Chapter 17. India – A Welfare State Textbook Solutions

NIOS Social Science Class 10 Chapter 17 Solutions

INTEXT QUESTIONS 17.1

1. What do you mean by the term welfare state?

Ans: A welfare state is a concept of government in which the state plays a key role in the protection and promotion of the economic and social well-being of its citizens. It is based on the principles of equality of opportunity and equitable distribution of wealth.

2. Why did Constitution-makers decide that India would be a welfare state?

Ans: When India attained independence, it had innumerable problems and challenges. There were social inequalities, and all the vulnerable sections of society, such as women, Dalits, and children, were deprived of basic means of living. The Constitution makers were very much aware of the problems. Which is why they decided that India would be a welfare state.

3. Name at least two sections of Indian society that were adversely affected by prevailing social inequalities.

Ans: Women and Dalits

INTEXT QUESTIONS 17.2

1. Fill in the blanks:

(a) The Directive Principles of State Policy are aimed at making India a …………………….. state.

Ans: Welfare

(b) These principles are guidelines to …………………….. of India, to be kept in mind while framing laws and policies.

Ans: Central and state governments

(c) The idea of Directive Principles is said to be borrowed from the constitution of ……………………..

Ans: Ireland

(d) The directive principles are related to ……………………..

Ans: Social and economic rights

2. Do you think the Indian Constitution would have failed to reflect the basic tenets of democracy, if it would not have included the Directive Principles of State Policy? Give reasons

Ans: Yes . The main aim of the Directive Principles of State Policy is to create social and economic conditions under which all citizens can lead a good life. In other words, it is to establish social and economic democracy in the country.

INTEXT QUESTIONS 17.3

1. Mention the major categories of Directive Principles of State Policy.

Ans: We may classify Directive Principles of State Policy under the following specific categories:

• (a) Principles promoting social and economic equality
• (b) Principles related to Gandhian thought
• (c) Principles related to International peace and security and
• (d) Miscellaneous Principles.

2. Match the following Principles with their appropriate category, as done for the first in the following table:

Directive Principles	Category
a. The state shall ensure for its people adequate economic means of livelihood	e. There should be equal pay for equal work, both for men and women.
b. The state shall take steps to separate judiciary from executive.
c. The state shall endeavor to maintain just and honourable relations between nations.
d. The state shall take steps to organize the village panchayats.
e. There should be equal pay for equal work both for men and women.
f. The state shall try to promote cottage industries in rural areas.

Ans: 

• (a) Principles promoting social and economic equality
• (b) Miscellaneous Principles.
• (c) Principles related to International peace and security
• (d) Principles related to Gandhian thought
• (e) Principles promoting social and economic equality
• (f) Principles related to Gandhian thought

INTEXT QUESTIONS 17.4

1. Name the Constitutional Amendments that (a) ensures the provision for free and compulsory education for children of 6-14 years; and (b) ensures protection and improvement of environment and safeguarding of forests and wildlife.

Ans: 

• (a) The Eighty Sixth Constitutional Amendment
• (b) The Forty-Second Constitutional Amendment

2. Write the Directive Principle of State Policy,that should guide the government to act in case of each of the following incidents given below:

Incidents	Directive Principles
(b) An 8-year-old girl is not being given admission to a school.
(c) Selling of alcohol and harmful drugs is being encouraged.
(c) Selling of Alcohols and harmful drugs is being encouraged.
(d) Safety of historical monuments is not being taken care of.

Ans: 

• (a) Childhood and youth should be protected against exploitation
• (b) State shall take steps to impart compulsory and free education to children up to the age of 14 years
• (c) State shall make efforts to prevent the consumption of alcoholic drinks and other harmful drugs
• (d) State shall take steps for the maintenance and protection of historical monuments

TERMINAL EXERCISES

1. What do you mean by a welfare state? Why did the Constitution-makers decide that India would be a welfare state?

Ans: Welfare State is a concept of government in which the state plays a key role in the protection and promotion of the economic and social well-being of its citizens. A welfare state is based on the principles of equality of opportunity and equitable distribution of wealth. It also focuses on the governmental responsibility for those who are unable to avail themselves of the minimal provisions of a good life.

When India attained independence, it had innumerable problems and challenges. The social and economic inequality was all-pervasive. Economically, India’s situation was miserable. Socially, India was also having several problems. There were social inequalities, and all the vulnerable sections of society, such as women, Dalits, and children, were deprived of basic means of living. The Constitution makers were very much aware of the problems. That is why they decided that India would be a welfare state.

2. What is the purpose of Directive Principles of State Policy?

Ans: The Constitution makers were well aware that even if all the fundamental rights are truly enforced, the goals of Indian democracy would not be realized unless the people of India could avail of social and economic rights. However, they were also alive to the limitations of the abilities of the Indian state, which attained independence after centuries of foreign rule and was at a low level of socio-economic development. In that situation, if the economic and social rights had been included in the list of fundamental rights, the Indian state would have failed to enforce these rights because of its own limitations. But at the same time, these rights needed to be given special importance. This was done by including a separate Chapter as Part-IV, known as the Directive Principles of State Policy, in the Constitution.

