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School Social Studies Gap Book (Classes VI-X themes) · Chapter 7

Social Organisation and Inequities

What to remember

  • Indian society was divided by caste, gender and community, and reformers and movements worked to end these divisions. The Constitution now guarantees equality and bans untouchability (Article 17).
  • Phule, Ambedkar, Periyar and Narayana Guru led the fight against caste; Savitribai Phule, Ramabai, Vidyasagar and Veeresalingam worked for women. Adivasi revolts defended forest and land rights.
  • The law gives protection and reservation to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and minorities. Their rights are in Articles 15, 16, 17, 29, 30 and 46.

1. Equality and inequality

Equality means that every person has the same dignity and the same chance, whatever their caste, sex, religion or birthplace. It does not mean that all are the same; it means no one is treated as lower.

Inequality shows itself as:

  • Caste: birth-based groups ranked high and low, with *untouchability* at the bottom. Dalits were kept out of wells, temples and schools.
  • Gender: girls had less education, early marriage, and little property or voice.
  • Economic: the poor lacked land, work and education.
  • Community: minorities and tribal groups faced neglect or prejudice.

The Constitution responds with Article 14 (equality before law), Article 15 (no discrimination), Article 16 (equal opportunity in public jobs), Article 17 (untouchability abolished) and special measures such as reservation. The Protection of Civil Rights Act (1955) and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act (1989) punish caste discrimination and violence.

1A. Reform societies at a glance

SocietyFounderMain aim
Brahmo Samaj (1828)Raja Ram Mohan RoyOne God, end of sati and idol worship, women's education
Arya Samaj (1875)Dayananda SaraswatiReturn to the Vedas, girls' schools, opposition to untouchability
Satyashodhak Samaj (1873)Jyotirao PhuleEqual rights for lower castes and women
Ramakrishna Mission (1897)Swami VivekanandaService to the poor and education
Self-Respect Movement (1925)PeriyarRationalism, end of caste and priestly control
Aligarh movementSir Syed Ahmad KhanModern education among Muslims

Kandukuri Veeresalingam is remembered as the father of the modern Telugu reform movement. He started the journal *Vivekavardhini*, wrote *Rajasekhara Charitramu* (an early Telugu novel), opened schools, and worked against child marriage and for widow remarriage. His work shows that reform in the Telugu country went together with the growth of Telugu prose and education.

Why reform movements matter. They used newspapers, schools, petitions and public meetings. Many were helped by laws passed by the colonial government, but the reformers themselves were Indians who questioned customs using reason, and in some cases, the old texts. Their ideas of equality later shaped the Constitution.

2. The women's movement

In the nineteenth century, women faced child marriage, sati, a ban on widow remarriage and exclusion from school. Reformers took up their cause.

Reformer / bodyContribution
Raja Ram Mohan RoyCampaigned against sati; sati was banned in 1829 under Governor-General William Bentinck
Ishwar Chandra VidyasagarWorked for widow remarriage; the Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act was passed in 1856
Jyotirao and Savitribai PhuleOpened a girls' school in Pune in 1848; Savitribai is known as India's first woman teacher
Kandukuri VeeresalingamTelugu reformer; supported widow remarriage and girls' education and conducted widow marriages in the Telugu country
Pandita RamabaiFounded the Arya Mahila Samaj and Sharada Sadan to educate widows
Begum Rokeya Sakhawat HussainFounded a school for Muslim girls in Calcutta and wrote for women's freedom
Women's Indian Association and AIWCWomen's organisations formed in 1917 and 1927 to demand education, rights and the vote
  • Many women joined the freedom struggle, such as Sarojini Naidu, and took part in the Salt March and the Quit India Movement.
  • Laws that protect women today include the Dowry Prohibition Act (1961), the Equal Remuneration Act (1976), the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (2005), and the Right to Education for girls and boys.
  • The 73rd and 74th Amendments reserved seats for women in panchayats and municipalities.

3. Caste reform and the non-Brahman movement

Jyotirao Phule (Maharashtra) started the Satyashodhak Samaj in 1873 to give lower castes equal rights. He wrote *Gulamgiri* (slavery) to expose caste domination and opened schools for girls and for Dalit children.

