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The NCERT Class 11 Political Science Chapter 2: Rights in the Indian Constitution from the textbook Indian Constitution at Work explores the concept of rights, focusing on Fundamental Rights enshrined in the Indian Constitution. It discusses their significance, scope, limitations, and role in protecting individual liberties and promoting equality. This section provides detailed solutions to the chapter’s exercise questions, offering clear explanations to help students understand complex political concepts and prepare for exams.
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Explore Notes of Class 11 Political Theory
NCERT Solutions Class 11 Indian Constitution at Work Chapter 2: Rights in the Indian Constitution
This section provides clear solutions for Class 11 Indian Constitution at Work Chapter 2: Rights in the Indian Constitution. The detailed explanations below help students understand the subject thoroughly.
Exercise
1. Write true or false against each of these statements:
a) A Bill of Rights lays down the rights enjoyed by the people of a country.
b) A Bill of Rights protects the liberties of an individual.
c) Every country of the world has a Bill of Rights.
d) The Constitution guarantees remedy against violation of Rights.
2. Which of the following is the best description of Fundamental Rights?
a) All the rights an individual should have.
b) All the rights given to citizens by law.
c) The rights given and protected by the Constitution.
d) The rights given by the Constitution that cannot ever be restricted.
3. Read the following situations. Which Fundamental Right is being used or violated in each case and how?
a) Overweight male cabin crew are allowed to get promotion in the national airlines but their women colleagues who gain weight are penalised.
b) A director makes a documentary film that criticises the policies of the government.
c) People displaced by a big dam take out a rally demanding rehabilitation.
d) Andhra society runs Telugu-medium schools outside Andhra Pradesh.
4. Which of the following is a correct interpretation of the Cultural and Educational Rights?
a) Only children belonging to the minority group that has opened educational institution can study there.
b) Government schools must ensure that children of the minority group will be introduced to their beliefs and culture.
c) Linguistic and religious minorities can open schools for their children and keep it reserved for them.
d) Linguistic and religious minorities can demand that their children must not study in any educational institution except those managed by their own community.
5. Which of the following is a violation of Fundamental Rights and why?
a) Not paying minimum wages
b) Banning of a book
c) Banning of loudspeakers after 9 pm.
d) Making a speech
6. An activist working among the poor says that the poor don’t need Fundamental Rights. What they need are Directive Principles to be made legally binding. Do you agree with this? Give your reasons.
7. Several reports show that caste groups previously associated with scavenging are forced to continue in this job. Those in positions of authority refuse to give them any other job. Their children are discouraged from pursuing education. Which of their Fundamental Rights are being violated in this instance?
8. A petition by a human rights group drew the attention of the court to the condition of starvation and hunger in the country. Over five crore tonnes of food grains were stored in the godowns of the Food Corporation of India. Research shows that a large number of ration cardholders do not know about the quantity of food grains they can purchase from fair price shops. It requested the court to order the government to improve its public distribution system.
a. Which different rights does this case involve? How are these rights interlinked?
b. Should these rights form part of the right to life?
9. Read the statement by Somnath Lahiri in the Constituent Assembly quoted in this chapter. Do you agree with him? If yes, give instances to prove it. If not, give arguments against his position.
10. Which of the Fundamental Rights is, in your opinion, the most important right? Summarise its provisions and give arguments to show why it is most important.
Also Read:
- NCERT Class 11 Political Science Chapter 6 Political Theory: Citizenship Solutions (Free PDF)
- NCERT Notes Class 11 Political Science: Political Theory Chapter 7: Nationalism (Free PDF)
Solutions
1. To determine the accuracy of each statement, we must consider the nature of a Bill of Rights and the provisions of the Indian Constitution:
a) A Bill of Rights lays down the rights enjoyed by the people of a country: True. A Bill of Rights, such as Part III of the Indian Constitution (Fundamental Rights, Articles 12–35), specifies the rights citizens enjoy, like the right to equality and freedom.
b) A Bill of Rights protects the liberties of an individual: True. It safeguards individual liberties, such as freedom of speech (Article 19), against arbitrary state actions, ensuring personal autonomy.
c) Every country of the world has a Bill of Rights: False. Not all countries have a formal Bill of Rights in their constitutions; some rely on statutory laws or unwritten conventions to protect rights.
d) The Constitution guarantees a remedy against violation of Rights: True. Article 32 enables citizens to approach the Supreme Court for remedies (e.g., writs) if Fundamental Rights are violated, ensuring judicial protection.
