NCERT NOTES

POLITY
7th Standard

1.
 Content Sheet
1. On Equality 3
2. Role of the Government in Health 5
3. How the State Government Works 8
4. Women Change the World 10
Content Sheet

2.
 1 On Equality

Chapter 1
Equality is a key feature of democracy yy All people deserve the same respect
and influences all aspects of its and dignity.
functioning. Voting in elections is one
aspect of equality. There are many areas Equality in Indian Democracy:
where inequality still persists. According to the Indian Constitution,
every individual in the country, including
Inequalities existing in the Society male and female persons from all
Caste Inequality: castes, religions, tribes, educational and
yy Caste system is one of the most economic backgrounds are recognised
common forms of inequality in India. as equal.

Case study: Caste based inequality with

Omprakash Valmiki (A Dalit Writer): Provisions of the Constitution
yy When he was in Class IV, the headmaster recognizing Equality:
asked Omprakash to sweep the school yy Every person is equal before the law:
and the playground all alone. The other Every person has to obey the same laws.
children in his class were studying and yy No discrimination: No person can be
he was sweeping. He was also asked to discriminated against on the basis of
sit away from the others in the class their religion, race, caste, place of birth
and that too on the floor. or gender.
yy Equal access to all public places such
Religious Inequality: as playgrounds, hotels, shops and
yy There are religion-based inequalities in markets, publicly available wells, roads
societies when people from one religion and bathing ghats.
don’t allow others to use their rights. yy Abolition of untouchability.

Case Study:
Excerpt from Article 15 of the
yy Mr. and Mrs. Ansari were looking to rent
Indian Constitution: Prohibition
an apartment in the city. They visited an
of discrimination on grounds of
apartment and liked it very much and
religion, race, caste, sex or place
decided to take it. However, when the
of birth.
landlady found out their names, she
yy Article 15 (1): The State shall not
started making excuses and then finally
discriminate against any citizen
refused to rent her apartment.
on grounds only of religion, race,
caste, sex, place of birth or any of
Recognizing Dignity:
them.
yy Unequal treatment: When persons
yy Article 15 (2): No citizen shall,
are treated unequally, their dignity
is violated. There are certain things on grounds only of religion, race,
like caste, religion, class background, caste, sex, place of birth or any of
them, be subject to any disability,
On Equality

gender which determine the treatment

given to them.

3.
Chapter 1

yy Establishing equality in a democratic

liability, restriction or condition society is a continuous struggle. For
with regard to – example; in the USA, the African–
(a) access to shops, public Americans whose ancestors were the
restaurants, hotels and places slaves who were brought over from
of public entertainment; or Africa, continue to describe their lives
(b) the use of wells, tanks, bathing today as largely unequal.
ghats, roads and places of
public resort maintained Case study:
wholly or partly out of State yy Rosa Parks (1913–2005) was an African–
funds or dedicated to the use American woman. She refused to give
of the general public. up her seat on a bus to a white man on
1 December 1955.
yy Her refusal that day started a huge
Implementation of such laws: The agitation against the unequal ways in
government has tried to implement which African–Americans were treated
the equality that is guaranteed in the and which came to be known as the
Constitution through two ways: Civil Rights Movement.
yy Through laws. yy The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited
yy Through government programmes discrimination on the basis of race,
or schemes to help disadvantaged religion or national origin.
communities.
For example; mid-day meal scheme Interesting Points:
which refers to the programme yy Joothan is the autobiography of
introduced in all government elementary Omprakash Valmiki- a famous Dalit
schools to provide children with cooked writer.
lunch. yy Universal Adult Franchise: It is based
This programme had many positive on the idea of equality because it states
effects: that every adult in a country, irrespective
yy Increase the enrolment and attendance of their wealth and the communities
of poor children in school. she/he belongs to, has one vote.
yy Reduced caste prejudice: Children of yy Mid-Day Meal Scheme:
all castes in the school eat this meal ⚪⚪ Tamil Nadu was the first state to
together and at some places, Dalit introduce Mid-day meal scheme.
women have been employed to cook ⚪⚪ In 2001, the Supreme Court asked
the meal. all state governments to begin this
programme in their schools within
Reasons for the existence of Inequality: six months.
yy Slow change of attitude: People refuse yy “Nothing is more disgraceful for a brave
to think of them as equal. man than to live a life devoid of self-
On Equality

respect.” – B.R. Ambedkar

4.
 2 Role of the Government in
Health

Chapter 2
In a democracy, people expect the our health. For example, clean drinking
government to work for their welfare water or a pollution free environment
through the provision of education, helps people to remain healthy.
health, employment, housing or the
development of roads, electricity Requirements to prevent and treat
etc. illnesses:
yy Appropriate healthcare facilities to
What is Health? provide required care and services to
yy Health means our ability to remain free patients. For example- health centres,
of illness and injuries. hospitals, laboratories for testing,
yy Health isn’t only about disease but ambulance services, blood banks, etc.
there are other factors also that affect

