TS 7th Class Social Study Material 18th Lesson Caste Discrimination and the Struggle for Equalities

TS Board Telangana SCERT Class 7 Social Solutions 18th Lesson Caste Discrimination and the Struggle for Equalities Textbook Questions and Answers.

TS 7th Class Social 18th Lesson Questions and Answers – Caste Discrimination and the Struggle for Equalities

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Question 1.
What is the difference between heang punished for a mistake and being discriminated against ? Was the child Ambedkar being punished or discriminated against?
Answer:

1. Mistake is the result of carelessness, forgetfulness or due to wrong thinking or opinion.
2. A person who commits mistake may repent later or realise it.
3. Everybody knows that there will be a punishment for a mistake.

Discrimination :

1. It is intentional.
2. It is with ulterior motive or superiority/inferiority complex discrimination takes place.
3. People feel that there is no punishment for discrimination, even if at all there is any punishment they are not bothered about it. Here child Ambedkar is discriminated for no fault of him.

Question 2.
Do you think it is possible to make friends across castes – what kind of problems will you have to overcome for this?
Answer:

1. Nowadays it is possible to make friends outside the caste.
2. We witness such friends start in school – life being continued throughout life.
3. Inter-caste marriages are taking place. However, there are some problems in these friendships and relations. They are,

a) Elders of the family may not reconcile to the situation.
b) Other friends may not accept such friendship relations.
c) In the society there are some people who spread canards in such relationships/friendships.

Question 3.
Our constitution abolished the practice of untouchability and declared it a crime.
Do you think it has been fully abolished in practice?
Answer:

1. Though constitution has abolished untouchability it has not been abolished fully in practice.
2. It is being practiced in the country In one form or other forms in one region or other regions.

Question 4.
Why do you think people want to marry within their caste? Will this help to preserve caste inequality?
Answer:

1. In Hindu society caste and caste rules are deep rooted. So people are interested in continuing age-old practices.
2. It is custom, tradition or strong caste bond that is keeping them in the four walls of caste.
3. Such marriages will keep and preserve caste inequalities for some more years.

Question 5.
How can your school help in ending caste-based inequalities?
Answer:

1. Students will sit on the same benches without any caste prejudices.
2. They play together and participate in all school programmes together without any caste, colour, religion or gender differences.
3. School treats all the students I.e. both poor and rich alike and accord equal status.
4. School uniform is also a symbol of equality.
5. They dine together.
6. Playtime and other craft works ends caste-based inequalities.

Question 6.
Read the paragraphs relating to the Constitution and comment on it.
When India became a free nation in 1947, our leaders too were concerned about the different kinds of inequalities that existed. The people who wrote the Constitution of India, a document that laid out the rules lui which the nation would function, were aware of the ways in which discrimination had been practiced in our society and how people had struggled against this. Many leaders of these struggles, such as Dr.Ambedkar. had also fought for the rights of the Dalits.
Answer:

1. The leaders of India who set out a vision and goals in the constitution to ensure that all the people of India were considered equal.
2. This equality of all persons is seen as a key value that unites us all as Indians.
3. Everyone has equal rights and opportunities.
4. Untouchability is seen as a crime and has been legally abolished by law.
5. People are free to choose the kind of work they wish to do.

Project Work

Question 1.
Find out about a government scheme in your area. What does this scheme do? To whom this scheme intended to benefit?
Answer:
Scheme: Distribution of uniforms.

1. The scheme is intended to distribute two sets of uniforms freely to all the children of government schools.
2. This scheme is intended to benefit 6 to 14 years children who go to government schools.

Question 2.
Discuss with your parents or grandparents about how caste system functioned earlier to find out what has changed and what has not. Prepare a report and present it in the class.
Answer:
Project Report
I) Early man and Caste system:
All the people lived together. There was no caste discrimination among the early people.

II) During Vedic Period:
The caste system emerged in the lines ot the Vedas. Four major caste groups i.e. Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaishya, were there in the society.

