Understanding Secularism - Worksheets
CBSE Worksheet 01
Ch-20 Understanding Secularism
Ch-20 Understanding Secularism
- Majority of the population of Israel is
- Christian
- Muslim
- Jewish
- No majority religion in Israel
- Untouchability is an ancient practice of
- Hinduism
- None of these
- Christianity
- Islam
- The most important aspect of secularism is its ………….
- separation of one community from another
- mixing of religion with State power
- separation of politics from religion
- separation of religion from State power
- Match the following:
(i) India (a) Right constitution (ii) Hitler (b) Skullcap (iii) USA (c) Secular state (iv) Jews (d) Germany - Fill in the blanks:
- ________ is a country which gives fundamental rights to the citizen to practice their individual religion.
- ________ means peace and cooperation between individuals.
- _______ cannot declare any religion an official religion.
- Indian secularism works to prevent ______ and ___________ .
- State true or false:
- Private schools cannot promote any one religion through their morning prayers or religious celebrations.
- In Indian Secularism, the State is not strictly separate from religion.
- The Indian Constitution does not allow religious communities to set- up their own schools and colleges.
- The police stations in India are supposed to display and profess the religion of the police superintendent.
- In Indian secularism the State is strictly separate from religion.(True/False)
- What examples does history provide us on the grounds of religion?
- What do you mean by freedom to interpret’?
- The Indian Constitution does not grant religious communities to set up their own schools and colleges. -(True/False)
- Mention the two reasons why the separation between religion and state is important.
- Explain with an example that in Indian secularism the State can intervene in religious affairs.
- Describe the various ways to prevent religions domination by the Indian constitution.
CBSE Worksheet 01
Ch-20 Understanding Secularism
Ch-20 Understanding Secularism
Answer
- Jewish, Explanation: The majority of the population of Israel is Jewish.
- Hinduism, Explanation: Untouchability is an ancient practice of Hinduism. Untouchability originated because of the deliberate policy of the upper-caste Brahmanas.
- separation of religion from State power, Explanation: The most important aspect of secularism is its separation of religion from State power. This is important for a country to function democratically.
- India - (c) Secular state
- Hitler - (d) Germany
- USA - (a) Rigid constitution
- Jews - (b) Skullcap
- India is a country which gives fundamental rights to the citizen to practice their individual religion.
- Harmony means peace and cooperation between individuals.
- The legislature cannot declare any religion an official religion.
- Indian secularism works to prevent religious domination and discrimination.
- False
- True
- False
- False
- True
- History provides us with several examples of discrimination, exclusion and persecution on the grounds of religion.
- ‘Freedom to interpret’ means an individual’s liberty to develop his own understanding and meaning of the religion that one practises.
- False: The Indian Constitution grants the right to religious communities to set up their own schools and colleges. It also gives them financial aid on a non- preferential basis.
- The two reasons why the separation between religion and state is important are as:
- To prevent the domination of one religion over another religion.
- To protect the freedom of individuals to come out of their religion and freedom to interpret religious teachings differently.
- An important aspect of India 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 pf 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 and excluded and that violated the Fundamental Rights of Lower castes.
- The various ways to prevent religious domination by the Indian constitution are:
- It uses a strategy of distancing itself from religion. The Indian state is not ruled by a religious group, nor does it support any one religion.
- Indian secularism works to prevent the domination of religion 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.
- The third way in which Indian secularism works to prevent the domination of religion is through a strategy of intervention for example; ‘Untouchability’. In this case, the members of the same religion, i.e., upper-caste Hindus dominate the lower caste within it. In order to prevent this religion based on exclusion and discrimination of lower castes, the Indian constitution bans untouchability.