Class 8 – Page 3 – Jharkhand Board Solution

JAC Class 8 Social Science Notes History Chapter 1 How, When and Where

September 4, 2024September 3, 2024 by Veer

JAC Board Class 8th Social Science Notes History Chapter 1 How, When and Where

→ How Important are Dates?

History is certainly about changes that occur over time. It is about finding out how things were in the past and how things have changed.
We can only refer to a span of time, an approximate period over which particular changes became visible.
For different events such as when the king was crowned, when he got married, etc., specific dates can be determined, and in histories such as these, debates about dates continue to be important.

→ Which dates?

Dates become vital because we focus on a particular set of events as important. If our focus of study changes, and we begin to look at new issues, a new set of dates will appear significant.
In the histories written by British historians in India, the rule of each Governor-General was important.
All the dates in these history books were linked to these personalities – to their activities, policies, achievements.
In the histories that revolve around the life of British Governor-Generals, the activities of Indians simply do not fit, they have no space.

→ How do we periodise?

In 1817, a Scottish economist and political philosopher, named James Mill published a massive three-volume work, A History of British India.
In this, he divided Indian history into three periods – Hindu, Muslim and British. This periodisation came to be widely accepted.
We periodise in an attempt to capture the characteristics of a time, its central features as they appear to us. So, the terms through which we periodise – that is, demarcate the difference between periods become important.
Mill thought that all Asian societies were at a lower level of civilisation than Europe. According to him, history, before the British came to India, Hindu and Muslim despots ruled the country.
Religious intolerance, caste taboos and superstitious practices dominated social life. British rule, Mill felt, could civilise India.
In fact, Mill suggested that the British should conquer all the territories in India to ensure the enlightenment and happiness of the Indian people. For India was not capable of progress without British help.
We should also remember that even rulers in ancient India did not all share the same faith.
If we don’t consider British classification, historians have usually divided Indian history into ‘ancient’, ‘medieval’ and ‘modem’. This division too has its problems.
Under British rule people did not have equality, freedom or liberty. Nor was the period one of economic growth and progress. Many historians therefore refer to this period as ‘colonial’.

→ What is colonial?

When the subjugation of one country by another leads to these kinds of political, economic, social and cultural changes, we refer to the process as colonisation.
All classes and groups did not experience these changes in the same way.

→ How do We Know?
Administration produces records

One of the important sources is the official records of the British administration. The British believed that the act of writing was important. Every instruction, plan, policy decision, agreement, investigation had to be clearly written up.
The British also felt that all important documents and letters needed to be carefully preserved. So, they set up record rooms attached to all administrative institutions.
The village tahsildar’s office, the collector, the commissioner’s office, the provincial secretariats, the law courts had their record rooms. Specialised institutions like archives and museums were also established to preserve important records.
In the early years of the nineteenth century, these documents were carefully copied out and beautifully written by calligraphists.
By the middle of the nineteenth century, with the spread of printing, multiple copies of these records were printed as proceedings of each government department.

→ Surveys become important

The practice of surveying also became common under the colonial administration. The British believed that a country had to be properly known before it could be effectively administered.
By the early nineteenth century detailed surveys were being carried out to map the entire country.
From the end of the nineteenth century, Census operations were held every ten years.
There were many other surveys such as botanical surveys, zoological surveys, archaeological surveys, anthropological surveys, forest surveys.

→ What official records do not tell

Official records tell us what the officials thought, what they were interested in and what they wished to preserve for posterity. These records do not always help us understand what other people in the country felt, and what lay behind their actions.
We have diaries of people, accounts of pilgrims and travellers, autobiographies of important personalities and popular booklets that were sold in the local bazaars.
Leaders and reformers wrote to spread their ideas, poets and novelists wrote to express their feelings as printing spread.
All these sources, however, were produced by those who were literate. It becomes difficult to know about the tribals and peasants.

JAC Class 8 Social Science Notes

JAC Class 8 Social Science Notes History Chapter 10 India After Independence

September 4, 2024September 3, 2024 by Bhagya

JAC Board Class 8th Social Science Notes History Chapter 10 India After Independence

→ A New and Divided Nation:

When India became independent in August 1947, it faced a series of very great challenges with refugees to settle down with home and jobs.
Around 500 princely states were there, each of whom had to be persuaded to join the new nation.
The new nation had to adopt a political system that would best serve the hopes and expectations of its population.
At Independence, the vast majority of Indians lived in the villages.
In the cities, factory workers lived in crowded slums with little access to education or healthcare.
The new nation had to lift its masses out of poverty by increasing the productivity of agriculture and by promoting new, job-creating industries.

→ A Constitution is Written

Between December 1946 and November 1949, some 300 Indians had a series of meetings on the country’s political future. The meetings of this “Constituent Assembly” were held in New Delhi.
These discussions resulted in the framing of the Indian Constitution, which came into effect on 26 January 1950.
One feature of the Constitution was its adoption of universal adult franchise.
All Indians above the age of 21 years would be allowed to vote in state and national elections. This was a revolutionary step for never before had Indians been allowed to choose their own leaders.
A second feature of the Constitution was that it guaranteed equality before the law to all citizens, regardless of their caste or religious affiliation.
Under the new Constitution, they would have the same rights as Hindus – the same opportunities when it came to seeking jobs in government or the private sector, the same rights before the law.
A third feature of the Constitution was that it offered special privileges for the poorest and most disadvantaged Indians.
After a long debate, the Constituent Assembly also recommended that a certain percentage of seats in legislatures as well as jobs in government be reserved for members of the lowest castes.

→ Along with the former untouchables, the adivasis or Scheduled Tribes were also granted reservation in seats and jobs.

The Constituent Assembly spent many days discussing the powers of the central government versus those of the state governments.
Some members thought that the Centre’s interests should be foremost.
Other members felt that the provinces should have greater autonomy and freedom.

→ The Constitution sought to balance these competing claims by providing three lists of subjects:

A Union List, with subjects such as taxes, defence and foreign affairs, which would be the exclusive responsibility of the Centre;
A State List of subjects, such as education and health, which would be taken care of principally by the states;
A Concurrent List, under which would come subjects such as forests and agriculture, in which the Centre and the states would have joint responsibility.

→ Another major debate in the Constituent Assembly concerned language.

A compromise was finally arrived at: namely, that while Hindi would be the “official language” of India, English would be used in the courts, the services, and communications between one state and another.
The most important role was played by Dr B.R. Ambedkar, who was Chairman of the Drafting Committee, and under whose supervision the document was finalised.
In his final speech to the Constituent Assembly, Dr Ambedkar pointed out that political democracy had to be accompanied by economic and social democracy.

→ How were States to be Formed?

Back in the 1920s, the Indian National Congress, the main party of the freedom struggle had promised that once the country won independence, each major linguistic group would have its own province.
India had been divided on the basis of religion: despite the wishes and efforts of Mahatma Gandhi, freedom had come not to one nation but to two.
Both Prime Minister Nehru and Deputy Prime Minister Vallabhbhai Patel were against the creation of linguistic states.
The Kannada speakers, Malayalam speakers, the Marathi speakers had all looked forward to having their own state. The strongest protests, however, came from the Telugu-speaking districts of what was the Madras Presidency.

→ In October 1952, a veteran Gandhian named Potti Sriramulu went on a hunger strike demanding the formation of Andhra state to protect the interests of Telugu speakers. As the fast went on, it attracted much support. Hartals and bandhs were observed in many towns.

On 15 December 1952, fifty-eight days into his fast, Potti Sriramulu died.
On 1 October 1953, the new state of Andhra came into being, which subsequently became Andhra Pradesh.
A States Reorganisation Commission was set up which submitted its report in 1956 recommending the redrawing of district and provincial boundaries to form compact provinces of Assamese, Bengali, Oriya, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Telugu speakers respectively.
In 1960, the bilingual state of Bombay was divided into separate states for Marathi and Gujarati speakers.
In 1966, the state of Punjab was also divided into Punjab and Haryana, the former for the Punjabi speakers (who were also mostly Sikhs), the latter for the rest (who spoke not Punjabi but versions of Haryanvi or Hindi).

→ Planning for Development

Lifting India and Indians out of poverty, and building a modem technical and industrial base were among the major objectives of the new nation.
In 1950, the government set up a Planning Commission to help design and execute suitable policies for economic development.
There was a broad agreement on what was called a “mixed economy” model. Here, both the State and the private sector would play important and complementary roles in increasing production and generating jobs.
In 1956, the Second Five Year Plan was formulated. This focused strongly on the development of heavy industries such as steel, and on the building of large dams.
These sectors would be under the control of the State.
Some felt that it had put inadequate emphasis on agriculture. Others argued that it had neglected primary education. Still others believed that it had not taken account of the environmental implications of economic policies.

→ The Nation, Sixty Years On

On 15 August 2007, India celebrated sixty years of its existence as a free nation.
That India is still united, and that it is still democratic, are achievements that we might justly be proud of.
As many as thirteen general elections have been held since Independence, as well as hundreds of state and local elections. There is a free press, as well as an independent judiciary. Finally, the fact that people speak different languages or practise different faiths has not come in the way of national unity.
On the other hand, deep divisions persist. Despite constitutional guarantees, the Untouchables or, as they are now referred to, the Dalits, face violence and discrimination.
As many observers have noted, the gulf between the rich and the poor has grown over the years.
The Constitution recognises equality before the law but in real life some Indians are more equal than others. Judged by the standards it set itself at Independence, the Republic of India has not been a great success. But it has not been a failure either.

JAC Class 8 Social Science Notes

JAC Class 8 Social Science Notes History Chapter 9 The Making of the National Movement: 1870s–1947

September 4, 2024September 3, 2024 by Bhagya

JAC Board Class 8th Social Science Notes History Chapter 9 The Making of the National Movement: 1870s–1947

→ The Emergence of Nationalism:

What is this country of India and for whom is it meant? The answer that gradually emerged was: India was the people of India – all the people irrespective of class, colour, caste, creed, language, or gender. And the country, its resources and systems were meant for all of them.
The awareness came that the British were exercising control over the resources of India and the lives of its people and until this control was ended India could not be for Indians.
The consciousness began by the political associations formed after 1850 especially in the 1870s and 1880s.
Most of these were led by English educated professionals such as lawyers. The more important ones were the Poona Sarvajanik Sabha, the Indian Association, the Madras Mahajan Sabha, the Bombay Presidency Association, and of course the Indian National Congress.
They worked with the idea that the people should be sovereign means a modern consciousness and a key feature of nationalism.

→ The Arms Act was passed in 1878 disallowing Indians from possessing arms.

The Act allowed the government to The Making of the National Movement: 1870s – 1947 confiscate the assets of newspapers including their printing presses if the newspapers published anything that was found objectionable.
In 1883, there was a furore over the attempt by the government to introduce the Ilbert Bill.
The bill provided for the trial of British or European persons by Indians and sought equality between British and Indian judges in the country. But when white opposition forced the government to withdraw the bill, Indians were enraged.
The Indian National Congress was established when 72 delegates from all over the country met at Bombay in December 1885.
The early leaders were Dadabhai Naoroji, Pherozeshah Mehta, Badruddin Tyabji, W.C. Bonnerji, Surendranath Banerji, Romesh Chandra Dutt, S. Subramania Iyer and others was largely from Bombay and Calcutta.
Naoroji was a businessman and publicist settled in London and for a time member of the British Parliament had guided the younger nationalists.
A retired British official, A.O. Hume also played a part in bringing Indians from the various regions together.

→ A nation in the making

In the first twenty years, the Congress was moderate in its objectives and methods.
During this period, it demanded a greater voice for Indians in the government and in administration.
The demand for Indianisation of the administration was part of a movement against racism since most important jobs at the time were monopolised by British officials and they generally assumed that Indians could not be given positions of responsibility.
Other demands included the separation of the judiciary from the executive, the repeal of the Arms Act and the freedom of speech and expression.
The early Congress also raised a number of economic issues.
The Congress demanded reduction of revenue, cut in military expenditure, and more funds for irrigation.
The Moderate leaders wanted to develop public awareness about the unjust nature of British rule.
They published newspapers, wrote articles and showed how British rule was leading to the economic ruin of the country.
They felt that the British had respect for the ideals of freedom and justice and so they would accept the just demands of Indians.

→ “Freedom is our birthright”

In Bengal, Maharashtra and Punjab, leaders such as Bepin Chandra Pal, Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Lala Lajpat Rai were beginning to explore more radical objectives and methods.
They criticised the Moderates for their ‘politics of prayers’ and emphasised the importance of self-reliance and constructive work.
Tilak raised the slogan, ‘Freedom is my birthright and I shall have it! ’

→ In 1905, Viceroy Curzon partitioned Bengal. At that time Bengal was the biggest province of British India and included Bihar and parts of Orissa.

The main British motives perhaps were to curtail the influence of Bengali politicians and to split the Bengali people.
All sections of the Congress, the Moderates and the Radicals as they may be called opposed the partition of Bengal.
The struggle that unfolded came to be known as the Swadeshi movement which was strongest in Bengal but with echoes elsewhere too. In deltaic Andhra for instance, it was known as the Vandemataram Movement.
To fight for swaraj, the radicals advocated mass mobilization and boycott of British institutions and goods.
Some individuals also began to suggest that ‘revolutionary violence’ would be necessary to overthrow British rule.
A group of Muslim landlords and nawabs formed the All India Muslim League at Dacca in 1906.

→ The League supported the partition of Bengal.

Some seats in the councils were now reserved for Muslims who would be elected by Muslim voters.
The Congress split in 1907. After the split the Congress came to be dominated by the Moderates with Tilak’s followers functioning from outside. The two groups reunited in December 1915.
Next year the Congress and the Muslim League signed the historic Lucknow Pact and decided to work together for representative government in the country.

→ The Growth of Mass Nationalism

The First World War altered the economic and political situation in India.
It led to a huge rise in the defence expenditure of the Government of India.
On the other hand, business groups reaped fabulous profits from the war.
The war also led the British to expand their army.
Many returned after the war with a view in which imperialist powers were exploiting the peoples of Asia and Africa and with a desire to oppose colonial rule in India.
In 1917, there was a revolution in Russia. News about peasant’s and worker’s struggles and ideas of socialism circulated widely which inspired Indian nationalists.

→ The advent of Mahatma Gandhi

Gandhiji, aged 46, arrived in India in 1915 from South Africa.
His South African campaigns had brought him in contact with various types of Indians: Hindus, Muslims, Parsis and Christians, Gujaratis, Tamils and north Indians and upper class merchants, lawyers and workers.
Mahatma Gandhi spent his first year in India travelling throughout the country, understanding the people, their needs and the overall situation.
His earliest interventions were in local movements in Champaran, Kheda and Ahmedabad where he came into contact with Rajendra Prasad and Vallabhbhai Patel. In Ahmedabad he led a successful millworkers’ strike in 1918.

→ The Rowlatt Satyagraha

In 1919, Gandhiji gave a call for a satyagraha against the Rowlatt Act that the British had just passed.
Mahatma Gandhi, Mohammad Ali Jinnah and others felt that the government had no right to restrict people’s basic freedoms.
Gandhiji asked the Indian people to observe 6 April 1919 as a day of non-violent opposition to this Act. Satyagraha Sabhas were set up to launch the movement.
The Jallianwala Bagh atrocities inflicted by General Dyer in Amritsar on Baisakhi day (13 April), were a part of this repression.
On learning about the massacre, Rabindranath Tagore expressed the pain and anger of the country by renouncing his knighthood.

→ Khilafat agitation and the Non-Cooperation Movement

In 1920, the British imposed a harsh treaty on the Turkish Sultan or Khalifa.
The leaders of the Khilafat agitation, Mohammad Ali and Shaukat Ali now wished to initiate a Non-Cooperation Movement.
Gandhiji supported their call and urged the Congress to campaign against ‘Punjab wrongs’ means Jallianwala massacre, the Khilafat wrong and demand swaraj.
The Non-Cooperation Movement gained momentum through 1921-22.
Many lawyers such as Motilal Nehru, C.R. Das, C. Rajagopalachari and Asaf Ali gave up their practices.
British titles were surrendered and legislatures boycotted.
The imports of foreign cloth fell drastically between 1920 and 1922.

