3.CONSTITUTIONAL DESIGN CLASS 9

 Extra Questions

1.What is a ‘Constitution’?

Answer: The constitution of a country is a set of written rules that are accepted by all people living together in a country. Constitution is the supreme law that determines the relationship among people living in a territory (called citizens) and also the relationship between the people and government.

2.What is the unusual achievement of our Constitution?

Answer: No large social group or political party has ever questioned the legitimacy of the Constitution itself. 

3.Why is Constitution considered the Supreme law?

Answer: The Constitution is the supreme law that determines the relationship among people living a territory (called citizens) and also the relationship between the people and the government. 

4.What is meant by apartheid? How was it oppressive for the blacks?
Answer:
Apartheid was the name of a system of racial discrimination unique to South Africa. The white Europeans imposed this system on South Africa. The system of apartheid divided the people and labelled them according to their skin colour.

1The system of public toilets, were all separate for the whites and blacks. This, was called segregation. 

2They could not even visit the churches where the whites worshipped.

3 Blacks could not form associations or protest the terrible treatment.

5When was the Constitution work completed and when did it come into effect?

Answer: The Assembly adopted the Constitution on 26th November 1949 but it came into effect on January 26, 1950. To mark this day we celebrate 26th January as Republic Day every year. 

6What is Preamble?

Answer: The Preamble is like preface of a book, it is the soul of the Indian Constitution. It gives in brief all the laws and action of the government. 

7What was ‘Constituent Assembly’?

Answer: The drafting of the document called the constitution was done by an assembly of elected representatives called the Constituent Assembly. 

8In which manner Constituent Assembly worked?

Answer: The Constituent Assembly worked in a systematic, open and consensual manner. 

9What are ‘Constitutional Amendments’?

Answer: Provisions are made to incorporate changes from time to time in our constitution. These changes are called ‘Constitutional Amendments’.

10What are ‘Constituent Assembly Debates’?

Answer: Every document presented and every word spoken in the Constituent Assembly has been recorded and preserved. These are called Constituent Assembly Debates. 

11What is the significance of the phrase ‘We the people of India’ in the Preamble?
Answer:
The preamble is an introductory part of the Constitution. It is called the key of the Constitution. “We the people of India” means the Constitution has been drawn up and enacted by the people through their representatives, and not handed down to them by a king or any outside powers.

12What are the four main ideals enshrined in the Preamble of the Indian Constitution?
Answer:
The ideals written in the Preamble of the Constitution are as under :

• Justice: Every citizen of India will have social, economic and political justice.
• Liberty: Every citizen will have the liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship.
• Equality: Every citizen will be provided with the equality of status and opportunity.
• fraternity: All the citizens of India have been assured about the dignity of individual and the unity and integrity of the nation.

13Which basic values were incorporated in our constitution from these pre- independence decisions?

Answer: (i) Universal Adult Franchise.
(ii) Right to freedom and equality.
(iii) protecting the rights of minorities. 

14How did the Constituent Assembly work to prepare the Constitution for India?
Answer:
1The Constituent Assembly worked in a systematic, open and consensual manner. First, some basic principles were decided and agreed upon. 

2. Drafting Committee chaired by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar prepared a draft constitution for discussion. 

3.Several rounds of thorough discussion took place, clause by clause. More than 2000 amendments were considered. 

4.The members deliberated for 114 days spread over 3 years. Every document presented and every word spoken in the Constituent Assembly was recorded and preserved. These are called ‘Constituent Assembly Debates’.

15What compromises did the blacks and white make?
Answer:
It was not an easy task for the two divergent people of South Africa—the White oppressors and the Black Oppressed one—to draw up a common Constitution for the country when it became free in 1994. After long negotiations both parties agreed to a compromises.

• The whites agreed to the principle of majority rule that of one person one vote.
• They also agreed to some basic rights for the poor and the workers.
• The blacks agreed that majority rule would not be absolute.
• They also agreed that the majority would not take away the property of the white minority. (Any three)

16Why is South Africa called a ‘rainbow nation’ today?
Ans .
There is no social or any discrimination based on skin colour in free south Africa, today. Blacks, whites and coloured people, men and women, live as free citizens, in total harmony. This is why they call South Africa a ‘rainbow nation’.

