NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Social Science Civics Chapter 6 Our Criminal Justice System

Question 1.
Define the term “Criminal Justice System’.
Solution:
Criminal justice system is the ‘body of law’ or ‘Court’ regulating the inquiry into whether a person has violated criminal law or not.

Question 2.
Write a brief note on the criminal procedure in the Criminal Justice System in India.
Solution:
A crime is first reported by the victim to the Police and the police file a FIR or First Information Report. Then the police begin the investigation and arrest the suspected person or persons. The police then file a charge sheet in the Magistrate’s Court. The trial begins in court. The Public Prosecutor represents the victim and the accused can defend themselves with the help of a lawyer. Once the trial is over the accused is either convicted or acquitted. If convicted, the accused can appeal to the higher court.

Question 3.
What is the role of the police in the Criminal Justice System?
Solution:
In the Criminal Justice System the police play the role of investigating the case and arresting the accused.

Question 4.
What are the guidelines that the police have to follow during investigation?
Solution:
Police investigations have to be conducted in accordance with law and with full respect for human rights. The police are not allowed to torture or beat or shoot anyone during investigation. They cannot inflict any form of punishment on a person even for petty offences.

Question 5.
What are D.K. Basu Guidelines?
Solution:
D.K. Basu Guidelines are as follows

1. The police officials who carry out the arrest or interrogation should wear clear, accurate and visible identification and name tags with their designations.
2. A memo of arrest should be prepared at the time of arrest and should include the time and date of arrest. It should also be attested by at least one witness who could include a family member of the person arrested. The arrest memo should be counter-signed by the person arrested.
3. The person arrested, detained or being interrogated has a right to inform a relative, friend or well wisher.
4. When a friend or relative lives outside the district, the time, place of arrest and venue of custody must be notified by police within 8 to 12 hours after arrest.

Question 6.
What is a FIR?
Solution:
FIR stands for First Information Report. The police have to file a FIR whenever a person gives information about a known offence. This information can be given to the police either orally or in writing. A FIR is necessary for the police to begin their investigations into a crime.

The FIR should mention the date, time and place of the offence, details about the offence, including a description of the events. The FIR should also state the name and address of the complainant. There is a prescribed form in which the police register an FIR and it is signed by the complainant. The complainant also has a legal right to get a free copy of the FIR from the police.

Question 7.
Who is a Prosecutor?
Solution:
‘The Prosecutor’ is a lawyer representing the state or the people of the state in a criminal trial.

Question 8.
Why is the Prosecutor called a Public Prosecutor?
Solution:
The Prosecutor who represents the State is called a Public Prosecutor as a criminal offence is regarded as a public wrong, which has been committed not only against the victim, but also against the society as a whole.

Question 9.
What is the role of the judge in the Criminal Justice System?
Solution:
The judge conducts the trial impartially and in an open court. The judge hears all the witnesses and any other evidence presented by the prosecution and the defence. The judge decides whether the accused person is guilty or innocent on the basis of the evidence presented and in accordance with the law. If the accused is convicted, then the judge pronounces the sentence. He may send the person to jail or impose a fine or both, depending on what the law prescribes.

Question 10.
What are the procedures that have to be followed if the criminal trial has to be a Fair Trial?
Solution:
A copy of the charge sheet and all other evidence has to be given to the accused. The trial has to be held in an open court, in public view, and should be in the presence of the accused. The accused has to be given a lawyer to defend himself in case he cannot afford to employ a lawyer.

The Prosecution has to prove beyond doubt the guilt of the accused and the Judge has to pass the judgment only on the basis of the evidence before the court.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 civics Chapter 5 – Judiciary

Question 1:

You read that one of the main functions of the judiciary is ‘upholding the law and Enforcing Fundamental Rights’. Why do you think an independent judiciary is necessary to carry out this important function?

ANSWER:

It is necessary to have an independent judiciary to carry out the basic function of “upholding the law and enforcing Fundamental Rights” because the judiciary plays a crucial role in the functioning of India’s democracy. It can function in this capacity only if it is independent of pressure from the legislature and the executive. This ensures two important things: one, the separation of powers between the judiciary, legislature and the executive can be maintained smoothly; two, any citizen can approach the courts of law if his/her Fundamental Rights are violated, without fear of disputes being solved in favour of those in power.

Question 2:

Re-read the list of Fundamental Rights provided in chapter 1. How do you think the Right to Constitutional Remedies connects to the idea of judicial review?

