Social Issues and Social Justice in India

🟢 Lite — Quick Review (1h–1d)

Rapid summary for last-minute revision before your exam.

Social Issues in India — Key Facts for UPTET

Constitutional Provisions for Social Justice:

• Article 14: Equality before law
• Article 15: Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth
• Article 16: Equality of opportunity in public employment
• Article 17: Abolition of untouchability
• Article 21: Right to life and personal liberty
• Article 21A: Right to education (free and compulsory, 6-14 years)
• Article 46: Educational and economic uplift of weaker sections

Protective Discrimination:

Provision	Details
Reservation	SC (15%), ST (7.5%), OBC (27%) in education and jobs
Affirmative Action	Special provisions for SC/ST in promotion, scholarships
Bonded Labour Abolition	1976 Act, frees all bonded labourers
SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act	1989, enhanced punishment for crimes

⚡ UPTET Exam Tip: Remember the three types of reserved categories: SC (Scheduled Castes), ST (Scheduled Tribes), OBC (Other Backward Classes). Don’t confuse them!

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🟡 Standard — Regular Study (2d–2mo)

Standard content for students with a few days to months.

Social Issues in India — Detailed Study Guide

Caste System and Its Abolition

Constitutional Provisions Against Caste Discrimination:

Article	Provision
Art. 17	Abolition of untouchability, practice of untouchability an offence
Art. 15(1)	No discrimination on ground of caste
Art. 15(2)	No restrictions on using wells, tanks, roads, public places
Art. 15(5)	Special provisions for SC/ST in educational institutions
Art. 16(4)	Reservation in employment for backward classes
Art. 46	State shall promote educational interests of SC/ST

Key Legislations:

• Untouchability (Offences) Act, 1955: First law, provided punishment
• Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989: Enhanced punishment for crimes against SC/ST
• Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 2013: Prohibits manual scavenging
• Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976: Frees all bonded labourers

Social reformers and Movements:

Reformer	Contribution
Raja Ram Mohan Roy	Founded Brahmo Samaj, opposed Sati
Swami Vivekananda	Advaita Vedanta, Narasinh Mehta
Jyotirao Phule	Satyashodhak Samaj, educated SC/ST
B.R. Ambedkar	Father of Indian Constitution, fought caste discrimination
Periyar E.V. Ramasamy	Dravidian movement, Self-Respect
Mahatma Gandhi	Harijan movement, championed untouchables (called “Harijans” - God’s people)

⚡ UPTET PYQ: “Who is known as the ‘Father of the Indian Constitution’ and fought against caste discrimination?” → Answer: B.R. Ambedkar

Women’s Rights and Gender Justice

Constitutional Provisions for Women:

Article	Provision
Art. 15(3)	Special provisions for women and children
Art. 16	Equality of opportunity, no discrimination on sex
Art. 39(d)	Equal pay for equal work for men and women
Art. 42	Just and humane conditions of work
Art. 51(A)(e)	Fundamental Duty to renounce practices derogatory to women’s dignity

Laws for Women’s Protection:

Law	Year	Key Provision
Dowry Prohibition Act	1961	Dowry demand a criminal offence
Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act	2005	Protection orders, residence rights
Criminal Law Amendment Act	2013	Stringent punishment for acid attacks, stalking
Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act	2013	ICC committees in workplaces
Nirbhaya Act	2013	Death penalty for rape of minor

Women’s Reservation Bill:

• Introduced in Parliament: 2008, 2010, 2012
• Current status: Pending (113th Constitutional Amendment)
• Proposed: 33% reservation for women in Lok Sabha, state legislatures
• Debates: Census and delimitation issues

⚡ Important: The “Nirbhaya Fund” was created in 2013 after the Delhi gang-rape case (December 16, 2012). ₹10,000 crore allocated for women’s safety schemes.

Child Rights and Child Labour

Constitutional Provisions:

• Article 21A: Right to education (free and compulsory, 6-14 years)
• Article 24: No child below 14 years employed in factories, mines, hazardous work
• Article 39(e): Children given opportunities to develop in healthy manner
• Article 39(f): Youth protected against exploitation

Child Labour Laws:

Law	Year	Key Provision
Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act	1986	Prohibits employment <14 years in hazardous industries
Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act (RTE)	2009	Free education for 6-14 years
Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act	2016	Complete ban <14 years, <18 in hazardous
POCSO Act	2012	Protection of children from sexual offences

Child-Related Data:

• Child population (0-6 years): 158.8 million (2011 Census)
• Child labour (5-14 years): 10.1 million (as per Census 2011)
• Literacy rate (15-17 years): 85% (2021)

⚡ UPTET Exam Tip: Article 21A makes education a fundamental right for children aged 6-14 years. The state must provide free and compulsory education.

Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes

Constitutional Definition:

• Article 341: SC can only be declared by President (after consultation with Governor)
• Article 342: ST can only be declared by President (after consultation with Governor)
• Lists prepared by Parliament, not state legislatures

Reservation System:

Category	Percentage	Constitutional Basis
SC	15%	Article 341
ST	7.5%	Article 342
OBC	27%	Article 16(4), Mandal Commission
Economically Weaker Sections (EWS)	10%	103rd Amendment (2019)

⚡ Common Mistake: OBC reservation is based on the Mandal Commission report (1991), but it wasn’t part of original constitution - it was added through a Supreme Court order (Indra Sawhney case, 1992).

