Social Science SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS(3 Mark)

Article 15 in democracy of the constitution prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth.Two ways in which this Article addresses inequality:

1. It suggests States not to discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth or any of them.
2. No citizen shall be subject to any disability, liability and restriction on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth or any of them.

Universal Adult Franchise is important in democracy as:

1. It is based on the principle of equality.
2. It means that all adult (those who are 18 and above) citizens have the equal right to vote.
3. It do not discriminate on the basis of social or economic backgrounds.
4. It is an important aspects of democratic societies.

The government has tried to implement equality in India through two methods:-

1. Laws:- Several laws have been made by the government to treat every person equally.
2. Programmes:- The government has organised programmes for giving greater opportunities to those who have been treated unequally for centuries.

• Dalit is a term that the so-called lower castes use to address themselves.
• Dalit means 'broken'.
• By using this word, lower castes point to how they were and continue to be seriously discriminated against.

Common form of Inequality in India:One of the most common forms of inequality in India is the caste system.

• In rural India, caste identity is something that is experienced from the young age.
• In urban India, people no longer believe in caste.
• Matrimonials shown from a leading English newspaper reveal that the issue of caste continues to be in the minds of highly educated urban Indians.

1. Even though the Indian constitution provides equality, people are still discriminated on the basis of their castes, religion, disability, economic status and gender.
2. Change in attitude to treat everyone equally and with dignity is a continuous struggle which has to ensure provision of dignity and equality for all.

• The midday meal programme has helped increase the enrolment and attendance of poor children in school yet there continues to be big differences in this country between schools that the rich attend and those that the poor attend.
• Even today there are several schools in the country in which Dalit children like Omprakash Valmiki are discriminated against and treated unequally.
• These children are forced into unequal situations in which their dignity is not respected. This is because people do not think them as equal even though the law requires it.

• Voting right to all adults is called universal adult franchise.
• It is an essential aspect of all democracies.
• The idea of universal adult franchise is based on the idea of equality because it states that every adult in a country, irrespective of their wealth and the communities, he/ she belongs to, has one vote.

1. No country can be called totally democratic.
2. There are always individuals and communities who try to expand the idea of democracy and push for a greater recognition of equality.
3. To control this struggle in a democracy, the idea is to treat all persons as equal with dignity.

1. A majority of African-Americans still continue to be among the poorest in the country.
2. Most African - American children can afford to attend only government schools which have fewer facilities and poorly qualified teachers as compared to white students who go to private schools or live in areas where the government schools are as good as private schools.

Yes, Kanta has enough reasons to doubt whether she is really equal.
Reasons:

• She cannot skip work even when her daughter is ill.
• She does not have enough money to take her daughter to doctor.
• She has to stand in line at a government hospital for her turn to show her daughter to the doctor.

1. An African-American woman called Rosa Parks after a tiring day refused to give up her seat to a white man on 1 December, 1955.
2. This incident started a huge agitation against the unequal ways in which AfricanAmericans were treated.
3. This movement came to be known as a Civil Rights Movement.

1. The mid-day meal scheme was launched for the first time in Tamil Nadu. In 2001, the Supreme Court asked all state governments to begin this programme in their schools within six months.
2. It has improved the attendance ratio of children in schools.
3. It had been reported earlier that children would often go home for lunch and not return back to school.
4. Mid-day meal scheme has improved the enrolment and attendance ratio of poor children in schools.
5. Further, it has even led to Dalit empowerment since Dalit women are employed in quite a few places to cook the meal.

1. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited discrimination on the basis of race, religion or national origin.
2. It also stated that all schools would be open to African-American children and they would no longer have to study in separate schools.

Benefits of the midday meal programme are:

1. More poor children have begun enrolling and regularly attending school.
2. Has also helped reduce caste prejudices because both lower and upper caste children in the school eat this meal together, and in quite a few places, Dalit women have been employed to cook the meal.
3. The midday meal programme also helps reduce the hunger of poor students who often come to school and cannot concentrate because their stomachs are empty.

One of the main reasons for this is that attitudes change very slowly. Even though persons are aware that discrimination is against the law they continue to treat people unequally on the basis of their caste, religion, disability, economic status and because they are women. It is only when people begin to believe that no one is inferior, and that every person deserves to be treated with dignity, that present attitudes can change. Change in attitude is a slow process and hence establishing equality in a democratic society is a continuous struggle.

"All persons are equal before the law", by this statement we understand that the law applies to everyone irrespective of their caste, class, gender and the law expects everyone to treat others as equal. This is very important in a democracy to preserve the true nature of a democratic society where everyone's dignity is respected and equally treated.

The story tells us about two different aspects of status of people in our country. On the election day Kanta and Sujata along stood in the queue for voting. All others including Kanta's sahib also stood in the same queue. This made them feel like an equal citizen.
Kanta's daughter was not well but she had to finish her daily work and take advance before she could take her to the doctor. Even there she had to stand in queue in government hospital to wait for her turn. She realized that, line had only poor people like her. If her employer had to go to doctor they can afford a private doctor.

Eqality is important in a democracy because in absence of equality the Liberty is meaningless.

1. To have a supportive community.
2. To have no fights and disputes among people.
3. To consider that the law is equal before everybody and is indiscriminate.

Omprakash Valmiki in his autobiography, Joothan, wrote about his experience. During his schooling days he had to sit on the floor outside the class. In class IV he had to sweep the school and a huge playground.
He became a spectacle for everyone was watching him. He was covered with dust and was not even allowed to drink water. He was made to do this for few days until one day his father by chance saw him. His father confronted the teacher and told them that one day Omprakash would study right there and many more would follow him.

Inspite of several efforts made by the government inequalities still exist in our society. Even today low caste people are being discriminated against and treated unequally. The reason behind it is that people refuse to think of them as equal even though the law requires it. This attitude of the people is so deeply rooted that it cannot change all of a sudden. It will take a lot of time. Even though people are aware that discrimination is against the law, they continue to treat others unequally on the basis of caste and religion. People are also discriminated against on the basis of economic status, disability and gender. Unless people believe that every person deserves to be treated equally and with dignity, the present attitude cannot be rooted out. Changing people’s attitude is a very slow process and hence establishment of equality in society is a continuous struggle.

The Indian constitution recognises the right of every person to be equal. It means that every individual in the country, including male and female persons from all castes, religions, tribes, educational and economic backgrounds are recognised as equal.