→ People’s initiatives

Different classes and groups, interpreting Gandhiji’s call in their own manner, protested in ways that were not in accordance with his ideas.
In Kheda, Gujarat, Patidar peasants organised non-violent campaigns against the high land revenue demand of the British.
In coastal Andhra and interior Tamil Nadu, liquor shops were picketed.
In the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh, tribals and poor peasants staged a number of ‘forest satyagrahas’.
In Sind now in Pakistan, Muslim traders and peasants were very enthusiastic about the Khilafat call.
In Bengal, the Khilafat-Non-Cooperation alliance gave enormous communal unity and strength to the national movement.
In Punjab, the Akali agitation of the Sikhs sought to remove corrupt mahants who were supported by the British from their gurudwaras.
In Assam, tea garden labourers, shouting ‘Gandhi Maharaj ki Jai’ demanded a big increase in their wages. In the Assamese Vaishnava songs of the period the reference to Krishna was substituted by ‘Gandhi Raja’.

→ The people’s Mahatma

Gandhiji wished to build class unity and not class conflict. Peasants could imagine that he would help them in their fight against zamindars and agricultural labourers believed he would provide them land.
At the end of a powerful movement, peasants of Pratapgarh in the United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh) managed to stop illegal eviction of tenants. But they felt it was Gandhiji who had won this demand for them.

→ The happenings of 1922-1929

Gandhiji abruptly called off the Non-Cooperation Movement when in February 1922 as a crowd of peasants set fire to a police station in Chauri Chaura. He was a follower of non-violence.
Chitta Ranjan Das and Motilal Nehru argued that the party should fight elections to the councils and enter them in order to influence government policies.
Through sincere social work in villages in the mid-1920s, the Gandhians were able to extend their support base. This proved to be very useful in launching the Civil Disobedience movement in 1930.
Two important developments of the mid 1920s were the formation of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu organisation and the Communist Party of India.
The decade closed with the Congress resolving to fight for Puma Swaraj means complete independence in 1929 under the presidentship of Jawaharlal Nehru.
Consequently, ‘Independence Day’ was observed on 26 January 1930 all over the country.

→ The Marth to Dandi

In 1930, Gandhiji declared that he would lead a march to break the salt law.
According to this law, the state had a monopoly on the manufacture and sale of salt.
Gandhiji and his followers marched for over 240 miles from Sabarmati to the coastal town of Dandi where they broke the government law by gathering natural salt found on the seashore and boiling sea water to produce salt.
Peasants, tribals and women participated in large numbers.
The combined struggles of the Indian people bore fruit when the Government of India Act of 1935 prescribed provincial autonomy and the government announced elections to the provincial legislatures in 1937.
The Congress formed governments in 7 out of 11 provinces.
After 2 years of Congress rule in the provinces in September 1939, the Second World War broke out.

→ Quit India and Later

Mahatma Gandhi decided to initiate a new phase of movement against the British in the middle of the Second World War.
Gandhiji and other leaders were jailed at once but the movement spread. It specially attracted peasants and the youth who gave up their studies to join it.
By the end of 1943, over 90,000 people were arrested and around 1,000 killed in police firing. In many areas orders were given to machine-gun crowds from airplanes.

→ Towards Independence and Partition

In 1940, the Muslim League had moved a resolution demanding ‘Independent States’ for Muslims in the north-western and eastern areas of the country.
The provincial elections of 1937 seemed to have convinced the League that Muslims were a minority, and they would always have to play second fiddle in any democratic structure.
The Congress’s rejection of the League’s desire to form a joint Congress League government in the United Provinces in 1937 also annoyed the League.
At the end of the war in 1945, the British opened negotiations between the Congress, the League and themselves for the independence of India.
The talks failed because the League saw itself as the sole spokesperson of India’s Muslims. The Congress could not accept this claim since a large number of Muslims still supported it.
Elections to the provinces were again held in 1946. The Congress did well in the ‘General’ constituencies but the League’s success in the seats reserved for Muslims was spectacular.
In March 1946, the British cabinet sent a three-member mission to Delhi to examine

→ The Making of the National Movement: 1870s -1947 the demand and to suggest a suitable political framework for a free India.

After the failure of the Cabinet Mission, the Muslim League decided on mass agitation for winning its Pakistan demand. It announced 16 August 1946 as “Direct Action Day”.
By March 1947, violence spread to different parts of northern India.

JAC Class 8 Social Science Notes

JAC Class 8 Social Science Notes History Chapter 8 Women, Caste and Reform

September 4, 2024September 3, 2024 by Bhagya

JAC Board Class 8th Social Science Notes History Chapter 8 Women, Caste and Reform

→ Two hundred years ago things were very different. Most children were married off at an early age.

In some parts of the country, widows were praised if they chose death by burning themselves on the funeral pyre of their husbands.
Women who died in this manner whether willingly or otherwise, were called ‘sati’ which means virtuous women.
In many parts of the country people believed that if a woman was educated, she would become a widow.
In most regions, people were divided along lines of caste. Brahmans and Kshatriyas considered themselves as ‘upper castes’.
Traders and moneylender were referred as ‘Vaishyas’ were placed after them.
Then came peasants and artisans such as weavers and potters who were referred as ‘Shudras’.
At the lowest rung were those who laboured to keep cities and villages clean or worked at jobs that upper castes considered polluting, that is, it could lead to the loss of caste status. They were untouchables.

→ Working Towards Change

The development of new forms of communication started. For the first time, books, newspapers, magazines, leaflets and pamphlets were printed.
All kinds of issues such as social, political, economic and religious could now be debated and discussed by men and sometimes by women as well in the new cities.
The discussions could reach out to a wider public and could become linked to movements for social change.
Raja Rammohun Roy (1772-1833) founded a reform association known as the Brahmo Sabha (later known as the Brahmo Samaj) in Calcutta.
People such as Rammohun Roy are described as reformers because they felt that changes were necessary in society, and unjust practices needed to be done away with.
Rammohun Roy was keen to spread the knowledge of Western education in the country and bring about greater freedom and equality for women.

→ Changing the lives of widows

Rammohun Roy began a campaign against the practice of sati.
Rammohun Roy was well versed in Sanskrit, Persian and several other Indian and Europeon languages.
He tried to show through his writings that the practice of widow burning had no sanction in ancient texts.
In 1829, sati was banned.
Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar, used the ancient texts to suggest that widows could remarry.
A law was passed in 1856 permitting widow remarriage.
By the second half of the nineteenth century, the movement in favour of widow remarriage spread to other parts of the country.
In the Telugu-speaking areas of the Madras Presidency, Veerasalingam Pantulu fonned an association for widow remarriage.
In the north, Swami Dayanand Saraswati who founded the reform association called Arya Samaj also supported widow remarriage.

→ Girls begin going to school

Vidyasagar in Calcutta and many other reformers in Bombay set up schools for girls.
Throughout the nineteenth century, most educated women were taught at home by liberal fathers or husbands. Sometimes women taught themselves.
In the latter part of the century, schools for girls were established by the Arya Samaj in Punjab and Jyotirao Phule in Maharashtra.
In aristocratic Muslim households in North India, women leamt to read the Koran in Arabic.
Reformers such as Mumtaz Ali reinterpreted verses from the Koran to argue for women’s education.

→ Women write about women

From the early twentieth century, Muslim women like the Begums of Bhopal played a notable role in promoting education among women. They founded a primary school for girls at Aligarh.
Another remarkable woman, Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain started schools for Muslim girls in Patna and Calcutta.
By the 1880s, Indian women began to enter universities.
Tarabai Shinde, a woman educated at home at Poona published a book Stripurushtulna (A Comparison between Women and Men) criticising the social differences between men and women.
Pandita Ramabai, a great scholar of Sanskrit felt that Hinduism was oppressive towards women and wrote a book about the miserable lives of upper-caste Hindu women.
By the end of the nineteenth century, women themselves were actively working for reform.
From the early twentieth century, they formed political pressure groups to push through laws for female suffrage (the right to vote) and better health care and education for women.
In the twentieth century, leaders such as Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose lent their support to demands for greater equality and freedom for women.

→ Caste and Social Reform

In Bombay, the Paramhans Mandali was founded in 1840 to work for the abolition of caste.
During the nineteenth century, Christian missionaries began setting up schools for tribal groups and lower caste children.
The poor from the villages and small towns many of them from low castes began moving to the cities where there was a new demand for labour.
Some also went to work in plantations in Assam, Mauritius, Trinidad and Indonesia.
The army also offered opportunities to lower caste people. A number of Mahar people who were regarded as untouchable, found jobs in the Mahar Regiment.
The father of B.R. Ambedkar, the leader of the Dalit movement taught at an army school.

→ Demands for equality and justice

By the second half of the nineteenth century, people from within the Non-Brahman castes began organising movements against caste discrimination and demanded social equality and justice.
The Satnami movement in Central India was founded by Ghasidas who worked among the leather workers and organised a movement to improve their social status.
In eastern Bengal, Haridas Thakur’s Matua sect worked among Chandala cultivators.
In what is present-day Kerala, a guru from Ezhava caste, Shri Narayana Guru, proclaimed the ideals of unity for his people.
According to him, all humankind belonged to the same caste. One of his famous statements was one caste, one religion, one god for humankind.

→ Gulamgiri

One of the most vocal amongst the low- caste leaders was Jyotirao Phule. He was bom in 1827 and studied in schools set up by Christian missionaries.
As the Aryans established their dominance, they began looking at the defeated population as inferior as low caste people.
According to Phule, the upper castes had no right to their land and power. In reality, the land belonged to indigenous people, the so- called low castes.
He proposed that Shudras means labouring castes and Ati Shudras means
untouchables should unite to challenge caste discrimination.
The Satyashodhak Samaj which is an association Phule founded propagated caste equality.
In 1873, Phule wrote a book named Gulamgiri meaning slavery.
He was concerned about the plight of upper caste women, the miseries of the labourer, and the humiliation of the low castes.
This movement for caste reform was continued in the twentieth century by other great dalit leaders such as Dr. B.R. Ambedkar in western India and E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker in the south.

→ Who could enter temples?

Ambedkar was bom into a Mahar family. In school he was forced to sit outside the classroom on the ground and was not allowed to drink water from taps that upper caste children used.
On his return to India from US in 1919, he wrote extensively about upper caste power in contemporary society.
In 1927, Ambedkar started a temple entry movement, in which his Mahar caste followers participated.
Ambedkar led three such movements for temple entry between 1927 and 1935.
His aim was to make everyone see the power of caste prejudices within society.

→ The Non-Brahman movement

In the early twentieth century, the non-Brahman movement started.
The initiative came from those non-Brahman castes that had acquired access to education, wealth and influence.
E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker or Periyar as he was called came from a middle-class family.
He had been an ascetic in his early life and had studied Sanskrit scriptures carefully.
Convinced that untouchables had to fight for their dignity, Periyar founded the Self Respect Movement.
He became a member of the Congress but left it in disgust when he found that at a feast organised by nationalists, seating arrangements followed caste distinctions.
He argued that untouchables were the true upholders of an original Tamil and Dravidian culture which had been subjugated by Brahmans.
Periyar was an outspoken critic of Hindu scriptures especially the Codes of Manu, the ancient lawgiver and the Bhagavad Gita and the Ramayana.
Orthodox Hindu society also reacted by founding Sanatan Dharma Sabhas and the Bharat Dharma Mahamandal in the north and associations such as the Brahman Sabha in Bengal.
The object of these associations was to uphold caste distinctions as a cornerstone of Hinduism, and show how this was sanctified by scriptures.

JAC Class 8 Social Science Notes

JAC Class 8 Social Science Solutions Civics Chapter 3 Why Do We Need A Parliament?

September 3, 2024September 2, 2024 by Prasanna

JAC Board Class 8th Social Science Solutions Civics Chapter 3 Why Do We Need A Parliament?

JAC Class 8th Civics Why Do We Need A Parliament? InText Questions and Answers

Question 1:
What do you think the artist is trying to convey through the image of Parliament?
Answer:
The artist is trying to convey through the image of Parliament is that it is based on people’s strength and power. These people come from various background and shows unity is strength.

Page 32

Question 2.
Give one reason why you think there should be universal adult franchise.
Answer:
There should be universal adult franchise because it will help to establish equality in the society.

Question 3.
Do you think there would be any difference if the class monitor was selected by the teacher or elected by the students? Discuss.
Answer:
Yes, there would be a difference if the class monitor was selected by the teacher or elected by the students. If the
class monitor is chosen by the teacher then it will not be a democratic process. But, if the students of the class elect the monitor then he will be representative of the class and this shows a democratic process.

Page 35

Question 4.
Use the table to answer the questions below: Results of the 16th Lok Sabha Elections, (May 2014) Political Party No. of MPs National Parties

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) 282
Communist Party of India (CPI) 1
Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) 9
Indian National Congress (INC) 44
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) 6
State Parties (Regional Parties)
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) 4
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 37
All India Trinamool Congress 34
All India United Democratic Front 3
Biju Janata Dal (BJD) 20
Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) 2
Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) 2
Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party 3
Janata Dal (Secular) 2
Janata Dal (United) 2
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) 2
Lok Jan Shakti Party 6
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) 4
Samajwadi Party (SP) 5
Who will be present for discussions in the Lok
Shiromani Akali Dal 4
Shiv Sena 18
Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) 11
Telugu Desam (TDP) 16
Other Regional Parties 7
Registered Unrecognised Parties 16
Independents 3

Grand Total 543

Who will form the government? Why? Sabha?
Is this process similar to what you have read about in Class VII?

Answer:

BJP will form the government because they have the majority.
The MPs will be present for discussions in the Lok Sabha.
Yes, this process similar.

Question 4.
The photograph on page 28 shows results from the 3rd Lok Sabha elections held in 1962.

Use the photograph to answer the following questions:
(a) Which state has the highest number of MPs in the Lok Sabha? Why do you think this is so?
(b) Which state has the least number of MPs in the Lok Sabha?
(c) Which political party has won the most seats in all states?
(d) Which party do you think will form the government? Give reasons why.
Answer:
(a) Uttar Pradesh. This state has the largest population as compared to other states.
(b) Manipur.
(c) The Congress Party
(d) The Congress Party will form the government because they have won in majority.

Page 38

Question 5.
Lok Sabha Unstarred Question uestion No: 48 Answered On: 15.12.2017 Converge of Schemes for Children Manoj Rajoria Will the Minister of Women and Child Development be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government proposes to converge various schemes and policies for children in the country;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and;
(c) if not, the reasons therefor?
Answer:
Minister of State in the Ministry of Women and Child Development (Dr. Virendra Kumar). (a) to (c) The Ministry has developed the National Plan of Action for Children 2016 which largely draws upon the existing programmes and schemes of various Ministries/Departments.

It provides a framework for convergence and co-ordination between Ministries/Departments and State/ UTs Governments and encourages collective action from all stakeholders to address multi dimensional vulnerabilities experienced by children. The National Plan of Action for Children 2016 categorizes children’s rights under four key priority areas.

(i) Survival, Health and Nutrition,

(ii) Education and Development,

(iii) Protection and

(iv) Participation. It identifies key programmes, schemes and policies as well as stakeholders for the implementation of different strategies. In the above question, what information is being sought information from the Minister of Women and Child Development? If you were a Member of Parliament (MP), list two questions that you would like to ask.
Answer:
The information which is being sought from the Minister of Women and Child Development were:

whether the Government proposes to converge various schemes and policies for children in the country;
if so, the details thereof; and;
if not, the reasons therefore.

If I were a MP, then I would have asked the following questions:

What is the government doing for women to bring at the level of men?
What is the government doing to give education to every child?

Page 39

Lok Sabha	Election Years	Voter Turnout (%)
1st	1951-52	61.16
4th	1967	61.33
5th	1971	55.29
6th	1977	60.49
8th	1984-85	64.01
10th	1991-92	55.88
14th	2004	57.98
15th	2009	58.19

Looking at this table would you say that people’s participation during the past 65 years has: decreased/increased/been stable after initial increase?
Answer:
After initial increase, it decreased and then increased again. It has been fluctuating.

Page 40

Question 7.
Why do you think there are so few women in Parliament? Discuss.
Answer:
People don’t want to accept women as rulers as our society is still a male dominating society. Hence, they avoid giving crucial roles to women. But, now, slowly perceptions are changing and women are coming in politics

JAC Class 8th Civics Why Do We Need A Parliament? Textbook Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Why do you think our national movement supported the idea that all adults have a right to vote?
Answer:
Our national movement supported the idea that all adults have a right to vote because the British government did not allow all adults to vote nor could people participate in decision making. Hence, in the struggle for independence people from all walks of life participated. They came from various backgrounds and were united in their aspirations for a free, equal and independent nation where decision-making would be in the hands of the people. The only way in which this would be possible through elections which will allow common people to have consent to and approve of a government that they have a right to choose.