17What was the philosophy behind the Constitution?
Answer:

• The values that inspired and guided the freedom struggle and were, in turn, nurtured by it, formed the foundation for India’s democracy. These values are embedded in the Preamble of the Indian Constitution.
• They guide all the articles of the Indian Constitution. The Constitution begins with a short statement of its basic values. This is called the Preamble to the constitution.
• Taking inspiration from American model, most countries in the contemporary world have chosen to begin their constitutions with a preamble.

18What documents were taken by the Constituent Assembly to form the Indian Constitution?

Answer: The documents taken to form the Indian Constitution were: (i) The Indian Constitution was drafted by Motilal Nehru and eight other leaders in 1928. (ii) The resolution at the Karachi Session of the INC on how independent India’s Constitution should look like, in 1931. (iii) Both these documents were committed to the inclusion of universal adult franchise right to freedom and quality and protecting the right of minorities in the constitution of independent India.

19IndianIn which two ways can the philosophy of the Indian Constitution be understood?

Answer: The two ways in which the philosophy of the Indian Constitution can be understood are:

 (i) It can be understood by reading the views of some of the major leaders on the Indian Constitution.

 (ii) We can understand by reading what the Constitution says about its own philosophy.

 20.What were Nelson Mandela’s views on the South African constitution?

Answer: He felt that the Constitution of South Africa speaks of both past and its future. On one hand, it is a solemn pact in which they, as South Africans, declare to one another that they shall never permit a repetition of their racist, brutal and repressive past. it is also a charter for the transformation of their country into one which is truly shared by all its people’s country which in the fullest sense belongs to all of them, black and white, women and men. 

21 leaders were inspired by which countries to frame the Indian Constitution?

Answer: The countries which inspired the Indian Constitution were: 

(i) France: Many Indian leaders were inspired by the ideals of the French Revolution and their resolution on liberty, equality and fraternity.

 (ii) Britain: Indian leaders were inspired by the practice of Parliamentary democracy in Britain. 

(iii) US: Their Bill of Rights was a great inspiration.

 (iv) Russia: The socialist revolution and the socialist economy of Russia also inspired the leaders of India. 

22How was the Constituent Assembly formed?

Answer: The drafting of the Constitution was done by an assembly of elected representatives called the Constituent Assembly.

 (i) Elections to the Constituent Assembly were held in July 1946.

 (ii) Its first meeting was held in December 1946.

 (iii) The Constituent Assembly was also divided into the Constituent Assembly of India and Pakistan after the partition.

  (iv) The Constituent Assembly that wrote the Indian Constitution constituted as many as 299 members. It adopted the Constitution on 26 November 1949, but it came into effect on 26 January 1950.

23What are the exclusive features of the Indian constitution? 

Answer: (i) Indian constitution is a very long and detailed constitution. Therefore, it needs to be amended quite regularly to keep it updated.
(ii) Those who crafted the constitution felt that it has to be in accordance with people’s aspirations and changes in society. They did not see it as a sacred, static and an unalterable law.
(iii) They made provisions to incorporate changes from time to time. These changes are called amendments.
(iv) The constitution describes the institutional arrangements in a very legal language.
(v) It put limits to what the government can do by providing some rights to the citizens that cannot be violated.

24What are the various functions of a Constitution?
Answer:
A Constitution performs several functions such as :

• It generates a degree of trust and coordination that is necessary for different kind of people to live together.
• It specifies how the government will be constituted, and who will have power of taking which decisions.
• It lays down limits on the powers of the government and tells us what the rights of the citizens are.
• It expresses the aspirations of the people about creating a good society. (Any three)

25How does the Indian Constitution describes the institutional arrangements?
Answer:
The Constitution describes the institutional arrangements in a very legal language.

• The Indian Constitution lays down a procedure for choosing persons to govern the country.
• It defines who will have how much power to take which decisions.
• It puts limits to what the government can do by providing some rights to the citizen that cannot be violated.

Explain the different key words used in the Preamble of the Indian Constitution.
Answer:
Several key words have been used in the Preamble of the Indian Constitution :

(i) WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA: The constitution has been drawn up and enacted by the people through their representatives, and not handed down to them by a king or any outside powers.

