing bodies.
Ans. They are :
i) City Council or Nagar Panchayat.
ii) Municipal Council or Nagar Palika.
iii) Municipal Corporation or Nagar Nigam.

2. What is a general council?

Ans. Through the system of voting or on the basis of adult franchise, people elect
councillors. All elected councillors form the general council which is an organ of the
Municipal Corporation.

3. Define RTI.
Ans. Right to Information, popularly known as RTI, was passed in 2005. Under this act of
the Parliament of India, any citizen of India may request information from a government
body and the body is required to reply as soon as possible or within thirty days.

4. List four functions of Municipal Corporation.

Ans. They are :
i) Setting up park.
ii) Supplying pure drinking water.
iii) Repairing roads and bridges.
iv) Building and maintaining hospitals.

F. Answer the following questions in detail.

1. Explain the difference between a City Council and a Nagar Nigam.
Ans. With time, as more urban areas emerged, and population increased, separate
bodies were created to govern them. Among them are City Council or Nagar Panchayat
and Municipal Corporation or Nagar Nigam.
i) City Council : It administers an urban centre with more than 11,000 and less than
25,000 inhabitants.
ii) Nagar Nigam: It looks after cities with a population of more than 1 million. Metros
such as Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad are administered
by Municipal Corporations. These are, in fact, the largest governing bodies because
these metros are most populated as well as commercial centres. There are
approximately 75 Municipal Corporations in India known by different names at
different states.

2. List the functions of the Municipal Corporation.

Ans. Question already answered in E question 4.

3. List the different taxes that the Municipal Corporation collects.

Ans. The important sources of income for the Municipal Corporation includes the
following:
i) Property taxes imposed on land and houses
ii) Collection from vehicle taxes and road taxes
iii) Entertainment taxes imposed on cinema halls and markets
iv) Collection from business and professional tax
v) Collection from customs duty imposed on import and export of goods
vi) Collection from toll taxes on bridges and roads
vii) Fee received from registration of births and deaths
viii) Grants-in-aid from the State Government

4. Do you think e-governance can help the environment? Give reasons for your answer.
Ans. Today, you can use the Internet to do almost everything—from booking tickets,
sending gifts, taking a virtual tour of a hotel or a monument to video calling people in
other parts of world. Today Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is used
in all government offices in order to provide services to the citizens in quick,
convenient, efficient and transparent manner. This is known as e-governance. Say, for
example, you want to apply for a government scholarship. What you need to do is open
the government website
open the form online fill it submit it.
 Thus, e-governance has made work easier and faster. It is easier to track the
progress of the work (application) online and we need not save documents physically.
Most importantly, it saves paper and thus the environment.

5. List the functions of a ward councillor.

Ans. The Councillors under the Municipal Corporations perform the following duties:
i) Work towards the welfare and interests of the Municipal Corporation.
ii) Participate in council meetings.
iii) Develop programmes and policies of the Municipal Corporation related to
electricity, drinking water, etc.
iv) The councillors elect from among themselves a Mayor and a Deputy Mayor.

CHAPTER 7
DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION
A. Circle the odd one out.
1. Solves local disputes, Registers local complaints, Maintains record of landowners,
Searches for criminals and arrests them
2. Station House Officer, Constable, Policemen, Patwari
3. Tehsils, Police district, Police subdivision, Police circle
4. Deputy Commissioner, Patwari, Tehsildar, Chowkidar

B. Underline the part of the statement that is false. Then replace it with the correct one.
1. Under the District Collector are other officers called patwaris. (Tehsildars)
2. The person in charge of the police station is called the Director General of Police
(DGP). (Station House Officer. SHO)
3. The civil administration of a district is headed by the patwari or the tehsildar.
(District Collector).
4. A chowkidar is a government official in rural areas who maintains records of
ownership of land and tilling. (Patwari).

C. Fill in the blanks

1. The head of the police force at the state level is called the Commissioner of Police or the
Director General of Police (DGP).
2. Police circles are headed by the Circle inspector.
3. A patwari is also known as kanungo, talati and karnam.
4. The Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act was passed in 2005.
D. Match the following:
Dialogue Person
1. Station House Officer (SHO) a) a person reports all criminal activities to
the nearest police station (3)
2. The Commissioner of Police b) the person in charge of a police station
(1)
3. Chowkidar c) the Director General of Police (DGP) (2)
4. Tehsildar d) a document to find out the owner of the
land (5)
5. Fard e) monitors the work of the partwari (4)

E. Answer the following questions briefly.

1. List two tasks that the police perform.
Ans. The two tasks are :
i) Solves local disputes.
ii) Registers local complaints.

