CIVICS UNIT 1 CONSTITUTION

CLASS 8

SUBTOPIC- Introduction to Indian Constitution and its need

Q1.What is the purpose of the constitution in a democratic country?
OR Why does a democratic country need a Constitution? [50-60]
A country needs a constitution because:
● It helps to 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.
● It puts down certain principles that form the basis of the kind of country that we as citizens desire
to live in.
● It tells us the fundamental nature of our society.
● It defines the nature of the political system of the country.
● It states a set of rules based on which people belonging to different religions and communities can
peacefully coexist.
Q.2 What would happen if there were no restrictions on the power of elected representatives?[20-30]
In a democracy, the citizens of the country are responsible for electing their leaders.However,there is
always a possibility that the leaders might misuse their authority and use it for wrong purposes. Hence the
constitution has provided measures to safeguard against such misuse of powers.
Q.3 Table on Pg 10 to be done in the textbook.
Q.4 Question 4 of NCERT to be done in the book .

SUBTOPIC- Key features of our constitution

Q.5] Why do you think our country adopted the federal structure?[20-30]

Federalism is a prime feature of the Indian constitution, it refers to the existence of more than one level of
government. Our country adopted a Federal structure because the central government cannot take care of
each and every corner of the country, so it was important to have another level of government in the states
so that decision could be made for that particular area quickly.

Q.6] Describe the Parliamentary Form of Government.[20-30]

It is one of the important features of the Indian Constitution. This means that the people of India have a
direct role in electing their representatives. Also, every citizen of the country, irrespective of his/her social
background, can contest in elections. These representatives are answerable to the people. It also
guarantees universal adult franchise (right to vote) for all citizens.

Q.7] Discuss the difference between State and Government.[20-30]

State refers to any political institution that represents a sovereign people who occupy a definiteTerritory.
Example when we say Indian State or Nepal state etc. The Indian state has a democratic form of
government. The government is one part of the state. The state refers to more than just the
government.Whereas, Government is responsible for administering and enforcing laws. India is a
democraticCountry. Government can change with elections.
SUBTOPIC-Challenges faced by the members of the members of Constituent assembly

Q.8] Enlist the challenges faced by the Constituent Assembly while framing the new Constitution of
independent India?

The members of the constituent assembly had faced a lot of challenges while framing the
newConstitution. They were:

● The country was made up of several different communities who spoke different
languages,belonged to different religions and had distinct cultures. The Constitution had to be
framed keeping everyone’s interest.
● When the Constitution was framed the country was undergoing considerable turmoil. The
partition of the country into India and Pakistan was imminent.
● Some of the princely states remained undecided about their future.
● The socio-economic condition of the vast mass of the people appeared dismal.

Q9.] a. What is the difference in who exercises ‘Executive Power’ in the Constitutions of Nepal in
1990 and 2015 ?

Ans: 1990 Constitution of Nepal : The executive power of the Kingdom of Nepal shall be vested in his
Majesty and the Council of Ministers.
2015 Constitution of Nepal: The Executive Power of Nepal shall be vested in the Council of Ministers.

Q.10 Explain the Vertical and Horizontal Distribution of Powers through a flow chart.
Q.11 Listed below are the key features of the Indian Constitution. Write two sentences, in
your own words, on why you think this feature is an important key feature of

1. Federalism
2. Separation of Powers
3. Fundamental Rights
4. Parliamentary Form of Government

1.Federalism:
means more than one level of government in the country. India has a 3 tier government. India
needs a 3 tier government because of the diverse religious and cultural composition of its
citizens. A government in the center alone could not be effective for everyone.

2.Separation of Powers:
In order to prevent the misuse of power by the elected representative the constitution advocate
Separation of powers. Each branch of the government has its powers fixed by the Constitution.
The Constitution ensures that a balance of power is maintained between the Legislature
Executive and the Judiciary.
3.Fundamental Rights:
Fundamental Rights guarantees the rights of individuals against the State as well as against other
individuals. It protects minority communities and guarantees rights against the majority.

4.Parliamentary Form of Government:

In a Parliamentary form of government, the constitution guarantees universal adult franchise for
all citizens. That is, all adults have a right to vote, irrespective of whether they are poor or rich,
educated or uneducated, a Hindu, Muslim or a Christian. The idea of a universal adult franchise
is based on equality.

Q.12 Enlist and explain the Fundamental Rights as listed in the Indian Constitution.

Right to Equality (Articles 14 – 18)

Right to equality is one of the important fundamental rights of the Indian constitution that guarantees
equal rights for everyone, irrespective of religion, gender, caste, race or place of birth. It ensures equal
employment opportunities in the government and insures against discrimination by the State in matters of
employment on the basis of caste, religion, etc. This right also includes the abolition of titles as well as
untouchability.

2. Right to Freedom (Articles 19 – 22)

Freedom is one of the most important ideals cherished by any democratic society. The Indian Constitution
guarantees freedom to citizens. The freedom right includes many rights such as:

● Freedom of speech
● Freedom of expression
● Freedom of assembly without arms
● Freedom of association
● Freedom to practice any profession
● Freedom to reside in any part of the country.

3. Right against Exploitation (Articles 23 – 24)

This right implies the prohibition of traffic in human beings, begar, and other forms of forced labour. It
also implies the prohibition of children in factories, etc. This Constitution prohibits the employment of
children under 14 years in hazardous conditions.

4. Right to Freedom of Religion (Articles 25 – 28)

This indicates the secular nature of Indian polity. There is equal respect given to all religions. There is
freedom of conscience, profession, practice and propagation of religion. The State has no official religion.
Every person has the right to freely practice his or her faith, establish and maintain religious and
charitable institutions.

5. Cultural and Educational Rights (Articles 29 – 30)

These rights protect the rights of religious, cultural and linguistic minorities, by facilitating them to
preserve their heritage and culture. Educational rights are for ensuring education for everyone without any
discrimination.

6. Right to Constitutional Remedies (32 – 35)

The Constitution guarantees remedies if citizens’ fundamental rights are violated. The government cannot
infringe upon or curb anyone’s rights. When these rights are violated, the aggrieved party can approach
the courts. Citizens can even go directly to the Supreme Court which can issue writs for enforcing
fundamental rights.

Q.13 Which Right is known as the ‘heart and soul’ as listed in the Indian Constitution? Why?

Because the Right to constitutional Remedies ensures the protection of the rest of the fundamental rights.
It helps the citizens of our country seek help from the court/judiciary in case of the violation of any of our
fundamental rights. This is the reason why Dr B.R.Ambedkar called this right the “heart and soul” of our
constitution.

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