Chapter 10: Grassroots Democracy – Part 1: Governance (Political Science)
Answers to all "Questions, activities and projects" of Chapter 10, Grassroots Democracy – Part 1: Governance (NCERT Class 6 Social Science, Exploring Society: India and Beyond, 2026-27): meaning of democracy, direct and representative democracy, the three organs of government, three tiers of government, and the COVID-19 lockdown project. All 4 questions are answered, with the key answer highlighted.
Test yourself: What is the meaning of democracy? What is the difference between direct democracy and representative democracy?
Solution
Democracy is a form of government in which the people rule: power belongs to the people, who take part in decisions directly or through representatives they elect. It has been described as "government of the people, by the people, for the people".
Direct democracy
Representative democracy
All citizens take part themselves in making decisions and laws
Citizens elect representatives who make decisions and laws on their behalf
Possible only in small groups (e.g. a gram sabha, where all adult villagers meet; ancient Athens)
Used in large countries with many people, like India
Example: villagers voting together on building a well
Example: we elect MPs, MLAs and councillors
Democracy is rule by the people. In direct democracy citizens decide everything themselves (e.g. a gram sabha); in representative democracy they elect representatives to decide for them (e.g. MPs and MLAs).
India is a very large country with many people and many different needs. One government in Delhi cannot look after every village and town. So power is divided into three levels (tiers):
Central (Union) government: matters of national importance: defence, foreign affairs, currency, railways.
State government: matters of the State: police, health, agriculture, state roads and schools.
Local government (panchayats in villages, municipalities in towns and cities): local matters: drinking water, street lights, cleanliness, local roads, markets.
This helps because local problems are solved quickly by people who know them well, work is shared, and more people take part in governance, making democracy stronger at the grassroots.
India is large and diverse, so work is divided: the Centre handles national matters, States handle state matters, and local bodies (panchayats, municipalities) handle local needs; this makes governance efficient and lets more people take part.
Project: Many of you will remember the lockdown that took place during the COVID-19 pandemic. Make a list of all the actions that were taken at that time. Which tiers of government were involved in managing the situation? What was the role of each of the organs of government?
Solution
Actions taken during the lockdown:
Closing schools, offices, markets, cinemas and public transport; restricting travel.
Making masks and social distancing compulsory; setting up containment zones.
Testing, tracing contacts, opening COVID hospitals and quarantine centres.
Distributing free ration and cooked food to the poor and migrant workers; running special trains (Shramik trains) to take migrants home.
Online classes for students; work from home.
Vaccination drives (later), helplines and apps like Aarogya Setu.
Tiers of government involved:
Tier
Role
Central government
Declared the nationwide lockdown, issued guidelines, arranged vaccines and medical supplies, ran special trains, gave free food grains
State governments
Enforced the lockdown, ran hospitals and testing, decided local rules, organised food distribution and transport for migrants
Local governments (panchayats, municipalities)
Sanitised streets, identified containment zones, ran community kitchens and quarantine centres, spread awareness, kept records of returning migrants
Organs of government:
Legislature: passed and amended laws and ordinances (e.g. under the Epidemic Diseases Act and Disaster Management Act), approved relief funds.
Executive: took the day-to-day decisions and carried them out through ministers, officers, doctors, police and health workers.
Judiciary: heard cases on issues like the problems of migrant workers, food for the poor and oxygen supplies, and gave directions to governments to protect people's rights.
Lockdown, masks, testing, hospitals, free ration, special trains and vaccination; the Centre made national decisions, States enforced them and ran health services, local bodies worked on the ground; the legislature made laws, the executive implemented them and the judiciary protected people's rights.