3. How are Directive Principles of State Policy different from Fundamental Rights? Explain.

Ans: 

• Directive Principles are not justiciable. No constitutional provision or law binds the government to implement these. Fundamental rights are justiciable and enforceable. Fundamental rights cannot be denied to any citizen. These are protected by the Supreme Court and High Courts.
• These principles are only instructions or directions for the state to frame policies to implement them. Such policies should be a step towards realizing the goals of a welfare state. Fundamental Rights have been ensured by the Constitution and the state is bound to protect the rights of all its citizens.
• Even in respect of the placement in the Constitution, the Directive Principles come after the Fundamental Rights. It means that the importance of Fundamental rights is more than that of Directive Principles.

4. What are Directive principles of State Policy which reflect Gandhian thought?

Ans: The following Directive Principles in particular reflect Gandhian thought:

• 1. The state shall promote the educational and economic interests of the weaker sections of the society and in particular the interests of the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.
• 2. The state shall take steps to organize the village panchayats. These panchayats should be given such powers and authority as may be necessary to enable them to function as units of self-government.
• 3. The state shall make efforts to prevent the consumption of alcoholic drinks and other harmful drugs.
• 4. The state shall try to promote cottage industries in rural areas.
• 5. The state shall take steps to improve the quality of livestock and ban the slaughter of cows and calves and other milch and draught cattle.

5. How have Directive Principles helped in promoting socio-economic development and equality?

Ans: The following principles, in particular, are aimed at ensuring economic and social equality:

• 1. The state should ensure for its people adequate means of livelihood.
• 2. The state should ensure fair distribution of the material resources of the country for the common good.
• 3. The state should distribute the wealth in such a way that the wealth is not concentrated in a few hands.
• 4. There should be equal pay for equal work for both men and women.
• 5. The state is directed to take steps to impart compulsory and free education to the children up to the age of 14 years.
• 6. The state should try to secure the participation of workers in the management of the factory.
• 7. Childhood and Youth should be protected against exploitation. Men, women and children should not be forced by economic necessity to enter jobs and vocations not suited to their age or strength.
• 8. The state should ensure to the people (a) the right to work (b) the right to education (c) the right to state assistance in cases of unemployment, old age, sickness and disability.
• 9. The state should make provisions for securing just and humane conditions of work for the workers and maternity relief for women.

6. India and Pakistan have recently had secretary level talks to discuss conventional and nuclear confidence building measures as a part of the peace process between the two countries. To which Directive Principle of State Policy is this related and how?

Ans: Principles related to International Peace and Security. The talks were done based on the following principles. 

• 1. The state shall promote international peace and security.
• 2. The state shall endeavor to maintain just and honorable relations with other nations.
• 3. The state shall foster respect for international laws and treaty obligations.
• 4. The state shall encourage settlement of international disputes by arbitration, i.e. mutual agreement.

7. Describe any three Directive Principles of State Policy which have been implemented.

Ans: Some of the implemented principles are:

• Minimum wages have been fixed in almost all spheres of employment.
• Equal wages for equal work for both men and women have been enacted.
• Various programmes have been launched to boost rural employment. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and Swaran Jayanti Gram Swarojgar Yozna are examples.
• Panchayati Raj has been given constitutional status. Village Panchayats have been set up and are functioning at the village level.
• The Eighty-sixth constitutional amendment was adopted to ensure provision for free and compulsory education for children, and the Right to Education Act was passed in 2009 to make it a fundamental right.
• Many laws have been passed to protect children from exploitation.
• Several welfare schemes have been implemented for the poor and backward classes, and also for the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. Seats have been reserved for them in the Parliament and Vidhan Sabhas.
• Several laws and welfare schemes have been launched to protect women from exploitation.
• The forty-second constitutional amendment added a Directive principle, which ensures the protection and improvement of the environment and the safeguarding of forests and wildlife. Several Programmes like the Save the Tiger project, Rhino, elephant, etc., are being implemented in pursuance of the newly added
• directive principle. The judiciary has been separated from the executive.
• Cottage industries have been established and protected by giving tax concessions.
• Our foreign policy aligns with the principles of international peace and security, and maintaining just and honourable relations between nations.
• The Government of India supports and works for world peace.

Read the story given below and answer the questions:-

Bholu is a 10-year-old who has come to the city. He has nobody to look after him, so he begins working as a rag picker. He is staying on a footpath outside the local hospital. He does not go to any school and earns his living by picking rags like plastic, toxic wastes and hospital wastes, which are hazardous to health and also a risk to life. He earns about Rs. 20 a day and has no other option but to eat leftover and unhygienic food.

(a) What can be the possible reasons for Bholu’s situation? Write any two.

(b) List two Directive Principles which are related to situations that children like Bholu may be facing.

(c) Discuss Bholu’s situation with your friends and family and suggest two ways to improve it..

Ans: 

1. As an orphan, Bholu suffers from poverty and illiteracy.
2. Principles promoting social and economic equality and Principles related to Gandhian thought
3. Individual answer.

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