Healthcare in India
The Paradox of healthcare in India:

Positive aspects Negative aspects

India has the largest number of More doctors settling in urban areas:
medical colleges in the world and People in rural areas have to travel
is among the largest producers of long distances to reach a doctor. The
doctors. Approximately more than number of doctors with respect to the
30,000 new doctors qualify every year. population is much less in rural areas.

Low reduction in patients: Every

Healthcare facilities have grown year about five lakh people
substantially over the years. In 1950 die from tuberculosis and this
there were only 2,717 government number is almost unchanged since
hospitals in India. In 2017, the number Independence. Almost two million
grew to 23,583. cases of malaria are reported every
year and this number isn’t decreasing.
Role of the Government in Health

Low availability of clean drinking

water:21per cent of all communicable
Scope of huge Medical tourism.
diseases are water borne. For example,
diarrhea, worms, hepatitis, etc.

India is the third largest producer of Half of all children in India do not
medicines in the world and is also a get adequate food to eat and are
large exporter of medicines. undernourished.

5.
Chapter 2

yy Adequate healthcare workers: In order the money that the public pay to the
to run healthcare facilities, we need government as taxes.
health workers, nurses, qualified doctors yy Access to treatment for the poor: It is
and other health professionals who can meant to provide quality health care
advice, diagnose and treat illnesses. services either free or at a low cost.
yy Need of medicines and equipments for
treating patients. Private Health Facilities:
They are not owned or controlled by
Division of healthcare facilities: the government. There is a wide range
yy Public health services and of private health facilities such as
yy Private health facilities. Registered Medical Practitioners (RMPs)
in rural areas, private clinics run by the
Public Health Services: large number of doctors etc. Urban
yy It is a chain of health centres and areas also have a large number of
hospitals run by the government which doctors, privately owned hospitals and
are linked together so that they cover nursing homes, private laboratories etc.
both rural and urban areas and can
also provide treatment to all kinds of Healthcare and Equality: Is adequate
problems – from common illnesses to healthcare available to all?
special services.
yy At the village level, there are health Issues in Healthcare facilities in India:
centres where there is usually a nurse yy Expensive Private sector: If public
and a village health worker. They services are not increasing as per
are trained in dealing with common requirement then there will be a
illnesses and work under the supervision situation where there is only one option
of doctors at the Primary Health Centre of private services to the poor.
(PHC). Such a centre covers many yy Encouragement of incorrect practices
villages in a rural area. in private sector: At times inexpensive
yy At the district level, there is the District alternatives though available, may not
Hospital that supervises all the health be used. For example, some medical
centres in the district. practitioners are found to prescribe
Role of the Government in Health

superfluous medicines, injections when

Need of Public Health Service: simple medication may suffice.
yy Constitutional mandate: It is the yy In fact, barely 20 per cent of the
primary duty of the government to population can afford all the medicines
ensure the welfare of the people and that they require during an illness.
provide health care facilities to [Link] yy It was reported in a study that 40 per
government must safeguard the Right cent of people who are admitted to a
to Life of every person. hospital for some illness or injury have
yy Common service: The resources needed to borrow money or sell some of their
to run these services are obtained from possessions to pay for the expenses.