2. What is the Hindu Succession Act?

Ans. Under the Hindu Succession Act, 1956, property rights of sons and daughters were
different. Once a daughter was married, she had no rights on her father’s property,
while sons enjoyed complete right. The Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act was
passed in 2005.
Under this, daughters have equal rights as sons in terms of inheritance of property. The
amendment now grants daughters the same rights, duties and liabilities that were
earlier only limited to sons. This was indeed an important decision to bring about
equality in the society.

3. What is the difference between DGP and DSP?

Ans. The head of the police force at the state level is called the Commissioner of Police
or the Director General of Police (DGP). The police districts are divided into police
subdivisions headed by the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP).

4. Who is a district collector?

Ans. The civil administration of a district is headed by the Deputy Commissioner or the
District Collector who supervises the collection of land revenue and maintenance of
land records.
F. Answer the following questions in detail.
1. What is the role of a patwari? Why is it important for the government?
Ans. A patwari is a government official in a rural area, who maintains records of
ownership of land and tilling. Each patwari is responsible for a group of villages and is
known by various names. A patwari is known as kanungo, talati, karnam and adhikari
in different states of India. As a patwari, visits the lands, measures them and records the
name of the landowner and its dimensions in a document called fard. The patwari
provides this information to the government, which in turn, charges taxes based on the
size of the land.
Proper land records are maintained by the patwari. It helps resolve any dispute
regarding ownership of land. It also helps the government to know who owns how
much land and calculate the tax accordingly.
So a patwari’s role is very important for the government.
2. Describe the administrative set-up of a police station.
Ans. We know that every state has a police force to maintain law and order. The head of
the police force at the state level is called the Commissioner of Police or the Director
General of Police (DGP). The lower administrative level of the police is police district.
The head of the police administration at the district level is the Superintendent of Police
(SP). The police districts are divided into police subdivisions headed by the Deputy
Superintendent of Police (DSP). Police subdivisions are further divided into police
circles that are headed by the Circle Inspector (CI).
Specific duties are assigned to every police officer from the level of a constable right
up to the level of the DGP. These duties are listed in the police manuals of every state. A
junior officer cannot perform the duties assigned to his or her senior. For example, an SI
cannot do the duty assigned to an SP. However, anything that can be done by a lower
rank officer can be done by a senior rank officer as well.

3. Suppose you had a fight with your neighbour and went to the police station. Whom
will you meet first? What process will be followed to file your complaint?
Ans. Due to the conflict, there were arguments resulting in a clash. Every village
generally has a chowkidar who reports all criminal activities to the nearest police
station. In this case, one of the parties rushed to the nearby police station. The Station
House Officer (SHO) listened to the person and asked him to file a written complaint.
SHO is in charge of a police station. Under the SHO there are assistant sub-inspectors,
head constables and constables. Once the complaint was filed, two constables were
asked to go to the site of dispute to bring the situation under control. Constables are
required to do an investigation of an incident and prepare a report.
4. Do you think the Hindu Succession Amendment Act safeguards the interests of
women? Explain how.
Ans. This question already answered in E question 2.

CHAPTER 8
RURAL LIVELIHOODS
A. Fill in the blanks.
1. Agriculture is the primary source of livelihood for about 58 per cent of Indian
population.
2. Livelihood is a set of all the activities that human beings need to do to secure their
basic necessities such as food, shelter, medicines, etc.
3. Rich farmers hire labourers on fixed wages to work on their land.
4. Small farmers grow only few types of crops.
5. Vinoba Bhave is regarded as the national teacher of India.

B. Match the Column A with Column B.

COLUMN A COLUMN B
1. I own 20 bighas of land and I hire a) Farmers with small landholdings (2)
labourers on fixed wages who work on my
land.
2. I do not work on anyone’s farm. I own a b) Landless peasants (3)
small plot which I cultivate along with my
family.
3. I do not own any land and work on the c) Farmers with large landholdings (1)
lands of landowners.

C. Underline the word or the part of the sentence that is incorrect.

1. Vinoba Bhave started the land donation movement on 18 April 1991.
2. Small farmers hire labourers on fixed wages to work on their land.
3. Guntha is a unit of measurement used in some parts of Haryana and Punjab.
4. Many women in villages run such small businesses from their homes which is called
urbanisation.
5. In cities, there is very less scope for people to get a job due to lack of industries.
D. Answer the following questions briefly.
1. Who was Vinoba Bhave?
Ans. Vinoba Bhave started the Bhoodan Movement in which he took land donations
from landowning farmers and gave it away to the poor and landless to cultivate.

2. What was the difference between Bansilal’s landholding and Santaram’s

landholding?
Ans. Bansilal is a rich farmer he did not grow potatoes on his own. He is the
landowner. He own 40 acres of land. He hire labourers on fixed wages who work on his
land and grow the crop for him. Whereas Santaram is a small farmer and own a small
plot of land. He can grow only few types of crops and that too in limited quantity. His
wife, children and he himself work on small farm and perform all activities such as
sowing seeds, weeding, hoeing and harvesting the crops on their own.

