Chapter 10 Class 6 Social Science Solutions NCERT,
Grassroots Democracy – Part 1 Governance Chapter 10 Class 6 Social Science,
Class 6 Social Science Chapterwise Complete Solutions,
Summary: Chapter 10 - Grassroots Democracy – Part 1 Governance
1. Why Do We Need Rules?
- Human beings live together in families, schools, and communities.
- When many people live together, disagreements can happen.
- To maintain peace and order, rules and laws are necessary.
Without rules, society cannot function properly.
2. What Is Governance and Government?
Governance means the process of making decisions, creating rules, and ensuring they are followed properly.
The government is the group of people or a system that:
Makes rules
- Implements rules
- Ensures they are followed
- Some rules become laws, which everyone must follow.
3. Three Organs of Government:
In India, there are three branches of government:
a) Legislature
Which:
- Makes new laws.
- Can change or remove old laws.
In India, Lok Sabha + Rajya Sabha (at the national level) and Vidhan Sabha (state level) are the Legislature.
b) Executive:
The executive branch of government implements the laws.
Includes the President, Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, ministers, and government officials.
It works through departments like police, health, education, etc.
c) Judiciary
The judiciary branch of government comprises courts.
- It punishes people who break laws.
- It ensures fairness and can check if the executive or legislature is doing things correctly.
- This separation maintains checks and balances so no branch becomes too powerful.
4. Levels of Government in India:
India has three levels of government:
1. Local Government:
- It works in villages, towns, and cities.
- It handles local problems like water, roads, waste, etc.
2. State Government:
- It handles matters like police, agriculture, public health, and education within the state.
3. Central Government:
- It handles defence, foreign affairs, currency, national policies, etc.
- The level of government involved depends on the size of the problem (local, regional, or national).
5. Democracy:
Democracy means “rule of the people and rule by the people.”
All citizens above 18 years can vote in India.
MLAs in the State Assembly, MPs in Parliament, these representatives discuss and make laws on behalf of the people.
India is a representative democracy and the world’s largest democracy.
The Big Questions?
1. What is the meaning of ‘governance’?
Answer.
The process of making decisions, organising society’s life with different sets of rules, and ensuring that these rules are followed is called governance.
It includes how laws and policies are created, how they are implemented, and how the administration works to maintain order and provide public services to the people.
Example :
When the government makes traffic rules and the police ensure everyone follows them, it is part of governance.
The way the government runs schemes like Swachh Bharat Mission, builds roads, or distributes LPG cylinders under Ujjwala Yojana is also governance.
2. Why do we need a government?
Answer.
We need a government for the following reasons:
1. Make laws and maintain peace and order
Example: The government makes laws like the Motor Vehicles Act and ensures police maintain law and order.
2. Protect the country and ensure safety
Example: The Indian Army protects the borders, and state police handle safety inside the country.
3. Provide basic services (schools, hospitals, roads, transport)
Example: Government schools, AIIMS hospitals, public buses, and national highways are all provided and maintained by the government.
4. Manage resources and economy
Example: The government prepares the Union Budget, decides taxes like GST, and supports farmers with schemes like PM-KISAN.
5. Ensure justice and protect the rights of citizens
Example: Courts ensure justice, like the Supreme Court protecting citizens' rights through judgments.
6. Solve disputes and support development
Example: Local disputes in villages are handled by panchayats; large projects like metro trains and smart cities help in development.
3. What is the meaning of ‘democracy’? Why is it important?
Answer.
Democracy is a form of government in which people elect their leaders and participate in decision-making indirectly through their representatives. It is based on values like equality, freedom, and justice.
Example :
During Lok Sabha elections, people vote to choose Members of Parliament (MPs).
These elected leaders make laws and decisions for the country on behalf of the people.
Importance of Democracy:
The following are the importance of democracy:
1. It gives citizens the right to choose their government.
Example: If people are unhappy with a government, they can elect a new one in the next election.
2. It protects people's rights and freedoms.
Example: Freedom of speech, the right to education, and right to religion are protected in India.
3. It ensures equality for all.
Everyone—rich or poor, male or female—has one vote of equal value.
4. It allows peaceful change of government through elections.
Example: When governments change every 5 years through voting, it happens peacefully, without violence.
5. It makes the government accountable to the people.
Example: If a government does not work properly, citizens question it through media, protests, and elections.
Questions, activities, and projects
1. Test yourself — What is the meaning of democracy? What is the difference between direct democracy and representative democracy?
Answer.
Democracy means people choose their leaders and elect their government with equal rights.
Difference between direct and indirect democracy:
Direct Democracy:
People make decisions themselves.
Example: In a classroom, if students directly vote to decide the picnic spot, that is like direct democracy.
Representative Democracy:
People choose leaders, and those leaders make decisions for everyone.
Example: We choose MPs and MLAs in elections, and they make laws for us. India follows a representative democracy.
2. Recall the three organs of government. What are their different roles?
Answer.
The three organs of government are:
- Legislature
- Executive
- Judiciary
1. Legislature (Law-makers)
Example: Parliament makes laws for India, and the State legislature makes laws for the respective state.
2. Executive (Law-executer)
They carry out the laws and run the government.
Example: Police, government officers, and the Prime Minister’s team help follow the rules.
3. Judiciary (Law-judges)
They check if laws are followed and give justice.
Example: Courts punish those who break the law and protect people’s rights.
3. Why do we need three tiers of government?
Answer.
India is a big and diverse country, and one government cannot manage everything.
So we have three levels (tiers) to manage different areas:
1. Central Government — handles the whole country
Example: Defence, Foreign Policy, currency, and national highways.
2. State Government — handles each state
Example: Police, hospitals, state roads.
3. Local Government — handles towns, cities, and villages
Example: Garbage collection, streetlights, water supply.
Why needed?
- Work becomes easier by sharing the responsibilities.
- Problems are solved faster
- Each level understands the needs of the people in their area
4. Project: Many of you will remember the lockdown that took place during the COVID-19 pandemic. Make a list of all the actions that were taken at that time. Which tiers of government were involved in managing the situation? What was the role of each of the organs of government?
Answer.
Actions taken during the COVID-19 lockdown:
- Schools and colleges were closed
- Public transport stopped
- Masks and sanitizers were made compulsory
- Hospitals arranged special COVID wards
- Vaccination centres were set up
- Free food and rations were given to poor families
The role of the three-tiered government in the COVID-19 pandemic:
1. Central Government
- Declared national lockdown
- Guided states with health rules
- Started vaccination programs
2. State Government
- Closed schools and offices
- Managed hospitals and quarantine centres
- Controlled movement inside the state
3. Local Government (Municipalities/Panchayats)
- Delivered food and medicine in local areas
- Cleaned public places
- Checked that people follow rules like wearing masks
Chapter-Wise Solutions of Class 6 Social Science
- Chapter 1 | Locating Places on Earth
- Chapter 2 | Oceans and Continents
- Chapter 3 | Landforms and Life
- Chapter 4 | Timeline and Sources of History
- Chapter 5 | India, That Is Bharat
- Chapter 6 | The Beginnings of Indian Civilisation
- Chapter 7 | India’s Cultural Roots
- Chapter 8 | Unity in Diversity, or ‘Many in the One’
- Chapter 9 | Family and Community
- Chapter 10 | Grassroots Democracy – Part 1 Governance
- Chapter 11 | Grassroots Democracy – Part 2 Local Government in Rural Areas
- Chapter 12 | Grassroots Democracy – Part 3 Local Government in Urban Areas
- Chapter 13 | The Value of Work
- Chapter 14 | Economic Activities Around Us
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