6.
 Chapter 2
yy Patriarchal concerns: Women’s health ⚪⚪ Improved Situation: This meant
concerns are considered to be less that water supply schemes were
important than the health of men in the checked, the working of schools
family. and anganwadis was ensured and
yy Inadequate Health Centres: Many tribal specific problems of the village
areas have few health centres and they were taken up. Health centres were
do not run properly. also improved. As basic amenities
improved, health conditions also
Way Forward: improved.
It is the responsibility of the government yy The Costa Rican approach:
to provide quality healthcare services to ⚪⚪ Costa Rica is considered to be one
all its citizens, especially the poor and of the healthiest countries in Central
the disadvantaged. Health is as much America.
dependent on basic amenities and ⚪⚪ Several years ago, Costa Rica took a
social conditions of the people, as it is very important decision and decided
on healthcare services. It is important not to have an army. This helped
to work on both in order to improve the to spend that money on health,
health situation of our people. And this education and other basic needs
can be done. For example: of the people. The Costa Rican
yy The Kerala experience: government provides basic services
⚪⚪ In 1996, the Kerala government made and amenities to all Costa Ricans.
some major changes in the state.
⚪⚪ Forty per cent of the entire state Interesting Points:
budget was given to panchayats. yy The Medical Council of India’s Code of
⚪⚪ This helped village to make sure that Medical Ethics states: “Every physician
proper planning was done for water, should, as far as possible, prescribe
food, women’s development and drugs with generic names and he/she
education. shall ensure that there is a rational
prescription and use of drugs.”

Role of the Government in Health

7.
 3 How the State Government
Works
Chapter 3

State government plays an important government. Hence, some MLAs have

role in Indian democracy. People express dual responsibilities:
their views or demand action from the ⚪⚪ One as an MLA.
government to fulfill their needs. ⚪⚪ Other as a Minister.

Constitutional Head: Formation of Government:

yy The Head of the State is the Governor. yy A political party whose MLAs have
yy She/He is appointed by the Central won more than half the number of
Government to ensure that the State constituencies in a state can be said to
Government works within the rules and be in a majority.
regulations of the Constitution. yy The political party that has the majority
is called the ruling party.
Executive Part of Government yy All other members are called the
Legislative assembly: opposition.
yy It is a place where all the MLAs, yy After the elections, the MLAs belonging
whether from the ruling party or from to the ruling party will elect their leader
the opposition meet to discuss various who will become the Chief Minister.
things. yy The Chief Minister then selects other
yy Every state in India has a Legislative people as ministers.
Assembly. yy After the elections, it is the Governor
yy Each state is divided into different areas of the state who appoints the Chief
or constituencies. Minister and other ministers.
yy The Chief Minister and other ministers
Member of the Legislative Assembly have the responsibility of running
(MLA): various government departments or
yy From each constituency, the people ministries. They have separate offices.
elect one representative who then yy The government takes action for
becomes an MLA. people through various departments
yy In Indian democracy, people stand like the Public Works Department, the
for elections in the name of different Agriculture Department, the Health
parties. These MLAs, therefore, belong Department, etc.
How the State Government Works

to different political parties.

Accountability of Government through
Government: Legislative Assembly:
yy It refers to government departments yy Through debates: During debates, MLAs
and various ministers who head them. can express their opinions and ask
yy The overall head is the Chief Minister. questions related to the issue or give
yy MLAs become members of the suggestions about what should be done
legislative assembly and form the by the government.

8.
 Chapter 3
yy The Chief Minister and other ministers Interesting Points:
have to make decisions and run the yy Coalition: At times, the ruling party may
government. But that decisions are not be a single party but a group of
being taken have to be approved by the parties working together. This is called
members of the legislative assembly. a coalition.

How the State Government Works

9.
 4 Women Change the World
Chapter 4

Women’s work in the home is not Transition in the lives of women through
recognized as work though doing education:
household work and taking care of yy Historical injustice: There was a time
family members is a full-time job. They when school and learning were seen as
also struggle at work outside the home not appropriate for some children and
and suffer in some occupations which the condition of women was worst in
are seen to be more suitable for men. communities that taught sons to read
and write but ignored women.
Fewer Opportunities and Rigid yy Changes in nineteenth century: Many
expectations for Women new ideas about education emerged.
Stereotypes: Despite opposition, many women
yy Some jobs like nurses, teachers are got the education after facing lot of
associated with women while jobs like hardships.
army officers are associated with men. ⚪⚪ Rashsundari Devi (1800–1890): She
The reason is that there is a general was born in West Bengal and wrote
perception that women are good at only her autobiography in Bangla titled
certain jobs outside the home. Amar Jiban. It is the first known
yy For example, many people believe that autobiography written by an Indian
women make better nurses because woman.
they are more patient and gentle. ⚪⚪ Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain (1880
yy Lack of support: Many girls do not get –1932): Though she knew how to read
the same support as boys to study and and write Urdu, she was stopped
train to become doctors and engineers. from learning Bangla and English.
yy In most families, once girls finish school, In those days, English was seen
they are encouraged by their families to as a language that would expose
see marriage as their main aim in life. girls to new ideas and not correct
for them. She wrote a remarkable
Case study: Breaking stereotypes: story titled Sultana’s Dream in
yy Generally, engine drivers are men. But 1905 to practice her English skills.
27-year-old Laxmi Lakra, from a poor This story imagined a woman called
tribal family in Jharkhand, has begun to Sultana who reaches a place called
change things. She is the first woman Ladyland- a place where women
engine driver for Northern Railways. had the freedom to study, work, and
create inventions like controlling
Women Change the World

