DAV CLASS 8 Social Science Chapter 16 Our Constitution Solutions

DAV CLASS 8 Social Science Solutions: Students who are looking for DAV Social Science Books Solutions then you are in right place, we have discussed the solution of Social Science class 8 book chapter 16 Our Constitution. Solutions are given below with proper Explanation please bookmark our website for further updates!!

DAV CLASS 8 Our Constitution Social Science Question and Answers

Something To Know

A. Tick (✓) the correct option:

1. In a parliamentary form of government—

Ans. (b) there is no relationship between the legislature and the executive.

2. The Constituent Assembly of India consisted of—

Ans. (b) indirectly elected numbers.

3. Most of the provisions of Indian Constitution can be amended by—

Ans. (a) simple majority.

4. Freedom of religion makes India a—

Ans. (c) Secular state

5. Which one of the following statements goes against the spirit of federalism in India?

Ans. (a) India has a written and rigid Constitution.

Ans. 1. (b), 2. (b), 3. (a), 4. (c), 5. (a)

B. Fill in the blanks.

1. Family is the basic unit of society.

2. India is a vast country with various physical, cultural and social diversities.

3. The Constitution provides a set of rules, principles and laws acceptable to almost all.

4. England is not a republic because its Head of the State is hereditary.

5. India has a single integrated judicial system.

C. Write True or False for the following statements

D. Answer the following questions in brief.

1. Cite three examples to prove that Indian Constitution is quite dynamic.

Ans. Whenever the need was felt, the Indian Constitution was suitably amended according to the relevant demands to achieve national goals or to eradicate certain evil practices. Abolition of Privy Purse, Nationalisation of bank, Reservation for OBCs, Right to Information, Right to Education, Reservation of seats in the local selfbodies for women are some examples which prove that Indian Constitution is quite dynamic.

2. Identify any three provisions which make the Constitution of India rigid as well as flexible.

Ans. A Constitution is called rigid or flexible on the basis of the procedure of its amendments. A rigid Constitution is one that cannot be amended easily. On the contrary, a flexible Constitution can be amended easily. The strength of a rigid Constitution is that it is stable and is a guarantee against hasty changes. A flexible constitution is considered progressive in nature and helpful in the development of the nation. Keeping this in mind, the Constitution of India is a combination of both rigid as well as flexible.

3. “India has a parliamentary form of government.” Give any three examples to support this statement.

Ans. India has a parliamentary form of government both at the centre and in the states. In a parliamentary democracy, there is a close relationship between the legislature and the executive. The Council of Ministers is constituted from amongst the members of the legislature. It holds the office as long as it continues to enjoy the confidence of the legislature. In a parliamentary form of government, the Head of the State, the President in case of India, is a nominal head. Although, she/he enjoys many powers, but in practice all these powers are exercised by the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister.

4. Why is Indian federation called quite unique? Explain.

Ans. In the Indian federation, the Central Government, which is also called the Union Government, is so powerful that at times it appears that India is not really a federation but a unitary state. However, the Constitution of India has several features of a federation combined with the elements of a unitary state. Some people describe India as a federation with a very strong central government.

5. Explain the procedures of amending the Indian Constitution.

Ans. (i) By Simple Majority: Certain provisions of the Constitution can easily be changed by passing the Amendment Bill by simple majority, which means the bill should be approved by a majority of the members present and voting in both the Houses of the Parliament.

(ii) By Special Majority: The Amendment Bill shall have to be approved by both the Houses of the Parliament by (i) absolute majority of total membership and (ii) two-thirds majority of members present and voting. Most of the provisions of our Constitution are amended by this method.

(iii) Special Majority and Ratification: After the bill is passed by Special Majority in both the Houses of the Parliament, it may be approved by the legislatures of at least half of the total number of states.