3. Define cottage industry.

Ans. Local handicrafts form an integral part of rural livelihood. Many people in villages
run such small businesses from their homes. This is called cottage industry.

4. Give a few examples of cottage industry.

Ans. A few examples of cottage industries include jewellery making, embroidery,
basket weaving, pottery, sewing, knitting, etc.

5. What do people do for living other than farming?

Ans. In villages, there is very less scope for people to get a job due to a lack of
industries. Thus, they engage in animal husbandry, fishing and forestry as well. Rural
people also work as blacksmiths, leather workers, weavers, goldsmiths, etc. In addition,
you will find barbers, cobblers and washermen.

E. Answer the following questions in detail.

1. Define livelihood. What is the main source of rural livelihood?
Ans. Livelihood is a set of activities that human beings need to do to secure their basic
necessities such as food, shelter, medicines, etc. For example, your parents work in
offices, schools or colleges to earn their livelihood. In a village, farmers use the available
land to grow crops that they can eat or sell in towns and cities. Women in the villages
domesticate animals such as cows and goats and make dairy products such as butter,
ghee and cream. Teenagers and women also use locally available products such as
feathers, mud, seeds, shells, etc, to make handicrafts. Thus, in rural areas agriculture is
the main source of income.
“ According to the 2011 census of India, 68.84 per cent of Indians live in 640,867
different villages. Agriculture is the primary source of livelihood for about 58 per cent
of India's population. In fact, in India, as per 2011 census report, 31.55 per cent of the
total rural population are farmers.

2. How does the life of a farmer with large landholdings differ from that of a farmer
with small landholdings?
Ans. Already discussed in D question 2.

3. Describe the life of a landless labourer.

Ans. Varun’s father decided to purchase around 5 kg potatoes from Bansilal
Wholesalers. Bansilal asked one of his helpers, Surjan, to pack the potatoes. He
explained that Surjan was an agricultural labourer or a landless labourer. He worked on
Bansilal’s fields on daily wages. Surjan replied, “Yes, I do not own any land. Therefore, I
work on the lands of landowners. Since the work is seasonal, there are times when I
have no work. And if there is no rain, I’m again left with no work. So, I have learnt
other skills such as carpentry to earn my living. Now, since the harvest season is over,
there is no work on Bansilal’s farm.
So, I am helping him here in the market to earn some extra money. I am thankful
to have some work now. Since we are not educated, we cannot think of doing anything
else,” saying this, Surjan handed the potatoes to Varun’s father and turned to attend
other customers.

4. Suppose you own a small piece of land. What challenges would you face in earning
your livelihood?
Ans. Firstly I have manage my own field without any help. I have limited resource so I
cannot introduce huge machinery and employ modern techniques of farming. Due to
these reasons, my harvest is small and just enough to feed the family. After meeting our
needs, whatever little is left with us, we bring to the market to sell. Around 80 per cent
of farmers like me find it difficult to sustain on these small landholdings. Also, since we
mostly grow seasonal crops, we are free for a few months after the harvest season is
over. So, we have to depend on other sources of income. My elder sister raises poultry
and sells eggs.
My mother takes care of two cows in our home and sells the milk in the neighbourhood.
We also use the cattle to plough our farms. But even with these sources, sometimes I do
not have enough money to buy seeds pesticides and fertilizers. So, I borrow money
from moneylenders."

5. Apart from agriculture, what are the other sources of rural livelihood?
Ans. Already discussed in D question 5.

CHAPTER 9
URBAN LIVELIHOOD
A. Fill in the blanks
1. On the basis of the nature of the activities performed, occupation is classified into three types:
primary, secondary and tertiary.
2. Baking bread is an example of secondary occupation.
3. People working in multinational companies are part of the organised sector.
4. In the unorganised sector, salary flexible.
5. People migrate in search of work.

B. Read the dialogue and mention in which sector they work.

DIALOGUE SECTOR

I am Salim. I am a carpenter and work on a daily wage Unorganised sector

of Rs 200.

I woke up so late. I did not feel like going to office. So, I Organised sector
took a leave today. I have lot of leaves left.

Ruhani does not need to worry about medical expenses. Organised sector
Her company’s insurance covers them all.

This month is a good month for me. I worked on all Unorganised sector
four Sundays and did not take a single leave, therefore,
I will get more salary.