III) Caste discrimination during Middle and Early modern era:

1. Certain caste people were treated as untouchables.
2. They were not allowed to enter the homes of the upper class or take water from the village well or enter temples.
3. The had to sit away from the others in the class.

IV) Present position:

1. The scenario is changed.
2. No caste discriminations in education and all occupations and jobs are open to all.
3. No caste discriminations are found now. But the attitudes of the people are to be changed.

Intext Questions

Text Book Page No. 165

Question 1.
A large number of people in our country think of themselves as belonging to some caste or the other. They even put the names of their castes as a part of their own names. Usually, people of a caste follow some common customs and worship a particular deity. Many people who follow the caste rules, marry onh within their own caste. In olden days, people of one caste followed the same profession or work, though in our times, this is changing fast. Thus, you can see that the caste system creates some bonds among a particular group of people and separates them from the other groups. To what extent are the above true statement ¡n your area and to what extent are have they changed? Discuss. (Reading the text given), understanding and interpretation)
Answer:
Though there is some dilution in the caste aspects, it is more or less same everywhere.

1. Some of the people put the names of their castes as a part of their own names.
2. The’ are also following common customs and traditions of their caste, worship some particular deity etc.
3. Many people marry only within their own caste.
4. In olden days, people of one caste also followed the same profession or work though it is changing fast now.
5. People are also marrying other people outside their caste.
6. With advancement of civilization, caste discrimination is declining slowly. Students are advised to discuss these points along with their observations/ experiences in their area.

Text Book Page No. 166

Question 2.
In what ways do you think the caste system promotes inequality among people? (Reflection on contemporary issues and questioning)
Answer:

1. In caste system, certain kinds of work are valued more than others,
2. Activities like cleaning, washing, cutting hair, picking garbage are seen as tasks that are of less value, and people who do these works are seen as dirty or impure.
3. In this system. those who placed themselves at the top of this ladder called themselves upper caste and saw themselves as superior.
4. The groups who were placed at the bottom of the ladder were seen as unworthy and called “untouchables”.
5. This hinders the economic and manifold progress of the country leading to further economic inequality.

Text Book Page No. 167

(Reading the text (given), understanding and interpretation)
“Long did we wait, but no one turned up. An hour elapsed and the station master Came to enquire. He asked us for our tickets. We showed them to him. He asked us why we tarried. We told him that we were bound for Koregaon and that we were waiting for Father or his servant to come, but that, either had turned up and that we did not know how to reach Koregaon. We were well-dressed children. From our dress or talk no one could make out that were children of the untouchables. Indeed the station master was quite sure we were Brah’nin children and was extremely touched at the plight in which he found us in.

As is usual among the Hindus. the station master asked us who we were. Without a moment’s thought, I blurted out that we were Mahars. which are treated as untouchables in the Bombay Presidency. He was stunned. His face underwent a sudden change. We could see that he was overpowered by a strange feeling of
repulsion. As soon as he heard my reply. he went away to his room and we stood where we were.

Fifteen to twenty minutes elapsed; the sun was almost setting. Our father had not turned up nor had he sent his servant, and now the station master had also left us. We were quite bewildered, and the and happiness, which we felt at the beginning of the journey, gave way to a feeling of extreme sadness.

After half an hour the station master returned and asked us what uy proposed to do. We said that if we could get a bullock cart on hire we would go to Koregaon. and if it was not very far we would like to start straightway. There were many bullock carts plying for hire. But my reply to the station master that we were Mahars had gone round among the cart men, and not one of them was prepared to suffer being polluted and to demean himself carrying passengers of the untouchable classes. We were prepared to pay double the fare but we found that Moneti did not work. The station master, who was negotiating on our behalf, stood silent, not knowing what to do.

Question 3.
Despite the children offering money, the cart men refused them.
Answer:

1. Children belong to Mahar community are considered as untous.
2. Cartmen were not prepared to suffer being polluted by carrying them.
3. They do not want to demean themselves by carrying passengers of the untouchable classes.

