Class 8 Social Science Political Science Chapter 8 Question Answer | Confronting Marginalisation | English Medium

Class 8 Social Science Political Science Chapter 8 Question Answer | Confronting Marginalisation | English Medium | ASSEB

Confronting Marginalisation

Welcome to HSLC Guru! This study guide is prepared for students of ASSEB Class 8 Social Science, Political Science Chapter 8 — Confronting Marginalisation. In this chapter, we learn how marginalised communities in India use the Constitution, laws, and social movements to claim their rights, challenge discrimination, and assert their dignity as equal citizens of the nation.

Summary

Marginalised groups such as Dalits, Adivasis, Muslims, and women have long been pushed to the edges of social, economic, and political life. To confront this marginalisation, they have invoked their Fundamental Rights guaranteed by the Indian Constitution. Article 17 abolishes untouchability and makes its practice in any form a punishable offence. Articles 14 to 18 guarantee the Right to Equality — equal protection of laws, prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth, equality of opportunity in public employment, and abolition of titles. Article 21A, supported by the Right to Education Act 2009, ensures free and compulsory education for all children between 6 and 14 years.

The government has framed several policies to support marginalised communities. Reservations in government jobs, educational institutions, and legislatures are provided for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs). Scholarships are awarded to students from these communities to encourage higher studies, and hostel facilities are made available so that students from poor and remote areas can pursue education without difficulty. These policies aim to create equality of opportunity and to undo the historical injustice faced by these groups.

For legal protection against caste-based violence, Parliament passed the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. This Act recognises specific crimes committed against Dalits and Adivasis as atrocities and prescribes strict punishments. Manual scavenging — the inhuman practice of cleaning dry latrines and sewers by hand — has also been outlawed. The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 bans this practice and provides for the rehabilitation of workers. The Safai Karamchari Andolan, founded by Bezwada Wilson, is a social movement that has worked tirelessly for the dignity and liberation of manual scavengers.

India has made notable achievements in reducing caste discrimination, expanding education, and giving political voice to marginalised groups. However, challenges remain. Atrocities, untouchability, and economic disparities continue in many parts of the country. Implementation of laws is often weak, and social attitudes change slowly. Confronting marginalisation, therefore, is a continuous task that requires both legal action and a change of hearts and minds, where citizens, activists, and the State together build a truly equal society.

Textbook Questions and Answers

1 Mark Questions

Q1. Which Article of the Indian Constitution abolishes untouchability?

Answer: Article 17 of the Indian Constitution abolishes untouchability and forbids its practice in any form.

Q2. What does Article 21A guarantee?

Answer: Article 21A guarantees free and compulsory education to all children between the ages of 6 and 14 years.

Q3. Expand RTE.

Answer: RTE stands for the Right to Education Act, 2009.

Q4. Who founded the Safai Karamchari Andolan?

Answer: The Safai Karamchari Andolan was founded by Bezwada Wilson.

Q5. In which year was the Prevention of Atrocities Act passed?

Answer: The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act was passed in 1989.

Q6. Name the Act that prohibits manual scavenging.

Answer: The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, prohibits manual scavenging.

Q7. Which Articles of the Constitution guarantee the Right to Equality?

Answer: Articles 14 to 18 of the Indian Constitution guarantee the Right to Equality.

Q8. What is the full form of SC and ST?

Answer: SC stands for Scheduled Castes and ST stands for Scheduled Tribes.

Q9. Mention one policy used by the government to support marginalised groups in education.

Answer: The government provides scholarships and hostel facilities to students from marginalised groups to support their education.

Q10. What is reservation?

Answer: Reservation is a policy that keeps aside a certain percentage of seats in jobs, education, and legislatures for SCs, STs, and OBCs to ensure their fair representation.

2-3 Marks Questions

Q1. What does Article 17 of the Constitution state? Why is it important?

Answer: Article 17 of the Indian Constitution abolishes untouchability and declares its practice in any form to be a punishable offence under law. It is important because it gives constitutional recognition to the dignity of every citizen, especially those from communities that suffered the cruel practice of untouchability for centuries. By making untouchability illegal, the Constitution creates a legal weapon for Dalits to challenge discrimination in temples, schools, public places, and workplaces.

Q2. Explain the role of reservation policy in confronting marginalisation.

Answer: The reservation policy keeps aside a certain percentage of seats for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes in government jobs, educational institutions, and legislatures. It helps marginalised communities — who were denied opportunities for centuries — to access education, employment, and political power. Reservation is a constitutional tool that promotes social justice and brings the excluded into the mainstream of national life.

Q3. What are the main provisions of the Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989?

Answer: The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 lists specific crimes against Dalits and Adivasis as atrocities. These include public humiliation, forced labour, denial of access to public places, sexual violence, and grabbing land. The Act prescribes strict punishments such as long imprisonment for the offenders. It also requires the State to provide protection, compensation, and rehabilitation to the victims.

