LIWA

Fundamental Rights and Duties

ICSE Class 7 · History & Civics · Chapter 12

What this chapter covers

Key definitions

A right is a claim of a person that is accepted by society and protected by law.

Fundamental Rights are the basic rights of the people of India that are written in the Constitution and that the courts protect.

A reasonable restriction is a fair limit that the law places on a Fundamental Right in order to protect other people or the country as a whole.

Equality is the condition in which every person is treated in the same way by the law and has the same chances in life, without favour or prejudice.

Rule of law is the idea that the law is above every person, and that no one, not even the most powerful official, can act outside the law.

Discrimination is the unfair treatment of a person or a group because of who they are, such as their religion, caste, sex or place of birth.

Liberty is the freedom of a person to think, speak and act as they choose, within limits that protect the rights of others.

Exploitation is the unfair use of another person's work or weakness for one's own gain.

Human trafficking is the buying, selling or moving of people, often by force or trickery, so that they can be made to work or be used unfairly.

Begar is work that a person is forced to do without any payment.

Bonded labour is a system in which a person is forced to work for a lender, often for many years, to pay back a loan.

A secular state is a state that has no official religion of its own and treats all religions equally.

Key points

Questions answered

What are Fundamental Rights, and why are they called fundamental?
Fundamental Rights are the basic rights of the people of India written in the Constitution and protected by the courts. They are called fundamental because every person needs them to live with dignity and they rank above ordinary laws.
Name the six Fundamental Rights. Which right was removed from the original list?
Right to Equality, Right to Freedom, Right against Exploitation, Right to Freedom of Religion, Cultural and Educational Rights, and Right to Constitutional Remedies. The Right to Property was removed in 1978.
Give two ways in which the Right to Equality tries to remove old injustices.
It abolishes untouchability and makes its practice an offence. It also ends titles such as "Rai Bahadur" that set a few people above others. (Allowing special help for backward groups is also correct.)
List any four of the six freedoms given to citizens under Article 19.
Any four of: freedom of speech and expression; to assemble peacefully without arms; to form associations or unions; to move freely throughout India; to live and settle in any part of India; to practise any profession or carry on any trade or business.
Why are Fundamental Rights subject to reasonable restrictions?
Unlimited rights could harm other people or the country. Reasonable restrictions protect public order, health, the security of the country and the rights of others, while courts make sure the limits are fair.
What is bonded labour, and which right forbids it?
Bonded labour is forced work done to repay a loan, often for years, with wages so low that the debt never ends. The Right against Exploitation forbids it.
Can a student be made to attend a religious lesson in a school that receives government money? Give a reason.
No. The Right to Freedom of Religion says no student in such a school can be compelled to take part in religious instruction without consent.
Why did Dr B.R. Ambedkar call the Right to Constitutional Remedies the heart and soul of the Constitution?
It lets a person go straight to the Supreme Court or a High Court when any Fundamental Right is taken away. Without it, the other rights could not be enforced.