Answer

The Right to Constitutional Remedies connects to the idea of judicial review in its capacity of protecting the rights of an individual against the working of the State legislature or executive. The Right to Constitutional Remedies allows citizens to move the court if they think that any of their Fundamental Rights are being violated by the State administration. Judicial review implies invalidation of legislative or executive action if it is seen to violate Fundamental Rights. Hence, the Right to Constitutional Remedies and judicial review are inter-connected because the latter is practiced when a Fundamental Right is violated by the State. In this case, a higher court can repeal the judgments of a lower court based on its own investigation.

Question 3:

In the Following illustration, fill in each tier with the judgments given by the various courts in the Sudha Goel case. Check your responses with others in class.

ANSWER:

Lower Court (Trial Court): Laxman, his mother Shakuntala and his brother-in-law Subhash Chandra were sentenced to death

High Court: Laxman, Shakuntala and Subhash Chandra were acquitted.

Supreme Court: Laxman, Shakuntala were given life imprisonment while Subhash Chandra was acquitted for lack of sufficient evidence.

Question 4:

Keeping the Sudha Goel case in mind, tick the sentences that are true and correct the ones that are false.

(a) The accused took the case to the High Court because they were unhappy with the decision of the Trial Court.

(b) They went to the High Court after the supreme Court had given its decision.

(c) If they do not like the Supreme Court verdict, the accused can go back again to the Trial Court.

ANSWER:

(a) True

(b) They went to the High Court after the Trial Court had given its decision.

(c) If they do not like the Supreme Court verdict, the accused cannot go back again to the Trial Court since the Supreme Court is at the highest rung of the judiciary pyramid.

Question 5:

Why do you think the introduction of Public interest Litigation (PIL) in the 1980s is a significant step in ensuring access to justice for all?

ANSWER:

Re-read excerpts from the judgment on the Olga Tellis vs Bombay Municipal Corporation case. Now write in your own words what the judges meant when they said that the Right to Livelihood was part of the Right to Life.

The introduction of Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the 1980s is a significant step in ensuring access to justice for all because it also keeps in mind the interests of the illiterate and poor who are not educated enough or cannot afford to access the Indian legal system for justice against exploitation or violation of their basic human and Fundamental Rights.

Question 6:

Re-read excerpts from the judgment on the Olga Tellis vs Bombay Municipal Corporation case. Now write in your own words what the judges meant when they said that the Right to Livelihood was part of the Right to Life.

ANSWER:

In Olga Tellis vs. Bombay Municipal Corporation case, the judges said that the Right to Livelihood was part of the Right to Life. They stated that life does not merely imply an animal existence; it cannot be lived without a means of living, that is, “the means of livelihood”. The judges conferred that eviction from a pavement or slum is deprivation of means of livelihood for the poor who cannot afford to live anywhere else. They take up small jobs in surrounding areas and to lose their pavement or slum would lead to loss of a job resulting in loss of a means of livelihood. Consequently, leading to “deprivation of life”. This is how the judges connected Right to Livelihood to the Right to Life.

Question 7:

Write a story around the theme, ‘Justice delayed is justice denied’.

ANSWER:

Attempt this question on your own.

Question 8:

Make sentences with each of the glossary words given on the next page.

ANSWER:

(a) Acquit – The strong case in favour of Ravi led the High Court to acquit him of all charges of guilt that the Trial Court had levied on him.

(b) To appeal – The women’s organization lent strong support to the domestic maid to appeal against charges of theft that her employer had accused her of.

(c) Compensation – The state government paid compensation to the victims’ families after an unfortunate train accident that killed hundreds.

(d) Eviction – The company’s claims to land occupied by slum-dwellers led to the poor people’s eviction from their homes, which were bull-dozed by municipal authorities.

(e) Violation- The judiciary takes stringent action against any violation of Fundamental Rights.

Question 9:

The following is a poster made by the Right to Food Campaign.

Read this poster and list the duties of the government to uphold the Right to Food.

How does the phrase “hungry stomachs, overflowing godowns! We will not accept it!!” used in the poster relate to the photo essay on the Right to food on page 61?

ANSWER:

The duties of the government to uphold the Right to Food include providing for the poor who cannot afford basic meals; taking care of the elderly, widows, disabled and children who might not be able to earn a livelihood; and, ensuring that no one dies due to malnutrition or hunger.

The phrase “Hungry stomachs, overflowing godowns! We will not accept it !!” relates to the photo essay on the Right to Food (on page 61) because it highlights the droughts in Rajasthan and Orissa in 2001 when millions faced acute shortage of food even though government godowns were overflowing with grain which was being eaten away by rats. The People’s Union of Civil Liberties filed a PIL in the Supreme Court against the guilty state governments who were then directed to provide more employment, food at cheaper rates and mid-day meals for children. In this sad situation of “hunger amidst plenty”, the filed PIL helped bring relief to many.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8th: Ch 4 Understanding Laws Social and Political Life

Exercises

1. Write in your own words what you understand by the term the ‘rule of law’. In your response include a fictitious or real example of a violation of the rule of law.