Q4. What is manual scavenging? Why was it banned?

Answer: Manual scavenging is the practice of cleaning human waste from dry latrines, open drains, septic tanks, and sewers by hand, mostly using a broom and a metal plate. It is mainly performed by Dalit communities and is dehumanising, dangerous, and unhealthy. The practice was banned by the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, because it violates the dignity, health, and equality of the workers, and stands against the values of the Constitution.

Q5. What is the work of the Safai Karamchari Andolan?

Answer: The Safai Karamchari Andolan (SKA) is a social movement founded by Bezwada Wilson that works for the eradication of manual scavenging in India. It identifies dry latrines, encourages workers to give up the practice, and demands that the government enforce the law and provide rehabilitation. The Andolan has helped many former manual scavengers reclaim their dignity and pursue alternative livelihoods.

Q6. How does Article 21A and the RTE Act help marginalised children?

Answer: Article 21A makes free and compulsory education a fundamental right for children aged 6 to 14 years. The Right to Education Act, 2009, gives effect to this right. It ensures that children from marginalised groups — Dalits, Adivasis, Muslims, and the poor — can attend school without paying fees. Private schools must also reserve 25% of seats for children from disadvantaged sections. This helps break the cycle of poverty and exclusion through education.

5-6 Marks Questions

Q1. Discuss how marginalised groups invoke Fundamental Rights to confront discrimination.

Answer: Marginalised groups invoke Fundamental Rights as a powerful weapon against discrimination. The Indian Constitution gives every citizen a set of basic rights that the State and other citizens must respect. Article 14 guarantees equality before law, while Article 15 prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth. Article 16 ensures equal opportunity in public employment, and Article 17 abolishes untouchability. Article 18 abolishes titles to keep society free from artificial distinctions. Article 21 guarantees the Right to Life with dignity, and Article 21A guarantees free and compulsory education. When Dalits are denied entry to a temple, when Adivasis are evicted from their forests, or when girls are pulled out of school, these communities can approach the courts and demand the enforcement of these rights. The judiciary, through Public Interest Litigation, has also expanded the scope of these rights. Thus, Fundamental Rights act both as a shield against injustice and as a sword to claim equality and dignity.

Q2. Explain the policies and laws used by the government to protect marginalised communities.

Answer: The government has adopted several policies and laws to protect marginalised communities. First, the policy of reservation reserves a fixed percentage of seats for SCs, STs, and OBCs in legislatures, government jobs, and educational institutions, ensuring representation and opportunity. Second, the government provides scholarships at school, college, and post-graduate levels for students from marginalised groups, helping them continue their studies. Third, hostel facilities are built so that students from villages and remote tribal areas can live and study in towns and cities without facing financial hardship. Fourth, programmes like mid-day meals, free textbooks, and uniforms support poor children. Fifth, the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 protects these communities from violence and humiliation, while the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers Act, 2013 bans the inhuman practice of manual scavenging. Together, these policies aim to translate the constitutional promise of equality into the daily lives of marginalised people.

Q3. Describe the issue of manual scavenging in India and the steps taken to end it.

Answer: Manual scavenging is the practice of cleaning human waste by hand from dry latrines, open drains, septic tanks, and sewers. It is performed almost entirely by Dalit communities, especially women, who are forced into it by caste tradition and poverty. The work is dirty, dangerous, and dehumanising, and many workers die from inhaling poisonous gases inside sewers. To end this practice, several steps have been taken. The Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act of 1993 was the first law to ban it. The stronger Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, prohibits the employment of any person as a manual scavenger and provides for their rehabilitation through cash assistance, training, and alternative jobs. The Safai Karamchari Andolan, led by Bezwada Wilson, has campaigned for the implementation of these laws and has helped thousands of workers leave the occupation. The Supreme Court has also issued strong orders against the practice. Despite this, manual scavenging still continues in many places, showing that strict implementation and changes in social attitudes are still needed.

Q4. Evaluate the achievements and challenges in confronting marginalisation in India.

Answer: India has made many achievements in confronting marginalisation since Independence. Untouchability has been legally abolished, education has been declared a fundamental right, and reservation has produced a generation of Dalit and Adivasi officers, teachers, doctors, and elected representatives. Strong laws such as the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 and the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers Act, 2013 have been passed. Movements like the Safai Karamchari Andolan and the work of leaders such as Dr. B. R. Ambedkar have given marginalised communities self-respect and political voice. Yet, serious challenges remain. Caste discrimination, atrocities, and untouchability still exist, especially in rural areas. Many Dalits, Adivasis, and Muslims are poor, illiterate, and landless. Implementation of protective laws is often weak, and many cases of atrocity are not even registered. Manual scavenging continues in some districts, and tribal people are losing their forests and lands to mining and dams. Confronting marginalisation, therefore, requires both strict enforcement of laws and a deeper change in society’s mindset, where every citizen sees the marginalised as equals and partners in nation-building.

