Class 8 Social Science (Exploring Society Part 2) Chapter 5: Citizenship: Rights and Duties

New NCERT Exploring Society: India and Beyond Part 2 · Class 8 Social Science · Part 2 · Chapter 5: Citizenship: Rights and Duties

This chapter explains who a citizen is, what rights we enjoy and what duties we owe. It also discusses how to end discrimination and build inclusion so that no one is left out.

From the Class 8 Social Science Short Notes, made as per the new NCERT book Exploring Society: India and Beyond · Pages 122–131 of the book.

Key points

• A citizen legally belongs to a country and is a member of its political community.
• Citizenship is both a legal identity and a social responsibility; a resident is not always a citizen.
• Rules for citizenship come from the Citizenship Act of 1955 and the Citizenship (Amendment) Act of 2019.
• Rights are justified claims that support the wellbeing and dignity of all; actions that harm others are not rights.
• The Constitution gives six Fundamental Rights: equality, freedom, against exploitation, freedom of religion, cultural and educational rights, and constitutional remedies.
• Article 21 protects the right to life with dignity; Article 21A gives free and compulsory education to children of 6–14 years.
• Children below 14 generally cannot be employed; Childline 1098 is the government's helpline for children.
• Dr. B.R. Ambedkar called the right to constitutional remedies (Article 32) the very soul of the Constitution.
• Fundamental Duties were added in 1976 (Article 51A); the 11th duty was added in 2002.
• Rights and duties are two sides of the same coin: every right has a matching duty.
• Discrimination can be visible or invisible; invisible discrimination is hard to prove.
• Inclusion means creating an environment where everyone feels welcomed and has equal access to opportunities.

Key terms

• Citizen: Someone who legally belongs to a country and is a member of its political community.
• Rights: Justified claims that support the wellbeing and dignity of all.
• Equity: Being fair and just in a way that addresses existing inequalities, so everyone gets the support they need.
• Exploitation: Taking unfair advantage of others, often by denying them basic respect, liberty and rights.
• Fundamental duties: Responsibilities the Constitution asks every citizen to follow (Article 51A).
• Discrimination: Mistreating a person or group because of caste, religion, gender, disability, appearance, economic background and so on.
• Inclusion: Creating an environment where everyone feels welcomed, respected and valued, with equal access to opportunities.
• Ṛiṇa: 'Debt'; debts owed from birth to devatās, ancestors and parents, gurus, fellow humans and Nature.

Diagrams to learn

• Table: rights, duties, discrimination and inclusion
• Table: six Fundamental Rights and their Articles
• Fig 5.3 Equality and equity
• Timeline: Fundamental Duties
• Table: the 11 duties (Article 51A) with examples
• Table: rights vs duties
• Fig 5.7 Inclusion: removing the barrier

A real page from the book

Frequently asked questions

What are the six Fundamental Rights?

They are the Right to equality (Articles 14–18), Right to freedom (19–22), Right against exploitation (23 & 24), Right to freedom of religion (25–28), Cultural and educational rights (29 & 30) and Right to constitutional remedies (32).

When were Fundamental Duties added to the Constitution?

Ten duties were added by an amendment in 1976 in Article 51A. The 11th duty, asking parents or guardians to educate children aged 6–14, was added in 2002.

What is the difference between equality and equity?

Equality means everyone receives the exact same support. Equity means everyone gets the support they need, fairly, taking account of existing inequalities.

← Part 2 · Chapter 4: The Role of the Judiciary in Our SocietyPart 2 · Chapter 6: Dynamics of Population →

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