Answer

Law is a system of rules, usually imposed through a Government or Institution and is applied to govern a group people. It shapes politics,economics and society in numerous ways.

The most common example of a violation of the rule of law can be seen on the roads. Motorists and pedestrians do not follow the traffic rules. Motorists do not adhere to speed limits nor do they stop behind the line at traffic signals. Pedestrians rarely use the zebra crossing and cross the road at will causing harm not only to themselves but also to other road users.

2. State two reasons why historians refute the claim that the British introduced the rule of law in India.

Answer

The two reasons why historians refute the claim that the British introduced the Rule of Law in India are
→ Colonial law was arbitrary, e.g. Sedition Act of 1870
→ Indian nationalists played a prominent role in the development of the legal sphere in British India.

3. Re-read the storyboard on how a new law on domestic violence got passed. Describe in your own words the different ways in which women’s groups worked to make this happen.

Answer

Women’s groups worked hard and untiringly towards the passing of the new law on domestic violence in India. They used different forums like public protests, hearings, meetings with other organizations, press conferences and petitions to the government to introduce a new reformed bill on domestic violence to include demands like monetary relief and protection against being evicted from the shared household. While earlier, domestic violence only entailed “injury or harm or threat of injury or harm” by an adult male against a woman. The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005 extended to include physical, economic, sexual, verbal and emotional abuse.

4. Write in your own words what you understand by the following sentence on page 44-45: They also began fighting for greater equality and wanted to change the idea of law from a set of rules that they were forced to obey, to law as including ideas of justice.
Answer

This line refers to the protests of Indian nationalists against the violation of the rule of law by British authorities. Indians were discriminated against in their own country by the British colonists and the Sedition Act of 1870 was the most prolific example of the breach of the rule of law. This Act was remonstrated against by Indian freedom fighters in favour of a more just set of rules based on ideals of equality.
Many Indians began to practice the legal profession and used it to demand and gain equal rights for all. Thus, Indians played a major role in the evolution of the rule of law during times of colonial rule.

Question 1.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Social Science Civics Chapter 2 Understanding Secularism

Question 1.
Will the government intervene if some religious group says that their religion allows them to practice infanticide? Give reasons for your answer.
Solution:
Yes, the government will and should intervene because this practice is against the right to freedom to live. Moreover, it is a crime to kill or practice infanticide.

Let’s Recall

Question 1.
List the different types of religious practices 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:
Different types of religious practice:
(i) Jagran
(ii) Kirtan
(iii) Namaj
(iv) Mass
(v) Havan
Yes, this indicates freedom of religious practice.

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:
The government will surely intervene if some religious group says that their religion allows them to practice infanticide. Needless to say that the practice of infanticide is a crime. Under this practice the life of a newly-born child is killed. The law does not allow anyone to kill a life.

Question 3.
Complete the following table:

Answer:

Question 4.
Look up the annual calendar of the holidays of your school. How many of them pertain to different’religions? What does this indicate?
Answer:
Holidays in a school calendar for different religions:

Question 5.
Find out some examples of different views within the same religion.
Answer:
Different views are followed even within the same religion. As for example, only in the Hindu religion, we have hundreds of deities worshipped by different groups of people. Similarly, in the Muslim community, there are Shiyas and Shunnis. In Jainas, there are Shwetambar and Digambar sects. In Buddha Dharma, there are Hinayaans and Mahayaans.

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:
India is a land of complex ideas. It is difficult to understand what it really wants. There are many ideals in the Constitution but practices are quite different from them. In many cases we see laws explain a concept in a different way. But people interpret it differently. Law itself in some cases acts differently. As for example, in secular state law has nothing to say in any of the practices of the religion but when the dominance of upper castes in religion was brought to question the law took favour of the lower castes. This interference of the State creates confusion.

Question 7.
This poster highlights the need for ‘Peace’. It says, “Peace is a never-ending process….. It cannot ignore our differences or overlook our common interests.” Write in your own words what you think the above sentences are trying to convey? How does it relate to the need for religious tolerance?

This chapter had three drawings on religious tolerance made by students of your age. Design your own poster on religious tolerance for your peers.
Answer:

• Peace is a never-ending process. It is the need of today.
• Peace respects our common interest and removes or minimize our difference.
• Peace helps us to live together in harmony.

