On Equality
See The Chapter PDF
Equal Right to Vote
Other Kinds of Equality
Recognising Dignity
→ When people are treated unequally, their dignity is violated.
Equality in Indian Democracy
- The Indian Constitution recognizes every person as equal.
- While inequality still exists, the Constitution affirms the principle of equality.
- There are laws to ensure people are treated with dignity and equality.
Constitutional Provisions for Equality
- All persons are equal before the law.
→ No discrimination based on religion, race, caste, gender, or place of birth.
→ Everyone has access to public places like playgrounds, hotels, shops, and markets.
Government Measures to Promote Equality
Issues of Equality in Other Democracies
- Inequality is not unique to India—it exists in other democracies too.
→ Communities around the world struggle for equality.
→ In the United States, African-Americans still face inequality despite the civil rights movement of the 1950s.
What is Health?
Healthcare in India
Public Health Services
- A chain of government-run health centres and hospitals.
→ Includes village health centres and district hospitals.
→ Aims to provide low-cost or free quality care for all.
→ Ensures the Right to Life is protected.
Private Health Facilities
- Privately owned clinics and hospitals not controlled by the government.
→ Includes Registered Medical Practitioners (RMPs) in rural areas.
→ Often expensive and concentrated in urban areas.
Is Adequate Healthcare Available to All?
→ Public services are limited while private services are growing.
→ Healthcare is expensive and not accessible to the poor.
→ Basic necessities like clean water and housing are lacking.
→ Tribal areas often lack functioning health centres.
What Can Be Done?
→ The government is responsible for ensuring access to quality healthcare for all citizens, especially the poor.
Case Study of Costa Rica
- Costa Rica is one of the healthiest countries in South America.
→ Its government provides basic services like safe drinking water, sanitation, nutrition, and housing to all.
MLAs
- Each state in India has a Legislative Assembly.
→ Each state is divided into constituencies, each electing one MLA.
→ MLAs may belong to different political parties.
→ The party with a majority forms the ruling party; others become the opposition.
→ The elected MLAs of the ruling party choose a Chief Minister.
→ The Chief Minister selects other ministers to form the government.
A Debate in the Legislative Assembly
- MLAs meet in the Legislative Assembly building located in the state capital.
→ They debate issues, ask questions, and suggest actions.
→ The minister replies to the questions and assures the Assembly of government steps.
→ Decisions of the government must be approved by the MLAs.
→ All MLAs together are called the Legislature.
Working of the Government
- Media like newspapers and TV report on government activities.
→ In a democracy, people express their views and take action in various ways.
→ Government has departments like Education, Health, Public Works etc.
→ The Chief Minister and ministers act through these departments.
→ Their work must be approved by the Legislature.
MCQs
1. Which Article in Indian Constitution defines equality and prohibits any kind of social discrimination?
(a) Article 10
(b) Article 12
(c) Article 15
(d) Article 21
► (c) Article 15
2. Where has the Mid day Meal scheme being started?
(a) In Government Offices
(b) In Private Schools
(c) In Income tax Department
(d) In Government Schools
► (d) In Government Schools
3. African-Americans are discriminated against in
(a) South America
(b) Africa
(c) USA
(d) Australia
► (c) USA
4. It states that every adult in a country, irrespective of their wealth and the communities she/he belongs to, has one vote
(a) Universe Adulthood Franchise
(b) Universe Adult Franchisezes
(c) Universal Adult Franchisezes
(d) Universal Adult Franchise
► (d) Universal Adult Franchise
5. One of the more common forms of inequality in India is the
(a) Sati system
(b) Dowry system
(c) Poverty
(d) Caste system
► (d) Caste system
6. Omprakash Valmiki is a famous ______ writer
(a) Tamil
(b) French
(c) Dalit
(d) Muslim
► (c) Dalit
7. ____ is a key feature of democracy and influences all aspects of its functioning
(a) Fraternity
(b) Equality
(c) Justice
(d) Liberty
► (b) Equality
8. The Ansaris dignity was also hurt when
(a) Persons refused to lease their apartments to them
(b) Government refused to lease their apartments
(c) Teachers refused to lease their apartments to them
(d) Persons easily lease their apartments to them
► (a) Persons refused to lease their apartments to them
9. What is similarity among Kanta, Ansari’s and Melani?
(a) They all were African-American
(b) They all were treated equally
(c) They all were treated unequally
(d) They all were members of TMS
► (c) They all were treated unequally
10. United States of America, the _______ whose ancestors were the slaves who were brought over from Africa, continue to describe their lives today as largely unequal
(a) Asia-Americans
(b) Australia-Americans
(c) African-Americans
(d) Europe-Americans
► (c) African-Americans
11. A dam is
(a) Built across a river at sites where one can collect a lot of water
(b) Built across a plateau at sites where one can collect a lot of water
(c) Built across a mountain at sites where one can collect a lot of water
(d) Built across a plain at sites where one can collect a lot of water
► (a) Built across a river at sites where one can collect a lot of water
12. Which state was the first state in India to introduce mid day meal scheme and in 2001
(a) Andhra Pradesh
(b) Kerala
(c) Tamil Nadu
(d) Maharashtra
► (c) Tamil Nadu
13. Right to vote in India is known as
(a) Universal Adult Franchise
(b) Right to politician
(c) Adult Voting power
(d) Right to Single vote
► (a) Universal Adult Franchise
14. Who is the father of the Indian Constitution?
(a) Mahatma Gandhi
(b) Jawahar lal Nehru
(c) B.R. Ambedkar
(d) A. B. Bajpayee
► (c) B.R. Ambedkar
15. Which of the following is the work of Om Prakash Valmiki
(a) Joothan
(b) Gaban
(c) Godan
(d) Jothan
► (a) Joothan
16. Indian constitution provides equality to
(a) Dalits
(b) Adivasis
(c) Muslims
(d) All persons
► (d) All persons
17. TMS stands for
(a) Tehri Matsya System
(b) Transcranial magnetic stimulation
(c) Tawa Matsya Sangh
(d) None of the above
► (c) Tawa Matsya Sangh
18. Dalit, Adivasi and Muslim girls drop out of school in large numbers. This is a combined outcome of the following except
(a) Poverty
(b) Lack of good quality school facilities for these communities
(c) Corruption
(d) Social discrimination
► (d) Social discrimination