On Equality

Under universal adult franchise, every citizen aged 18 years or above has one vote, irrespective of religion, caste, education, or rich or poor background. Yet inequality persists. Kanta, a domestic worker who stands in line to vote, struggles to afford medical care. Omprakash Valmiki, a Dalit writer, describes in his autobiography Joothan how he was made to sweep the school because of his caste, and the Ansaris, a Muslim couple, were refused flats because of their religion. Such treatment hurts a person's dignity. The Constitution recognises every person as equal. Every person is equal before the law, no one can be discriminated against on the basis of religion, race, caste, place of birth or sex, everyone can use public places like playgrounds, wells and bathing ghats, and untouchability has been abolished. The government works through laws and schemes such as the midday meal scheme, first started in Tamil Nadu, which helps poor children attend school. In the United States, Rosa Parks's protest in 1955 sparked the Civil Rights Movement, leading to the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Detailed Worksheet: On Equality Section A - Definitions (10 marks) 1. What is universal adult franchise? (2 marks) 2. What is meant by dignity? Give one example of how it can be hurt. (2 marks) 3. What does "equality before the law" mean? (2 marks) 4. What is the midday meal scheme? (2 marks) 5. What was the Civil Rights Movement? (2 marks) Section B - Calculations and Applications (15 marks) 6. The voting age in India was lowered from 21 to 18 years in 1989 (61st Amendment passed in 1988). (i) By how many years was it lowered? (ii) In which year does a person born in 2008 turn 18? (iii) Why is universal adult franchise important? (3 marks) 7. A school had 400 students before the midday meal scheme and 520 a year after. (i) Find the increase. (ii) Find the percentage increase. (iii) Give two benefits of the scheme. (3 marks) 8. List three provisions of the Constitution that ensure equality. (3 marks) 9. Arrange chronologically: Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat, the Indian Constitution comes into force, the Civil Rights Act is passed in the USA, the midday meal scheme is made compulsory in all government schools in India. Give years. (3 marks) 10. Identify the basis of discrimination in each: (i) Omprakash Valmiki (ii) the Ansaris (iii) Kanta's difficulty in getting treatment. (3 marks) Section C - Diagrams (10 marks) 11. Draw a flowchart showing how the government tries to ensure equality through (i) laws (ii) schemes, with two examples each. (4 marks) 12. Draw a concept map of "Equality" connecting the right to vote, equality before law, no discrimination and dignity. (3 marks) 13. Draw a timeline from 1950 to 2010 marking four events related to equality in India and the USA. (3 marks) Section D - Analysis and Higher-order Thinking (15 marks) 14. Kanta stands in the voting line with her employer. (i) In what way are they equal? (ii) In what ways are they unequal? (iii) Why does Kanta worry about her daughter's illness? (iv) Is political equality enough without economic equality? Explain. (v) What can the government do? (5 marks) 15. A shopkeeper refuses to sell to a customer because of his caste. (i) Which right is violated? (ii) What can the customer do? (iii) What does the Constitution say about access to shops and public places? (iv) Why does discrimination continue despite laws? (5 marks) 16. Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama on 1 December 1955. (i) Why was she arrested? (ii) What movement did her action inspire? (iii) What did the Civil Rights Act of 1964 do? (iv) Compare this with the fight against untouchability in India. (5 marks) Instructions: Time allowed 2 hours. Attempt all sections. Support your answers with examples from the chapter and from daily life.