I. Multiple Choice Questions

Choose the correct option:
(i) Which one is a correct statement with regard to Saudi Arabia?
(a) Non-Muslims can gather in a public place for prayer.
(b) They cannot build a temple, church, etc.
(c) They can live in their own way.
(d) None of the above

(ii) The most important aspect of secularism is its …………
(a) separation of religion from State power
(b) separation of politics from religion
(c) separation of one community from another
(d) mixing of religion with State power

(iii) The government cannot force Sikhs to wear a helmet while driving two-wheelers because ………..
(a) Sikhs are very powerful
(b) they do not obey government rules
(c) they look handsome in pagri
d) wearing a pagri is a very important part of Sikh religion
(iv) In American secularism, there is a …………
(a) the strict separation between religion and the State
(b) the loose separation between religion and the State
(c) the strict mingling of religion with the State
(d) the strict rule that contracts all religions
Answer:
(i) (b), (ii) (a), (iii) (d), (iv) (a).

II. Fill in the Blanks.

Fill in the blanks with appropriate words to complete each sentence.

1. The intervention of the State can also be in the form of ………….
2. In the United States of America, most children in government schools have to begin their school day reciting the
3. ‘Pledge of ……………….
4. The most important aspect of secularism is its separation of religion from …………. power.
5. Government schools don’t celebrate any ………….. festivals on the school premises.
6. The Indian State is not ruled by a ……………….. group and nor does it …………… any one religion.

Answer:

1. support
2. Allegiance
3. state
4. religious
5. religious, support

III. True/False

State whether each of the following statements is True or False.

1. In Indian secularism, the State is not strictly separate from religion.
2. Wearing a pagri is central to a Sikh’s religious practice.
3. Government schools can promote any one religion.
4. The Indian Constitution does not grant religious communities to set up their own schools and colleges.
5. In Indian secularism, the State cannot intervene in religion.

Answer:

1. True
2. True
3. False
4. False
5. False

IV. Matching Skills

Match the items given in Column A correctly with those given in Column B.

Answer:
(i) (d), (ii) (e), (iii) (a), (iv) (b), (v) (c).

Class 8 Social Chapter 2 Understanding Secularism  Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
What examples does history provide us on the grounds of religion?
Answer:
History provides us with several examples of discrimination, exclusion, and persecution on the grounds of religion.

Question 2.
What happened in the Jewish state of Israel?
Answer:
Muslim and Christian minorities were treated badly in the Jewish state of Israel.

Question 3.
How are non-Muslims treated in Saudi Arabia?
Answer:
In Saudi Arabia, non-Muslims are not allowed to build a temple, church etc. They also cannot gather in a public place for prayers.

Question 4.
What does the term ‘secularism’ refer to?
Answer:
The term ‘secularism’ refers to the separation of the power of religion from the power of the State.

Question 5.
What do you mean by the freedom to interpret’?
Answer:
‘Freedom to interpret’ means an individual’s liberty to develop his own understanding and meaning of the religion that one practices.

Question 6.
Why cannot government schools celebrate religious festivals?
Answer:
Government schools cannot celebrate religious festivals because it will be a violation of the government’s policy of treating all religions equally.

Question 7.
Why is Paramjit allowed to drive in pagri?
Answer:
Paramjit is a Sikh youth and for him wearing a pagri is a very important part of his religion.

Question 8.
How is Indian secularism different from that of American secularism?
Answer:
Unlike Indian secularism, there is a strict separation between religion and the State in American secularism.

Question 9.
What is meant by ‘principled distance’?
Answer:
This means that any interference in religion by the State has to be based on the ideals laid out in the Constitution.

Class 8 Social Chapter 2 Understanding Secularism Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
Why is it important to separate religion from the State? Explain with examples.
Answer:
There are two main reasons why the separation of religion from the State is important:

The first is to prevent the domination of one religion over another. Example: Almost all countries of the world will have more than one religious group living in them. Within these religious groups, there will most likely be one group that is in a majority. If this majority religious group has access to State power, then it could quite easily use this power and financial resources to discriminate against and persecute persons of other religions. This would violate Fundamental Rights.

The second is to protect the freedom of individuals to exit from their religion, embrace another religion or have the freedom to interpret religious teachings differently. Example: We can give an example of untouchability in Hindu religious practice. If state power were in the hands of those Hindus who support untouchability, then it would be a difficult task for anyone to abolish this practice.