2. To identify the best description, let’s evaluate each option based on the definition of Fundamental Rights:
a) All the rights an individual should have: This is too broad, as Fundamental Rights are specific constitutional guarantees, not all possible rights.
b) All the rights given to citizens by law: This is incorrect, as Fundamental Rights are enshrined in the Constitution, not ordinary laws, and some apply to non-citizens (e.g., Article 14).
c) The rights given and protected by the Constitution: This is the best description. Fundamental Rights (Articles 12–35) are explicitly provided and safeguarded by the Constitution against state violations.
d) The rights given by the Constitution that can never be restricted: This is incorrect, as Fundamental Rights can be restricted under specific conditions, such as reasonable restrictions (Article 19) or during a National Emergency (Article 358).
Answer: (c) The rights given and protected by the Constitution.
3. Let’s analyse each situation to identify the Fundamental Right involved and whether it is being used or violated:
a) Overweight male cabin crew are allowed to get promotion, but women colleagues who gain weight are penalised:
Right: Right to Equality (Article 15).
Violation: This violates Article 15, which prohibits discrimination based on sex. Penalising women for weight gain while allowing men to be promoted despite similar conditions is gender-based discrimination.
b) A director makes a documentary film that criticises the policies of the government:
Right: Right to Freedom of Speech and Expression (Article 19(1)(a)).
Use: The director is exercising the right to free speech by critiquing government policies through a documentary, protected under Article 19, provided it adheres to reasonable restrictions (e.g., no incitement).
c) People displaced by a big dam take out a rally demanding rehabilitation:
Right: Right to Freedom of Assembly (Article 19(1)(b)).
Use: The displaced people are exercising their right to assemble peaceably to demand rehabilitation, protected under Article 19, subject to restrictions for public order.
d) Andhra society runs Telugu medium schools outside Andhra Pradesh:
Right: Cultural and Educational Rights (Article 29).
Use: Article 29 allows citizens with a distinct language or culture to conserve it. Running Telugu medium schools enables the Andhra society to preserve its linguistic identity, a protected right.
4. To determine the correct interpretation, let’s evaluate each option based on Articles 29 and 30:
a) Only children belonging to the minority group that has opened educational institution can study there: Incorrect. Article 30 allows minorities to establish institutions, but they cannot exclude others based on community, as this would violate equality principles (Article 15).
b) Government schools must ensure that children of the minority group will be introduced to their belief and culture: Incorrect. Article 29 protects minority culture, but government schools focus on secular education and are not mandated to teach specific minority beliefs.
c) Linguistic and religious minorities can open schools for their children and keep it reserved for them: Incorrect. While minorities can establish schools (Article 30), reserving them exclusively for their children violates non-discrimination principles, as upheld by courts.
d) Linguistic and religious minorities can demand that their children must not study in any educational institution except those managed by their own community: Incorrect. Article 30 grants the right to establish institutions, but minorities cannot demand exclusive education for their children, as this conflicts with the right to education (Article 21A).
Answer: None of the options fully align with Articles 29 and 30. The closest correct interpretation is that minorities can establish and administer institutions (Article 30) to preserve their culture (Article 29) but cannot restrict admissions to their community alone.
5. To identify violations, let’s assess each option:
a) Not paying minimum wages: Violation. This violates the Right to Equality (Article 14) and Right to Life (Article 21), as courts have interpreted Article 21 to include a dignified livelihood. Paying below minimum wage denies fair treatment.
b) Banning of a book: Violation. This may violate the Right to Freedom of Speech and Expression (Article 19(1)(a)) if the ban is arbitrary or lacks reasonable grounds (e.g., public order). Courts have overturned unjustified bans.
c) Banning of loudspeakers after 9 pm: Not a Violation. This is a reasonable restriction under Article 19(2) to ensure public order and prevent noise pollution, as upheld by judicial rulings.
d) Making a speech: Not a Violation. Making a speech is an exercise of the Right to Freedom of Speech (Article 19(1)(a)), unless it violates reasonable restrictions (e.g., incitement).
Answer: a) Not paying minimum wages; b) Banning of a book.
6. To evaluate the activist’s view, let’s consider the roles of Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSPs):
I partially disagree with the activist. Fundamental Rights are essential for the poor because:
- Right to Equality (Article 14): Protects the poor from discrimination in access to services or opportunities.
- Right to Life (Article 21): Includes the right to food, shelter, and livelihood, as seen in cases like Olga Tellis v. Bombay Municipal Corporation (1985).
- Right Against Exploitation (Article 23): Prevents forced labour, a common issue for the poor.
Without Fundamental Rights, the poor would lack legal protections against exploitation or neglect. Article 32 ensures they can seek judicial remedies for violations.