B. R. Ambedkar led the Dalit movement. He edited the paper *Mooknayak*, founded the Bahishkrit Hitakarini Sabha (1924), led the Mahad Satyagraha (1927) to claim the right to drink water from a public tank, and demanded temple entry. In 1932 the Poona Pact between Gandhi and Ambedkar gave Dalits reserved seats within general electorates instead of a separate electorate. Ambedkar later chaired the Drafting Committee of the Constitution.

Sree Narayana Guru in Kerala preached "One caste, one religion, one God for humankind". The Vaikom Satyagraha (1924-25) demanded that lower castes use the roads around a temple.

The non-Brahman movement arose in Madras Presidency, which then included the Telugu country. It protested against Brahmin dominance in jobs and education.

  • The Justice Party (South Indian Liberal Federation) was formed in 1916 and won the first elections under the dyarchy system.
  • E. V. Ramasamy (Periyar) began the Self-Respect Movement (1925), which rejected caste hierarchy and priestly authority and supported women's equality.
  • In the Telugu region the movement merged with demands for education, jobs and the Adi-Andhra and Adi-Dravida cause for Dalits.

Dr Ambedkar's later work. He founded the Independent Labour Party (1936) and later the Scheduled Castes Federation. As India's first Law Minister, he helped frame the Hindu Code ideas for women's rights. Late in life, in 1956, he embraced Buddhism with many followers.

Gandhi called Dalits *Harijans* and campaigned against untouchability through the Harijan Sevak Sangh. Ambedkar preferred the word Dalit and demanded legal rights, not just goodwill.

4. Adivasis

Adivasis (tribal peoples) live mainly in forests and hills, depending on forest produce, shifting cultivation and hunting. Under British rule, forest laws (such as the Indian Forest Act, 1865 and 1878) limited their access, while moneylenders and outsiders took their land.

RevoltRegion / leaderCause
Santhal Hool (1855)Jharkhand-Bengal region, Sidhu and KanhuMoneylenders and landlord exploitation
Munda Ulgulan (1899-1900)Chotanagpur, Birsa MundaLoss of land; outsiders
Rampa Rebellion (1922-24)Godavari hills, Alluri Sitarama RajuForest restrictions and forced labour
  • Alluri Sitarama Raju led tribal fighters of the Eastern Ghats in guerrilla warfare against the British. He is remembered as *Manyam Veerudu* (hero of the forest).
  • AP's tribal communities include Chenchu, Konda Reddi, Savara, Gadaba, Koya and Khond. Their areas are protected as Scheduled Areas.
  • The Constitution recognises Scheduled Tribes, with reservation in education, jobs and legislatures, and Fifth Schedule protection for tribal areas.
  • The PESA Act (1996) gives gram sabhas in Scheduled Areas power over local resources. The Forest Rights Act (2006) recognises forest dwellers' rights over land and forest produce.

5. Dalits and minorities

Dalits. Dalits (Scheduled Castes) suffered untouchability and were denied temples, wells and schools. Remedies include:

  • Article 17 abolishes untouchability, and its practice in any form is a punishable offence.
  • Reservation in education, jobs and legislatures.
  • Free education, hostels and scholarships.
  • The Atrocities Act, which provides special courts and stronger punishment.

Minorities. In India, religious minorities include Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Parsis. The Constitution:

  • Guarantees freedom of religion (Articles 25-28).
  • Lets minorities protect their language, script and culture and run their own educational institutions (Articles 29 and 30).
  • Provides a National Commission for Minorities to watch over their interests.
  • Calls India a secular state, meaning it has no official religion and treats all faiths equally.

Classroom angle. A teacher should use inclusive language, seat children without caste or gender bias, share the stories of reformers from all groups and encourage discussion that respects differences. Activities like role play of the Mahad Satyagraha help children feel what discrimination is.

Exam traps

  • Phule vs Ambedkar: Satyashodhak Samaj (1873) is Phule's; Mahad Satyagraha (1927) is Ambedkar's.
  • Periyar vs Narayana Guru: Self-Respect Movement (Tamil country) vs "One caste, one religion, one God" (Kerala).
  • Sati ban vs widow remarriage act: 1829 (Bentinck, Roy) vs 1856 (Vidyasagar).
  • Poona Pact vs Communal Award: the Pact (1932) replaced the separate electorate with reserved seats.
  • Justice Party vs Self-Respect Movement: 1916 political party vs 1925 social movement.
  • Santhal Hool vs Munda Ulgulan: Sidhu-Kanhu 1855 vs Birsa Munda 1899-1900.
  • Rampa Rebellion vs other tribal revolts: Alluri Sitarama Raju is linked only with the Godavari hills.
  • Article 17 vs Article 15: untouchability vs general non-discrimination.