Question 2.
In this 2004 map of Parliamentary constituencies alongside, roughly identify the constituencies in your State. What is the name of the MP from your constituency? How many MPs does your state have? Why are certain constituencies coloured green while others are coloured blue?

Answer:

Students need to do it on their own.
Certain constituencies are coloured green while others are coloured blue because they are reserved constituencies for SC and ST respectively.

Question 3.
You have read in Chapter 1 that the ‘Parliamentary form of government’ that exists in India has three tiers. This includes the Parliament (centra! government) and the various Sta Legislatures (state governments). Fill in the following table with information on the various representatives from your area:

Objective	State Government	CentralGovernment
Which political party/parties is/ are currently in power?
Who (name) is the current representative from your area?
Which political parties currently form the Opposition?
When were elections last held?
When will the next elections be held?
How many women representatives are there (from Question ‘our state)?

Answer:
Students need to do it on their own with the help of teacher.

JAC Class 8th Civics The Why Do We Need A Parliament? Important Questions and Answers

Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1.
In democratic India, people elect their representatives to the Parliament, then, one group from among elected representatives forms the government. How long members are elected for?
(a) Five years
(b) Eight years
(c) Seven years
(d) Ten years
Answer:
(a) Five years

Question 2.
In which year Indian Parliament came to existence?
(a) 1952
(b) 1949
(c) 1950
(d) 1947
Answer:
(d) 1947

Question 3.
The election for Lok Sabha is usually occur once every five years. The elected candidates are known as
(a) Ministers of State
(b) Members of Parliament
(c) Members of Constitution
(d) None of these
Answer:
(b) Members of Parliament

Question 4.
Which of the following function/s the Parliament needs to perform?
(a) To make law
(b) To select the national government
(c) To control, guide and inform the government
(d) All of these
Answer:
(d) All of these

Question 5.
It may happen that one political party does not get a clear majority in election. In such a situation a group of parties come together to form a government. This type of government known as a……..
(a) coalition government
(b) admission government
(c) commission government
(d) opposition government
Answer:
(a) coalition government

Question 6.
……. functions primarily as the representative of the states of India in the Parliament.
(a)The Prime Minister
(b) The Judiciary
(c) The Rajya Sabha
(d) The President
Answer:
(c) The Rajya Sabha

Question 7.
Who is the leader of the ruling party in the Lok Sabha?
(a) The President
(b) The Vice President
(c) The Prime Minister
(d) The Chief Minister
Answer:
(c) The Prime Minister

Question 8.
There are elected members plus members nominated by the President.
(a) 233; 12
(b) 133; 15
(c) 233; 15
(d) 123; 20
Answer:
(a) 233; 12

Question 9.
The Parliament keeps a heck on the ministers and their work. MPs have the right to question the ministers about the working of their department. This is usually done during .
(a) the answering hour
(b) the question hour
(c) the listening hour
(d) the analysis hour
Answer:
(b) the question hour

Question 10.
The seats are reserved in Parliament for…….
(a) the people from the army
(b) the royal family members
(c) SCs and STs
(d) both a and c
Answer:
(c) SCs and STs

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
What do you mean by EVM?
Answer:
EVM means Electronic Voting Machine.

Question 2:
When were EVMs used for the first time?
Answer:
EVMs were used throughout the country for the first time in the 2004 general elections.

Question 3.
Name the two Houses of Parliament.
Answer:
The two houses of Parliament are the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha.

Question 4.
How does the Parliament session begins?
Answer:
The Parliament, session begins with a question hour.

Question 5.
What do you mean by constituency?
Answer:
Constituency is an area whose voters elect a representative to a legislative body.

Question 6.
What is the main purpose of parliament?
Answer:
Parliament enables citizens of India to participate in decision making and control the government.

Question 7.
Who presides over Lok Sabha?
Answer:
Lok Sabha (House of the People), with a total membership of 545, is presided over by the Speaker.

Question 8.
How many members does the President nominates in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha?
Answer:
The President nominates 2 members to the Lok Sabha and 12 members to the Rajya Sabha.

Question 9.
What is the principle of universal adult franchise?
Answer:
The principle of universal adult franchise means that all adult citizens of the country have the right to vote.

Question 10
Who makes the opposition party?
Answer:
The opposition in Parliament is formed by all the political parties that oppose the majority party/coalition formed. The largest amongst these parties is called the Opposition

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1. Which house of parliament is more powerful with regard to financial matters and how?
Answer:
Lok Sabha is more powerful with regard to financial matters because money bills can only be introduced in the Lok Sabha. Hence, it controls the finances of the government.

Question 2.
Why do you think that there are reservation of seats in Parliament for SCs and STs?
Answer:
Some seats are reserved in Parliament for SCs and STs. This has been done so that the MPs elected from these constituencies will be familiar with and can represent Dalit and Adivasi’s interests in Parliament.

Question 3.
What is the role of opposition in’ democracy?
Answer:
The opposition parties play a crucial and important role in the healthy functioning of a democracy. They highlight drawbacks in various policies and programmes of the government and mobilise popular support for their own policies.

Question 4.
What are the basic ideals of democracy?
Answer:
The basic ideals of democracy are:
(i) The ideas of participation in decision-making.
(ii) The need for all democratic governments to have the consent of their citizens.

Question 5.
What are the major functions of the parliament?
Answer:
The major functions of the parliament are:

To select the National Government
To control, guide and inform the government
Law-Making for the people of the country.

Question 6.
What are the main components of Indian Parliament?
Answer:
The Parliament of India is the supreme legislative body of the Republic of India. It is a two chambered legislature composed of the President of India and the two houses- the Rajya Sabha (Council of States) and the Lok Sabha (House of the People).

Question 7.
Which are the three categories of ministers that assist the Prime minister?
Answer:
The three categories of Council of Ministers are:

The Cabinet Ministers:
The Cabinet Ministers hold important portfolios like Home, Defence, Finance, External Affairs, Railways, etc.
Ministers of State:
They may or may not hold an independent charge of any portfolio.
Deputy Ministers:
They assist the Cabinet Ministers and the Council of Ministers.

Question 8.
‘With the coming of Independence we are going to be citizens of a free country’. What did it imply?
Answer:
With the coming of independence, we were going to be citizens of a free country. This implies that the government could not do what it felt like and the government had to be sensitive to people’s needs and demands. The dreams and aspirations of the freedom struggle were made concrete in the Constitution of Independent India that laid down the principle of universal adult franchise, i.e., that all adult citizens of the country have the right to vote.

Question 9.
What were the demands of the Indian National Congress in 1885?
Answer:
The nationalists began to openly criticise the British government and make demands. The Indian National Congress in 1885 demanded that there be elected members in the legislature with a right to discuss the budget and ask questions.

Question 10.
What do you mean by reserved constituencies? What is the purpose behind such constituencies?
Answer:
Reserved constituencies are those constituencies in which seats are reserved for SCs and STs on the basis of their population. This has been done so that the MPs elected from these constituencies will be familiar with and can represent Dalit and Adivasi’s interests in Parliament.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
How the political party forms the government? How are the representatives elected to the Parliament in India?
Answer:
After the Lok Sabha elections, a list is prepared showing how many MPs belong to each political party. For a political party to form the government, they must have a majority of elected MPs. Since there are 543 elected (plus 2 Anglo-Indian nominated) members in Lok Sabha and to have a majority a party should have at least half the number, i.e., 272 members or more. The Parliament in our system has immense powers because it is the representative of the people.

Elections to the Parliament are held in a similar manner as they are for the state legislature. The Lok Sabha is usually elected once every five years. The country is divided into numerous constituencies. Each of these constituencies elect one person to the Parliament. The candidates who contest elections usually belong to different political parties. Once elected, these candidates become Members of Parliament or MPs. These MPs together make up the Parliament.

Question 2.
Why do you think our national movement supported the idea that all adults have a right to vote?
Answer:
Our national movement supported the idea that all adults have a right to vote because in our struggle for independence people from all walks of life participated. They came from various backgrounds and were united in their aspirations for a free, equal and independent nation where decision-making would be in the hands of the people. The only way in which this would be possible would be through elections-allowing common people advantage point from where they can consent to and approve of a government that “they” have a right to choose.

JAC Class 8 Social Science Solutions

JAC Class 8 Social Science Solutions Civics Chapter 2 Understanding Secularism

September 3, 2024September 2, 2024 by Prasanna

JAC Board Class 8th Social Science Solutions Civics Chapter 2 Understanding Secularism

JAC Class 8th Civics Understanding Secularism InText Questions and Answers

Page 19

Question 1.
Re-read the introduction to this chapter. Why do you think retaliation is not the proper response to this problem? What would happen if different groups followed this path?
Answer:
Retaliation is not the proper response to this problem because it generates lots of negative effects in the society. The security of the nation would break if different groups follow this way.

Page 20.

Question 2.
Discuss in class: Can there be different views within the same religion?
Answer:
Yes, there can be different views within the same religion. Can discuss with examples in the class answer given by the teacher.

Page 22

Answer:
The teacher answered that the school declares holidays on the occasions of national festivals and no religious ceremony is organized in the school. This is not done because we can not give importance to only one festival or religion. Though people are free to celebrate there festivals on their own way.

Question 4.
Government schools often have students from different religious backgrounds. Re-read the three objectives of a secular State and write two sentences on why it is important that government schools do not promote any one religion?
Answer:
It is important that government schools do not promote any one religion because if the government itself does not follow the rules in the Constitution, a nonnal citizen will also not understand the importance of following it. Also, it results in the discrimination between the students belonging to different religious backgrounds.

Page 25

Question 5 .
Can you think of a recent incident, from any part of India, in which the secular ideals of the Constitution were violated and persons were persecuted and killed because of their religious backgrounds?
Answer:
Students can do it on their own with the help of journals, old newspaper and internet.
Hint:
Communal riots in 2002 where there is a clear violation of secular ideas of the constitution).

JAC Class 8th Civics Understanding Secularism Textbook Questions and Answers

Question 1.
List the different types of religious practice that you find ¡n your neighbourhood. This could be different forms of prayer, worship of ditTerent gods, sacred sites, different kinds of religious music and singing, etc. Does this indicate freedom of religious practice’?
Answer:
The different types of religious practices that we can see in our neighbourhood are as follows:

Hindus visit Temple. They perform puja and worship the idols of their Gods and Goddesses. They do kirtans, satsang, jagran and yagna.
Muslims visit mosque and worship their sacred book the Question uran. They offer namaaz.
Sikhs visit Gurudwara. worship their sacred book Guru Granth Sahib by offering prayers and listening to shabad-kirtan.
Christians visit Church and worship Jesus Christ. They sing carols. Yes, this indicates freedom of religious practice as the people in India have the freedom to practice the religion of their choice while living together in peace and harmony.

Question 2.
Will the government intervene if some religious group says that their religion allows them to practise infanticide? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer:
Yes, the Government will intervene if some religious group says that their religion allows them to practice infanticide. Infanticide involves the killing of an infant (a small child) which is clearly a cruel and harsh crime. This practice violates the human right ‘Right to Life’.

Question 3.
Complete the followig table:

Objective	One religious community does not dominate another.
Why is this important?	The State does not enforce any particular religion nor take away the religious freedom of individuals.
Example of a violation of this objective	That some members do not dominate other members of the same religious community.

Answer:

Objective	Why is this important?	Example of a violation of this objective
One religious community does not dominate another.	This is important for maintain peace and harmony in the country.	A hindu religious procession was not allowed to cross the roads passing through the mosque.
The State does not enforce any particular religion nor take away the religious freedom of individuals.	This is important to uphold the ideals of a democratic nation which gives freedom to citizens to follow any religion.	Demolition of Babri Masjid Lower caste people are discouraged to enter the temple.
That some members do not dominate other members of the same religious community.	This is important to establish the sense of equality.	Example of a violation of this objective

Question 4.
Look up the annual calendar of holidays of your school. How many of them pertain to different religions? What does this indicate?
Answer:
The annual calendar of our school marks several holidays that pertain to different religions. Various festivals for which holidays are declared are mentioned below:

Religion	Holidays
Hindu festivals	Diwali, Holi, Dussehra, Shivratri, Ram Navmi
Muslim festivals	Id-ul-zuha, Id-ul-fitar, Muharram
Sikh festivals	Gum Nanak Jayanti. Gum Gobind Singh Jayanti, Vaisakhi, Lohri
Christian festivals	Christmas, Good Friday

This clearly proves that India is a secular country and here all the religions are equally respected.

Question 5.
Find out some examples of different views within the same religion.
Answer:
Many religions in our country are further divided into groups and communities that hold opinions differing from each other. Some examples of such groups and communities existing within the same religion are given below:

In Hindu religion, there are hundreds of gods and goddesses that are worshipped by different groups of people and in different forms.
Jains are divided into Shwetambar and Digambar.
Muslims are divided into Shias and Sunnis.
Buddhist followers are divided into Mahayana and Hinayana.

Question 6.
The Indian State both keeps away from religion as well as intervenes in religion. This idea can be quite confusing. Discuss this once again in class using examples from the chapter as well as those that you might have come up with.
Answer:
The Indian state both keeps away from religion, as well as intervenes in religion. The central as well as state governments declare holidays on the occasions of festivals belonging to different religions, but no religious function is celebrated by any of the governments. People of the country are free to celebrate these religious festivals in their own way. However, the Indian state comes to intervene only if any religious practice disturbs the peace and harmony of the country. If some section of the people belonging to the same religion are denied the right to enter their place of worship then the state can intervene to resolve the issue and help the deprived section regain its rights.

Question 7.
This poster alongside highlights the need for ‘Peace’. It says, “Peace is a never-ending process…. It cannot ignore our differences or overlook our common interests.” Write in your own words what you think the above sentences are trying to convey? How does it relate to the need for religious tolerance?

This chapter had three drawings on religious tolerance made by students of your age. Design your own poster on religious tolerance for your peers.
Answer:
This poster gives us a message for the establishment of peace and harmony. It clarifies that peace is a long-cherished process and we cannot ignore the differences or interests. Only after establishing a coordination between the common interests, peace can be maintained. It relates to the religious tolerance because it is the most sensitive issue. Students need to do this part on their own as they have to draw posters on religious tolerance.

JAC Class 8th Civics Understanding Secularism Important Questions and Answers

Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1.
Only a secular State can realise its objectives to ensure the following which is according to the Constitution:
(a) One religious community does not dominate another.
(b) Some members do not dominate other members of the same religious community.
(c) The State does not enforce any particular religion nor take away the religious freedom of individuals.
(d) All of these
Answer:
(d) All of these

Question 2.
Secularism is important because
(a) Acts of discrimination take place more easily when one religion is given official recognition by the State at the expense of other religions.
(b) Acts of discrimination does not take place more easily when one religion is given official recognition by the other countries at the expense of other religions.
(c) Acts of discrimination take place more easily when one religion is not given official recognition by the State at the expense of other religions.
(d) None of these
Answer:
(a) Acts of discrimination take place more easily when one religion is given official recognition by the State at the expense of other religions.

Question 3.
India follows a strategy of non interference because:
(a) For faster economic development of the country.
(b) To achieve objectives of a truly religious State.
(c) To achieve objectives of a secular State.
(d) All of these
Answer:
(c) To achieve objectives of a secular State.

Question 4.
The term secularism refers to the separation between the power of and the power of the State.
(a) law
(b) religion
(c) science
(d) colonisation
Answer:
(b) religion

Question 5.
Everyone should wear helmets while riding a two-wheeler but Sikh people are not wearing helmets because
(a) Pagri (turban) protects person’s head equal to helmet.
(b) the Indian State recognises that wearing a pagri (turban) is central to a Sikh religious practice and inorder not to interfere with this, allows an exception in the law.
(c) the Indian State recognises that wearing a pagri (turban) is in fashion to a Sikh religious practice and in order not to interfere with this, allows an exception in the law.
(d) All of these
Answer:
(b) the Indian State recognises that wearing a pagri (turban) is central to a Sikh religious practice and inorder not to interfere with this, allows an exception in the law.

Question 6.
Untouch ability is an old age practice of……..
(a) Islam
(b) Sikhism
(c) Hinduism
(d) Buddhism
Answer:
(c) Hinduism

Question 7.
………….. can not be done in government schools.
(a) Celebrate religious festivals
(b) Celebrate national festivals
(c) Sing the national song
(d) All of these
Answer:
(a) Celebrate religious festivals

Question 8.
………is not in Indian Constitution.
(a) Fundamental Rights
(b) Reservations
(c) Equality
(d) Discrimination
Answer:
(d) Discrimination

Question 9.
During Hitler’s rule, in Germany.
(a) assassination of Mahatma Gandhi
(b) killing of Jews
(c) end of World War
(d) none of these
Answer:
(b) killing of Jews

Question 10.
Majority of the population of Israel is ……
(a) Jewish
(b) Muslim
(c) Christian
(d) Buddhism
Answer:
(a) Jewish

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
What do you understand by ‘freedom to interpret’?
Answer:
‘Freedom to interpret’ means an individual’s liberty to develop his own understanding and meaning of the religious teachings.