Question 2.
What are the three objectives of a secular State?
Answer:
The three objectives of a secular State are:

• One religious community does not dominate another.
• Some members do not dominate other members of the same religious community.
• The State does not enforce any particular religion nor does it take away the religious freedom of individuals.

Question 3.
Explain with an example that in Indian secularism the State can intervene in religious affairs.
Answer:
An important aspect of India’s secularism is that the State can intervene in religious affairs. We can prove this fact with an example of untouchability. It was a practice in which the members of the same religion, i.e. upper-caste Hindus, dominated other members, i.e. lower caste people, within it. In order to prevent this religion-based exclusion and discrimination of lower castes, the Indian Constitution banned untouchability. In this instance, the State intervened in religion in order to end a social practice that it believed discriminated against and excluded and that violated the Fundamental Rights of Lower castes.

Question 4.
What is secularism?
Answer:
The Indian Constitution contains Fundamental Rights. These rights are very important because they protect us against State power as well as against the tyranny of the majority. The Indian Constitution allows individuals the freedom to live by their religious beliefs and practices as they interpret these. Thus, our Constitution gives religious freedom to all and to maintain it India adopted a strategy of separating the power of religion and the power of the State. Secularism is, in fact, the separation of religion from the State.

Class 8 Social Chapter 2 Understanding Secularism Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
In what different ways does the Indian State work to prevent religious domination?
Answer:
Indian secularism works in various ways to prevent religious domination:
(a) It uses a strategy of distancing itself from religion. The Indian State is not ruled by a religious group. It also does not support any one religion. In our country, government places like law courts, police stations, government schools, and offices are not supposed to demonstrate or promote any one religion.

(b) The second way in which Indian secularism works to prevent the domination of religion is through a strategy of non-interference. This means that in order to respect the sentiments of all religions and not interfere with religious practices, the State makes certain exceptions for particular religious communities. Just take the example of the Sikh community. For Sikhs, wearing a pagri is a very important part of their religion. The government cannot force them to wear a helmet while driving a two-wheeler.

(c) The third way in which Indian secularism works to prevent the domination of religion is through a strategy of intervention. Untouchability presents a good example where members of the same religion, e.upper caste Hindus, dominate other members, lower castes within it. In order to prevent this religion-based discrimination of lower castes, our Constitution banned untouchability. Here, the State intervened in religion in order to uproot a social practice that it believed discriminated against and excluded, and that violated the Fundamental Rights of the people belonging to the lower caste.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8th: Ch 1 The Indian Constitution Social and Political Life  III

Excercises

1. Why does a democratic country need a Constitution?

Answer

A democratic country need a Constitution because:
→ It lays out the important guidelines that govern decision making within the various societies of the country.
→ It lays down the ideals that form the basis of the kind of country that its citizens aspire to live in.
→ It serves as asset of rules and principles as the basis by which the country has to be governed.
→ It provides rules to safeguard the interests of minorities and prevent any kind of domination by the majority on minorities.

→ It lays down rules that guard against the misuse of power by any politician leader.
→ It also provides rights to its citizens and protects their freedom.

2. Look at the wordings of the two documents given below. The first column is from the 1990 Nepal Constitution. The second column is from the more recent interim Constitution of Nepal.

1990 Constitution of Nepal Part 7: Executive	2007 Interim Constitution Part 5: Executive
Article 35: Executive Power: The executive power of the Kingdom of Nepal shall be vested in His Majesty and the Council of Ministers.	Article 37: Executive Power: the executive power of Nepal shall be vested in the council of Ministers.

What is the difference in who exercises ‘Executive Power’ in the above two Constitutions of Nepal? Keeping this in mind, why do you think Nepal needs a new Constitution today?

Answer

The difference in who exercises “Executive Power” in the given two Constitutions of Nepal is that in the 1990 Constitution, this power was vested in the King and his Council of Ministers, while in the 2007 Interim Constitution of Nepal, “Executive Power” changed hands to being vested only in the Council of Ministers, thereby making Nepal a democracy from being a monarchy.
Nepal needs a new Constitution today because it is no longer a monarchy. The older Constitution vested power in the King, but when the country is now a democracy, a new Constitution is needed to reflect the “democratic” ideals of Nepal that the peoples’ movement desired and fought for. In order to achieve this, all its constitutive rules must be changed.

3. What would happen if there were no restrictions on the power of elected representatives?

Answer

If there are no restrictions on the power of the elected representatives the leaders might misuse the powers given to them. The Constitution provides safeguards against this misuse of power by our political leaders.

4. In each of the following situations, identify the minority. Write one reason why you think it is important to respect the views of the minority in each of these situations.

