Chapter - 6
The State, the Government, and You
What is a State:- A state is a political organization that governs a specific area and its people. It has four main features:
- Defined territory – fixed geographical boundaries
- Permanent population – people living there
- Government – system to run the country
- Sovereignty – supreme power to make decisions
What is a Government:- A government is the group of people or system that runs the state. Its main functions are:
- Making laws
- Enforcing laws
- Settling disputes
- It includes leaders, ministers, and officials.
Difference between State and Government:- The state is permanent, but the government can change (after elections). The government is only a part of the state.
Example:
- State = School
- Government = Teachers and Principal
- Why are they used interchangeably?
- The government works on behalf of the state
- We usually interact with the government in daily life
- Three Pillars of Government
- Legislature – makes laws
- Executive – implements laws
- Judiciary – ensures laws are followed
What is Democracy:- A democracy means “rule by the people.”
- People elect their representatives through free and fair elections.
- The government is accountable to the people.
- Example: Countries like India and the United States are democracies.
What is a Republic:- A republic is a system where:
- The head of state is elected, not hereditary (not a king/queen).
- Power is limited by a Constitution and laws.
- In India, the President is elected (indirectly), so it is a republic.
Difference between Democracy and Republic
- Democracy → Who has power? → People
- Republic → Who is the head of state? → Elected person (not monarch)
- Why both words are used together?
The Constitution makers used both terms because:
- Democratic → People choose the government
- Republic → No hereditary ruler; head of state is elected
- ✔ A democracy (people elect leaders)
- ✔ A republic (no king or queen)
Legislature – The Lawmaking Body:- The legislature is the branch of government that makes laws.
- It represents the people in a democracy
- Ensures rules are made through proper discussion, not personal decisions
- Both the country and states have their own legislatures
- Example: In India, Parliament makes national laws, while state legislatures make state laws.
Executive – The Law-Implementing Body
- Implements laws made by the legislature
- Takes policy decisions
- Manages the day-to-day administration
Two Parts of the Executive
(a) Political Executive:- These are elected leaders, such as:
- Prime Minister
- Chief Ministers
- Ministers
- President and Governors (mostly formal roles)
Functions:
- Make major decisions
- Frame policies
- Represent the country
- Stay in power for a fixed term (usually 5 years)
(b) Permanent Executive (Bureaucracy)
- These are non-elected officials, selected through exams like UPSC.
- They are also called civil servants or bureaucrats.
Key roles:
- Implement laws and government schemes
- Connect citizens with the government
- Maintain records and ensure smooth administration
- They continue working even when governments change.
Examples of Bureaucracy in India:- Well-known services in India:
- IAS (Indian Administrative Service)
- IPS (Indian Police Service)
- IFS (Indian Foreign Service)
- IRS (Indian Revenue Service)
- IFoS (Indian Forest Service)
Work at the Ground Level:- We interact mostly with:
- Teachers
- Health workers
- Anganwadi workers
- Police and local officials
They help run major programs like:
- Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS)
- Census
- Elections
- COVID-19 vaccination drives
Role of the Government:- The Government of India performs three main roles:
- Maintains law and order
- Protects citizens through police and defence forces
- Provides public services like:
- Education (schools, teachers)
- Healthcare
- Infrastructure (roads, bridges, railways, airports)
- Controls economic activities
- Ensures social justice and safety (like food safety laws)
Why do problems still exist:- Even with these roles, challenges remain:
- Corruption and bribery
- Poor infrastructure
- Lack of access to education and healthcare
- Unequal benefits from government schemes
- This shows that citizens must actively participate to improve governance.
How can YOU help the government work better?
File Grievances
- Use grievance offices or online portals
- Example: Public Grievances Portal
- Helps solve complaints within a time limit
Use Right to Information (RTI):- Through the Right to Information Act, you can:
- Ask how money is spent
- Check status of projects
- Get transparency in government work
Use Media & Social Media:- Raise issues through:
- Newspapers
- TV
- Platforms like YouTube, Instagram, X
- Tag officials to bring attention
Join Civil Society (NGOs):- Work with groups focusing on:
- Education
- Environment
- Women empowerment
- Push for change collectively
- MLAs
- MPs
- Ministers
- Ask them to take action on issues
Vote in Elections
- When eligible, vote responsibly
- Choose leaders who address public issues
Judiciary – The judiciary is the branch of government that:
- Ensures laws are followed
- Settles disputes
- Protects citizens’ rights
- In a democracy like India, the judiciary is independent, meaning it is not controlled by politicians or the government.