E. Answer the following questions.

1. Describe the composition and contribution of the Constituent Assembly of India.

Ans. The Constitution of India is the result of serious deliberations of a representative body called the Constituent Assembly, which was an indirectly elected body. Most of the members of this Constituent Assembly represented Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Anglo-Indians, Christians, Harijans, Parsis, etc. The Assembly included eminent personalities like Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhbhai Patel, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Maulana Azad, K.M. Munshi, J.B. Kripalani, C. Rajagopalachari, Pattabhi Sitarammyya, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, M. Gopala Swamy Ayyangar, etc. There were 15 female members also in the Constituent Assembly like Sacheta Kriplani, Sarojini Naidu, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, etc. Some ideals are included in the Constitution of free India like commitment to democracy and guarantee of justice, equality and freedom to all the people. The makers of the Constitution were also very much concerned about feeding the starved, clothing the naked and ending the exploitation of the already deprived and depressed sections of society.

2. Describe any five salient features of the Indian Constitution.

Ans. (i) The chief characteristic of the Constitution of India is its uniqueness. The best features of many existing constitutions of the world were modified and adapted to our needs and conditions.

(ii) The Constitution of India is the lengthiest and the most detailed Constitution of the world. It is divided into 22 parts and has 395 Articles and 12 Schedules.

(iii) Indian Constitution is a written Constitution. It was drafted and enacted by the Constituent Assembly, especially elected for this purpose. It was presided over by Dr. Rajendra Prasad. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was the Chairman of its Drafting Committee.

(iv) It is called rigid or flexible on the basis of the procedure of its amendments.

(v) It is not only a sacred document, that is, a frame-work for democratic governance but also an instrument that may need modifications.

3. Mention any five purposes which the Constitution of India serves towards strengthening democracy.

Ans. The Constitution of India serves the following purposes:

(i) defines the nature of a country’s political system.

(ii) Provides certain significant guidelines that help in decision making within a democratic setup.

(iii) Lays down rules and provides safeguards against misuse of power and abuse of authority which leads to gross injustice by those in power.

(iv) Guarantees certain rights based on equality to establish social, political and economic justice.

(v) Ensures that the majority group does not dominate the minorities.

(vi) Guards our national interests.

(vii) Does not allow dictatorial or biased decisions which may change the very basic structure of the Constitution.

(viii) Plays a crucial role in democratic societies towards the achievement of desired goals. (any five)

3. Why is the Indian federation called quite unique? Explain.

Ans. (i) India is a sovereign state because the country is free all external controls. Internally, we are free to take our own decisions. No other country can dictate its policies or terms to us and nobody can interfere in our internal affairs.

(ii) India is a socialist state because socialism is one of the national goals to be achieved. Thus, India is against exploitation in all forms and will try to establish economic justice, without being attached to any particular ideology.

(iii) India is a secular state. All religions enjoy equal freedom. No discrimination is made on grounds of religion. Right to Freedom of Religion is granted by our Constitution under the Fundamental Rights.

(iv) India is a democratic state. Our government is elected by the people and the administration of the country is carried out by the elected representatives of the people. The government is run according to some basic rules.

5. Why do some people say that India is a federation with unitary features? Explain with the help of any five constitutional provisions.

Ans. The Constitution of India has several features of a federation combined with the elements of a unitary state. So, India is also described as a federation with a very strong central government.

(i) Universal Adult Franchise means that every citizen of India, who is 18 years and above, is entitled to vote in the elections, without any discrimination of caste, colour, class, religion or gender. It is based on equality which is a basic principle of democracy. This right enables all citizens to be involved in the governance of the country through their elected representatives.

(ii) In India, we have single citizenship. Therefore, every Indian, irrespective of the place where she/he lives, is a citizen of India.

(iii) In India, the entire judiciary is one hierarchy of courts. The Supreme Court of India and the High Courts form a single integrated judicial structure with jurisdiction over all laws.

(iv) India has an independent judiciary, free from the influence of the executive and the legislature.

(v) The Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles of State Policy and the Fundamental Duties are also the basic features of the Indian Constitution that prescribe the fundamental obligations of the state to its citizens and the duties of the citizen to the state.