NCERT Solutions · Class 7 SST · Exploring Society: India and Beyond Part 2 · Chapter 6
Chapter 6: The State, the Government, and You (Political Science)
Answers to all "Questions and activities" of Part 2, Chapter 6, The State, the Government, and You (NCERT Class 7 Social Science, Exploring Society: India and Beyond Part 2, 2026-27): democracy and republic, separation of powers, decentralisation and levels of government, limits on Parliament, and the role of the Supreme Court. All 5 questions are answered, with the key answer highlighted.
"Every democracy is a republic." Is this statement true or false? Explain.
Solution
False. A democracy is a system in which the people choose their government. A republic is a state whose head of state is elected (directly or indirectly), not hereditary.
Some democracies are constitutional monarchies: the people elect the government, but the head of state is a hereditary king or queen. For example, the United Kingdom, Japan, Sweden and Bhutan are democracies but not republics. India is both: a democracy (elected government) and a republic (an elected President). That is why the Preamble calls India a "democratic republic".
False: constitutional monarchies like the UK, Japan and Bhutan are democracies but not republics, because their heads of state are hereditary; India is both a democracy and a republic.
Give two reasons why decentralisation is important in India.
Solution
Local problems are solved better and faster: India is very large and diverse; local governments (panchayats and municipalities) know local needs (water, roads, sanitation) and can act quickly.
Greater participation in democracy: decentralisation lets ordinary people, including women and weaker sections (through reserved seats), take part in decision-making at the grassroots, making democracy stronger.
(Also: it reduces the burden on the central and state governments and makes officials more accountable to the people.)
It lets local governments solve local problems quickly with local knowledge, and it allows more people (including women and weaker sections) to take part in democracy.
Imagine you are part of your school's student council (a mini-parliament). Would it be better if only the council president made all the decisions, or if power were shared among all members? Should the council have the power to make rules about the food you eat or the language you speak? What can go wrong if it is the most powerful body in your school and no one questions its decisions?
Solution
Sharing power is better. When all members discuss and decide, different views are heard, decisions are fairer, mistakes can be caught, and students trust the council. If only the president decides, the council may become one person's rule and ignore others.
No, it should not make rules about what food we eat or which language we speak at home: these are personal choices and rights. A council should make rules only about common school matters (cleanliness, events, sports, behaviour), and even then within the school's rules.
If no one can question it: it could make unfair rules, favour friends, punish students unjustly, waste funds, and ignore complaints. Power without checks can be misused; that is why the council should be answerable to students and teachers, follow a written set of rules, and allow its decisions to be reviewed.
Power should be shared so that all views are heard and decisions are fair; the council should not control personal choices like food or language; unchecked power could lead to unfair rules, favouritism and misuse, so it must stay accountable.
Think about India's democracy: Should Parliament be the most powerful institution in the country? Should it have the power to make any law it wants, even if it affects your rights? What could go wrong if lawmaking has no limits? Who is more powerful in India, Parliament or the Supreme Court?
Solution
Should Parliament be the most powerful? Parliament is very important because it represents the people and makes laws. But in India no single institution is all-powerful; the Constitution divides power among the legislature, executive and judiciary so that each checks the others.
Can it make any law it wants?No. Parliament must work within the Constitution. It cannot make laws that take away Fundamental Rights or change the basic structure of the Constitution.
What if lawmaking had no limits? A majority could pass unfair or unjust laws: for example, taking away people's freedom of speech, discriminating against a group, or keeping a government in power without elections. Citizens would have no protection.
Parliament or the Supreme Court? Neither is above the other; they have different roles. Parliament makes and amends laws (even the Constitution, by amendments); the Supreme Court interprets the Constitution and can strike down laws that violate it (judicial review). Both are bound by the Constitution, which is supreme.
No institution is all-powerful: Parliament makes laws but only within the Constitution and cannot take away Fundamental Rights; unlimited lawmaking could produce unjust laws; Parliament and the Supreme Court balance each other, and the Constitution is supreme.
Ask your parents or guardians how they engaged with the government over the past year. Make a list and classify the items by the level of government. What challenges did they face?
Solution
Activity
Level of government
Paying property tax, getting water connection, complaining about garbage or street lights
Local (municipality / panchayat)
Getting a birth or death certificate
Local
Renewing a driving licence, vehicle registration, ration card, school admission in a government school
State
Paying electricity bill (state electricity board)
State
Filing income tax, getting a passport, Aadhaar update, PAN card, railway ticket
Central (Union)
Voting in elections
All levels (local, state and Lok Sabha elections)
Challenges faced: long queues, many documents, slow processing, websites not working, needing to visit offices several times, lack of information. Online services (DigiLocker, UMANG, e-district portals) have made some tasks easier.
Classify tasks like property tax and certificates (local), driving licence and ration card (state), and income tax and passport (central); note challenges such as queues, paperwork, delays and website problems.
