Class 8 Civics

Understanding Marginalisation

NCERT Solution

Question 1: Write in your own words two or more sentences of what you understand by the word ‘marginalisation’.

Answer: When a particular social group is forced to live on the fringes rather than in the mainstream, this is called marginalization. A marginalized section of the society does not get proper opportunity of socio-economic development.

Question 2: List two reasons why Adivasis are becoming increasingly marginalized.

Answer: Adviasis are being increasingly marginalized because of various reasons. Two of the reasons are as follows:

Question 3: List two reasons why you think the Constitution's safeguards to protect minority communities are very important?

Answer: Following are the two reasons to necessitate constitutional safeguards to protect minority communities:

Question 4: Re-read the section no Minorities and Marginalisation. What do you understand by the term minority?

Answer: A particular religious section which has a low percentage in population compared to the major religious community is called minority. In India; Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, etc. are in minority.

Question 5: You are participating in a debate where you have to provide reasons to support the following statement, "Muslims are a marginalized community". Using the data provided in this chapter, list two reasons that you would give.

Answer: Following figures suggest that Muslims are a marginalized community:

Question 6: Imagine that you are watching the Republic Day parade on TV with a friend and she remarks, "Look at these tribals. They look so exotic. And they seem to be dancing all the time". List three things that you would tell her about the lives of Adivasis in India.

Answer: Following are the important things about the lives of Adivasis in India:

Question 7: In the storyboard you read about how Helen hopes to make a movie on the Adivasi story. Can you help her by developing a short story on Adviasis?

Answer: Karia Munda lived in a small village in a remote part of Hazaribagh district. His small hut was in the mid of a thick forest. Many other huts surrounded his hut. As a child; Karia Munda loved to climb trees, swing from one branch to another, run after the hens and stray dogs, and hunting for birds with a slingshot. Life was simple but it was pleasure to live such a blissful life. One day, some people came in a jeep. They were wearing trousers and shirts, and were speaking in Hindi. They told Karia’s father that a big company was going to make a factory in that village. They told that all the people of that village would have to vacate their huts. The company would make new houses for them and would give jobs to them in the new factory. Some of the villagers were so excited that they gave their thumb imprints on blank paper in the hope of a bright future. Those who refused to do so were forced to fall in line. Once the factory came up in the village, a large part of the forest had vanished. Nobody from the village got the promised job and everyone was forced to migrate to cities in search of livelihood. Karia Munda’s family migrated to Hazaribagh. Unable to find a meaningful work; Karia Munda’s father began to work in a brick kiln as daily wage earner. He made a small hut from tin sheets, cardboard and wooden board; near a stinking drain. Karia Munda and his sister also started working in the brick kiln. Now, he did not have the luxury to play the way he played back in his village. Life had become a painful grind for Karia Munda and his family.

Question 8: Would you agree with the statement that economic maringalisation and social marginalisaiton are interlinked? Why?

Answer: Social marginalization forces a social group out of the mainstream. This results in lack of opportunities for education and skill development. This also means that the marginalized section does not have proper access to quality healthcare. This means that a child from the marginalized section of the society does not develop into an adult; which can be capable enough to ensure better income. Thus, the individual is left behind in socio-economic development and becomes economically marginalized. So, it can be said that economic marginalization and social marginalization are interlinked.