Question 2.
What do you mean by the concept of ‘principled distance’?
Answer:
The concept of ‘principled distance’ means that any interference in religion by the State has to be based on the ideals laid out in the Constitution.

Question 3.
How are non-Muslims treated in Saudi Arabia?
Answer:
In Saudi Arabia, non-Muslims are not allowed to build a temple, church, etc., nor can they gather in a public place for prayers.

Question 4.
Define the word ‘establishment’.
Answer:
The word ‘establishment’ means that the legislature cannot declare any religion as the official religion. Nor can they give preference to one religion.

Question 5.
State the most important aspect of secularism.
Answer:
The most important aspect of secularism is its separation of religion from State power. This is important for a country to function democratically.

Question 6.
List the former French colonies.
Answer:
The former French colonies are Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia.

Question 7.
Can anyone criticize the unpopular laws? If yes, by which medium?
Answer:
Yes, anyone criticize the unpopular laws. The medium can be newspaper, journals, social media, Television, etc.

Question 8.
What do you mean by controversial law?
Answer:
A law when it supports a group or community or disregard a group or community is called as a controversial law.

Question 9.
What do you mean by coercion?
Answer:
Coercion is a process in which we the people make other people do something forcefully or oppressing them with power.

Question 10.
Define majority.
Answer:
The people who are more in number in a fixed geographical area or in a fixed demography is known as majority.

Question 11.
When does a Bill become an Act?
Answer:
A Bill becomes an Act after the assent of the President.

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
What provision has been made by the government to follow religious equality in government spaces, schools and offices?
Answer:
In India, government spaces like law courts, police stations, government schools and offices are not supposed to display or promote any one religion. Government schools cannot promote any one religion either in their morning prayers or through religious celebrations.

Question 2.
How the act of discrimination took place?
Answer:
The act of discrimination takes place when members of one religious community either oppress, ill-treat or discriminate against members of other religious communities. These occurs more easily when one religion is given official recognition by the State at the expense of other religions.

Question 3.
For what reason government schools are not allowed to celebrate religious festival?
Answer:
Government schools are not allowed to celebrate religious festival because the celebration would be a violation of the government’s policy of treating all religions equally. Government schools cannot promote any one religion either in their morning prayers or through religious celebrations.

Question 4.
What is secularism in Indian context?
Answer:
Secularism refers to the separation of religion from the State. The Indian Constitution allows individuals the freedom to live by their religious beliefs and practices as they interpret these ideas. In keeping with this idea of religious freedom for all, India had adopted a strategy of separating the . power of religion and the power of the State.

Question 5.
When was law passed by French government banning religious symbols in school? What was its impact?
Answer:
In February 2004, France passed a law banning students from wearing any conspicuous religious or political signs or symbols such as the Islamic headscarf, the Jewish skullcap, or large Christian crosses. This law has encountered a lot of resistance from immigrants who are mainly from the former French colonies of Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco.

Question 6.
How does the Indian constitution ensure its objectives of secular state?
Answer:
The Indian Constitution ensures its objectives of a secular state in the following manner:

One religious community does not dominate another.
Some members do not dominate other members of the same religious community.
State does not enforce any particular religion nor take away the religious freedom of individuals.

Question 7.
With the help of a situation prove that the Indian secular state can intervene to prevent the religious domination concerning different groups of the same religion.
Answer:
Where members of the same religion, the upper-caste Hindus dominate other members the lower castes within it. In order to prevent this religion-based and excludes and that violates the Fundamental Rights of people who are citizens of this country. exclusion and discrimination of lower castes, the Indian Constitution banned untouchability. In this situation, the State is intervening in religion in order to end a social practice that it believes discriminates and excludes that violates the Fundamental Rights of lower castes who are citizens of the country.

Question 8.
State Article 17 in the Right to Equality, in the Indian constitution.
Answer:
Article 17 in the Right to Equality is related to the ‘Abolition of Untouchability’ in the Indian constitution.
It states that ‘Untouchability’ is abolished and its practice in any form is forbidden. The enforcement of any disability rising out of Untouchability shall be an offence punishable in accordance with law.”

Question 9.
In which way the different laws are made by the government?
Answer:
When the government feels the necessity to implement certain rules and regulations inside the country for the people, it derives a law and passes it in both the parliament houses. Finally with the assent and approval from the President this becomes the law and act as a force.

Question 10.
What do you understand by Indian Secularism.
Answer:
India Secularism can be understood by the following ways:
(i) Here, one religion community does not dominate the other religion community.
(ii) Some groups of religious community does not dominate the another group of same religious community.
(iii) The States provides security to every religious community and does not imposes their own religion to other community.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
How does the Indian state work to prevent domination of the majority religious group?
Answer:
The Indian State works in various ways to prevent the domination of the majority religious groups in the following manner:

(i) First, it uses a strategy of distancing itself from religion. The Indian State is not ruled by a religious group and nor does it support any one religion. In India, government spaces like law courts, police stations, government schools and offices are not supposed to display or promote any one religion.

(ii) Secondly, Indian secularism works to prevent the above domination is through a strategy of non¬interference. This means that in order to respect the sentiments and give respect to all religions and not interfere with religious practices, the State makes certain exceptions for particular religious communities.

(iii) Third, Indian secularism works to prevent the domination listed earlier is through a strategy of intervention. The State intervenes in religion in order to end a social practice that it believes discriminates and excludes and that violates the Fundamental Rights of people who are citizens of this country.

Question 2.
Explain the Hindu Succession Amendment Act, 2005.
Answer:
The Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act, 2005 was enacted to remove gender discriminatory provisions in the Hindu Succession Act, 1956. According to the Hindu Succession Amendment Act, 2005 sons, daughters and their mothers can get an equal share of family property after the death of their father. Before this act, only the son of the family was eligible to inherit the property of his father.

There were several cases in front of the court of law regarding the discrimination taking places in families ‘ for the properties of their father. To tackle this gender discrimination and biasedness, the government brought the Hindu Succession Amendment Act, 2005. This was applied on all the religions – Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and Buddhists. This Act enabled comprehensive system of inheritance without any sort of discrimination.

JAC Class 8 Social Science Solutions

JAC Class 8 Social Science Solutions Civics Chapter 1 The Indian Constitution

September 3, 2024September 2, 2024 by Prasanna

JAC Board Class 8th Social Science Solutions Civics Chapter 1 The Indian Constitution

JAC Class 8th Civics The Indian Constitution InText Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Discuss with your teacher what you understand by the term ‘constitutive’. Provide one example of ‘constitutive rules’ from your everyday life.
Answer:
Students need to attempt it on their own (with the help of their teacher).
Hint:
Constitutive means fundamental.

Question 2.
Why did the people of Nepal want a new Constitution?
Answer:
The people of Nepal wanted a new Constitution because the country got a new democratic government and they were free from monarch rule. Hence, they need to change all its constitutive rules to make a new country for the people of Nepal.

Page 7

Question 3.
In what way is the class monitor misusing his power?
Answer:
The class monitor made false complains about Anil to the teacher. In this way, he was misusing his power. Though Anil did not do anything but the class monitor convinced the teacher that Anil was not obeying him and was talking loudly in the absence of teacher. When the teacher heard this, she was angry • with Anil and didn’t listen to Anil and scolded and punished him.

Question 4.
In which of the following situations is a minister misusing his power:
(a) refuses to sanction a project of his ministry for sound technical reasons;
(b) threatens to send his security staff to rough up his neighbour;
(c) calls up the police station asking them not to register a complaint that is likely to be filed against his relative.
Answer:
A minister misusing his power in thefollowing situations:
(b) threatens to send his security staff to rough up his neighbour;
(c) calls up the police station asking them not to register a complaint that is likely to be filed against his relative.

Page 8

Question 5.
Who is in a minority in the above storyboard? In what way is this minority being dominated by the decision taken by the majority?
Answer:
In the above storyboard, girls are in a minority. The minority are being dominated by the majority as they imposed their wish. Hence, girls have to do what the boys want.

Page 9

Question 6.
Why was Shabnam happy that she had not watched TV? What would you have done in a similar situation?
Answer:
Shabnam was happy that she had not watched TV because instead of watching her favoutite show, she revised her 2 chapters for the test. As a result, she performed well in the rest as most of the questions came from that 2 chapters only.
If I would have been in Shabnam’s place, I would have done the same.

Page 13

Question 7.
Discuss the difference between State and Government with your teacher.
Answer:

State	Government
The state refers to the political institution that represents a sovereign people who occupied a definite area. Such as the different states of India.	It is responsible for administering and enforcing law in the whole country. It can change with elections.

Question 8.
Which Fundamental Rights will the following situations violate:
(a) If a 13-year-old child is working in a factory manufacturing carpets.
(b) If a politician in one state decides to not allow labourers from other states to work in his state.
(c) If a group of people are not given permission to open a Telugu- medium school in Kerala.
(d) If the government decides not to promote an officer of the armed forces for being a woman.
Answer:
Fundamental Rights that violate the situations:
(a) Right against Exploitation
(b) Right o Freedom
(c) Cultural and Educational Rights
(d) Right to Equality.

Page 15

Question 9.
The Constitution also mentions Fundamental Duties. Find out with the help of your teacher what these include and why it is important for citizens in a democracy to observe these.
Answer:
Students need to do it on their own with the help of teacher.

Question 10.
Illustrate each of the 11 Fundamental Duties with drawings, pictures, poems or songs and discuss them in the classroom.
Answer:
Students need to do it on their own.

JAC Class 8th Civics The Indian Constitution Textbook Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Why does a democratic country need a Constitution?
Answer:
A democratic country needs a Constitution because of the following reasons:

Constitution lays out certain ideals that form the basis of the kind of country that we as citizens aspire to live in.
It lays out all important instructions and regulations that govern decision making within different societies of the country.
Constitution provides as a strength of rules and principles as the basis of the way in which people want their country to be governed.
It presents rules and regulations to safeguard the interests of minorities and prevent them from being dominated by the majority section.
It also lays down certain directives based on which people belonging to different religions and communities can co-exist in harmony.
It provides rules that guard against this misuse of authority by our political leaders.
It also provides certain fundamental rights to its citizens and protects their freedom.

Question 2.
Look at the wordings of the two documents given below. The first column is from the 1990 Nepal Constitution. The second column is from the more recent Constitution of Nepal.

1990 Constitution of Nepal Part 7: Executive	2015 Constitution of’ Nepal Part 7: Federal Executive
Article 35: Executive Power: The executive power of the Kingdom of Nepal shall be vested in His Majesty and the Council of Ministers.	Article 75: Executive Power: The executive power of Nepal shall, pursuant to this Constitution and law, be vested in the Council of Ministers

What is the difference in who exercises ‘Executive Power’ in the above two Constitutions of Nepal?
Answer:
The difference in exercises ‘Executive Power’ in the above two Constitutions of Nepal are:

1990 Constitution of Nepal Part 7: Executive	2015 Constitution of’ Nepal Part 7: Federal Executive
Article 35 of the 1990 Constitution of Nepal states that the whole powers to rule the country is vested in the king of the country and the ministers appointed under him.	Article 75 of the 2015 Constitution of Nepal states that the rules and management of the country will be based on the laws mentioned in the Constitution of the country under the supervision of the council of ministers.

Question 3.
What would happen if there were no restrictions on the power of elected representatives?
Answer:
If there are no restrictions on the power of the elected representatives then the leaders might misuse their powers and authority. The outcome would have emerged as injustice against the people of the country. Therefore, the Indian constitution has provided certain guidelines to safeguard the country against such misuse of power by our political leaders.

Question 4.
In each of the following situations, identify the minority. Write one reason why you think it is important to respect the views of the minority in each of these situations.
(a) In a school with 30 teachers, 20 of them are male.
(b) In a city, 5 per cent of the population are Buddhists.
(c) In a factory mess for all employees, 80 per cent are vegetarians.
(d) In a class of 50 students, 40 belong to more well-off families.
Answer:
The minorities are:
(a) Female teachers :
The 10 female teachers teaching in the school come under the minority category. It is important to respect the views of the minority so that they do not feel underpowered by the majority. They also contribute to the standard of teacher.

(b) Buddhists:
Buddhist population are in minority and their views should be respected. People should be careful while taking any decision for the interest of the majority as it should not hurt the religious feelings or beliefs of the Buddhist population.

(c) Non-Vegetarians:
20 percent of non-vegetarians are minority. In the factory mess, it is important that the food prepared must be prepared to fulfill the diet requirements of both vegetarians and non-vegetarians.

(d) Not from well-off families – The 10 students come under the minority category who do not belong to well- off families. It is important to respect their views as they are also equal to others and there should be no kind of discrimination based on the financial backgrounds of students in the class.

Question 5.
The column on the left lists some of the key features of the Indian Constitution. In the other column write two sentences, in your own words, on why you think this feature is important:

Key Features Significance
Federalism
Separation of Powers
Fundamental Rights
Parliamentary Form of Government

Key Features	Significance
Federalism	Both Center and states have their respective powers and cooperate with each other keeping in view the integrity and unity of the nation.
Separation of Powers	Separate powers are given to legislatives, executives
Fundamental Rights	Rights are given to all citizens without any discrimination for their development on the basis of caste, creed, religion or sex.
Parliamentary Form	Parliament has two wings – Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. A bill becomes an act after passing from both the wings and consented by the President of India. To be a member of Lok Sabha, every citizen can contest an election and had to win it.

Question 6.
Write down the names of the Indian States, which share borders with the following neighbouring nations:
(a) Bangladesh
(b) Bhutan
(c) Nepal

Answer:
Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura, West Bengal, Assam, are the Indian states, shared boarders with Bangladesh. Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, West Bengal, Assam, share boarder with Bhutan. Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Sikkim, West Bengal share boarder with Nepal.

JAC Class 8th Civics The Indian Constitution Important Questions and Answers

Multiple Choice Question

Question 1.
On which date the Indian Constitution came into effect?
(a) On 26 November 1949
(b) On 26 January 1950
(c) On 26 September 1949
(d) On 26 March 1950
Answer:
(b) On 26 January 1950

Question 2.
The important fundamental rights to Equality is mentioned in of the constitution?
(a) Article 14-18
(b) Article 29-30
(c) Article 23-24
(d) Article 19-22
Answer:
(a) Article 14-18

Question 3.
Which one of the following is not a key feature of the Indian Constitution?
(a) Separation of Power
(b) Presidential form of Government
(c) Secularism
(d) Federalism
Answer:
(b) Presidential form of Government

Question 4.
Fundamental rights refer to:
(a) The list of subjects of the state government.
(b) The list of subjects of both the state and central governments.
(c) The list of subjects of the central government.
(d) The basic rights which are granted to citizens for the holistic growth of the individuals.
Answer:
(d) The basic rights which are granted to citizens for the holistic growth of the individuals.

Question 5.
The fundamental right that guarantees the citizens the right to practise and propagate the religion they desire is
(a) Freedom of Belief
(b) Freedom of Faith
(c) Freedom of Religion
(d) Freedom of Caste
Answer:
(c) Freedom of Religion

Question 6.
……….was the President of the Constituent Assembly.
(a) Mahatma Gandhi
(b) Lala Fajpat Rai
(c) Jawaharlal Nehru
(d) Dr. Rajendra Prasad
Answer:
(d) Dr. Rajendra Prasad

Question 7.
Dr B.R. Ambedkar is the……..
(a) Father of the Indian Constitution
(b) Father Of the Nation
(c) Nation’s pride
(d) None of these
Answer:
(a) Father of the Indian Constitution

Question 8.
Answer:
…….. is the third tier of Government in India.
(a) State Government
(b) Municipal Government
(c) Panchayati Raj
(d) Central Government
Answer:
(c) Panchayati Raj

Question 9.
The monarchy system was in……. till 2006.
(a) Bhutan (b) Sri Lanka
(c) Burma
(d) Nepal
Answer:
(d) Nepal

Question 10.
……. was/were the member/s of the Constituent Assembly.
(a) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
(b) Jawaharlal Nehru
(c) AKAyyar
(d) A11 of these
Answer:
(d) Nepal

Very Short Answer Type Question

Question 1.
Name the Father of the Indian Constitution.
Answer:
Dr B.R. Ambedkar is known as the Father of the Indian Constitution.

