CLASS 8TH - CIVIC - UNDERSTANDING SECULARISM

Civics Chapter 2 – Understanding Secularism
Short Answer Type Questions

1. “The government cannot force Sikhs to wear a helmet while driving two wheelers.”
Give reason.
Answer: This is because the Indian State recognises that wearing a pugri (turban) is central to a
Sikh’s religious practice and in order not to interfere with this, allows an exception in the law.
2. What provision has been made by the government to follow religious equality in
government spaces, schools and offices?
Answer: In India, government spaces like law courts, police stations, government schools and
offices are not supposed to display or promote any one religion. Government schools cannot
promote any one religion either in their morning prayers or through religious celebrations.
3. When does discrimination occur?

Answer: Discrimination occurs when members of one religious community either persecute or
discriminate against members of other religious communities. These acts of discrimination take
place more easily when one religion is given official recognition by the State at the expense of
other religions.
4. How Indian concept of secularism is different from United States?

Answer: There is one significant way in which Indian secularism differs from the dominant
understanding of secularism as practised in the United States of America. This is because unlike
the strict separation between religion and the State in American secularism, in Indian secularism
the State can intervene in religious affairs.
5. Why government schools are not allowed to celebrate religious festival?

Answer: The celebration of the religious festival within the school would be a violation of the
government’s policy of treating all religions equally. Government schools cannot promote any
one religion either in their morning prayers or through religious celebrations. That’s why
government schools are not allowed to celebrate religious festival.
6. What is secularism in Indian context?

Answer: The Indian Constitution allows individuals the freedom to live by their religious
beliefs and practices as they interpret these. In keeping with this idea of religious freedom for
all, India also adopted a strategy of separating the power of religion and the power of the State.
Secularism refers to this separation of religion from the State.
7. When was law passed by French government banning religious symbols in school?
What was its impact?
Answer: In February 2004, France passed a law banning students from wearing any
conspicuous religious or political signs or symbols such as the Islamic headscarf, the Jewish
skullcap, or large Christian crosses. This law has encountered a lot of resistance from
immigrants who are mainly from the former French colonies of Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco.
8. State 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;
State does not enforce any particular religion nor take away the religious freedom of
individuals.
9. Why is it important to separate religion from the State?

Answer: It is important to separate religion from the State because of the following reasons:
To prevent the domination of one religion over another.
To protect the freedom of individuals to exit from their religion, embrace another religion or
have the freedom to interpret religious teachings differently.
10. Site some historical examples of discrimination.
Answer: Historical examples of discrimination are:
Jews were persecuted in Hitler’s Germany.
Jewish State of Israel treats its own Muslim and Christian minorities quite badly.
In Saudi Arabia, non-Muslims are not allowed to build a temple, church etc., and nor can they
gather in a public place for prayers.
11. 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 various types of religious practice found in our neighbourhood are:
 Hindu performing Puja and Havan
 Muslims offering Namaz
 Sikhs visiting Gurudwara
 Christians praying in Church
There are churches, gurudwaras, mosques and temples in our neighbourhood. People of
different cultures and religions stay together and celebrate festivals. This indicates that all the
citizens are able to practice their religion with freedom in secular environment.
12. In what ways does the Indian state work to prevent domination of the majority
religious group?
Answer: The Indian State works in various ways to prevent the domination.
First, it uses a strategy of distancing itself from religion. The Indian State is not ruled by a
religious group and nor does it support any one religion. In India, government spaces like law
courts, police stations, government schools and offices are not supposed to display or promote
any one religion.
The second way in which Indian secularism works to prevent the above domination is through a
strategy of noninterference. 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.
The third way in which Indian secularism works to prevent the domination listed earlier is
through a strategy of intervention. The State intervenes in religion in order to end a social
practice that it believes discriminates and excludes, and that violates the Fundamental Rights of
people who are citizens of this country.

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Civics Chapter 2 – Understanding Secularism

Short Answer Type Questions

3. When does discrimination occur?

4. How Indian concept of secularism is different from United States?

5. Why government schools are not allowed to celebrate religious festival?

6. What is secularism in Indian context?

8. State the three objectives of a secular State.

9. Why is it important to separate religion from the State?

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