Question 4.
How did people at the station discriminate against Dr. Ambedkar and his brothers?
Answer:

1. It was only because of caste consideration people discriminated Ambedkar and his brothers,
2. Mahar is one of the communities which are treated as untouchables in Bombay Presidency.

Question 5.
How do you think Dr. Ambedkar felt as a child, when he saw the station master’s reaction to his statement that they were Mahars?
Answer:

1. Station master was shinned.
2. His face underwent a sudden change.
3. He was overpowered by a strange feeling of repulsion.
4. Looking all this Ambedkar felt humiliated.
5. He was quite bewildered and the joy and happiness which they felt at the beginning of the journey, gave was’ to a feeling of extreme sadness.

Question 6.
Have you ever experienced prejudice or witnessed an incident of discrimination?
Answer:
I never experienced any such experience. In our school and village, all live without any caste feelings.

Question 7.
How did this make you feel?
Answer:
I was perplexed and felt had. All are born equal. Why is this discrimination? I do not want to discriminate any person in my life.

Text Book Page No. 168
(Reading the text (given), understanding and interpretation)
Omprakash Valmiki is a famous Dalit writer. In his autobiography, Jonathan, he writes, ‘I had to sit away,frorn the others in the class, and that too on the floor. The matran out before reaching the spot I sat on. Sometimes ¡ would have to sit way behind everybody, right near the door.. sometimes they would beat me without any reason.” When he was in Class IV, the headmaster asked Omprakash to sweep the school and the playground. He writes The playground was way larger than my small physique could handle and in cleaning it, my back began to ache. My face was covered with dust. Dust had gone inside ruy mouth. The other children in my class were studying and h was sweeping.

The headmaster was sitting in his room arid watching Nie. I was not even allowed to get a drink of water. ¡ swept the whole day…. Front the doors and windows of the school rooms, the eyes of the teachers and the bas saw this spectacle.” Omprakash was made to sweep the school and the playground for the next couple of days and this only came to an end when his father, who happened to be passing by, saw his son sweeping. He confronted the teachers and then walking away from the school holding Omprakash’s hand, he said loudly for all of them to hear, “You are a teacher. So I am leaving now. But remember this much Master… (He) will study right here.. .in this school. And riot just him, but there will be more coming after him.

Question 8.
Why do you think Omprakash Valmiki was being treated unequally by his classmates and the teachers?
Answer:
Omprakash Valmiki was a Dalit. Hence his teacher and his classmates treated him unequally.

Question 9.
If you were in his place, how would you feel? Write four lines about it.
Answer:

1. I feel it as great humiliation.
2. It is an insult and denying respect and dignity given to others.
3. I hate the people who created such discrimination.
4. Finally I owe to work for the abolition of such inhuman practices after grown up.

Text Book Page No. 170

Question 10.
What is the mid-day meal programme?
Answer:
Mid-day meal is a programme, introduced in all government schools, to provide children with cooked lunch.

Question 11.
Can you list three benefits of the mid-day meal programme? (Appreciation and Sensitivity)
Answer:

1. More poor children have begun enrolling and regularly attending school.
2. Attendance has improved.
3. Helped to reduce caste prejudices because both the lower and the upper caste children in the school eat this meal together.
4. Reduce the hunger of poor students who often come to school and cannot concentrate because their stomachs are empty.

Question 12.
How do you think this (mid-day meal) programme might help promote greater equality (Appreciation and Sensitivity)
Answer:

1. This programme reduces prejudices to some extent because both lower and upper-class children in the school eat meals together.
2. In many places meal is prepared by deprived classes and Dalit women which reduce the caste prejudice.
3. It will attract more and more poor and dalit students to the schools for study.
4. After studying these pupils will enter into good professions which will ensure them greater equality and decent living.
5. This further leads to the economic progress of any country.

Additional Questions

Question 1.
Who was B.R. Ambedkar?
Answer:
He was the chairperson of the committee for drafting of the Constitution of India and the first Union Law Minister of India.