However, the activist’s focus on DPSPs is partly valid. DPSPs (Articles 36–51) promote welfare, such as education (Article 41) and fair wages (Article 43). If legally binding, they could enforce state accountability for poverty alleviation. Yet, DPSPs are non-justiciable due to their aspirational nature and resource constraints, unlike Fundamental Rights, which are immediately enforceable.
Reasons:
- Fundamental Rights provide enforceable protections, crucial for the poor’s dignity and equality.
- DPSPs guide welfare policies but cannot replace rights as a legal shield.
- Both are complementary: rights empower individuals, while DPSPs guide state action.
7. This situation involves systemic caste-based discrimination. The Fundamental Rights being violated are:
- Right to Equality (Articles 14 and 15): Article 14 ensures equality before the law, and Article 15 prohibits discrimination based on caste. Forcing these groups to continue scavenging and denying them other jobs is caste-based discrimination.
- Right Against Exploitation (Article 23): Compelling individuals to remain in degrading work like scavenging resembles forced labour, violating Article 23.
- Right to Education (Article 21A): Discouraging their children from education violates Article 21A, which guarantees free and compulsory education for children aged 6–14.
- Right to Life (Article 21): The right to a dignified life is violated by trapping these groups in dehumanising work, as courts have interpreted Article 21 to include dignity.
8. a. Rights Involved and Their Interlinkages:
- Right to Life (Article 21): Starvation violates the right to life, which includes the right to food, as established in People’s Union for Civil Liberties v. Union of India (2001).
- Right to Equality (Article 14): The Inefficient public distribution system (PDS) disproportionately affects the poor, violating equality before the law.
- Right to Freedom of Speech and Expression (Article 19(1)(a)): Lack of awareness about PDS entitlements reflects a denial of access to information, a facet of free expression.
Interlinkages:
- The right to life (food security) relies on equal access to PDS, ensuring no discriminatory deprivation (Article 14).
- Access to information (Article 19) empowers citizens to claim PDS benefits, supporting the right to life.
- These rights collectively ensure dignity by addressing hunger through equitable, transparent systems.
b. Should These Rights Form Part of the Right to Life?
Yes, these rights should form part of the right to life (Article 21). The judiciary has expanded Article 21 to include socio-economic rights like food and livelihood (Chameli Singh v. State of U.P., 1996). An effective PDS is essential for food security, and equal access prevents discriminatory exclusion. Access to information about entitlements enables citizens to secure food, reinforcing Article 21’s scope.
9. Somnath Lahiri argued that Fundamental Rights were undermined by extensive restrictions, framed to favour state control over individual empowerment, especially for the poor.
Partial Agreement: I agree to some extent, as restrictions can limit rights:
- Instance 1: Article 19(1)(a) (free speech) is restricted by Article 19(2) for public order or security, enabling laws like sedition (Section 124A, IPC), which have been used to curb dissent.
- Instance 2: Emergency provisions (Article 358) can suspend rights, potentially affecting the poor’s protections against state actions.
Arguments Against: Lahiri’s view overlooks the Constitution’s balance:
- Restrictions are “reasonable” and subject to judicial review, preventing arbitrary state action (e.g., Shreya Singhal v. Union of India, 2015).
- Article 32 ensures enforceable remedies, as seen in PILs addressing bonded labour or hunger.
- Judicial expansions of Article 21 (e.g., right to education) have empowered the poor, countering restrictive interpretations.
10. Most Important Right: Right to Constitutional Remedies (Article 32).
Provisions:
- Article 32 allows citizens to approach the Supreme Court directly for the enforcement of Fundamental Rights.
- The Court can issue writs (e.g., habeas corpus, mandamus) to address violations.
- Dr. B.R. Ambedkar called it the “heart and soul” of the Constitution, ensuring rights are actionable.
Arguments for Importance:
- Enforceability: Article 32 makes other rights (e.g., equality, freedom) effective by providing judicial remedies, as seen in PILs addressing starvation.
- Check on State Power: It empowers the judiciary to review state actions, protecting citizens from violations (Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India, 1978).
- Inclusivity: It ensures marginalised groups can seek justice, upholding democratic values.
- Foundation of Rights: Without Article 32, other rights would lack enforceability, undermining the Constitution’s protective framework.
Download NCERT Solutions Class 11 Political Science Indian Constitution at Work Chapter 2: Rights in the Indian Constitution
You can download the NCERT solutions for Class 11 Indian Constitution at Work Chapter 2: Rights in the Indian Constitution. We have provided the free PDF for students below.
Also Read:
- NCERT Solutions Class 11 Political Science: Political Theory Chapter 7 Nationalism (Free PDF)
- NCERT Class 11 Political Science Chapter 6: Citizenship Notes (Free PDF)
Download NCERT Solutions of all Chapters of Class 11 Political Science: Political Theory here:
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