One-liners

  • 1. Article 17 abolishes untouchability.
  • 2. The SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act was passed in 1989.
  • 3. Savitribai Phule is known as India's first woman teacher.
  • 4. Phule wrote *Gulamgiri* and founded the Satyashodhak Samaj in 1873.
  • 5. Ambedkar led the Mahad Satyagraha in 1927.
  • 6. The Poona Pact (1932) was signed by Gandhi and Ambedkar.
  • 7. The Justice Party was formed in 1916.
  • 8. Periyar began the Self-Respect Movement in 1925.
  • 9. Sati was banned in 1829 and widow remarriage was legalised in 1856.
  • 10. Alluri Sitarama Raju led the Rampa Rebellion of 1922-24.
  • 11. Birsa Munda led the Ulgulan in Chotanagpur.
  • 12. The PESA Act (1996) empowers gram sabhas in Scheduled Areas.

Practice questions

  1. Which Article of the Constitution abolishes untouchability?

    1. Article 15
    2. Article 14
    3. Article 16
    4. Article 17
    Answer

    D. Article 17

    Article 17 abolishes untouchability and forbids its practice.

  2. Who founded the Satyashodhak Samaj?

    1. Periyar
    2. B. R. Ambedkar
    3. Jyotirao Phule
    4. Narayana Guru
    Answer

    C. Jyotirao Phule

    It was founded in 1873 in Maharashtra.

  3. Who is known as India's first woman teacher?

    1. Rokeya Sakhawat Hussain
    2. Pandita Ramabai
    3. Sarojini Naidu
    4. Savitribai Phule
    Answer

    D. Savitribai Phule

    She taught in the girls' school opened in Pune in 1848.

  4. Sati was banned in 1829 during the time of

    1. Lord Dalhousie
    2. Lord Ripon
    3. Lord Curzon
    4. William Bentinck
    Answer

    D. William Bentinck

    Raja Ram Mohan Roy campaigned for the ban.

  5. The Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act of 1856 followed the efforts of

    1. Dayananda Saraswati
    2. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
    3. Sir Syed Ahmad Khan
    4. Jyotirao Phule
    Answer

    B. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar

    Vidyasagar campaigned for widow remarriage in Bengal.

  6. Kandukuri Veeresalingam is best known as a

    1. tribal rebel leader
    2. Justice Party founder
    3. Telugu social reformer
    4. Dalit political leader
    Answer

    C. Telugu social reformer

    He worked for widow remarriage and girls' education.

  7. The Mahad Satyagraha of 1927 was led by

    1. B. R. Ambedkar
    2. Jyotirao Phule
    3. Periyar
    4. Mahatma Gandhi
    Answer

    A. B. R. Ambedkar

    It asserted Dalits' right to take water from a public tank.

  8. The Poona Pact (1932) was signed between

    1. Gandhi and Nehru
    2. Gandhi and Ambedkar
    3. Ambedkar and Periyar
    4. Phule and Gandhi
    Answer

    B. Gandhi and Ambedkar

    It gave Dalits reserved seats within the general electorate.

  9. 'One caste, one religion, one God for humankind' is the message of

    1. Sree Narayana Guru
    2. Swami Vivekananda
    3. Periyar
    4. Raja Ram Mohan Roy
    Answer

    A. Sree Narayana Guru

    He led social reform among the Ezhavas in Kerala.

  10. The Self-Respect Movement was started in 1925 by

    1. Annie Besant
    2. Jyotirao Phule
    3. B. R. Ambedkar
    4. E. V. Ramasamy (Periyar)
    Answer

    D. E. V. Ramasamy (Periyar)

    It rejected caste hierarchy and promoted rationalism.

  11. The Justice Party (South Indian Liberal Federation) was formed in

    1. 1885
    2. 1906
    3. 1916
    4. 1925
    Answer

    C. 1916

    It voiced non-Brahman demands in the Madras Presidency.

  12. The non-Brahman movement mainly demanded

    1. ban on all education
    2. a fair share in jobs and education
    3. end of British rule at once
    4. separate Muslim state
    Answer

    B. a fair share in jobs and education

    It protested against Brahmin dominance in public jobs.

