NCERT Solutions Class 8 Social Science (Civics – Social and Political Life – III)
The NCERT Solutions in English Language for Class 8 Social Science (Civics – Social and Political Life – III) Chapter – 7 (Understanding Marginalisation) has been provided here to help the students in solving the questions from this exercise.
Civics (Social and Political Life – III)
- Chapter – 1 — The Indian Constitution
- Chapter – 2 — Understanding Secularism
- Chapter – 3 — Why Do We Need A Parliament?
- Chapter – 4 — Understanding Laws
- Chapter – 5 — Judiciary
- Chapter – 6 — Understanding Our Criminal Justice System
- Chapter – 8 — Confronting Marginalisation
- Chapter – 9 — Public Facilities
- Chapter – 10 — Law and Social Justice
Chapter – 7 (Understanding Marginalisation)
1. Write in your own words two or more sentences of what you understand by the word ‘marginalisation’ .
Answer – ‘Marginalisation’ is a term that refers to those groups of the society which remained ignored in the past due to various social and economic causes. “Marginalisation” comes from the word “margin” meaning at the outskirts or periphery. When applied to a specific community or tribe, it implies that a particular class, caste or tribe is excluded from mainstream society.
2. List two reasons why Adivasis are becoming increasingly marginalised.
Answer – Adivasis have been marginalised because:
- They live on the margins of social, economic development.
- They are poor, ‘low’ in social status.
- They are less educated.
- Most of them live in remote areas and do not have access to towns/cities.
3. Write one reason why you think the Constitution’s safeguards to protect minority communities are very important.
Answer – The Constitution safeguards protect minority communities to protect India’s cultural diversity and promote equality as well as justice.
4. Re-read the section on Minorities and Marginalisation. What do you understand by the term minority?
Answer – The term minority is used for defining communities that are smaller in number in relation to the rest of the population. It includes issues of power, access to resources and also bears cultural and social dimensions.
5. You are participating in a debate where you have to provide reasons to support the following statement: ‘Muslims are a marginalised community’. Using the data provided in this chapter, list two reasons that you would give.
Answer – Two reasons in support of the statement “Muslims are a marginalized community”:
Firstly, the Muslim community has not been able to gain from the country’s socio-economic development as statistics on basic amenities, literacy rate and public employment show. 63.6% Muslims live in kutcha houses as compared to only 55.2% Hindus; the literacy rate amongst Muslims was the lowest at 59% in a 2001 survey.
Secondly, their customs are distinct from other religious communities, so much so that they are identified as separate from the “rest of us” leading to unfair treatment and discrimination against Muslims.
6. Imagine that you are watching the Republic Day parade on TV with a friend and she remarks, “Look at these tribal people. They look so exotic. And they seem to be dancing all the time”. List three things that you would tell her about the lives of Adivasis in India.
Answer – The three things I would tell a friend about the Adivasis in India would be:
- ‘Adivasis’ is a term literally means ‘orignal inhabitants’. They lived and often continue to live in close association with forests.
- Adivasis are not a homogenous population. There are over 500 different Adivasis groups in India.
- The Adivasis have their own languages which have influenced ‘mainstream’languages like Bengali and Santhali, commonly spoken in urban areas.
7. In the storyboard you read about how Helen hopes to make a movie on the Adivasi story. Can you help her by developing a short story on Adivasis?
Answer – Students have to do this by themselves.
8. Would you agree with the statement that economic marginalisation and social marginalisation are interlinked? Why?
Answer – Yes, economic and social marginalisation is interlinked. When Adivasis were displaced from their lands, they lost much more than a source of income. They lost their traditions and customs – a way of living and being. Destruction in one sphere impacts the other.