Question 2.
Who was Om prakash Valmiki?
Answer:
Omprakash Valmiki was a famous Dalit writer.

Question 3.
Name the autobiography of Omprakash Valmiki.
Answer:
Jonathan is the autobiography of Omprakash Valmiki.

Question 4.
Name some great people who criticize the caste discrimination.
Answer:
Thinkers like Buddha, Mahavira. Rarnanuja, Basava, Kabir, Vernana etc., criticized the caste discrimination.

Question 5.
Name some social reformers.
Answer:
Jyothi Rao Gwindarao Phule. Savitri Bai Phule, Periyar E.V. Ramasami Naickar, Sri Narayana Guru and Ayyankali.

Question 6.
What were the catchwords of Sri Narayana Guru?
Answer:
“One Caste, One Religion, One God for all men”.

Question 7.
Name one scheme introduced to reduce inequalities in schools.
Answer:
The mid-day meal scheme is one of the schemes introduced to reduce inequalities.

Reading the text (given), understanding and interpretation

Those who placed them, clothes at the top of this ladder called themselves upper caste and saw themselves as superior, The groups who were placed at the bottom of the ladder were seen as unworthy and called untouchables. Caste rules were set which did not allow the so-called ‘untouchable” to take on work, other than what they were meant to do. For example, some groups were only allowed to pick garbage and remove dead animals from the village. But they were not allowed to enter the homes of tht’ upper castes or take waterfront the village well, or even enter temples. Their children could not sit next to children of other castes in school. Thus upper castes acted in ways, which did not give the so-called untouchables the same rights as they enjoyed.
Question.
What are the evils of caste system?
Answer:

1. Caste system has created one of the major inequality in our country.
2. Caste system created some bonds among a particular group of people and separated them from other groups of people.
3. Those who placed themselves at the top of the ladder called themselves upper castes and saw themselves as superior.
4. The groups at the bottom of ladder were seen as unworthy and called untouchables.
5. This hinders the economic and manifold progress of the country leading to further economic inequality.

Information Skills

Social Reformers in the 19th and 20th centuries.

1. Jyothirao Govindarao Phule (1827 – 1890): He was a social reformer from Maharashtra.
2. Savitri Bai Phule (1831 – 1897): Savitri Bai Phule was a pioneer of women’s education in India. She was the first headmistress of the country’s first school for girls in Pune.
3. Periyar E.V. Ramasami (1879 – 1973): Periyar was known as a rationalist and the
   leader of the lower caste movement in India.
4. Sri Narayana Guru (1856 – 1922): He was born in Kerala, preached brotherhood for all, and fought against the ill effects of the caste system. He gave the watchwords’ One Caste, One Religion, One God’ for all men.

Read the above table of information carefully and answer the questions.

Question 1.
Name the social reformers who worked for the low-caste people.
Answer:

1. Jyothirao Govinda Rao Phule
2. Savitri Bai Phule
3. Periyar E.V. Ramasami and
4. Sri Narayana Guru are the social reformers in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Question 2.
Who gave the watchwords One Caste, One Religion, One God for all men? What is his greatness?
Answer:
Sri Narayana Guru. He preached brotherhood for all and fought against the ill effects.

Question 3.
Who was Periyar E.V. Ramasami ? What were his teachings?
Answer:
Periyar E.V. Ramasarni is known as a rationalist and the leader of the lower caste movement in South India.

Question 4.
Who were the pioneers of women education in India?
Answer:
Jyothirao Govindarao Phule and his wife Savitri Bai Phule were pioneers of women’s education in India.

Question 5.
What was the life time of Sri Narayana Guru?
Answer:
1856 – 1928 A.D.

Appreciation and Sensitivity
See the photograph of some social reformers given in your textbook. Can won explain their greatness in your own words ?

Question 1.
Why Jyothi Rao Govindarao Phule was known as Mahatma buba Phule?
Answer:
This is the photo of J.G. Phule.