Q5. Why is education considered an important tool to fight marginalisation?

Answer: Education is considered an important tool to fight marginalisation because it transforms individuals and communities. First, education gives knowledge and skills that help people get better jobs and earn a regular income, breaking the cycle of poverty. Second, an educated person can read laws, understand rights, and approach courts and officials when discriminated against. Third, education builds confidence and self-respect, which are essential for marginalised groups who have been told for centuries that they are inferior. Fourth, schools and colleges bring children from different backgrounds together, slowly weakening caste and communal prejudices. Fifth, with leaders like Dr. B. R. Ambedkar showing the path, education has become a means by which Dalits, Adivasis, and women have entered public life and changed laws and policies. The Right to Education Act, 2009, scholarships, hostels, and reservation in educational institutions are designed exactly for this reason. That is why education is often called the most powerful weapon to confront marginalisation.

Additional Questions

Multiple Choice Questions

Q1. Untouchability is abolished by which Article?
(a) Article 14
(b) Article 15
(c) Article 17
(d) Article 19

Answer: (c) Article 17

Q2. The Right to Education Act was passed in:
(a) 2005
(b) 2007
(c) 2009
(d) 2013

Q3. The Safai Karamchari Andolan was founded by:
(a) Dr. B. R. Ambedkar
(b) Bezwada Wilson
(c) Mahatma Gandhi
(d) Jyotirao Phule

Answer: (b) Bezwada Wilson

Q4. The SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act was passed in:
(a) 1955
(b) 1976
(c) 1989
(d) 1995

Q5. The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers Act was passed in:
(a) 2005
(b) 2009
(c) 2013
(d) 2016

Q6. Right to Equality is given under:
(a) Articles 12-13
(b) Articles 14-18
(c) Articles 19-22
(d) Articles 23-24

Answer: (b) Articles 14-18

Q7. Which Article guarantees free and compulsory education?
(a) Article 19
(b) Article 21
(c) Article 21A
(d) Article 32

Answer: (c) Article 21A

Q8. Reservation is provided for:
(a) Only SCs
(b) Only STs
(c) SCs, STs, and OBCs
(d) All citizens

Answer: (c) SCs, STs, and OBCs

Q9. The RTE Act covers children of which age group?
(a) 3 to 10 years
(b) 6 to 14 years
(c) 6 to 18 years
(d) 5 to 12 years

Answer: (b) 6 to 14 years

Q10. Which of the following is NOT a policy to support marginalised groups?
(a) Reservations
(b) Scholarships
(c) Hostels
(d) Property tax

Answer: (d) Property tax

Fill in the Blanks

Q1. Article _______ of the Constitution abolishes untouchability.

Answer: 17

Q2. The _______ Act, 2009 makes education a fundamental right.

Answer: Right to Education (RTE)

Q3. The Safai Karamchari Andolan was founded by _______.

Answer: Bezwada Wilson

Q4. The SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act was passed in the year _______.

Answer: 1989

Q5. _______ in jobs and education is a key policy to support SCs, STs, and OBCs.

Answer: Reservation

True or False

Q1. Article 17 abolishes untouchability.

Answer: True

Q2. The RTE Act applies to children aged 14 to 18 years.

Answer: False

Q3. Manual scavenging is legal in India.

Answer: False

Q4. Reservation is a policy to provide opportunities to marginalised communities.

Answer: True

Q5. The Safai Karamchari Andolan supports the continuation of manual scavenging.

Answer: False

Glossary

Term	Meaning
Marginalisation	Pushing certain communities to the edges of social, economic, and political life.
Fundamental Rights	Basic rights given to every citizen by Part III of the Indian Constitution.
Article 17	Constitutional provision that abolishes untouchability and forbids its practice.
Article 21A	Provision that guarantees free and compulsory education for children aged 6-14 years.
RTE Act, 2009	Right to Education Act ensuring free and compulsory schooling for all children.
Reservation	Policy of keeping aside seats in jobs, education, and legislatures for SCs, STs, and OBCs.
Scholarship	Financial assistance given to needy students to support their education.
Atrocity	A serious crime or violent act, especially against marginalised communities.
SC/ST Act, 1989	Law that protects Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes from atrocities.
Manual Scavenging	The inhuman practice of cleaning human waste by hand from latrines and sewers.
Safai Karamchari Andolan	Movement founded by Bezwada Wilson to end manual scavenging in India.
Dalit	Term used by formerly untouchable communities to assert their identity and rights.
Adivasi	Term for the indigenous tribal peoples of India.
OBC	Other Backward Classes — communities recognised as socially and educationally backward.