Pressure from the World: rain from the clouds and flying air
yy In a society, all children face pressures cars. In 1910, she started a school for
from the world around them which girls in Kolkata.
sometimes come in the form of demands ⚪⚪ Ramabai (1858–1922): She was given
from adults. For example- Boys are the title ‘Pandita’ because she could
pressurized to think about getting a job read and write Sanskrit. She went
that will pay a good salary. on to set up a Mission in Khedgaon

10.
 Chapter 4
near Pune in 1898, where widows yy Percentage of the male group is still
and poor women were encouraged higher than the female group. Here is a
not only to become literate but to table that shows the percentage of girls
be independent. and boys who leave schools from different
social groups including Scheduled Caste
Schooling and Education today: (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST).
yy Differences between the education of yy The SC and ST girls leaving school is
boys and girls: higher than the category ‘All Girls’. This
⚪⚪ According to the 1961 census, about means that girls who are from Dalit (SC)
40 per cent of all boys and men (7 and Adivasi (ST) backgrounds are less
years old and above) were literate likely to remain in school.
(that is, they could at least write yy The 2011 census also found that Muslim
their names) compared to just 15 per girls are less likely than SC and ST girls,
cent of all girls and women. to complete primary school. While a
⚪⚪ Increase in percentage of schooling: Muslim girl is likely to stay in school
In the most recent census of 2011, for around three years, girls from other
these figures have grown to 82 per communities spend around four years
cent for boys and men, and 65 per in school.
cent for girls and women.

Reasons for children leaving school: yy Economic background: Many families

yy Lack of infrastructure: In many parts of are too poor and unable to bear the cost
Women Change the World

the country, especially in rural and poor of educating all their children. Boys may
areas, there may not even be proper get preference in this situation.
schools or teachers on a regular basis. yy Discrimination in school: Many children
yy Lack of transport facilities: Parents may also leave school because they are
not send girls to school if a school is not discriminated against by their teacher
close to people’s homes or there is no and classmates.
transport like buses or vans.

11.
Chapter 4

Women’s Movement: ⚪⚪ Raising Awareness on Women’s

yy Improved situation of women: Women rights issues: Their message has
now have the right to study and go to been spread through street plays,
school. There are other spheres – like songs and public meetings.
legal reform, violence and health – ⚪⚪ Protesting: The women’s movement
where the situation of women and girls raises its voice when violations
has improved. against women take place or for
yy Women individually and collectively example, when a law or policy acts
have struggled to bring about these against their interests. Public rallies
changes. This struggle is known as the and demonstrations are a very
Women’s Movement. powerful way of drawing attention
yy Individual women and women’s organi- to injustices.
zations from different parts of the coun- ⚪⚪ Showing Solidarity: The women’s
try are part of the movement. Many men movement is also about showing
support the women’s movement as well. solidarity with other women and
yy Different strategies have been used to causes.
spread awareness, fight discrimination
and seek justice. Here are some Interesting Points:
glimpses of this struggle. yy According to NSSO (National Sample
⚪⚪ Campaigns to fight discrimination Survey Office) 61st Round (2004-05),
and violence against women: 83.6 per cent of working women in India
 Campaigns have led to new laws are engaged in agricultural work which
being passed. For example- A includes planting, weeding, harvesting
law was made in 2006 to give and threshing.
women who face domestic yy Driving Her Train was written by Neeta
violence, some legal protection. Lal, Women’s Features Service.
 In the 1980s, women’s groups yy Census: India has a census every 10 years
across the country spoke out which counts the whole population of
against ‘dowry deaths’ — cases the country. It also gathers detailed
of young brides being murdered information about the people living in
by their in-laws or husbands, India – their age, schooling, what work
greedy for more dowry. Women’s they do, etc.
groups spoke out against the yy On 8 March, International Women’s Day
failure to bring these cases to is celebrated.
Women Change the World

justice by coming on to the yy Chaitanya Bhagabat is a hagiography

streets, approaching the courts, of Caitanya Mahāprabhu written by
and by sharing information. VrindavanaDasaThakura.

12.