(a) In a school with 30 teachers, 20 of them are male.
(b) In a city, 5 per cent of the population are Buddhists.
(c) In a factory mess for all employees, 80 per cent are vegetarians.
(d) In a class of 50 students, 40 belong to more well-off families.

(a) In a school with 30 teachers, 20 of them are male.
(b) In a city, 5 per cent of the population are Buddhists.
(c) In a factory mess for all employees, 80 per cent are vegetarians.
(d) In a class of 50 students, 40 belong to more well-off families.

Answer

(a) Female teachers are in minority. The female teachers must be allowed space to voice their opinion so that their efforts at teaching are not hindered by their minority status.

(b) Budhhists are in minority. Every individual has the right to follow the religion of his/her choice. People of other faith must respect the religion other than their own.

(c) Non-vegetrians are in minority. Food choice is personal wish so he/she should have the freedom to eat what he/she wants.

(d) Under privileged are in minority. Citizens cannnot be discriminated by their birth so their views have to be respected.

5. The column on the left lists some of the key features of the Indian Constitution. In the other column write two sentences, in your own words, on why you think this feature is important:

Key Feature	Significance
Federalism Separation of Powers Fundamental Rights Parliamentary Form of Government

Answer

Key features

1. Federalism: It ensures national unity and at the same time allows individual progress. A federal government allows the Centre to hold supreme power but its Constituent States have some power as well.

2. Separation of Powers: This serves two purposes: firstly, tyrannical use of power is avoided since it does not vest power in any single authority. Secondly, the 3 organs of power also work as a check on each other, thereby maintaining a good balance.

3. Fundamental Rights: These are important because they conform to a humane society. They also protect citizens against arbitrary and absolute use of power by the State.

4. Parliamentary Form of Government: It upholds universal adult franchise. This entails the fact that the people of a country play a direct role in electing their representatives to run the state as well as the nation.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8th: Ch Industries Geography

Excercises

1. Answer the following questions.

(i) What is meant by the term ‘industry’?

Answer

The term ‘industry’ refers to an economic activity that is concerned with the production of goods (e.g., iron and steel industry), extraction of minerals (e.g., coal mining industry) or provision of services (e.g., tourism industry).

(ii) What are the main factors which influence the location of an industry?

Answer

Factors influencing the location of an industry:
→ Availability of raw material
→ Availability of land
→ Adequate supply of water
→ Adequate supply of labour
→ Access to power
→ Amount of capital
→ Access to transport
→Presence of market

(iii) Which industry is often referred to as the backbone of modern industry and why?

Answer

Iron and steel industry is often referred to as the backbone of the modern industry because almost everything is either made from iron or steel or has been made using tools and machineries of these metals. There are plenty of examples like -ships, trains, vehicles; all are made largely of steel. Materials of our day-to-day use starting safety pin to our building in which we live, are made from steel. Without the use of iron no industry can run.

(iv) Why cotton textile industry rapidly expanded in Mumbai?

Answer

Cotton textile rapidly expanded in Mumbai because its warm, moist climate, facility of port for importing of machinery and above all the easy availability of skilled labour.

(v) What are the similarities between information technology industry in Bangalore and California?

Answer

Similarities between information technology industry in Bangalore and California:
→ Presence of high quality educational institutions, and advanced scientific and technological centres
→ Pleasant climate and clean environment.
→ Presence of good quality, skilled workforce.
→ Access to markets.
→ Well-developed and well-connected.

2. Tick the correct answer.

(i) Silicon Valley is located in
(a) Bangalore
(b) California
(c) Ahmedabad
► (b) California

(ii) Which one of the following industries is known as sunrise industry?
(a) Iron and steel industry
(b) Cotton textile

https://bc6f4487715ae55a19cb84bde62bf758.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

(c) Information technology
► (c) Information technology

(iii) Which one of the following is a natural fibre?
(a) Nylon
(b) Jute
(c) Acrylic
► (b) Jute

3. Distinguish between the following

(i) Agro-based and mineral-based industry

Agro-based industry	Mineral-based industry
Uses plant and animal products as raw materials	Uses mineral ores as raw materials
Source of employment for people in rural areas	Source of employment for people in rural as well as urban areas
Example: Dairy industry, cotton textile industry	Example: Iron and steel industry, heavy machinery industry

(ii) Public-sector and joint-sector industry

Public-sector industry	Joint-sector industry
Owned and operated by the government	Jointly owned and operated by the government and individuals or a group of individuals
Example: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Steel Authority of India Limited	Example: Maruti Udyog Limited