1. Jyothi Phule was a social reformer from Maharashtra.
2. He and his wife Savitri Bai Phule were pioneers of women’s education in India.
3. In 1873, he founded the ‘Satyashodhak Samaj which was devoted to securing human rights social justice for low-caste people.
4. He is most known for his efforts to educate women and the lower castes as well as the masses.
5. He, after educating his wife, opened a school for girls in India in August 1848.

Question 2.
What do you know about Savitri Bai Phule?
Answer:
This is the photo of Savitri Bai Phule.

1. Savitri Bai Phule was the first headmistress of the countrys first school for girls in Pune.
2. She devoted her life to educating Dalits.
3. She started a night school for agriculturists and labourers.
4. She died while serving plague patients.

Question 3.
What do you know about Periyar?
Answer:
This is the photograph of Periyar E. V. Ramasami.

1. Pariyar is known as a rationalist and the leader of the lower caste movement in South India.
2. He aroused people to realise that all men are equal and that it is the birthright of every individual to enjoy Liberty and equality.

Question 4.
One God for all men. Who said?
Answer:
This photo belongs to Sri Narayana Guru.

1. Sri Narayana Guru of KeraLi preached brotherhood for all and fought against the ill effects of the caste system.
2. His watchwords are ‘One Caste, One Religion, One God for all men’.

Project Work

Question 1.
Find out about one government scheme in your area. What does this scheme do? To whom this scheme intended to benefit?
Answer:

1. The best, scheme introduced b the government is Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.
2. It provides daily employment to poor people in rural areas.
3. This scheme ensures minimum wage fixed by the government and also ensures employment i.e. after finishing one work they will get another work.
4. This scheme benefits poor, downtrodden, SC, ST, and BC population and Women.

Question 2.
Discuss with your parents or grandparents about how caste system functioned earlier to find out what has changed and what has not. Prepare a report and present it in the class.
Answer:
Student Activity; 5tjdent advised to consult their parents ot grandparents, elders of their community to get details about such practices decades ago. All the details cross-checked and prepare a report to present in the classroom.

Work Book

Question 1.
Caste is an indicator of ( )
A) Pregres
B) Inequality
C) Equality
D) Economic development
Answer:
B) Inequality

Question 2.
Salient features of caste system are ( )
A) Common customs
B) Particular deftly
C) Marriages within the caste
D) All the above
Answer:
D) All the above

Question 3.
Caste system led to ( )
A) Inequalities
B) Discrimination
C) Social tension
D) All the above
Answer:
D) All the above

Question 4.
Lower caste people were not allowed to ( )
A) Take water from village well
B) Enter temples
C) Children not to sit next to the children of other castes
D) All the above
Answer:
B) Enter temples

Question 5.
Dr. Ambedkar experienced his first experience of caste discrimination in the year ( )
A) 1900
B) 1901
C) 1947
D) 1950
Answer:
B) 1901

Question 6.
Omprakash Valmiki is a famous ( )
A) Dalit writer
B) Film hero
C) Social reformer
D) Rationalist
Answer:
A) Dalit writer

Question 7.
Caste system emerged during ( )
A) 7th century AD.
B) 5th century AD
C) Vedic period
D) Freedom movement
Answer:
C) Vedic period

Question 8.
Who fought against the inequalities they experienced in their lives ( )
A) Dalits
B) Women
C) Tribals and peasants
D) All the above
Answer:
D) All the above

Question 9.
Find out who is not a social reformer? ( )
A) Sri Narayana Guru
B) Ramasami Naickar
C) Vemana
D) Savitri Bai Phule
Answer:
D) Savitri Bai Phule

Question 10.
Founder of Satyashodak Samaj ( )
A) Ramasami Naickar
B) Dayanand Saraswati
C) Jyothirao Govindarao Phule
D) Avvankali
Answer:
C) Jyothirao Govindarao Phule

Question 11.
First Union Law Minister of India ( )
A) Sukumar Sen
B) Vallahhai Patel
C) Cajendra Gadkar
D) BR. Ambedkar
Answer:
D) BR. Ambedkar