Question 2.
In Nepal, when did the Interim Constitution come into effect?
Answer:
In Nepal, the Interim Constitution came into effect from January 15, 2007.

Question 3.
What do you mean by monarchy?
Answer:
A form of government in which final authority and power are rested with the King is known as monarchy.

Question 4.
What do you mean by a ‘State’?
Answer:
A political institution that represents a sovereign people who occupy a definite territory is known as a ‘State’.

Question 5.
What is universal adult franchise?
Answer:
Universal Adult Franchise means that the right to vote should be given to all adult citizens without the discrimination of caste, class, colour, religion or gender.

Question 6.
How does the Indian Constitution protect minority rights?
Answer:
The Constitution usually contains rules and regulations that ensure that minorities are included in everything that is routinely available to the majority.

Question 7.
State any three provisions made in the Constitution to prevent exploitation.
Answer:
Three provisions made in the Constitution to prevent exploitation are as follows:

prohibits human trafficking,
forced labour,
employment of children under 14 years of age.

Question 8.
What do you mean by Right to Constitutional Remedies?
Answer:
Right to Constitutional Remedies means that this allows citizens to move to the court if they believe that any of their Fundamental Rights have been violated by the State.

Question 9.
What do you mean by Right to Freedom of Religion?
Answer:
Right to Freedom of Religion means religious freedom is provided to all citizens. Every person has the right to practice, profess and propagate the religion of their choice.

Question 10.
Write in brief on Cultural and Educational Rights.
Answer:
Cultural and Educational Rights means the Constitution states that all minorities, religious or linguistic can set up their own educational institutions in order to preserve and develop their own culture.

short answer type questions

Question 1.
What do you mean by tyranny of majority?
Answer:
Tyranny of the majority refers to unhealthy situations where a majority continuously enforces decisions that exclude minorities and go against their interests. Every society is prone to this tyranny of the majority. The Constitution usually contains rules that ensure that minorities are not excluded from anything that is routinely available to the majority. Constitution is precisely prevent this tyranny or domination by the majority of a minority.

Question 2.
What are the functions of the three main organs of the government?
Answer:
Three main organs are the legislature, the executive and the judiciary. The functions of these three main organs of government are:

The basic function of Legislative body is to make laws, introduce new legislation in the Parliament or State Assembly and the members of these bodies are directly elected by the citizens for Lower Houses and indirectly in the case of Upper Houses.
The Executive body has the duty to execute and implement the laws & legislation laid out the legislative body and the duty lie with Chief Minister of a State and Prime Minister of India, both represent executive organ of State and Union respectively.
However, since some laws and legislation made needs to be interpreted as well, then in that situation Judiciary has its jurisdiction, highest court in India is Supreme Court, state highest court is High Court and rest are District Courts.

Question 3.
What are the factors the drafting committee had to take into consideration while drafting the constitution?
Answer:
The country was made up of several different communities who spoke different languages, belonged to different religions and had distinct cultures and traditions. Also, when the Constitution was being written, India was going through considerable turmoil. The partition of the country into India and Pakistan was imminent, some of the Princely States remained undecided about their future, and the socio-economic condition of the vast mass of people appeared dismal. All of these issues played on the minds of the members of the Constituent Assembly as they drafted the Constitution.

Question 4.
What is the importance of constitution?
Answer:
Importance of constitution:

A Constitution helps serve as a set of rules and principles that all persons in a country can agree upon as the basis of the way in which they want the country to be governed.
The Constitution often lays down rules that guard against this misuse of authority by our political leaders.
Constitution ensures that a dominant group does not use its power against other, less powerful people or groups.
The Constitution helps to protect us against certain decisions that we might take that could have an adverse effect on the larger principles that the country believes in.

Question 5.
How constitution of India is formed?
Answer:
The long experience of authoritarian rule under the colonial state convinced Indians that free India should be a democratic country in which everyone should be treated equally and be allowed to participate in government. To work out the ways in which a democratic government would be set up in India and the rules that would determine its functioning was being planned. This was done not by one person but by a group of around 300 people who became members of the Constituent Assembly in 1946 and who met periodically for the next three years to write India’s Constitution. Between December 1946 and November 1949, the Constituent Assembly drafted a constitution for independent India.

Question 6.
What do you mean by the legislature, the executive and the judiciary?
Answer:
The legislature refers to our elected representatives. The executive is a smaller group of people who are responsible for implementing laws and running the government. The judiciary refers to the system of courts in this country.

Question 7.
What were the important points of the text prepared by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, who was the Chairman of the constitution drafting committee? The Answer:
important points of the text prepared by Dr. Ambedkar are:

Constitutional guarantees and protections for individual citizens
Freedom of religion
Abolition of untouchability
Outlawing of all forms of discrimination
Economic and social rights for women
Reservations of jobs in the civil services, schools and colleges for members of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.

Question 8.
What do you think are the negative things of a democratic society?
Answer:
The negative things in a democratic society is that power can be misused. Sometimes the majority can suppress the minority. The citizens need certain rules to save themselves from folly.

Question 9.
Define the term Constitution.
Answer:
In large societies in which different communities of people live together, the rules are formulated through consensus, and in modem countries this consensus is usually available in written form. A written document in which we find such rules is called a Constitution.

Question 10.
What did Dr Ambedkar state about scheduled caste?
Answer:
Dr. Ambedkar stated about scheduled caste that although the laws might exist, scheduled castes still had reason to fear because the administration of these laws were in the hands of ‘caste Hindu officers’. Therefore, he urged scheduled castes to join the government as well as the civil services.

Long Answer Type Question

Question 1.
Describe in detail the various features of Indian constitution.
Answer:
The various features of Indian Constitution are as follows:
Federalism:
Federalism refers to the existence of more than one level of government in the country. In India, we have governments at the state level, at the center and Panchayati Raj is the third tier of government.

Parliamentary Form of Government: The different tiers of government consist of representatives and authorities who are elected by the people. The constitution of Indian guarantees universal adult franchise for all citizens. This means that the people of India have a direct role in electing their leaders or representatives. Apart from this, every citizen of the country, irrespective of his/ her social background, can also contest j- in elections. These representatives are accountable to the people.

Separation of Powers:
According to the Constitution, there are three organs of government. They are the legislature, the executive and the judiciary. In order to prevent the misuse of power by any one branch of government, the Constitution says that each of these organs should exercise different powers.

Fundamental Rights:
The section on Fundamental Rights has often been referred to as the ‘conscience’ of the Indian Constitution. Fundamental Rights protect citizens against the arbitrary and absolute exercise of power by the State. The Constitution guarantees the rights of individuals against the State as well as against other individuals. The Constitution also guarantees the rights of minorities against the majority.

The Constitution also has a section called Directive Principles of State Policy. This section was designed by the members of the Constituent Assembly to ensure greater social and economic reforms and to serve as a guide to the independent Indian State to institute laws and policies that help reduce the poverty of the masses.

Secularism:
A secular state is one in which the state does not officially promote any one religion as the state religion.

Question 2.
Describe briefly on the struggle for freedom in Nepal.
Answer:
Nepal has witnessed several people’s struggles for freedom and democracy. There was a people’s struggle in 1990 that established democracy which lasted for 12 years until 2002. In October 2002, King Gyanendra, citing the Maoist uprising in the countryside as his reason, began taking over different aspects of the government with the army’s assistance. The King then finally took over as the head of government in February 2005. In November 2005, the Maoists joined other political parties to sign a 12-point agreement. This agreement signalled to the larger public an imminent return to democracy and peace. In 2006, this people’s movement for democracy began gaining immense force. It repeatedly refused the small concessions that the King made and finally in April 2006 the King restored the Third Parliament and asked the political parties to form a government. In 2007, Nepal adopted an Interim Constitution.

JAC Class 8 Social Science Solutions

JAC Class 8 Social Science Solutions Civics Chapter 7 Understanding Marginalisation

September 3, 2024September 2, 2024 by Prasanna

JAC Board Class 8th Social Science Solutions Civics Chapter 7 Understanding Marginalisation

JAC Class 8th Civics Understanding Marginalisation InText Questions and Answers

Page 83

Question 1.
Explain at least three different reasons why groups may be marginalised.
Answer:

Three different reasons for groups may be marginalized are as follows:
They are poor.
They speak different languages.
They follow different customs and traditions.

Question 2.
Why was Dadu forced to leave his village in Odisha?
Answer:
The company wallahs took Dadu’s land for mining iron ore there. For this reason, Dadu was forced to leave his village in Odisha.

Question 3.
In your own city or village, who would you think are the marginalised groups? Discuss.
Answer:
Students need to do it on their own.

Question 4.
Can you name some Adivasi communities that live in your state? Answer: Students need to do it on their own. (Hint: Jharkhand: santhalis are there, etc).

Question 5.
What languages do they speak?
Answer:
Students need to do it on their own. (Hint: Santhals speak santhali in Jharkhand)

Question 6.
Do they live close to the forest?
Answer:
Yes, they live close to the forest.

Question 7.
Do they migrate to other regions looking for work?
Answer:
Yes, they migrate to other regions looking for work.

Question 8.
What metals are important in present-day India? Why? Where do they come from? Are there Adivasi populations there?
Answer:
The metals which are important in present day India are copper, iron, aluminum, manganese. They are important because they are mostly used in household works, industries. Iron, aluminum, copper are mainly found in Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand. Manganese mainly found in Odisha, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh. Yes, there are Adivasi populations present.

Question 9.
List five products that you use at home that come from the forest.
Answer:
Five products that we use at home which come from forest are:

Honey
Fruit
Lac
Gum
Timber

Question 10.
By whom were the following demands being made on forest land?

timber for construction of houses and railways
forest land for mining
forest land for agriculture by non- tribal people
reserved by government as wildlife parks

In what ways would this affect tribal people?
Answer:
The British government made those demands. This would affect the establishment of the tribal people. They would not get the work easily as they would be displaced to other places.

Question 11.
What do you think this poem is trying to convey?
Come Mini, let’s go to Assam
Our country has so much suffering
The country of Assam, oh Mini Has tea gardens full of greenery…
The Sardar says work, work
The Babu says catch and bring them in
The Saheb says I’ll take off the skin of your back
Hey Jaduram, you deceived us by sending us to Assam.
Answer:
The poem is trying to convey the hopes of the migrants and reality of hardship they faced.

Page 87

In your opinion, why is it important that Adivasis should have a say in how their forests and forest lands are used?
Answer:
It is important that Adivasis should have a say in how their forests and forest lands are used because government’s decision on these crucial matters affect their lives and livelihood directly.

Page 88

Why do we need safeguards for minorities?
Answer:
We need to safeguard for minorities in order to protect them from any discriminations done by majorities.

Question 14.
I. Access to Basic Amenities, 20082009

Religious Community	Pucca House	Electricity	Tap N Water
Hindu	65.4	75.2	43.7
Muslim	63.8	67.5	35.8
Christian	69.3	86.2	48.0
JSikh	91.3	96.0	49.3

Which of these communities have the most and the least access to basic amenities?
Answer:
The communities which have the most and the least access to basic amenities are Sikh and Muslim.

Page 89

Question 15.
II. Literacy Rate by Religion, 2011 (percentages)

All	Hindus	Muslims	Christians	Sikhs	Buddhists	Jains
74	63	57	74	67	71	86

Which of these communities have the highest and the lowest literacy rate?
Answer:
The communities which have the highest and the lowest literacy rate are Jains and Muslims.

Question 16.
III. Public Employment of Muslims (percentages)

Population	IAS	IPS	1FS	Central Public	State	PSU Banks & RBI
Sector Unit (PSU)
13.5	3	4	1.8	3.3	10.8	2.2

What do these figures convey?
Answer:
It conveys that they do not have equal representation in public employment.

Question 17.
Read the data related to schooling provided by the Sachar Committee Report:
25 per cent of Muslim children in the 6-14 years age group have either never been enrolled in school or have dropped out. This percentage is much higher than that of any other socio-religious community (page 58). Do you think special measures are required to address this situation?
Answer:
Yes, I think special measures are required to address this situation.

Page 90

Question 18.
live in a Muslim-dominated area. Some days back during Ramzan there was some disturbance that started taking a communal outlook. My b rother and 1 had gone for an Iftar party in theneighbourhood and were dressed in traditional clothes, that was sherwani and salwar-kameez respectively.

On returning home, my brother and I were asked to change our clothes to jeans and T-shirt. Now when eveiything is fine l wonder what was the reason that we were asked to change our clothes and why 1 didn’t find it odd. Were our clothes giving away our identity and is that identity linked to all kinds of fears and discrimination? The above essay has been written by a child around your age. What do you think she is trying to convey?
Answer:
In societies, people are hiding their identity to avoid tensions. Some traditional dresses signify particular communities. Such dresses become their identity and create communal tension sometimes. Hence, they can be targeted by the opposing groups.

JAC Class 8th Civics Understanding Marginalisation Textbook Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Write in your own words two or more sentences of what you understand by the word ‘marginalisation’.
Answer:
The process of being confined to a lower social standing is called as marginalisation. People are being denied of their fundamental rights that results in lowering their social and economic status. This situation occurs when a particular social group is forced to live on the edges rather than in the conventional society.

Question 2.
List two reasons why Adivasis are becoming increasingly marginalised.
Answer:
Adivasis are being increasingly marginalised for the following two reasons:

Changes in forest laws disposes the Adivasis from their natural territory and livelihood due to which they turned into marginal and powerless communities.
People consider Adivasis as exotic, primitive and backward communities that has led to their marginalisation.

Question 3.
Write one reason why you think the Constitution’s safeguards to protect minority communities are very important?
Answer:
The Constitution’s safeguards to protect minority communities are necessary to protect the minority communities because they are usually dominated by the maj ority and becoming marginalised. It focuses on protecting India’s cultural diversity and promoting equality as well as justice.

Question 4.
Re-read the section on Minorities and Marginalisation. What do you understand by the term minority?
Answer:
A community that is numerically small in relation to the rest of the population in terms of race, religion, language or political persuasion is known as minority.

Question 5.
You are participating in a debate where you have to provide reasons to support the following statement: ’Muslims are a marginalised community’. Using the data provided in this chapter, list two reasons that you would give.
Answer:
Two reasons are as follows:

The literacy rate of Muslim population in India is only 57% which is the lowest compared to others.
They lag behind the other communities even in access to the basic communities.

Question 6.
Imagine that you are watching the Republic Day parade on TV with a friend and she remarks, “Look at these tribals. They look so exotic. And they seem to be dancing all the time”. List three things that you would tell her about the lives of Adivasis in India.
Answer:
Three things that tells about the lives of Adivasis in India are as follows:

Adivasis were hunters and gatherers and lived like nomads. They practised both shifting agriculture as well as cultivated at a single place.
Adivasis have a deep knowledge of forests which made them indispensable and crucial to the rulers of various empires during the pre-colonial period in India.
Adivasis have their own languages which have influenced the formation of Indian languages.

Question 7.
In the storyboard you read about how Helen hopes to make a movie on the Adivasi story. Can you help her by developing a short story on Adivasis?
Answer:
Student needs to do it on their own.

Question 8.
Would you agree with the statement that economic marginalisation and social marginalisation are interlinked? Why?
Answer:
Yes, economic marginalisation and social marginalisation are interlinked because of the following reasons:

(i) Social marginalisation is based on religion, culture, tradition, etc. Marginalised sections do not get proper access to anything such as jobs, education and health facilities due to which they are unable to become financially stable. This creates economic marginalisation.

(ii) When there is no economic development, the minorities do not develop socially. They remain backward. And hence, they become socially marginalised.

JAC Class 8th Civics Understanding Marginalisation Important Questions and Answers

Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1.
Adivasis are generally portrayed in:
(a) royal dress and crown.
(b) colourful costumes and headgear.
(c) black and white dresses.
(d) None of the above
Answer:
(b) colourful costumes and headgear.

Question 2.
Adivasis slowly and steadily began to migrate because:
(a) of economic changes and forest policies, they lost their access to forest.
(b) they got free admission in schools and colleges.
(c) of economic changes and forest policies, they got new houses in city area.
(d) all of these
Answer:
(a) of economic changes and forest policies, they lost their access to forest.

Question 3.
Adivasi means:
(a) the original inhabitants.
(b) people who live in rural areas.
(c) people who live in deserts.
(d) none of these
Answer:
(a) the original inhabitants.