4. Give two examples of the following in the space provided.

(i) Raw materials: ____________ and _____________
(ii) End product: ____________ and _____________
(iii) Tertiary activities: ____________ and _____________
(iv) Agro-based industries: ____________ and _____________

(v) Cottage industries: ____________ and _____________
(vi) Co-operatives: ____________ and _____________

Answer

(i)Raw materials: cotton and steel
(ii)End product: shirt and safety pin
(iii)Tertiary activities: banking and transport
(iv)Agro-based industries: dairy industry and cotton textile industry
(v)Cottage industries: pottery industry and basket-weaving industry
(vi)Co-operatives: Anand Milk Union Limited and Sudha Dairy

NCERT Solutions for Class 8th: Ch 4 Agriculture Geography Social Studies

Excercises

1. Answer the following questions.

(i) What is agriculture?

Answer

Agriculture is the primary activity which includes growing of crops, fruits, vegetables, flowers and rearing of livestock. It is also known as farming.

(ii) Name the factors influencing agriculture.

Answer

Various factors influencing agriculture are – Favourable topography, Soil and Climate.

(iii) What is shifting cultivation? What are its disadvantages?

Answer

Shifting cultivation or slash-and-burn cultivation is a type of farming activity which involves clearing a plot of land by felling trees, burning the felled trees, mixing the ashes with soil, and then growing crops like maize, yam, potatoes and cassava on the cleared land. After the soil loses its fertility, the land is abandoned and the cultivator moves on to a new plot. 

This type of farming has the following disadvantages.

→ Deforestation
→ After some time the land loses its fertility.
→ Soil erosion.
→ Small patches of cultivation which is insufficient for feeding a large population.

(iv) What is plantation agriculture?

Answer

Plantation agriculture is a type of commercial farming where a single crop of tea, coffee, sugarcane, cashew, rubber, banana or cotton is grown. Large amount of labour and capital is required in this type of farming. The produce is either processed on the farm itself or in nearby factories. Major plantations are found in the tropical regions of the world, like rubber in Malaysia, coffee in Brazil, tea in India and Sri Lanka, etc.

(v) Name the fibre crops and name the climatic conditions required for their growth.

Answer

Jute & cotton are known as fiber crops. The climatic conditions required for their growth are:
→ Jute (Golden Fiber): High temperature more than 25°C, heavy rainfall, warm and humid climate.
→ Cotton: High temperature around 30 – 40°C, low rainfall and most importantly 210 frost-free days and bright sunshine. Means lot of cloud-free sunny days is essential for cotton growing.

2. Tick the correct answer.

(i) Horticulture means
(a) Growing of fruits and vegetables
(b) Primitive farming
(c) Growing of wheat
► (a) Growing of fruits and vegetables

(ii) Golden fibre refers to
(a) Tea
(b) Cotton
(c) Jute
► (c) Jute

(iii) Leading producer of coffee
(a) Brazil
(b) India
(c) Russia
► (a) Brazil 

3. Give reasons.

(i) In India agriculture is a primary activity.

Answer

Two-third of India’s population is dependent upon agriculture. Hence, in India, agriculture is a primary activity.

(ii) Different crops are grown in different regions.

Answer

Different crops are grown in different regions because growing of crops depends upon the geographical conditions, demand of produce, labour and level of technology. Favourable topography of soil, climates also play an important role in selection of crops to be grown in that area.

4. Distinguish between the following.

(i) Primary activities and tertiary activities

https://10dc09cd5dd1ad355c44d1f48f70a191.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

Primary activities	Tertiary activities
Connected with the extraction and production of natural resources	Provide support to the primary and secondary sectors
Example: Agriculture, fishing	Example: Services such as banking and transport

(ii) Subsistence farming and intensive farming

Subsistence farming	Intensive farming
Practised to meet the needs of the farmer’s family; involves the use of low levels of technology and household labour for producing a small output	A type of subsistence farming; involves the annual cultivation of a small plot of land using simple tools and more labour

NCERT Solutions for Class 8th: Ch 3 Mineral and Power Resources Geography Social Studies

Page No: 37

Exercises

1. Answer the following questions.

(i) Name any three common minerals used by you everyday.

Answer

Salt, Gold and Copper are three common minerals used everyday

(ii) What is an ore? Where are the ores of metallic minerals generally located?

Answer

Rocks from which minerals are mined are known as ores. For any material to be called ore of any mineral, it must contain minimum adequate quantity of that mineral so that it can be extracted profitably.

(iii) Name two regions rich in natural gas resources.

Answer

Russia and Norway are the two regions rich in natural gas resources.