(ii) SOVEREIGN: People have supreme right to make decisions on internal as well as external matters. No external power can dictate the government of India.

(iii) SOCIALIST: Wealth is generated socially and should be shared equally by society. Government should regulate the ownership of land and industry to reduce social economic inequalities.

(iv) SECULAR: Citizens have complete freedom to follow any religion. But there is no official religion. Government treats all religious beliefs and practices with equal respect.

(v) DEMOCRATIC: A form of government where people enjoy equal political rights, elect their rulers and hold them accountable. The government is run according to some basic rules.

(vi) REPUBLIC: The head of the stats is an elected person and not a hereditary . position.

(vii) JUSTICE: Citizens cannot be discriminated on the grounds of caste, religion and gender. Social inequalities must be reduced. Government should work for the welfare of all, especially of the disadvantaged groups.

(viii) LIBERTY: There are no unreasonable restrictions on the citizens in what they think, how they wish to express their thoughts and the way they wish to follow up their thoughts in action.

(ix) EQUALITY: All are equal before the law. The traditional social inequalities must be ended. The government should ensure equal opportunity for all.

(x) FRATERNITY: All of us should behave as if we are members of the same family. No one should treat a fellow citizen as inferior.

26 “The manner in which the Constituent Assembly worked gives sanctity to the constitution of India. “Justify the statement with three arguments.

Answer:  The manner in which the Constituent Assembly worked gives sanctity to the Constitution. This statement can be justified by following points
(i) It worked in a systematic, open and consensual manner.
(ii) First some basic principles were decided and agreed upon and a draft of Constitution was prepared.
(iii) Several rounds of thorough discussion took place, clause by clause.
(iv) More than two thousands amendments were considered.
(v) Every document presented and every word spoken in the Constituent Assembly was recorded and preserved. These ‘Constituent Assembly Debates, were printed in 12 volumes. 

. 27“Like the Constitution of South Africa, Indian Constitution was also drawn up under very difficult circumstances.” Elaborate this statement with the help of any four circumstances.

Answer: The four circumstances that elaborate the statement
(i) At that time, the people of India were emerging from the status of a subject to that of citizens. The country was born through a partition on the basis of religious differences. It was an    extremely traumatic experience for the people.
(ii) The British rulers had left it to the rulers of the princely states to decide whether to merge with India or with Pakistan or remain independent.
(iii) The future of the nation did not look very secure at that time. The makers of the Constitution had anxieties about the present and the future of the country.
(iv) There were sharp differences of opinion about the path, the country should take after attaining freedom. 

CHAPTER 2 . EOPLE AS A RESOURCE CLASS 9

Textbook questions 

 Question 1: What do you understand by ‘people as a resource’?

Answer: The concept of “people as a resource” refers to viewing the population in terms of their abilities, talents, and skills that can be utilized for economic development. It emphasizes the idea that humans, through their knowledge, learned abilities, and health, contribute to the creation of wealth. When investments are made in education, training, and healthcare, the population becomes a more valuable asset, termed human capital.

Q2.How is human resource different from other resources like land and physical capital?
Ans 
Human resource is different in the following ways:

1.Unlike land or physical capital, human resources are not fixed; they can be developed, improved, and upgraded.

2.Human resource can make use of land and physical capital whereas land and physical capital can not become useful on its own.

3.Human resources involve the skills, knowledge, and capabilities of individuals, whereas land and physical capital refer to tangible assets.

3. What is the role of education in human capital formation?

Answer:

• Education equips individuals with knowledge, skills, and abilities, enhancing their productivity and employability.
• It contributes to economic growth by fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.
• Education is crucial for human capital development, as it empowers individuals to actively participate in economic and social progress.

4. What is the role of health in human capital formation?

Answer:The role of health in human capital formation is as follows:

1. Healthier people have higher productivity because the health of a person helps him to realise his potential and the ability to fight illness. On the other hand, an unhealthy person becomes a liability for an organisation.
2. It improves the quality of life. A healthy person is able to do his work in a proper and efficient way.
3. A healthy person makes greater contribution to society as compared to an unhealthy person.
4. Good health enables a person to earn more and to be more regular in his work.