Question 4:
…….. state in India is like home to more than 60 different tribal groups?
(a) Rajasthan
(b) Andhra Pradesh
(c) Mizoram
(d) Odisha
Answer:
(d) Odisha

Question 5:
During the nineteenth century, substantial numbers of Adivasis converted to……which has emerged as a very important religion in modern Adivasi history.
(a) Buddhist
(b) Vaishnav
(c) Christianity
(d) Jainism
Answer:
(c) Christianity

Question 6.
One of the Adivasi languages is ……..
(a) Bengali
(b) Santhali
(c) Kannad
(d) All of these
Answer:
(b) Santhali

Question 7.
Big empires heavily depended on Adivasis for the important access to forest resources, they were
(a) metal ores
(b) medicinal herbs
(c) animal products
(d) All of these
Answer:
(d) All of these

Question 8.
Adivasis migrated to cities in search of work. But eventually this happened to them:
(a) Many tribal children are malnourished.
(b) They get caught in a cycle of poverty and deprivation.
(c) They have no access to education.
(d) All of these
Answer:
(d) All of these

Question 9.
Tribals are referred to as………
(a) Untouchables
(b) Adivasis
(c) Dalits
(d) None of these
Answer:
(b) Adivasis

Question 10:
In…… state we won’t find Adivasis.
(a) Jharkhand
(b) Gujarat
(c) Kerala
(d) Odisha
Answer:
(c) Kerala

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
Who are the marginalised groups in India?
Answer:
Some of the marginalised groups of India are the Adivasis, the Muslims and the Dalits.

Question 2.
What are the outcomes of marginalisation?
Answer:
The outcome of marginalisation results in having a low social status and not having equal access to education and other resources.

Question 3. Name the person who headed committee set up by the government to examine the social, economic, and educational status of Muslim community in India.
Answer:
Justice Rajindar Sachar headed committee set up by the government to examine the social, economic, and educational status of Muslim community in India.

Question 4.
How are Adivasis represented today?
Answer:
Adivasis are invariably represented in very stereotypical ways such as in colourful costumes, headgear and through their dancing. Often Adivasis are blamed for their lack of advancement as they are believed to be resistant to change or new ideas.

Question 5.
From which state the Adivasis moved in large numbers to various plantations in India and world?
Answer:
From Jharkhand and nearby places, the Adivasis moved in large numbers to vatious plantations in India and world.

Question 6.
What is the population of Adivasis in Assam in present day?
Answer:
The population of Adivasis in Assam in present day is around 70 lakh.

Question 7.
Where is Niyamgiri Hill located?
Which Adivasi community inhabits the place?
Answer:
Niyamgiri Hill is located in Kalahandi district of Odisha. The Adivasi community which inhabited the place is Dongarria Konds.

Question 8.
Why the Adivasi community have resisted the proposed development whose case is pending in the Supreme Court?
Answer:
The Adivasi community have resisted the proposed development whose case is pending in the Supreme Court because a major aluminium company was planning to set up a mine and a refinery which will displace the Adivasis.

Question 9.
How many plant species Adivasis used?
Answer:
Around 10,000 plant species Adivasis used.

Question 10.
According to the Report, the average years of schooling for which community children between what ages is much lower than that of other socio-religious communities?
Answer:
According to the Report, the average years of schooling for Muslim community children between the ages of 7-16 is much lower than that of other socio-religious communities.

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
What was the conclusion reached by the Justice Rajindar Sachar Committee?
Answer:
The committee which was headed by Justice Rajinder Sachar came to the conclusion that on a range of social, economic and educational indicators the situation of the Muslim community is comparable to that of other marginalised communities like Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

Question 2.
Why groups may be marginalised?
Answer:
Group’s marginalisation can be because they speak a different language, follow different customs or belong to a different religious group from the majority community. They may also feel marginalised because they are poor, considered to be of low social status and viewed as being less human than others.

Question 3.
How can we tackle Marginalisation?
Answer:
Marginalisation is a complex phenomenon which requires a variety of strategies, measures and safeguards to redress this situation. All of us have a stake in protecting the rights defined in the Constitution and the laws and policies framed to realize these rights. Without these, we will never be able to protect the diversity that makes our country unique nor realize the State’s commitment to promote equality for all.

Question 4.
How marginalisation affect the community?
Answer:
Sometimes, marginalised groups are viewed with bitterness, antagonism and fear. This sense of difference and exclusion leads to communities not having access to resources and opportunities and in their inability to assert their rights. They experience a sense of disadvantage and powerlessness and more powerful and dominant sections of society who own land are wealthy better educated and politically powerful.

Question 5.
Write a brief about the plant species used by the Adivasis.
Answer:
Adivasis use around 10,000 plant species in which approximately 8,000 species are used for medicinal purposes, 325 are used as pesticides, 425 as gums, resins and dyes, 550 as fibres; 3,500 are edible. They have vast knowledge about the plant species. This got wiped out as they lost their rights over the forest land.

Question 6.
What do you mean by Scheduled Tribes? Write in brief.
Answer:
Adivasi are also called as Scheduled Tribes. Indian Government use this term in official documents. When the government formulates any policy or programme for Scheduled Tribes then all the designated tribes are entitled for it.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
Discuss the hardships faced by the Adivasis?
Answer:
Hardships and deprivation faced by the Adivasis were as follows:

Forest lands have been cleared for timber and to get land for agriculture and industry.
Adivasis have also lived in areas that are rich in minerals and ores and other natural resources. These are taken over for mining and other large industrial projects.
Dams that have been built in independent India has taken large tracts of their lands.
In the north-east, their lands remain highly militarised and war-tom.
There are areas where tribals originally lived but were evicted from there to build sanctuaries and parks. India has 54 national parks and 372 wildlife sanctuaries.
Losing their lands and access to the forest means that tribals lose their main sources of livelihood and food.
Adivasis have migrated to cities in search of work where they are employed for very low wages in local industries or at building or construction sites.
They got caught in a cycle of poverty, deprivation and marginalisation.

Question 2.
Write a brief note on Adivasis.
Answer:
Adivasis, the term means original inhabitants. The communities who lived and often continue to live in close association with forests. Around 8 per cent of India’s population is Adivasi and many of India’s most important mining and industrial centres are located in Adivasi areas such as Jamshedpur, Rourkela, Bokaro and Bhilai among others. Adivasis are not a homogeneous population. There are over 500 different Adivasi groups in India. A state like Orissa is home to more than 60 different tribal groups.

Adivasis practise a range of tribal religions that are different from Islam, Hinduism and Christianity. These often involve the worship of ancestors, village and nature spirits. During the nineteenth century, substantial numbers of Adivasis converted to Christianity, which has emerged as a very important religion in modem Adivasi history. Adivasis have their own languages, which have often deeply influenced the formation of ‘mainstream’ Indian languages, like Bengali.

JAC Class 8 Social Science Solutions

JAC Class 8 Social Science Solutions Civics Chapter 6 Understanding Our Criminal Justice System

September 3, 2024September 2, 2024 by Prasanna

JAC Board Class 8th Social Science Solutions Civics Chapter 6 Understanding Our Criminal Justice System

JAC Class 8th Civics Understanding Our Criminal Justice System InText Questions and Answers

Page 71

Question 1.
Why do you think there is a rule that confessions made during police custody cannot be used as evidence against the accused?
Answer:
There is a rule that confessions made during police custody cannot be used as evidence against the accused because there is always a possibility and probability that the police may create pressure around the accused to prove to make confessions.

Page 72

Question 2.
Now let us return to the story of Shanti and answer the following questions:

(a) When Shanti was arrested for theft, S.I. Rao also kept her brother Sushil in the police lock up for two days. Was it legal for the police to detain him? Does it violate the D.K. Basu guidelines?

(b) Did S.I. Rao do enough to question witnesses and compile evidence before arresting Shanti and filing a case against her? In keeping with the duties of the police as stated above, what else do you think S.I. Rao could have done as part of his investigation?
Answer:
(a) No, it was not legal for the police to detain him. Yes, it violates D.K. Basu guidelines.

(b) No, S.I. Rao didn’t do enough to question witnesses and compile evidence before arresting Shanti and filing a case against her. S.I. Rao could have done the following things as part of his investigation:

Investigation should have been in large scale involving many people from the locality.
His decision was one-sided as he arrested Shanti on the basis of what the Mr. Shinde told.
He has done the investigation in hurry and hence, got wrong conclusion.

Question 3.
Now let us take a slightly different scenario. Shanti and her brother Sushil go to the police station to complain that Mr. Shinde’s 20-year old son had stolen ? 15,000 that they had been saving up. Do you think that the officer in charge of the Police Station will promptly lodge a FIR? List a few factors that in your opinion may influence the decision of the police to register or not register an FIR.
Answer:
No, I don’t think that the officer in charge of the Police Station will promptly lodge a FIR. Few factors that in my opinion that may influence the decision of the police to register or not register a FIR are social and political status.

Page 73

Question 4.
What did the judge say in Shanti’s case after hearing the testimony of all the witnesses?
Answer:
The judge said that in Shanti’s case after hearing the testimony of all the witnesses that the police didn’t investigate in a fair manner and it was one sided. Hence, prosecution failed to prove that Shanti was guilty. This proved Shanti was innocent and the gang who did was arrested. Hence, the judge showed enough evidence in favour of Shanti and acquitted her.

Page 75

All of the processes, written in bold on page 74, are crucial to a fair trial. Write in your own words what you understand of the following processes based on the above description of Shanti’s case.
a. Open Court
b. Basis of Evidence
c. Cross-examination of Prosecution Witnesses
Answer:
(a) Open Court:
The trial is held in front of everyone, publicly.

(b) Basis of Evidence:
Witnesses are produced in court and questioned in the court. Also discuss about the case which becomes the basis of evidence and judgement.

(c) Cross examination of Prosecution Witnesses:
The defence lawyer and the Public Prosecutor are allowed to ask questions to witnesses in court.

Question 6.
Discuss in class what might have happened in Shanti’s case if the following procedures had not been observed.
(a) If she were not defended by a lawyer.
(b) If the court had not assumed her to be innocent.
Answer:
In both the cases, she would have not got justice.

JAC Class 8th Civics Understanding Our Criminal Justice System Textbook Questions and Answers

Question 1.
In a town called Peace Land, the supporters of the Fiesta football team learn that the supporters of the Jubilee football team in the nearby city about 40 km away have damaged the ground on which the Final between both teams is to be held the following day. A crowd of Fiesta fans armed with deadly weapons attacks the homes of the supporters of the Jubilee football team in the town. In the attack, 10 men are killed, 5 women are gravely hurt, many homes are destroyed and over 50 people injured. Imagine that you and your classmates are now part of the criminal justice system. First divide the class into the following four groups of persons:

1. Police

2. Public Prosecutor

3. Defence lawyer

4. Judge The column on the right provides a list of functions. Match these with the roles that are listed on the left. Have each group pick the functions that it needs to perform to bring justice to those who were affected by the violence of the Fiesta fans. In what order, will these functions be performed?

Roles	Functions
Police	hear the witnesses
	record the statements of witnesses
Public Prosecutor	cross examine the witnesses
	take photographs of burnt homes
Defence Lawyer	record the evidence
	arrest the Fiesta fans
Judge	writes the judgment
	argue the case for the victims
	decide for how many years the accused will be put in jail
	examine the witnesses in court
	pass the judgment
	get the assaulted women medically
	examined
	conduct a fair trial
	meet the accused persons

Answer:

Roles	Functions
Police	record the statements of witnesses
	arrest the Fiesta fans
	get the assaulted women medically examined
	take photographs of burnt homes
Public Prosecutor	cross examine the witnesses
	argue the case for the victims
Defence Lawyer	meet the accused persons
	examine the witnesses in court
Judge	hear the witnesses
	record the evidence
	writes the judgment
	decide for how many years the accused will be put in jail
	pass the judgment
	conduct a fair trial

No. I don’t think that the victims would get justice if only one person performed all of the functions of the criminal justice system because he could get influenced by various prejudices or get biased. He can also be overpowered by any person which may affect the process of investigation. Hence, a separation of power is necessary within a judicial system too, since absolute power can lead to unfairness. Two reasons why different people need to play different roles as part of the criminal justice system are as follows:

All the aspects of trial and investigation cannot be conducted by a single person, since it requires a diverse range of work including arresting, recording the statements of witnesses, defending the victim and accused parties, passing a fair trial and judicially correct judgment.
If all the powers are vested on one person alone, it might be misused and exploit and thereby violate the laws based on just and equal decision

JAC Class 8th Civics Understanding Our Criminal Justice System Important Questions and Answers

Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1.
There are four people who play a key role in our criminal justice system. These are the police, the Public Prosecutor, the defence lawyer, and the .
(a) army
(b) criminal
(c) judge
(d) victim
Answer:
(c) judge

Question 2.
The role of the police begins with the lodging of an…….in the police station. After the registration of the it, the police starts investigation.
(a) FIR
(b) IFR
(c) PIL
(d) None of these
Answer:
(a) FIR

Question 3.
Article 22 of the Constitution and criminal law guarantees right/s to every arrested person is / are:

(a) The Right to be informed at the time of arrest of the offence for which the person is being arrested and to be presented before a magistrate within 24 hours of arrest.

(b) The Right not to be ill treated or tortured during arrest or in custody and to be informed at
the time of arrest of the offence for which the person is being arrested.

(c) Confessions made in police custody cannot be used as evidence against the accused and a boy under 15 years of age and women cannot be called to the police station only for questioning.

(d) All of these
Answer:
(c) Confessions made in police custody cannot be used as evidence against the accused and a boy under 15 years of age and women cannot be called to the police station only for questioning.

Question 4.
Witness means:
(a) Person harmed, injured, or killed as a result of a crime, accident, or other event or action.
(b) Person or animal that attacks someone or something.
(c) A public officer appointed to decide cases in a law court.
(d) Person who is called upon in court to provide a first-hand account of what he/she has seen, heard or knows.
Answer:
(d) Person who is called upon in court to provide a first-hand account of what he/she has seen, heard or knows.

Question 5.
Detention means:
(a) Any act that the law defines as a crime.
(b) Act of being kept in illegal custody by the police.
(c) Act of being fair or just and not favouring one side over another.
(d) All of these
Answer:
(b) Act of being kept in illegal custody by the police.

Question 6.
Offences means:
(a) Act of being fair or just and not favouring one side over another.
(b) Act of being kept in illegal custody by the police.
(c) Any act that the law defines as a crime.
(d) None of these
Answer:
(c) Any act that the law defines as a crime.

Question 7.
…….. represents the interests of the State in court.
(a) Judge
(b) Public Prosecutor
(c) Victim
(d) Defense lawyer
Answer:
(b) Public Prosecutor

Question 8.
…….. acts on behalf of the accused and also produces witnesses and evidence before the court in favour of his client.
(a) Victim Defense Lawyer
(b) Victim Judge
(c) Victim Public Prosecutor
(d) Victim Panel of Jury
Answer:
(a) Victim Defense Lawyer

Question 9.
Every person has a fundamental Right to be defended by a lawyer under the act……..
(a) Act 42
(b) Act 67
(c) Act 45
(d) Act 22
Answer:
(d) Act 22

Question 10.
Police file a charge sheet in the court:
(a) If a person is suspected for anything.
(b) If investigation proved the person is accused.
(c) If a person commits a crime.
(d) If police arrest a person.
Answer:
(b) If investigation proved the person is accused.

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
Who hears all the witnesses and other evidence presented by the prosecution and the defense and afterwards he decides whether the accused person is guilty or innocent?
Answer:
The judge hears all the witnesses and other evidence presented by the prosecution and the defense and afterwards he decides whether the accused person is guilty or innocent.

Question 2.
What the judge pronounces if the accused is convicted?
Answer:
The judge pronounces the sentence if the accused is convicted.

Question 3.
Is judiciary in India is less powerful than USA?
Answer:
Yes, judiciary in India is less powerful than USA.

Question 4.
When you see someone violating the law, whom we should inform immediately?
Answer:
When we see someone violating the law, we should inform the police immediately.

Question 5.
What is the role of the police in the Criminal Justice System?
Answer:
In the Criminal Justice System the police play the role of investigating the case and arresting the accused.

Question 6.
Who is a prosecutor?
Answer:
Aprosecutor is an official who puts people on trial on behalf of the government and people of a particular country.

Question 7.
Why is the Prosecutor called a Public Prosecutor?
Answer:
The Prosecutor who represents the State is called a Public Prosecutor as a criminal offence is regarded as a public wrong, which has been committed not only against the victim, but also against the society as a whole.