  13. Which book by Jyotirao Phule criticised caste domination?

    1. Gulamgiri
    2. Discovery of India
    3. Vivekavardhini
    4. Mooknayak
    Answer

    A. Gulamgiri

    Gulamgiri means slavery.

  14. The Santhal Hool of 1855 was led by

    1. Alluri Sitarama Raju
    2. Tantia Tope
    3. Sidhu and Kanhu
    4. Birsa Munda
    Answer

    C. Sidhu and Kanhu

    The Santhals rose against moneylenders and landlords.

  15. The Ulgulan (Great Tumult) of 1899-1900 was led by

    1. Sidhu and Kanhu
    2. Alluri Sitarama Raju
    3. Komaram Bheem
    4. Birsa Munda
    Answer

    D. Birsa Munda

    It was in Chotanagpur against the loss of tribal land.

  16. The Rampa Rebellion of 1922-24 was led by

    1. Birsa Munda
    2. Alluri Sitarama Raju
    3. Sidhu
    4. Kanhu
    Answer

    B. Alluri Sitarama Raju

    He fought in the Godavari hills of the Eastern Ghats.

  17. Alluri Sitarama Raju is also called

    1. Manyam Veerudu
    2. Desh Bandhu
    3. Andhra Kesari
    4. Lok Manya
    Answer

    A. Manyam Veerudu

    The name means hero of the forest region.

  18. Which of the following is a tribal community found in Andhra Pradesh?

    1. Munda
    2. Maratha
    3. Chenchu
    4. Santhal
    Answer

    C. Chenchu

    Chenchus live in the Nallamala forest region.

  19. The PESA Act of 1996 empowers

    1. municipal corporations
    2. the Rajya Sabha
    3. High Courts
    4. gram sabhas in Scheduled Areas
    Answer

    D. gram sabhas in Scheduled Areas

    It gives tribal villages a role in local resources.

  20. The Forest Rights Act of 2006 recognises the rights of

    1. private timber traders
    2. forest-dwelling communities over forest land and produce
    3. tourists
    4. mining companies
    Answer

    B. forest-dwelling communities over forest land and produce

    It addresses historical injustice to forest dwellers.

  21. Which Act punishes atrocities against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes?

    1. Dowry Prohibition Act
    2. Right to Education Act
    3. Equal Remuneration Act
    4. SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act
    Answer

    D. SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act

    It was enacted in 1989.

  22. The Dowry Prohibition Act was passed in

    1. 1961
    2. 2005
    3. 1829
    4. 1950
    Answer

    A. 1961

    It makes giving and taking dowry an offence.

  23. Which Articles protect the cultural and educational rights of minorities?

    1. Articles 14 and 15
    2. Articles 19 and 21
    3. Articles 29 and 30
    4. Articles 23 and 24
    Answer

    C. Articles 29 and 30

    Minorities may conserve their culture and run institutions.

  24. Secularism in India means

    1. only one religion is taught
    2. religion is banned
    3. the State has no official religion and treats all faiths equally
    4. minorities have no rights
    Answer

    C. the State has no official religion and treats all faiths equally

    India respects all religions equally.

  25. Pandita Ramabai founded

    1. Brahmo Samaj
    2. Justice Party
    3. Satyashodhak Samaj
    4. Sharada Sadan for the education of widows
    Answer

    D. Sharada Sadan for the education of widows

    She worked for women's education in Pune.

  26. Ambedkar's newspaper that voiced the problems of the oppressed was

    1. Mooknayak
    2. Harijan
    3. Young India
    4. Vivekavardhini
    Answer

    A. Mooknayak

    Mooknayak means leader of the voiceless.

  27. Which pair is correctly matched?

    1. Mahad Satyagraha - Tamil Nadu
    2. Vaikom Satyagraha - Kerala
    3. Santhal Hool - Andhra
    4. Rampa Rebellion - Bengal
    Answer

    B. Vaikom Satyagraha - Kerala

    Vaikom was in Kerala; Mahad in Maharashtra.

  28. Which of the following is a form of gender inequality?

    1. Equal pay for equal work
    2. Girls joining the army
    3. Women voting in elections
    4. Girls being denied school
    Answer

    D. Girls being denied school

    Denial of education is a clear case of inequality.