5. What part does health play in the individual’s working life?

Answer:

• Good health allows individuals to work efficiently and for more extended periods, increasing their overall contribution to society and the economy.
• It reduces the likelihood of work-related illnesses and absenteeism.
• Health plays a pivotal role in determining an individual’s physical and mental capacity for work.

6. What are the various activities undertaken in the primary sector, secondary sector, and tertiary sector?

Answer:

• Primary sector activities involve the extraction or cultivation of natural resources, such as farming, fishing, and mining.
• Secondary sector activities include manufacturing and processing, such as factories and industrial production.
• Tertiary sector activities are services-based, including healthcare, education, retail, and finance.

7. What is the difference between economic activities and non-economic activities?

Answer:

1. The activities that add value to the national income are called economic activities. 

Economic activities involve the production and distribution of goods and services for monetary gain.

They can be divided into two types: 

A)market activities and non-market activities. Market activities involve the activities performed for pay or profit and 

B) non-market activities include the production done for self-consumption.

2. The activities that add no value to the national income are called non- economic activities. Non-economic activities are  performed without the primary goal of earning income, such as household chores or volunteering.

8. Why are women employed in low paid work?

Answer:

• Women are often employed in low-paid work due to a range of social, cultural, and economic factors.
• These include traditional gender roles, discrimination, lack of access to education and skills development, and limited employment opportunities in certain sectors.

▪︎ They are employed in sectors which do not provide them with proper maternity leaves, childcare benefits and other provision.

 ▪︎Men are considered more skilful in comparison to women, despite equal physical work.

Q9: How will you explain the term unemployment?

Answer: Unemployment refers to the situation when individuals who are willing to work at prevailing wages cannot find jobs. 

Q10.What is the difference between disguised unemployment and seasonal unemployment?

Disguised Unemployment. In case of disguised unemployment, people appear to be employed but they are not actually employed. Sometimes, in agricultural families, eight people are working on a farm, whereas only four people are needed to do that work. Thus, four persons are surplus and they are not needed on the farm. They also do not help to increase the production. If these four extra persons are removed from the farm, the production from the farm will not decrease. Therefore, these four persons appear to be employed but are actually disguisedly unemployed.

Seasonal Unemployment. Seasonal unemployment happens when people are not able to find jobs during some months of the year. People dependent upon agriculture usually face such problems. There are certain busy seasons when sowing, harvesting, weeding and threshing are done. When the plants are growing, there is not much work. During this period, they remain unemployed and are said to be seasonally unemployed.

Question 11: Why is educated unemployed, a peculiar problem of India?

Answer: Educated unemployment in India is peculiar due to the mismatch between the education system and market demands. Despite high levels of education, many graduates struggle to find jobs suited to their qualifications. This situation is exacerbated by a focus on theoretical knowledge over practical skills. Additionally, the growth in higher education has not been matched by an equivalent expansion in job opportunities, leading to an oversupply of qualified candidates for a limited number of positions.

12. In which field do you think India can build the maximum employment opportunity?

Answer: India has the potential to build the maximum employment opportunities in sectors such as information technology, manufacturing, healthcare, agriculture, and renewable energy.

These sectors have shown significant growth and can absorb a considerable workforce with the right policies and investments.

Q-13Can you imagine some village that initially had no job opportunities but later came up with many?
Solution:
Some of the measures in the education system to mitigate the problem of the educated unemployed are:

1. Vocational education should be encouraged so that people do not have difficulty getting jobs because they will be better trained for work.
2. More use of information technology should be made in giving education.
3. Education should be job-oriented.
4. More employment opportunities should be made available to the educated people in the tertiary sector.

14. Can you imagine some village which initially had no job opportunities but later came up with many?

Answer: Villages that initially had no job opportunities but later developed them often see this transformation through initiatives such as government schemes, infrastructure development, establishment of local businesses, and increased access to education and training.

These factors can stimulate economic activities and job creation in previously underdeveloped areas.

15. Which capital would you consider the best — land, labour, physical capital, or human capital? Why?

Answer:

• Human capital is often considered the most valuable due to its ability to drive innovation, productivity, and overall economic growth.
• A well-educated and healthy workforce can effectively utilize other forms of capital, such as land and physical capital, to achieve higher levels of economic prosperity.