Question 8.
What do you mean by Rights? How can we practice our Rights?
Answer:
Rights means a declaration of a person recognised by society and approved by law. We can practice our Rights when we claim that is equally possible for others. We cannot have a Right that can harm or hurt others.

Question 9.
Article 39A of the Constitution assign duty to the State. What is it?
Answer:
Article 39A of the Constitution assign duty to the State. The duty is that the State shall provide a lawyer to any citizen who is unable to engage one for him due to monetary issues or other disability.

Question 10.
What does the Article 21 state?
Answer:
Article 21 states that a person’s life or liberty can be taken away only by following a reasonable and just legal procedure.

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
What is the role of the judge in the Criminal Justice System?
Answer:
The judge conducts the fair trial and in an open court. The judge hears properly all the witnesses and any other evidence presented by the prosecution and the defense. The judge decides whether the accused person is guilty or innocent on the basis of the evidence presented and in accordance with the law. If the accused is convicted, then the judge pronounces the sentence. He may send the person to jail or impose a fine or both depending on what the law prescribes.

Question 2.
What do you mean by ‘Criminal Justice System’?
Answer:
Criminal Justice System is the system of law enforcement that is directly involved in apprehending, detaining, prosecuting, defending, sentencing and punishing those who are suspected or convicted of criminal offenses.

Question 3.
What are the guidelines that the police have to follow during investigation?
Answer:
The Supreme Court has laid down guidelines that the police must follow at the time of arrest, detention and interrogation. The police are not allowed to torture or beat or shoot anyone during investigation. They cannot inflict any form of punishment on a person even for petty offences.

Question 4.
What is the role of the police in investigating a crime?
Answer:
The role of the police in investigating a crime of any complaint is about the commission of a crime. An investigation includes recording statements of witnesses and collecting different kinds of evidence. On the basis of the investigation, the police are required to form an opinion. If the police think that the evidence points to the guilt of the accused person, then they file a charge sheet in the court.

Question 5.
Write a note on Public Prosecutor.
Answer:
The Public Prosecutor who represents the interests of the State in court. The role of the Prosecutor begins once the police has conducted the investigation and filed the chargesheet in the court. He/she has no role to play in the investigation. The Prosecutor must conduct the prosecution on behalf of the State. As an officer of the court, it is his/her duty to act impartially and fairly and present the full material facts, witnesses and evidence before the court to enable the court to decide the case of the accused is guilty or not.

Question 6.
Write a brief note on the criminal procedure in the Criminal Justice System in India.
Answer:
A crime is first reported by the victim to the police and the police file a FIR which is First Information Report. Then the police begin the investigation and arrest the suspected person or persons. Then, the police file a chargesheet in the Magistrate’s Court. The trial begins in an open court. The Public Prosecutor represents the victim and the accused can defend themselves with the help of lawyer. Once the trial is over the accused is either convicted or acquitted. If convicted, the accused can appeal to the higher court.

Question 7.
Mention the procedures that have to be followed if the criminal trial has to be a fair trial.
Answer:
The procedures that have to be followed if the criminal trial has to be a fair trial are:

A copy of the chargesheet and all other evidence that the prosecution presented has to be given to the accused.
The trial has to be held in an open court means in public view and in the presence of the accused.
The accused has to be given a lawyer to defend himself in case he cannot afford to employ a lawyer.
The prosecution has to prove beyond reasonable doubt of guilty of the accused.
The judge decides the matter only on the basis of the evidence before the court.

Question 8.
What do you understand by chargesheet?
Answer:
Chargesheet is a formal and important document of accusation prepared by the police. It is a final report in which it is mentioned that a crime has been committed. Once it is submitted in the court, prosecution proceeds against the accused.

Question 9.
What do you mean by fair trial?
Answer:
A fair trial means that the accused has the access to the service of the lawyer and his or her case conducted in the court properly and after detailed enquiry, the verdict is passed by the judge, A person is said to be accused and not a criminal until the person’s crime is provided beyond doubt.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
Write briefly on FIR.
Answer:
FIR stands for First Information Report. The police can begin their investigations into a crime with the registration of an FIR. The law states that it is compulsory for an officer in charge of a police station to register a FIR whenever a person gives information about a cognizable offence. This information can be given to the police either orally or in writing.

The FIR usually mentions the date, time and place of the offence, details the basic facts of the offence, including a description of the events. If known, the identity of the accused persons and witnesses are also mentioned. The FIR also states the name and address of the complainant. There is a prescribed form in which the police register a FIR and it is signed by the complainant. The complainant also has a legal right to get a free copy of the FIR from the police.

Question 2.
Explain D.K. Basu Guidelines.
Answer:
D.K. Basu guidelines are the guideline which the Supreme Court of India has laid down with specific requirements and procedures that the police and other agencies have to follow for the arrest, detention and interrogation of any person. Some of these guidelines include:

The police officials who carry out the arrest or interrogation should wear clear, accurate and visible identification and name tags with their designations. A memo of arrest should be prepared at the time of arrest and should include the time and date of arrest. It should also be attested by at least one witness who could include a family member of the person arrested.

The arrest memo should be counter-signed by the person arrested. The person arrested, detained or being interrogated has a right to inform a relative, friend or a known person. When a friend or relative lives outside the district, the time, place of arrest and venue of custody must be notified by police within 8 to 12 hours after arrest.

JAC Class 8 Social Science Solutions

JAC Class 8 Social Science Solutions Civics Chapter 5 Judiciary

September 3, 2024September 2, 2024 by Prasanna

JAC Board Class 8th Social Science Solutions Civics Chapter 5 Judiciary

JAC Class 8th Civics Judiciary InText Questions and Answers

Page 56

Question 1.
Do you think that any ordinary citizen stands a chance against a politician in this kind of judicial system? Why not?
Answer:
Yes, I think that any ordinary citizen stands a chance against a politician in this kind of judicial system. There is a protection against this kind of situation by the constitution of India for the independence of the judiciary.

Page 57

Question 2.
List two reasons why you believe an independent judiciary is essential to democracy.
Answer:
Two reasons to be believed that an independent judiciary is essential to democracy are as follows:

It protects the Fundamental Rights of the citizen. Any person can approach the court if they think that there rights are violated.
An independent judiciary provides impartial judgment which is an important aspect of democracy.

Page 59

Question 3.
Write two sentences of what you understand about the appellate system from the given case.
Answer:
We understood about the appellate system from the given case is that a person can appeal to a higher court against the judgment of the lower court. The Supreme Court, the highest judicial authority has the power to review the decisions of the lower courts and give its own judgments.

Page 63

Question 4.
Discuss the impact of the shortage of judges on the delivery of justice to the litigants.
Answer:
The impact of the shortage of judges on the delivery of justice to the litigants is that it takes too much time and people have to wait for longer period. It costs heavily as well.

JAC Class 8th Civics Judiciary Textbook Questions and Answers

Question 1.
You read that one of the main functions of the judiciary is ‘upholding the law and Enforcing Fundamental Rights’. Why do you think an independent judiciary is necessary to carry out this important function?
Answer:
An independent judiciary is necessary to carry out the function of ‘upholding the law and enforcing Fundamental Rights’ because it plays a major role in the functioning of India’s democracy. It helps to protect the judicial process from external influences. It is the independence of the judiciary that allows the courts to play a central role in ensuring that there is no misuse of power by the legislature and the executive. It also plays a crucial role in protecting the Fundamental Rights of citizens because anyone can approach the courts if they believe that their rights have been violated.

Question 2.
Re-read the list of Fundamental Rights provided in Chapter 1. How do you think the Right to Constitutional Remedies connects to the idea of judicial review?
Answer:
The Right to Constitutional Remedies connects to the idea of judicial review in its capacity of protecting and shielding the rights of the citizens against the working of the State legislature or executive. It allows citizens to move to the court if they feel that their fundamental rights are being violated by the State administration. In the Constitution, every citizen has equal rights and none can be discriminated against. Hence, judicial review and the Right to Constitutional Remedies are inter-connected because the judicial review is practiced when any fundamental Right has gone wrong by the State. In this case, a higher court can repeal the judgments of a lower court based on its own investigation.

Question 3.
In the following illustration, fill in each tier with the judgments given by the various courts in the Sudha Goel case. Check your responses with others in class.

Answer:

In Fower Court:
Laxman. his mother Shakuntala and his brother-in-law Subhash Chandra were sentenced to death.
In High Court:
Laxman, Shakuntala and Subhash Chandra were all acquitted and set free.
In Supreme Court:
Laxman and Shakuntala were found guilty and given life imprisonment while Subhash Chandra was acquitted for lack of sufficient proofs against him.

Question 4.
Keeping the Sudha Goel case in mind, tick the sentences that are true and correct the ones that are false.
(a) The accused took the case to the High Court because they were unhappy with the decision of the Trial Court.
(b) They went to the High Court after the Supreme Court had given its decision.
(c) If they do not like the Supreme Court verdict, the accused can go back again to the Trial Court.
Answer:
(a) True
(b) False
(c) False

Question 5.
Why do you think the introduction of Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the 1980s is a significant step in ensuring access to justice for all?
Answer:
The introduction of Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the 1980s is a significant step in ensuring access to justice for all because of the following reasons: Any person or organization is allowed to file a PIL in the High Court or the Supreme Court on behalf of those whose rights were being violated. The poor and illiterate people got more access to justice. The legal process was greatly simplified. A letter addressed to the Supreme Court or the High Court could be treated as a PIL.

Question 6.
Re-read excerpts from the judgment on the Olga Tellis vs Bombay Municipal Corporation case. Now write in your own words what the judges meant when they said that the Right to Livelihood was part of the Right to Life.
Answer:
In the Olga Tellis vs. Bombay Municipal Corporation case, the judges stated that the Right to Livelihood was part of the Right to Life because no person can live without the means of living. In the Olga Tellis vs. BMC case, people were poor and lived in slums. For them, the eviction of their slum means deprivation of their livelihood which consequently means deprivation of life. This is how the judges connected Right to Livelihood to the Right to Life.

Question 7.
Write a story around the theme, ‘Justice delayed is justice denied’.
Answer:
Students need to write their own story. Sample story:
My friend was a bank worker on his retirement he came back to his father’s house which was in a different city. In that house the tenants were living he told them to clear the place so that his family can live as he had no other house but the tenant refused to leave and took a stay order and fded a case due to which my friend had to start living in a rented house. It took five years in the court for the decision at last the decision was in his favour. Next morning we came to know that the tenant has done an appeal in the upper tribunal which lead to another 5 years so in total he got justice after ten years but wasted a lot of money on rent to live for ten years. So, it is true justice delayed is justice denied.

Question 8.
Make sentences with each of the glossary words given on the next page.
Answer:

Acquit:
Ramesh and Dinesh has acquitted themselves well and they can take comfort in that fact.
To appeal:
Smt. Sita Devi approached the High Court to appeal against the District Court.
Compensation:
The court awarded the victims a good amount of money in compensation.
Eviction:
The shopkeeper faced eviction for not paying the rent and electricity bills.
Violation:
My friend’s uncle was fined heavily for violating the traffic rules.

Question 9.
The following is a poster made by the Right to Food campaign.

Read this poster and list the duties of the government to uphold the Right to Food.
How does the phrase “Hungry stomachs, overflowing godowns! We will not accept it!!” used in the poster relate to the photo essay on the Right to Food on page 61?
Answer:
The Constitution provides Fundamental Rights under this Right to Food is present. If this is affected by any reason then the government is responsible for it. If someone dies out of hunger, the government will be responsible for this. The government has to keep control and check on some of the happenings such as the suicide cases of farmers. Sometimes a crisis of food is created by hoarders and government must find these traders and hoarders and strictly punish them.

JAC Class 8th Civics Judiciary Important Questions and Answers

Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1 .
………..cases usually begin with the lodging of FIR with the police who investigate the crime after which a case is filed in the court.
(a) Criminal
(b) Civil
(c) Special
(d) Personal
Answer:
(a) Criminal

Question 2.
Which of the following situation of violence comes under the civil case?
(a) A group of girls are persistently harassed by a group of boys while walking to school.
(b) A tenant murdered the house owner to loot the house.
(c) A tenant who is being forced to move out files a case in court against the landlord.
(d) All of these
Answer:
(c) A tenant who is being forced to move out files a case in court against the landlord.

Question 3.
Poor people often avoid to go to the courts to get justice because:
(a) Legal procedures involve a lot of money, and paperwork takes up a lot of time.
(b) Poor people are not allowed to hire layer.
(c) Poor people never reach to the court on time.
(d) Judges do not listen to the poor people because of lack of trust.
Answer:
(a) Legal procedures involve a lot of money, and paperwork takes up a lot of time.

Question 4.
The mid-day meal that children now receive in government and government-aided schools is also because of:
(a) Public International Litigation (PIL).
(b) Public Interest Litigation (PIL).
(c) Pacific International Lines (PIL).
(d) Interest Litigation (PIL).
Answer:
(b) Public Interest Litigation (PIL).

Question 5.
The work that the judiciary does can be divided into which of the following?
(a) Dispute resolution
(b) Judicial review
(c) Upholding the law and enforcing fundamental rights
(d) All of these
Answer:
(d) All of these

Question 6:
……..provides a mechanism for resolving disputes between citizens, between citizens and the government, between two state governments and between the centre and state governments.
(a) The dispute system
(b) The control system
(c) The judicial system
(d) The police system
Answer:
(c) The judicial system

Question 7.
The judiciary has the power to strike down particular laws passed by the Parliament if it believes that these are a violation of the basic structure
of the Constitution. It is known as…..
(a) judicial review
(b) justice review
(c) control review
(d) objection review
Answer:
(a) judicial review

Question 8.
There are …….. different levels of courts in India.
(a) 10
(b) 3
(c) 12
(d) 7
Answer:
(b) 3

Question 9.
The Supreme Court of India is located in……
(a) Kolkata
(b) Mumbai
(d) Hyderabad
Answer:
New Delhi

Question 10.
Civil cases deals with:
(a) cases of theft, robbery, money, property, and inheritance.
(b) cases of theft, robbery, physical injury, and murder.
(c) matters like physical injury, marriage disputes, and murder.
(d) matters like money, property, inheritance, marriage disputes.
Answer:
(d) matters like money, property, inheritance, marriage disputes.

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
What do you mean by law?
Answer:
Law is a system of rules that are created and enforced through social or governmental institutions to regulate behaviour.

Question 2.
What do you mean by judiciary?
Answer:
The judiciary is the branch of authority in a country which is concerned with law and the legal system.

Question 3.
Name the branches of the legal system.
Answer:
The legal system in India is divided into two branches: Criminal Law and Civil Law.

Question 4.
What is the appellate system?
Answer:
This means that a person can appeal to a higher court if they believe that the judgment passed by the lower court is not just.

Question 5.
The work of the judiciary is categorised in how many ways?
Answer:
The work that the judiciary does can be divided into the following:

Dispute Resolution
Judicial Review
Upholding the Law and Enforcing Fundamental Rights.

Question 6.
By which court most people interact?
Answer:
By Subordinate Courts, people mostly interact.

Question 7.
Who appoints the judges of High Court?
Answer:
The President of India appoints the judges of High Court.

Question 8.
In Delhi, which year the High Court came? How many High Courts are there in India?
Answer:
In the year 1966, the High Court in Delhi came. There are 24 High Courts in India.

Question 9. How many judges are there in the Supreme Court?
Answer:
There are 30 judges and Chief Justice in the Supreme Court.

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
Can we say that Indian Judiciary is independent? How?
Answer:
Yes, Indian judiciary is considered an independent institution because of the following reasons:

The other branches of government that is the legislature and the executive cannot interfere in the work of the judiciary.
The courts are not under the government and do not act on their behalf.

Question 2.
India has an integrated judicial system. Discuss.
Answer:
In India, we have an integrated judicial system, it means that the decisions made by higher courts are binding on the lower courts. In other words, we can say that this integration is through the appellate system that exists in India. This means that a person can appeal to a higher court if they believe that the judgment passed by the lower court is not just.

Question 3.
What do you understand by Public Interest Litigation in India?
Answer:
The Supreme Court in the early 1980s devised a mechanism of Public Interest Litigation or PIL to increase access to justice. It allowed any individual or organisation to file a PIL in the High Court or the Supreme Court on behalf of those whose rights were being violated. The legal process was greatly simplified and even a letter or telegram addressed to the Supreme Court or the High Court could be treated as a PIL.