  29. A teacher sees that students avoid sitting beside a classmate because of caste. The best response is to

    1. ignore the issue
    2. punish the classmate
    3. hold an inclusive discussion on equality and arrange mixed seating
    4. separate the students further
    Answer

    C. hold an inclusive discussion on equality and arrange mixed seating

    Teachers must build equality through dialogue and fair practice.

  30. Which reform society was founded in 1828 by Raja Ram Mohan Roy?

    1. Brahmo Samaj
    2. Ramakrishna Mission
    3. Prarthana Samaj
    4. Arya Samaj
    Answer

    A. Brahmo Samaj

    The Brahmo Samaj opposed sati and idol worship.

  31. Gandhi's name for the Dalits was

    1. Dalit
    2. Harijan
    3. Girijan
    4. Adivasi
    Answer

    B. Harijan

    It means people of God; Ambedkar preferred the term Dalit.

  32. The Women's Indian Association was formed in 1917 with leaders including

    1. Pandita Ramabai
    2. Savitribai Phule
    3. Rokeya Hussain
    4. Annie Besant
    Answer

    D. Annie Besant

    It worked for women's education and franchise.

  33. Consider the statements: 1. The Justice Party was formed in 1916. 2. The Self-Respect Movement was started by Periyar. Which of the statements is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    C. Both 1 and 2

    Both statements are correct.

  34. Consider the statements: 1. The Poona Pact gave Dalits a separate electorate. 2. The Poona Pact gave Dalits reserved seats in the general electorate. Which of the statements is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    B. 2 only

    The Pact replaced the separate electorate with reserved seats.

  35. Consider the statements: 1. Sati was banned in 1829. 2. The Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act was passed in 1856. Which of the statements is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    C. Both 1 and 2

    Both dates are right.

  36. Consider the statements: 1. Article 17 abolishes untouchability. 2. Article 17 allows untouchability if it is a custom. Which of the statements is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    A. 1 only

    Practising untouchability in any form is forbidden.

  37. Consider the statements: 1. The Munda Ulgulan was led by Alluri Sitarama Raju. 2. The Rampa Rebellion was led by Birsa Munda. Which of the statements is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    D. Neither 1 nor 2

    Birsa Munda led the Ulgulan; Alluri Sitarama Raju led the Rampa Rebellion.

  38. Consider the statements: 1. Minorities have the right to run their own educational institutions. 2. India has declared one religion as the State religion. Which of the statements is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    A. 1 only

    Article 30 protects minority institutions; India is secular.

  39. Consider the statements: 1. Adivasi revolts in the colonial period were often caused by loss of land and forest rights. 2. The Indian Forest Acts gave tribals more freedom to use forests. Which of the statements is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    A. 1 only

    Forest laws restricted tribal access to forests.

  40. Consider the statements: 1. Ambedkar founded the Bahishkrit Hitakarini Sabha. 2. Ambedkar was the chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constitution. Which of the statements is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    C. Both 1 and 2

    Both are correct.

  41. Match the pair. Which reformer is correctly paired with the work?

    1. Phule - Brahmo Samaj
    2. Pandita Ramabai - Arya Mahila Samaj
    3. Narayana Guru - Justice Party
    4. Periyar - Poona Pact
    Answer

    B. Pandita Ramabai - Arya Mahila Samaj

    Ramabai founded the Arya Mahila Samaj in Pune.

  42. Which one is an economic form of inequality?

    1. Different festivals celebrated
    2. Poor families lacking land and work
    3. Different food habits
    4. Different languages spoken
    Answer

    B. Poor families lacking land and work

    Economic inequality concerns access to income and resources.

  43. Which constitutional article guarantees equality of opportunity in public employment?

    1. Article 17
    2. Article 21
    3. Article 32
    4. Article 16
    Answer

    D. Article 16

    Article 16 guarantees equal opportunity in public jobs.

  44. The Scheduled Areas of tribal regions are protected under the

    1. Fifth Schedule
    2. First Schedule
    3. Twelfth Schedule
    4. Ninth Schedule
    Answer

    A. Fifth Schedule

    The Fifth Schedule governs Scheduled Areas.

  45. Seats were reserved for women in panchayats and municipalities by the

    1. 42nd Amendment
    2. 73rd and 74th Amendments
    3. 86th Amendment
    4. 61st Amendment
    Answer

    B. 73rd and 74th Amendments

    These amendments created local self-government with seats for women.

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