Political Science NCERT Notes | Class 7

Team Shashank Sajwan

EQUALITY IN INDIAN DEMOCRACY

● Equality (fair and impartial): state of being equal.
● Inequality: unequal/unjust distribution of opportunities/resources (one of the more
common forms of inequality in India is the caste system).
○ Dignity is violated when treated unequally.
● The Indian constitution recognises every person as equal, be it a higher official or a
common man.
○ Art. 15 (Indian Constitution): Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of
religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth.
○ Every person is equal before the law.
○ Universal Adult Franchise.
● PYQ
○ Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion etc. (article 15 of the
Constitution of India) is a Fundamental Right classifiable under: [1995]
a) The Right to Freedom of Religion
b) The Right against Exploitation
c) The Cultural and Educational Rights
d) The Right to Equality
Correct answer is option ‘d’.

o In the Indian Constitution, the Right to Equality is granted by five Articles.

They are: [2002]
a) Article 16 to Article 20
b) Article 15 to Article 19
c) Article 14 to Article 18
d) Article 13 to Article 17
Correct answer is option ‘c’.

● Policy Measure
○ Midday Meal Scheme:
■ Govt. elementary schools to provide children with cooked lunch
(Tamil Nadu first state to introduce).
■ To help improve the effectiveness of primary education (increase
enrolment, attendance, socialisation etc.)
■ Associated with 13-32% of India’s improvement in height-for-age z-
scores (HAZ) between 2006 and 2016.
■ Lower stunting among children.

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 ● Factors for Inequality
○ Poverty and the lack of resources continue to be a key reason why so many
people's lives in India are highly unequal.
○ Discrimination the basis of a person's religion, caste and sex is another
significant factor for why people are treated unequally in India.
● Civil Rights Movement (USA -1950s)
○ African-American people demanded equal rights and an end to racial
discrimination.
○ Civil Rights Act (1964) - prohibited discrimination.

STATE GOVERNMENT
● The government that controls a subdivision of a country in a federal form of
government, shares political power with the federal or Union government.
● Every state has a legislative assembly which comprises MLAs (our elected
representatives). During state elections, MLAs (members of legislative assembly) are
elected and some of them become ministers.
● Constituency: a particular area from which all the voters living there choose their
representatives.

HEALTH
● Our ability to remain free of illness and injuries.
● Factors for good health:
○ Clean water
○ Pollution free environment
○ Active lifestyle without mental strain
● Challenges:
○ Doctors settle in urban areas
○ Access to clean drinking water
○ 5 lakh deaths from tuberculosis and 2 million malaria cases
○ Around 50% children undernourished
● Health care
○ Public Health services (govt. owned)
■ Health Centre - Village level
■ Primary Health Centre - Cluster of villages
■ District Hospitals - District level
■ Government Hospitals - City level
○ Private health facilities (individual owned)
● Why pay taxes to the government?
○ Govt. uses tax money for providing public services such as roads, health
centres, recreational infrastructure etc.

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 ○ Tax money is utilised for relief & distribution.

GENDER
● There is a stereotype where it is considered that some work is to be done by a
specific gender, which is an orthodox belief and is wrong.
● Sometimes household work is not considered as work and is devalued (not given due
recognition for a task or job they do) by the family & society.
● 83.6% of working women in India are engaged in agricultural work. Their work
includes planting, weeding, harvesting and threshing (loosening the edible part of
grain from the straw).
● Ramabai (1859-1922): she went on to set a mission in Khegaon near Pune in 1898,
where widows and poor women were encouraged not only to become literate but to
be independent.
● Rashsundari Devi (1800-1890): wrote her biography at 60, "Amar Jiban”. She taught
herself & worked really hard to be able to read & write.
● Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain & her dream about 'Ladyland’. She not only educated
herself but also helped other girls to go to school & build their own dreams.
● Women's movement: Women's individual & collective struggle to bring about
changes.
○ 2006 law against domestic violence.
○ 1997 guidelines to protect women against sexual harassment etc.
● 8th March- International Women's Day.
● Measures:
○ Anganwadis and child care centres in villages across the country provide
women employment outside home and enable more girls to attend school.

MEDIA (FORM OF COMMUNICATION) AND ADVERTISING (TO INCREASE

REACH & AWARENESS)
● Media refers to all means of communication (television, radio, newspaper,
magazine, online sites).
● Mass media (tech that is intended to reach a mass audience).
● “Media is the 4th pillar of democracy” - A Thomas Carlyle
● A balanced report is one that discusses all points of view of a particular story and
then leaves it to the readers to make up their minds.
● The government can, at times, prevent the media from publishing a story and this is
called censorship.
● Freedom: Free from oppression (burdened by abuse of power).
● Liberty: Freedom to act in one's own way.

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MARKETS
Producer trader → trader → retailer → consumer
(makes or grows (person buys and (company who sells (public)
something) resells them) goods to the public)

MARKET AND EQUALITY

● Market offers people opportunities for work and to sell things.
● But, the rich and powerful control factories, large shops etc. and get the max. profits.
● Poor depend on the rich for loans, raw materials, employment etc.
● Solutions:
○ Forming cooperatives of producers.
○ Strict implementation of laws.

THE INDIAN CONSTITUTION AS A LIVING DOCUMENT

● As it can be amended or changed as per the needs of the society (105 amendments
as of October, 2021).
● Also, in the actual working of the constitution, there has been enough flexibility of
interpretations (as seen in various judgements of the Supreme Court).

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