NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Social Science Civics Chapter 2 Understanding Secularism contain solutions to the exercises given in the Civics book Social and Political Life. These answers have been explained in a manner that you will easily understand all the concepts and get your doubts cleared without even seeking anyone’s assistance.
Class 8 Civics Understanding Secularism NCERT Textbook Questions and Answers
Question 1: List the different types of religious practice that you find in your neighbourhood. This could be different forms of prayer, worship of different gods, sacred sites, different kinds of religious music and singing etc. Does this indicate freedom of religious practice?
Answer: The different types of religious practices that we can see in our neighbourhood are as follows:
- The different types of religious practices that we can see in our neighbourhood are as follows:
- Hindus visit the Temples. They perform puja and worship the idols of their Gods and Goddesses.
- Muslims visit mosques and worship their sacred book the Quran. They offer namaaz.
- Sikhs visit Gurudwara and worship their sacred book Guru Granth Sahib by offering prayers and listening to shabad-kirtan.
- Christians visit the Church and worship Jesus Christ.
Yes, this indicates freedom of religious practice as the people in India have the freedom to practice the religion of their choice while living together in peace and harmony.
Question 2: Will the government intervene if some religious group says that their religion allows them to practice infanticide? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer: Yes, the government will intervene if a religious group claims that their religion allows them to practice infanticide. According to the principles of Indian secularism, while the State respects and allows the freedom of religious practice, this freedom is subject to public order, morality, and health. Practices like infanticide are illegal and violate fundamental human rights, as well as the Indian Constitution’s mandate to ensure the protection of all individuals.
Question 3: Complete the following table:
| Objective | Why is this important? | Example of a violation of this objective |
| One religious community does not dominate another. | ||
| The State does not enforce any particular religion nor take away the religious freedom of individuals. | ||
| That some members do not dominate other members of the same religious community. |
Answer:
| Objective | Why is this important? | Example of a violation of this objective |
| One religious community does not dominate another. | This is important to protect the Fundamental Right to Freedom of Religion. | The Gujarat riots in 2002 against Muslims. |
| The State does not enforce any particular religion nor take away the religious freedom of individuals. | This is important to uphold the ideals of a democratic nation which gives its citizens the freedom to follow any religion of their choice. | France government banning the Muslim headscarves and Sikh turbans in public places. |
| Some members do not dominate other members of the same religious community. | This is necessary to uphold individual freedom to practise religion in the light of pressure from the group or religious community that one belongs to. | Dalits being looked down upon by the upper caste Hindus. |
Question 4: Look up the annual calendar of holidays of your school. How many of them pertain to different religions? What does this indicate?
Answer: The annual calendar of our school marks holidays like Eid, which is celebrated by Muslims. Diwali, which is a Hindu festival, Christmas, which is celebrated by Christians and Guru Nanak Jayanti which is a Sikh festival. This proves that India is a secular country and every individual has the right to religious freedom.
Question 5: Find out some examples of different views within the same religion.
Answer: Many religions in our country are further divided into groups and communities that hold opinions differing from each other. Some examples of such groups and communities existing within the same religion are given below:
- Muslims are divided into Shias and Sunnis.
- Jains are divided into Shwetambar and Digambar.
- Buddhist followers are divided into Mahayana and Hinayana.
- In Hindu religion also, hundreds of gods and goddesses are worshipped by different groups of people.
Question 6: The Indian State both keeps away from religion as well as intervenes in religion. This idea can be quite confusing. Discuss this once again in class using examples from the chapter as well as those that you might have come up with.
Answer: The Indian State’s approach to secularism involves a balance between distancing itself from religion and intervening in religious matters when necessary. This dual approach can indeed be confusing but is essential for maintaining secularism and ensuring justice and equality for all citizens, regardless of their religious beliefs.
Keeping Away from Religion:
- The Indian State does not align itself with any one religion. This is evident in public spaces like law courts, police stations, and government schools, which do not display or promote religious symbols of any one religion. This ensures that the State remains neutral and does not endorse or favour any particular religion over others.
Example: In a government school, religious festivals specific to any one religion are not celebrated officially within school premises to maintain secular character and ensure that no single religion is given preference over others.
Intervening in Religion:
- The State intervenes in religious affairs when certain practices violate fundamental rights or the principles of equality and justice as laid out in the Constitution. The intervention is done in a manner that respects the freedom of religion while ensuring that no harmful practices are carried out in the name of religion.
Example: The law allowing Sikh individuals to not wear helmets while riding two-wheelers, in recognition of their religious practice of wearing a turban, shows how the State can make exceptions to accommodate religious practices without compromising on safety regulations for the general public.