(iv) Which sources of energy would you suggest for

(a) Rural areas
(b) Coastal areas
(c) Arid regions

Answer

(a) Biogas energy for rural areas
(b) Hydel and tidal energy for coastal areas
(c) Wind and solar energy for arid regions

(v) Give five ways in which you can save energy at home.

Answer

Five ways in which energy can be saved at home:
→ Switching off lights, fans and other electrical appliances when not in use
→ By seeing to it that electrical devices are operating efficiently; for example, defrosting refrigerator regularly and not keeping the refrigerator door open for longer than necessary

→ Using energy-efficient devices such as fluorescent bulbs and tubes

→ Using energy efficiently while cooking; for example, keeping the lids of pans on while cooking
→ Unplugging electrical devices when not in use prevents leakage of electricity; thus saving energy.

2. Tick the correct answer.

(i) Which one of the following is nota characteristic of minerals?
(a) They are created by natural processes.
(b) They have a definite chemical composition.
(c) They are inexhaustible.
(d) Their distribution is uneven.
► (c) They are inexhaustible.

(ii) Which one of the following is nota producer of mica?
(a) Jharkhand
(b) Karnataka
(c) Rajasthan
(d) Andhra Pradesh
► (b) Karnataka

(iii) Which one of the following is a leading producer of copper in the world?
(a) Bolivia
(b) Ghana
(c) Chile
(d) Zimbabwe
► (c) Chile

(iv) Which one of the following practises will not conserve LPG in your kitchen?
(a) Soaking the dal for some time before cooking it.
(b) Cooking food in a pressure cooker.
(c) Keeping the vegetables chopped before lighting the gas for cooking.
(d) Cooking food in an open pan kept on low flame.
► (d) Cooking food in an open pan kept on low flame.

3. Give reasons.

(i) Environmental aspects must be carefully looked into before building huge dams.

Answer

Environmental aspects must be carefully looked into before building huge dams because of the following reasons –
→ Dams create imbalance in the earth’s equilibrium.
→. Deforestation leads to environmental pollution.
→ People become displaced.

→ Cities / villages / towns may require shifting causing lot of hardships for the people.
→ Flood threats loom large.
→ Earthquake threats
→ Silting of lakes is a problem.

(ii) Most industries are concentrated around coal mines.

Answer

Coal is used as a source of energy and power and also as a raw material in most of the industries. Hence most industries are concentrated around coal mines of the purpose saving cost of transportation of coal (cost effectiveness).

(iii) Petroleum is referred to as “black gold”.

Answer

Petroleum is referred to as “black gold” because it is black in colour in the crude form and its derivatives are extremely valuable as petroleum itself. Today it is almost inevitable in our day-to-day life. A variety of products like – kerosene, diesel, petrol, wax, plastics, lubricants etc. are produced from these mineral resources.

(iv) Quarrying can become a major environmental concern.

Answer

Quarrying can become a major environmental concern because of the following reasons:
→ It may destroy the humus of soil which is much required for the growth of plants and crops.

→It produces a lot of noise pollution due to use of explosives at times in order to break the huge chunks of rocks.
→ In the process of quarrying lot of dust is generated which causes air pollution and also occupational hazards.
→ Blasting done in the process of quarrying generate vibration which damage in the nearby buildings, dams or any other similar structure.
4. Distinguish between the following.

(i) Conventional and non-conventional sources of energy

Conventional sources of energy	Non-conventional sources of energy
Have been in common use for a long time	Are not commonly used
Are generally exhaustible	Are generally inexhaustible
Are mostly polluting	Are mostly non-polluting
Example: Firewood, coal	Example: Solar energy, nuclear energy

(ii) Biogas and natural gas

Biogas	Natural gas
Formed using organic wastes such as dead plant and animal matter, animal dung and kitchen waste	Found along with petroleum deposits and gets released when crude oil is brought to the surface
Is a non-conventional source of energy	Is a conventional source of energy
Is easily available, especially in rural areas	Is not easily available; very few countries have sufficient natural gas reserves of their own
Is polluting; causes greenhouse effect as it releases carbon dioxide	Is a cleaner fuel
Used as a domestic fuel for cooking and lighting	Used as a domestic fuel as well as an industrial fuel

(iii) Ferrous and non-ferrous minerals

Ferrous mineral	Non-ferrous mineral
A metallic mineral that contains iron	A metallic mineral that does not contain iron
Example: Iron ore, manganese	Example: Gold, silver

(iv) Metallic and non-metallic minerals

Metallic mineral	Non-metallic mineral
A mineral containing metal in raw form	A mineral not containing metal
Example: Bauxite, iron ore	Example: Limestone, gypsum