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Class 6 History & Civics — Governance and the three organs

Tell governance from government and rules from laws, say what each of the three organs does and why they are kept separate, and place India's three levels of government.

Name: ________________________

Before you start

The three levels of government in India, stacked.

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  1. 1. Centre
  2. 2. State
  3. 3. Local

A pyramid: the widest block is at the bottom, closest to the town or village, and the narrowest at the top. Suppose there is a flood in part of a district. If it is not too severe the local authorities may deal with it; if it involves several towns and many villages the State Government steps in; if it is massive, the Central Government may also send relief supplies and the army. Bottom to top: Local Government at the town or village level, State Government at the State level, Central Government at the national level.

  1. 1.Match each organ of government to its job.

    • legislature
    • executive
    • judiciary
    • implements the laws
    • decides whether someone has broken the law
    • makes new laws

  2. 2.Why does the chapter say rules become necessary when a large number of people live together?

    • a) Because the law courts need something to decide upon
    • b) Because a government cannot exist without them
    • c) Because otherwise nobody would know who is in charge
    • d) Because there can be disagreements and disorder, and rules keep order and harmony

  3. 3.The chapter says the President of India and the Governor of a State are heads in name rather than in fact. Which word does it use for that — a word meaning in name rather than in substance?

  4. 4.One subject appears in the table under the Central Government's list and again under the State Government's list. Which?

    • a) Defence
    • b) Currency
    • c) Irrigation
    • d) Education

  5. 5.At the national level the legislature has two houses. Which?

    • a) The Vidhan Sabha and the Rajya Sabha
    • b) The Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha
    • c) The Gram Sabha and the Lok Sabha
    • d) The Lok Sabha and the Vidhan Sabha

  6. 6.Match each word to what the chapter says it means.

    • Governance
    • A government
    • Laws
    • the more important rules
    • the group or system that makes the rules
    • taking decisions and making sure the rules are followed

  7. 7.What is the separation of powers intended to provide?

    • a) A way of deciding which organ is the most important
    • b) A method for choosing the head of state
    • c) A guarantee that the three organs have no need to talk to each other
    • d) A system of checks and balances, so one organ can restore balance if another goes beyond its role

  8. 8.How does the table describe the leadership of the Central Government?

    • a) The President as both nominal and executive head
    • b) The President of India as nominal head and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, with the Prime Minister as executive head
    • c) The Prime Minister as nominal head, with the President as executive head
    • d) The Prime Minister alone, with no nominal head

Answer key — Class 6 History & Civics — Governance and the three organs

  1. 1. legislature → makes new laws; executive → implements the laws; judiciary → decides whether someone has broken the law
  2. 2. d) Because there can be disagreements and disorder, and rules keep order and harmony
  3. 3. nominal
  4. 4. d) Education
  5. 5. b) The Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha
  6. 6. Governance → taking decisions and making sure the rules are followed; A government → the group or system that makes the rules; Laws → the more important rules
  7. 7. d) A system of checks and balances, so one organ can restore balance if another goes beyond its role
  8. 8. b) The President of India as nominal head and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, with the Prime Minister as executive head