Functions of the Judiciary
- Protects and defends laws:- → Ensures laws are properly followed
- Interprets laws: → Explains unclear or disputed laws
- Protects fundamental rights: -→ Citizens can go to court if rights are violated
- Judicial Review: → Checks if laws or actions of the government are fair and constitutional
Why is the Judiciary Important?
- Upholds the rule of law (everyone is equal before the law)
- Prevents misuse of power
- Protects citizens from injustice
- Ensures democracy survives
- Without a strong judiciary, democracy cannot function properly.
Tiers of Government in India:- Because India is large and diverse, it has three levels of government:
- Union (Central) Government:- Works for the entire country
- State Governments:- Work for individual states
- Local Governments (Third Tier):- Panchayats (villages)
- Municipalities (towns and cities)
- These were strengthened in the 1990s to improve local participation.
What is Decentralisation:-
- Power is shared at different levels
- Decisions are taken closer to the people
Example:
- Local problems → solved by local government
- National issues → handled by central government
NCERT QUESTIONS/ANSWER
Questions:-1. “Every democracy is a republic.” Is this statement true or false? Explain.
Answer:- False.
Not every democracy is a republic because some democracies have a monarch (king or queen) as the head of state.
For example, the United Kingdom is a democracy but not a republic.
Question:- 2. Give two reasons why decentralisation is important in India.
Answer:- Two reasons why decentralisation is important in India
- It allows local problems to be solved quickly at the local level.
- It increases people’s participation in decision-making.
Question:- 3 Imagine you are part of your school’s student council. The council works like a mini-parliament — it has members elected by students, debates issues and makes decisions. In this context, do you think it would be better if only the council president makes all the decisions or if power is to be
shared among all members?
- Should the student council have the power to make rules about the food you eat, or the language you speak?
- What can go wrong if the student council is the most powerful body in your school and no one questions its decisions?
Answer:- 1. Who should make decisions:- Power should be shared among all members, not just the president, because it ensures fairness, discussion, and better decisions.
2. Should the council control food or language:- No, the council should not control personal choices like food or language, as it may violate students’ freedom and rights.
3. What can go wrong if no one questions the council:- Misuse of power, Unfair rules, Ignoring students’ needs and opinions
Question:-4. Think about these real-life situations in relation to India’s democracy:
- Should the Parliament be the most powerful institution in the country? Why or why not?
- Should the Parliament have the power to make any law it wants, even if it affects your rights?
- What could go wrong if lawmaking has no limits? Can it lead to unfair or unjust laws?
- Who is more powerful in India, the Parliament or the Supreme Court? Give your reasons
Answer:- 1. Should Parliament be the most powerful:- No. Power should be shared among institutions so that no one body becomes too powerful and misuses authority.
2. Can Parliament make any law it wants:- No. It cannot make laws that violate Fundamental Rights, which are protected by the Constitution of India.
3. What if lawmaking has no limits:- It can lead to:
- Unfair and unjust laws
- Violation of rights
- Misuse of power by the majority
4. Who is more powerful: Parliament or Supreme Court
- Neither is absolutely more powerful.
- Parliament makes laws
- The Supreme Court of India checks them through judicial review
Question:-5. Ask your parents / guardians how they engaged with the government over the past year. Make a list and classify the items based on the level of government they had to work with. What challenges did they face?
Answer:- Engagement with Government (Past Year)
1. Local Government (Panchayat/Municipality)
- Paid electricity/water bills
- Applied for property-related work
- Reported road or sanitation issues
2. State Government
- Used government hospital services
- School admission or exams
- Applied for state schemes
3. Central Government
- Filed income tax
- Used Aadhaar/PAN services
- Benefited from national schemes
- Challenges Faced
- Delays in work
- Long queues or slow online systems
- Lack of clear information
- Occasional need to visit offices multiple times
Challenges Faced
- Delays in work
- Long queues or slow online systems
- Lack of clear information
- Occasional need to visit offices multiple times
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