CIVICS

CHAPTER-1
OUR CONSTITUTION

D Short Answer Questions

Q.1 Distinguish between the state and the government.

Ans. State Government
A nation as a political entity. Government is an organisation of
people that rule over the country.
The state continue to exist even if the The government of the country may
government changes. change periodically.

Q.2 What is democracy?

Ans. Democracy is a form of government which is:
 By the people- citizens of the country who are 18 years of age and above
have the right to vote and elect their leaders.
 Of the people- the government is formed from the citizens itself.
 For the people- the government will have to go for the welfare of the
people.

Q.3 What is Universal Adult Suffrage?

Ans Every adult citizen (18 years and above) has the right to vote and each vote
carries equal weightage.

Q.4 What are the Directive Principles of State Policy?

Ans  Everything that a new nation aspires to cannot be achieved at once,
primarily because of lack of resources. This was the case with India too, so
the framers of the Constitution laid down some guidelines or goals for the
future.
 The framers of our Constitution felt that there should be some guidelines
to help the future governments formulate policies to tackle problems
related to poverty, unemployment and other social issues.
 As a result, the unique concept of Directive Principles of State Policy was
introduced in our Constitution. It is based on the principle of Welfare

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 State.
 They serve as guidelines which should be kept in mind by the government
while framing its policies.

E Long Answer Questions

Q.1 What is the federal system? Why is it suited to the needs of the Indian
people?
Ans Under the federal system, a country is formed of the ‘union’ of several states,
which have a certain degree of independence in conducting their own affairs.
However, the overall responsibility of governing the country lies with the Central
government or Union government.
 The Constitution lists the areas in which only the Union government can
make laws (Union List),
 The areas in which only the State government can make laws (State List)
and,
 The areas in which both the Union and State government can make laws
(Concurrent List).
The makers of the Constitution thought that this system would suit our country
because our country has so many communities each with its own aspirations and
needs.

Q.3 Mention four reasons why it is important for a country to have a

constitution.

Ans. Almost every country has a constitution for the following reasons:-
1. A constitution defines the type of government or political system a
country has. Different countries have different systems like Monarchies,
Democracies, Dictatorships etc
2. A constitution describes the principles along which a country is to be
governed. The laws that are made in a country must abide by these
principles or follow the spirit of its constitution.

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 3. A constitution lays down the powers of different organs of the
government and provides measures so that these powers may not be
misused.
4. It sets out the rights that the people enjoy and provides measures for
safeguarding these rights.

Q.4 Discuss how the powers of the State are divided among the three organs of
the State and why this is important?

Ans The Indian State has the following three organs:-

I. The Legislature (Parliament) frames laws
II. The Executive (Ministers) implements laws
III. The Judiciary (Courts) interprets laws

Extra Questions

Q.1 Describe the Fundamental Rights.

Ans The Fundamental Rights are as under:
1. Right to Equality - Under our constitution, every Indian is equal in matters
of rights, opportunities and protection under law, Any kind of discrimination
on grounds of religion, caste, wealth, sex, language etc is prohibited.

2. Right to freedom – Other than the right to life and personal liberty the
constitution gives us following freedoms:
 Freedom of speech and expression
 Freedom to assemble peacefully and without arms
 Freedom to form association and unions
 Freedom to move freely throughout the country
 Freedom to practice any profession
 Freedom to reside and settle in any part of the country

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 3. Right to freedom of religion – Every citizen has the right to practice, preach
and profess a religion of his or her choice.

4. Cultural and Educational rights – Every cultural group is at liberty to take

measures to preserve and promote its traditions.

5. Right against exploitation – ‘To exploit’ means to take advantage of. It

seeks to protect women, children and the weaker sections of society from
being exploited by others

6. Right to constitutional remedies – Every citizen has the right to appeal to a

court if he or she is deprived of his or her fundamental rights by anyone
including the State
7. Right to primary education – Children in the age group of six to fourteen
years have the right to receive free primary education

Q.2 Enlist any five fundamental duties mentioned in the Constitution of India.

Ans. Fundamental Duties of the Citizens of India

 To cherish and follow the noble ideals of the freedom struggle
 To uphold and protect the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India
 To defend the country and render national service when required
 To promote harmony and the spirit of brotherhood among all Indians
 To protect and improve the natural environment