C. Match the column A with column B.

COLUMN A COLUMN B
1. farming, mining and fishing a) tertiary occupation (3)
2. making cotton clothes from raw cotton b) primary occupation (1)
3. teaching c) secondary occupation (2)
D. State whether the statements are true or false.
1. A negative net migration rate occurs when more people enter than leaving an area.
(True)
2. The difference between the number of immigrants and the number of emigrants
throughout the year is called the net migration rate. (True)
3. The influx of workers in urban areas increases competition for jobs, houses, education
facilities, etc. (True)
4. Migration of skilled workers leads to the economic decline of a region. (False)
5. Primary occupation involves those that provide a service to the people such as
teaching and nursing. (False)

E. Answer the following questions briefly.

1. What happened when Indumati’s flowers did not sell?
Ans. Her profit is just enough for her to survive the day. And sometimes, if the flowers
don’t sell, she is without much earnings. She cannot even sell those flowers the next day
as they begin to wither. Weekends and winter season are a good time for her.

2. What additional perks does Roshan singh get from his office other than the salary?
Ans. He enjoys benefits such as travel allowance and medical insurance. He does not
need to worry much about his old age as he is entitled to a good pension after his
retirement. I am very happy for and proud of my uncle.

3. Define occupation.
Ans. People in towns and cities take up different kinds of work to earn their livelihood.
The work people do to sustain themselves is called their occupation. Occupation can be
classified into three types based on the nature of the activities performed, namely,
primary, secondary and tertiary.

4. State two positive impacts of migration.

Ans. Migration is a part of city life. It has positive as well as negative effects on the lives
of the migrants. Two Positive impact of migration are:
i) More options of employment for people.
ii) Introducing people to new culture, customs, languages and helping to cultivate a
feeling of brotherhood.
F. Answer the following questions in detail.
1. On the basis of the nature of the activities performed, how many types of occupations
exist? Name them.
Ans. On the basis of the nature of the activities performed, occupation is classified into
three types: primary, secondary and tertiary.
i) Primary occupation : It involves all activities that are done using raw materials or
natural resources from the environment, For example, farming, mining and fishing.

ii) Secondary occupation : It involves activities that change a raw material into a
finished product, for example, making cars, baking bread and making cotton clothes
from raw cotton.

iii) Tertiary occupation : It involves providing services to other people such as teaching
and nursing.
Almost all activities can be categorised under these three occupation types. For
example, when a farmer grows wheat on his farm, he is involved in a primary
occupation. When workers use the same wheat to manufacture bread, we can say that
they are involved in secondary occupation. While the transport company that transfers
breads to different shops is engaged in tertiary occupation.

2. What is the difference between a primary occupation and a secondary occupation?

Ans. Answered in question 1 of F.

3. Define migration. What is the main difference between ‘immigration’ and

‘emigration’?
Ans. The movement of people from one place to another is called migration. People
migrate in search of work. Migration from rural areas to urban areas has increased in
the past few years in India.
‘Immigrate’ and ‘emigrate’ are two words that fall under the umbrella term ‘migrate’.
Migrate generally means a permanent movement but can also mean a temporary
relocation. To immigrate is to enter and settle in a foreign country permanently, leaving
a past home.
To emigrate is to leave one country or region to settle in another.
‘Emigrate’ implies a permanent move and only applies to people. The difference
between ‘immigrate’ and ‘emigrate’ is that ’immigrating’ is the act of entering a foreign
country to live permanently while ‘emigrating’ is the act of leaving a country for
another.
The difference between the number of immigrants and the number of emigrants
throughout the year is called net migration rate. When there is an equal number of
immigrants and emigrants, the net migration rate is balanced.

4. Take an example and explain how the life of a person working in the organised sector
is different from that of a person working in the unorganised sector.
Ans. Indumati, flower seller (florist) : Just outside the lane, towards the right of my
home, there is a spot where Indumati sits every day with her flowers. The flowers are
mostly local, like marigold and mogra. Sometimes, she has roses as well. Her day starts
at dawn every day. She travels by the 5.00 a.m. local train to purchase flowers. Then she
sets up her stall by 6.00 a.m. She sits there and makes small garlands and gajra out of
the flowers. Since she sells these garlands for around `10 each, she does not earn a lot by
the end of day.
Roshan Singh, software engineer : Next to my school is a huge business park. It houses
many famous offices. My uncle works in one such firm. I have visited his office once.
His office is so large that our school building can easily fit into just one of its wings. I
love the huge aquariums placed at the reception and the colourful beanbags. My uncle
joined this office three years ago. In these three years, he has reached the position of the
manager. He always tells us to study hard. He was good at studies and got admission in
one of the best colleges of the country. From there, he was directly recruited by this
organisation.
The nature of job of Indumati is temporary. Their salary is not fixed. They get paid only
for the days they work. They have no leaves or medical benefits. Such a sector of
employment is called an unorganised sector. For Roshan Singh, on the other hand, vary.
He enjoys a permanent job and avails travel and medical benefits. Such a sector is called
organised sector.

5. What are the benefits of migration?

Ans. Already discussed question 4 E.