Question 12.
Chairperson of the Committee for Drafting of the Constitution of India ( )
A) Rajendra Prasad
B) B.N. Rao
C) BR. Ambedkar
D) Rajkumari Amirith kumar
Answer:
C) BR. Ambedkar

Question 13.
First headmistress of the county’s first school for girls ( )
A) Savitri Bai Phule
B) Sarojini Naidu
C) Maria Montessori
D) Kadambini Ganguli
Answer:
A) Savitri Bai Phule

Question 14.
Lower caste movement leader in South India ( )
A) CN Anndurai
B) M.K. Karunanidhi
C) Raniaswarny Chowdari
D) Periyar E.V. Ramasami
Answer:
D) Periyar E.V. Ramasami

Question 15.
Who said “One Caste, One Religion and One God for all men’ ( )
A) Ramasarni
B) Vemana
C) Kabir
D) Sri Narayana Guru
Answer:
D) Sri Narayana Guru

Question 16.
The first state to introduce mid-day meal scheme in our country ( )
A) Andhra Pradesh
B) Tamil Nadu
C) Maharastra
D) Gujarat
Answer:
B) Tamil Nadu

Question 17.
Which institution asked all the state governments to introduce mid-day meal scheme? ( )
A) Parliament
B) Planning Commission
C) Supreme Court
D) Food Commission
Answer:
C) Supreme Court

Question 18.

The man in the picture is ( )
A) Jyothirao Govindrao Phule
B) Sri Narayana Guru
C) E.V. Rarnaswami
D) Dr. Arnbedkar
Answer:
A) Jyothirao Govindrao Phule

Question 19.
An appreciating work of Rarnaswamy ( )
A) He made people realise that all are equal
B) He preached that enjoying liberty and equality are birth rights oí evervciln
C) Developed rationalist ideas
D) All the above
Answer:
D) All the above

Question 20.
Choose the correct maching

A	B
i) Periyar Ramasami	a) Karnataka
ii) Baswanna	b) Andhra Pradesh
iii) Vemana	c) Tamilnadu

A) i-a, ii-b, iii-c
B) i-c, ii-a, iii-b
C) i-c, ii-a, iii-b
D) i-b, ii-c, iii-a
Answer:

Question 21.
Choose the correct matching

A	B
i) Untouchability	a) Vedas
ii) Caste system	b) Govindarao Phule
iii) Satvashodak Samaj	c) Discrimination

A) i-b, ii-c, iii-a
B) i-a, ii-b, iii-c
C) i-a, ii-c, iii-h
D) i-c, ii-a, iii-b
Answer:
D) i-c, ii-a, iii-b

Question 22.
Choose the correct matching

A	B
i) One caste, One Religion, and One God	a) Pune
ii) First school for girls	b) Sell help groups
iii) Mid-day Meal Scheme	c) Sri Narayana Guru

A) i-b, ii-c, iii-a
B) i-c, ii-a, iii-b
C) i-c, ii-b, iii-a
D) i-a, ii-c, iii-b
Answer:
B) i-c, ii-a, iii-b

Question 23.
Midday meal programme is intended to ( )
A) reduce caste prejudices
B) reduce the hunger of poor students
C) improve attending of children to the school
D) All the above
Answer:
B) reduce the hunger of poor students

Question 24.
This is not true from the history of Bathula Venkata Rao ( )
A) He was born in Hyderabad
B) He fought for abolishing Devadasi system
C) The Nizam honoured him awarding the title ‘Padmasri
D) He was a member of Rajya Sabha
Answer:
C) The Nizam honoured him awarding the title ‘Padmasri

Question 25.
Jyotirao Phule, Periyar Ramaswami, Sri Narayana Guru were social reformers. The appreciable feature in them ( )
A) Fight for freedom
B) Fight for equality
C) Fight for human dignity
D) All the above
Answer:
B) Fight for equality