Question 4.
Describe briefly on the independence of the judiciary.
Answer:
One aspect of this independence is the ‘separation of powers’. This means that other branches of government – the legislature and the executive cannot interfere in the work of the judiciary. The courts are not under the government and do not act on their behalf. All judges are appointed with very little interference from these other branches of government in the High Court as well as the Supreme Court. Once appointed to this office, it is also very difficult to remove a judge.

Question 5.
What is the structure of courts in India?
Answer:
In our country, there are three different levels of courts. There are several courts at the lower level while only one at the apex level. The courts that most people interact with subordinate or district courts. These are usually at the district or Tehsil level or in towns and they hear many kinds of cases. Each state is divided into districts that are presided over by a District Judge. Each state has a High Court which is the highest court of that state. And, at the top is the Supreme Court which is located in New Delhi and is presided over by the Chief Justice of India. The decisions made by the Supreme Court are binding on all other courts in India.

Question 6.
What do you understand by apex court? Who presides over the Supreme Court?
Answer:
In the Indian judicial system, Apex court relates to the court at the highest level means the Supreme Court. The Chief Justice of India presides over the Supreme Court.

Question 7.
How are the Supreme Court and High Court Judges appointed?
Answer:
The Supreme Court and High Court judges are appointed by the President of India by the advice and consultation with the Prime Minister and the Chief Justice of India.

Question 8.
How the Supreme Court and High Court judges are removed?
Answer:
Once the person is appointed as a judge in Supreme Court or in High Court, it is very difficult to remove from his position. It can only be done by the impeachment motion passed by the two-third members of the Houses of parliament present and by voting.

Question 9.
Explain in brief the evolution of courts in India.
Answer:
In 1862, during the British rule, the first High Courts were established and setup in Bombay, Calcutta and Madras (now Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai). In 1937, the Federal Court of India was established by the British rule. The Supreme Court that we have at present was preceded by the Federal Court of India. Till 1949, it was operational from the Chamber of Prince in the Parliament House. The Supreme Court at present replaced that. In 1966, Delhi High Court was established. At present, we have one Supreme Court at the top most level and 24 High Courts.

Question 10.
In what ways do you think the Supreme Court is the guardian of Fundamental Rights?
Answer:
Supreme Court acts as a guardian of fundamental rights as it ensures that people are able to practice their rights in the required manner. Every citizen of India can approach the Supreme Court or the High Court if they believe that their Fundamental Rights have been violated.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
Explain the Role of the Judiciary.
Answer:
The work or role of the judiciary can be divided into the following:

Dispute Resolution:
The judicial system provides a method for resolving disputes between citizens, between citizens and the government, between two state governments and between the centre and state governments.

Judicial Review:
As the final interpreter of the Constitution, the judiciary also has the power to strike down particular laws passed by the Parliament if it believes that these are a violation of the basic structure of the Constitution.

This is known as judicial review. Upholding the Law and Enforcing Fundamental Rights:
Every citizen of India can approach the Supreme Court or the High Court if they believe that their Fundamental Rights have been violated.

Question 2.
What are the different branches of the legal system? Distinguish between Criminal Law and Civil Law.
Answer:
The different branches of the legal system are:

Criminal Law
Civil Law

Difference between Criminal Law and Civil Law:

Criminal Law	Civil Law
Deals with conduct or acts that the law defines as offences. Such as theft, harassing a woman to bring more dowry, murder.	Deals with any harm or injury to rights of individuals. Such as disputes relating to sale of land, purchase of goods, rent matters, divorce cases.
First Information Report (FIR) has to be lodged with the police who investigate the crime after which a case is filed in the court.	Before the relevant court a petition has to be filed by the affected party only. Such as in a rent matter, either the landlord or tenant can file a case.
The accused can be sent to jail and also fined if found guilty.	The court gives the specific relief asked for. Such as in a case between a landlord and a tenant, the court can order the fiat to be vacated and pending rent to be paid.

JAC Class 8 Social Science Solutions

JAC Class 8 Social Science Solutions Civics Chapter 4 Understanding Laws

September 3, 2024September 2, 2024 by Prasanna

JAC Board Class 8th Social Science Solutions Civics Chapter 4 Understanding Laws

JAC Class 8th Civics Understanding Laws InText Questions and Answers

Page 45

Question 1.
The word ‘arbitrary’ has been used earlier in this book and you’ve read what the word means in the Glossary of Chapter 1. The word ‘sedition’ has been included in the Glossary of this chapter. Read the Glossary descriptions of both words and then answer the following questions: State one reason why you think the Sedition Act of 1870 was arbitrary? In what ways does the Sedition Act of 1870 contradict the rule of law?
Answer:
The Sedition Act of 1870 was arbitrary because according this act, English people could arrest and detain any person they want. It contradicts the rule of law as they in rule of law, they can’t arrest anyone without proof.

Page 48

Question 2.
What do you understand by ‘domestic violence’? List the two rights that the new law helped achieve for women who are survivors of violence.
Answer:
Domestic violence refers to the injury or harm or threat caused by an adult male, usually the husband against his wife. Injury can be caused by physically beating up or emotionally abusing her which includes verbal, sexual and emotional abuse.

Question 3.
Can you list one process that was used to make more people aware of the need for this law?
Answer:
One process that was used to make more people aware of the need for this law was public discussions and meetings.

Question 4.
From the above storyboard, can you list two different ways in which people lobbied Parliament? (See NCERT pg 46 – 48)
Answer:
Two different ways in which people lobbied Parliament are as follows:

Submission of Demand
Debating and arguing.

Question 5.
In the following poster, what do you understand by the phrase ‘Equal Relationships are Violence Free’? F aual Relationships are Violence Free

Answer:
The phrase ‘Equal Relationships are Violence Free’ means equal rights are enjoyed by both husband and wife in the family. Neither of them should suppress each other. Such relationships are always violence free since they care for each other.

Page 50

Question 6.
Read the newspapers/watch news onTV for a week and find out if there are any unpopular laws that people in India or around the world are currently protesting.

List the three forms of protest that you see in the above photos.
Answer:
In first part of the question, students need to answer on their own. The three forms of protest that you see in above photos are

Strike – hunger strike
Dhama
Rally

JAC Class 8th Civics Understanding Laws Textbook Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Write in your own words what you understand by the term the ‘rule of law’. In your response include a fictitious or real example of a violation of the rule of law.
Answer:
The rule of law means that all laws apply equally to all citizens of the country and no one can be above the law. Neither a government official nor a wealthy person nor even the President of the country is above the law. All persons in independent India are equal before the law. The law cannot discriminate between persons on the basis of their religion, caste or gender. There is a specific punishment for every crime or violation of law and also a specific process through which the guilt of the person has to be established.

The punishment for any crime committed will be the same for every person, irrespective of his power or position. For example, there are many businessmen who own property worth crores but they do not even pay tax for the same. While filing the tax return, they show only a part of their total property and wealth. However, they are not questioned for this by the ordinary income tax officials because the officials have the fear of losing their jobs as the businessmen are very powerful. This shows how people in power can easily violate the laws.

Question 2.
State two reasons why historians refute the claim that the British introduced the rule of law in India.
Answer:
Two reasons – historians refute to claim that the British introduced the rule of law in India are as follows:

The colonial law was arbitrary. As for example of the arbitrariness of British law is the Sedition Act of 1870. According to this act any person protesting or criticising the British government could be arrested without due trial.
The Indian nationalists played a prominent role in the development of the legal sphere in British India. They protested against the arbitrary use of authority by the British. They also fought for equality of all.

Question 3.
Re-read the storyboard on how a new law on domestic violence got passed. Describe in your own words the different ways in which women’s groups worked to make this happen.
Answer:
Many women’s groups worked hard to get the bill against domestic violence passed by the Government. For this they made the following efforts:

The groups reported multiple cases of domestic violence to various forums like public protests, hearings, meetings with other organisations, press conferences and petitions to the government.
A group of lawyers, law students and activists worked together for drafting the Domestic Violence Bill. The Bill was first introduced in Parliament in 2002, but it was not to the satisfaction of all.
Several women’s organisations and National Commission for Women made submissions to the Parliamentary Standing Committee requesting certain changes in the Bill.
In December 2002, the recommendations of the Standing Committee were submitted to the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha.
A new bill was reintroduced in Parliament in 2005. After being passed in both houses of Parliament, it was sent to the President for his assent.
Hence, the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act came into effect in 2006.

Question 4.
Write in your own words what you understand by the following sentence on page 44-45: They also began fighting for greater equality and wanted to change the idea of law from a set of rules that they were forced to obey, to law as including ideas of justice.
Answer:
Indians were being discriminated and biased in their own country by the British government, during the British period. They were forced to follow the set of rules and laws that were arbitrary and tyrannical. One example of the arbitrary law is that The Sedition Act of 1870 came to be a turning point in the struggle for freedom in India.

According to the Sedition Act any person protesting or criticising the British government could be arrested without due trial. Indian nationalists began to protest and criticise this arbitrary use of authority by the British. They began to fight for their rights and wanted a set of rules that were equal for all.

JAC Class 8th Civics Understanding Laws Important Questions and Answers

Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1.
The most important provision in the Constitution is:
(a) Laws are different for different caste.
(b) Some persons in independent India are equal before the law.
(c) All persons in independent India are equal before the law.
(d) AH senior citizen in independent India are equal before the law.
Answer:
(c) All persons in independent India are equal before the law.

Question 2.
………….. is in charge of making laws in India.
(a) The High Court
(b) The Parliament
(c) Supreme Court
(d) The Prime Minister
Answer:
(b) The Parliament

Question 3.
In ancient India, law was different from today as:
(a) Punishments to lower castes were more harsh.
(b) Brahmins were being more harshly penalised.
(c) There was no punishment for Shudhras.
(d) Punishments were same as today.
Answer:
(a) Punishments to lower castes were more harsh.

Question 4.
The Sedition Act of 1870 means that:
(a) Any British person protesting or criticising the British government could be arrested without due trial.
(b) Any person protesting or criticising the British government could be arrested without due trial.
(c) Any Indian protesting or criticising the British government could be arrested with due trial.
(d) None of these
Answer:
(b) Any person protesting or criticising the British government could be arrested without due trial.

Question 5.
The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, was came in the year…… .
(a) 2000
(b) 2009
(c) 2008
(d) 2006
Answer:
(d) 2006

Question 6.
The Hindu Succession Amendment Act 2005 says that………..
(a) along with sons and daughters, father can also get an equal share of family property.
(b) grandparents, sons, daughters, and their mothers can get an equal share of family property.
(c) sons, daughters, and their mothers can get an equal share of family property.
(d) all of these
Answer:
(c) sons, daughters, and their mothers can get an equal share of family property.

Question 7.
The mediums through which voice of people can be heard through is/ are……. .
(a) local meetings
(b) radio broadcasts
(c) TV reports
(d) all of the above
Answer:
(d) all of the above

Question 8.
The Rowlett Act was passed on………
(a) 10th March 1919
(b) 19th April 1919
(c) 10th March 1920
(d) 10th May 1921
Answer:
(a) 10th March 1919

Question 9.
Domestic violence means ………
(a) injury and abuse
(b) threat of injury
(c) physical beating
(d) all of these
Answer:
(d) all of these

Question 10.
In a democratic government, in case of unpopular laws, people might………
(a) hold public meetings
(b) write in media such as newspaper, journal, etc.
(c) show reports in TV
(d) All of these
Answer:
(d) All of these

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
What was Sedition Act of 1870?
Answer:
Sedition Act of 1870 states that any person protesting or criticising the British government could be arrested without due trial.

Question 2.
When was the Hindu Succession Act revised?
Answer:
The Hindu Succession Act was revised in 2005.

Question 3.
hich year of Jallianwala Bagh massacre happened? Who gave the order to shoot the protestors?
Answer:
The Jallianwala Bagh massacre which is also known as the Amritsar massacre took place on 13 April 1919. General Dyer gave the order to shoot the protestors.

Question 4.
What are the important changes introduced by the Hindu Succession Amendment Act 2005?Answer: According to this new law, sons,daughters and their mothers can get an equal share of family property.

Question 5.
Who submits its report regarding any Bill to Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha?
Answer:
Parliamentary Standing Committee submits its report regarding any Bill to Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha.

Question 6.
What Article 14 of the Indian constitution says?
Answer:
Article 14 belongs to Equality before law. It states that the State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India.

Question 7.
What do you mean by controversial law?
Answer:
Controversial law is the law whichfavours one group and disregards the other.

Question 8.
Who introduced the rule of law in India?
Answer:
The Indian nationalists introduced the rule of law in India.

Question 9.
Which type of law is ‘Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act’?
Answer:
‘Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act’ is a civil law.

Question 10.
What do you think citizens do when they disagree with a law?
Answer:
The citizens hold public meetings, write articles and journals in newspaper, report to TV channels to express there disagreement with a law.

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
Where and in what form is the law introduced?
Answer:
In Parliament all legislative proposals are brought in the forms of Bills. A Bill is a draft statute which becomes law after it is passed by both the Houses of Parliament and assented to by the President.

Question 2.
What are the common laws that govern us?
Answer:
Some of the common laws that govern us are as follows:

Specific age of marriage
The age at which a person can vote
The laws dealing with buying and selling of property.

Question 3.
Explain the provisions of Rowlatt Act. How did Indians react to it?
Answer:
Rowlatt Act allowed the British government to arrest people without due trial. Indian nationalists including Mahatma Gandhi were vehement in
their opposition to the Rowlatt bills. Despite the large number of protests, the Rowlatt Act came into effect on 10 March 1919.

Question 4.
How was the system of law during ancient times in India?
Answer:
In ancient India, there were innumerable and often overlapping local laws. Different communities enjoyed different degrees of autonomy in administering these laws among their own. In some cases, the punishment that two persons received for the same crime varied depending on their caste backgrounds, with lower castes being more harshly penalised.

Question 5.
Explain in brief the ‘Rule of Law’.
Answer:
Rule of law means that all laws apply equally to all citizens of the country and no one can be above the law. Neither a government official, nor a wealthy person nor even the President of the country is above the law. Any crime or violation of law has a specific punishment as well as a process through which the guilt of the person has to be established.

Question 6.
Explain the ways in which the citizens can express their views in relation to laws made in the Parliament.
Answer:
Citizens can express their views in relation to laws made in the Parliament in the following ways:

by holding public meetings and addressing them,
by writing about it in newspapers and magazines,
by reporting to TV news channels etc.

Question 7.
What is Domestic Violence?
Answer:
Domestic violence is the violence which refers to the injury or harm or threat of injury caused by an adult male, usually the husband, against his wife. Injury may be caused by physically beating up the woman or by emotionally abusing her which includes verbal, sexual and economic abuse. The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005 extends the understanding of the term ‘domestic’ to include all women who ‘live or have lived together in a shared household’ with the male member who is perpetrating the violence.

Question 8.
What are the different categories under which law can be classified?
Answer:
Some of the categories under which law can be classified are as follows:

Criminal law
Contract Law
Property Law
International law
Equity and Trust Laws

Question 9.
Explain in brief on Lady Justice.
Answer:
Lady Justice or Justitia is the Roman Goddess of Justice. It is a personification of the moral force that underlies the legal system. Her blindfolded eyes symbolise equality under the law and impartiality towards all the people who are governed by it. The weighing scales represent the balancing of people’s interests under the law and her sword denotes the law’s force of reason.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
Explain the controversial law and unpopular law with the help of an example.
Answer:
Sometimes a law can be constitutionally valid and hence legal but it can continue to be unpopular and unacceptable to people because they feel that the intention behind it is unfair and harmful. For example, various municipal laws on the use of space within municipal limits often make hawking and street vending illegal. No one will dispute the necessity for some rules to keep the public space open so that people can walk on the pavements easily.

However, one also cannot deny that hawkers and vendors provide essential services cheaply and efficiently to the millions living in a large city. This is their means of livelihood. Hence, if the law favours one group and disregards the other it will be controversial and lead to conflict. This ultimately brings lots of chaos in day to day life of common people.

Question 2.
Mention the ways in which the Indians played an important role in the evolution of rule of law during colonial period.
Answer:
There were several ways in which Indians played a major role in the evolution of the rule of law during the colonial period. They are as follows:

(i) Indian nationalists began protesting and criticising this arbitrary use of authority by the British. They also began fighting for greater equality and wanted to change the idea of law from a set of rules that they were forced to obey, to law as including ideas of justice.

(ii) By the end of the nineteenth century, the Indian legal profession also began emerging and demanded respect in colonial courts. They began to use law to defend the legal rights of Indians.

(iii) Indian judges also began to play a greater role in making decisions.