Special Provisions for SC/ST:

• National Commission for SC (Article 338)
• National Commission for ST (Article 338A)
• Protection of Forest Rights Act (2006)
• Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act (1996)

Minority Rights and Communal Harmony

Constitutional Provisions for Minorities:

• Article 29: Protection of minorities’ interests (culture, script, language)
• Article 30: Right of minorities to establish educational institutions
• Article 350: Right to submit representations in own language
• Article 350A: Facilities for instruction in mother tongue

National Commission for Minorities:

• Constituted under: National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992
• 6 Minorities (as per 2011 census notification): Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Parsi (Zoroastrian), Jain
• Functions: Evaluate statutory safeguards, recommend measures, study grievances

Communal Harmony:

• Hate Speech: Section 153A IPC - Punishment for promoting enmity between groups
• Religious Offences: Section 295A IPC - Deliberate and malicious acts to insult religion
• National Foundation for Communal Harmony: Apex body for harmony

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🔴 Extended — Deep Study (3mo+)

Comprehensive coverage for students on a longer study timeline.

Social Issues and Social Justice — Complete Notes for UPTET

Human Rights and their Protection

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) - 1948:

• Adopted by UN General Assembly on 10 December 1948
• India was one of the 48 members who voted in favour
• 30 Articles covering civil, political, economic, social, cultural rights

Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993:

Body	Formation	Function
National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)	1993	Protect and promote human rights
State Human Rights Commissions	State-wise	Handle state-level complaints
Human Rights Courts	District level	Fast track courts for HR violations

NHRC Composition:

• Chairperson: Former Chief Justice of India
• Members: One sitting/former judge of SC/HC, one expert, three persons with experience
• Term: 3 years (or until removed)

Fundamental Rights (Part III of Constitution):

Right	Articles	Key Feature
Right to Equality	14-18	Equality before law, no discrimination
Right to Freedom	19-22	Six freedoms, life and personal liberty
Right against Exploitation	23-24	No trafficking, child labour <14
Right to Freedom of Religion	25-28	Freedom of conscience and worship
Cultural and Educational Rights	29-30	Protect minority interests
Right to Constitutional Remedies	32	Approach Supreme Court directly

⚡ Important for UPTET: Article 32 is called the “Heart and Soul” of the Constitution by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. It allows citizens to approach the Supreme Court directly for enforcement of Fundamental Rights.

Poverty and Livelihood Issues

Poverty Estimates:

Method	Below Poverty Line (2011-12)	Percentage
Tendulkar Method	269 million	21.9%
Rangarajan Method	367 million	29.5%
Multidimensional Poverty (NITI)	199 million	14.96%

Major Poverty Alleviation Programs:

Program	Year	Target/Benefit
Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)	2005	100 days employment to rural households
Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY)	2015	Housing for all by 2022
Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana	2014	Banking access, ₹1 lakh accident insurance
National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP)	1995	Old age, widow, disability pension
Mid-Day Meal Scheme	1995	Free meals in government schools

Skill Development Initiatives:

• Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY): Skill training, 20 lakh trained
• Skill India Mission: Launched 2015
• National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC): Public-private partnership

Health and Nutrition

Public Health Indicators:

Indicator	Value (2023)	Target
Infant Mortality Rate (IMR)	28 per 1000	25
Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR)	113 per lakh	100
Total Fertility Rate (TFR)	2.0	2.1
Life Expectancy	70.8 years	75

National Health Mission (NHM):

• NRHM (National Rural Health Mission): 2005 - Healthcare in rural areas
• NUHM (National Urban Health Mission): 2013 - Healthcare in urban areas
• Components: ASHA workers, Janani Suraksha Yojana, Immunization

Key Health Schemes:

Scheme	Launch	Coverage
Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY)	2018	₹5 lakh health cover for poor
Mission Indradhanush	2014	Full immunization for children
Ayushman Bharat	2018	Health and Wellness Centres

⚡ UPTET PYQ: “Ayushman Bharat Yojana provides health insurance cover of: (a) ₹3 lakh (b) ₹5 lakh (c) ₹7 lakh (d) ₹10 lakh” → Answer: (b) ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization

Education and Social Development

Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009:

• Makes education a fundamental right for children aged 6-14 years
• Key Features:
  • Free and compulsory education in neighbourhood school
  • 25% reservation for disadvantaged children in private schools
  • No school can detain child until completion of elementary education
  • No screening tests for admission to schools
  • Teacher must have required qualifications (RTE norms)

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA):

• Launched: 2000-2001 (revamped as Samagra Shiksha in 2018)
• Objectives: Universal access, retention, quality
• Outcomes: Near 100% enrollment, reduced drop-out rates

Literacy Rates:

Category	Rate (2011)	Male	Female
Overall	74.04%	82.14%	65.46%
Rural	68.9%	78.6%	59.3%
Urban	87.7%	91.8%	84.4%

Digital Divide:

• Smartphone penetration: 78% (urban: 97%, rural: 67%)
• Internet users: 76 crore (2023)
• DIKSHA Platform: Digital content for school education

Social Security and Welfare

Social Security Schemes:

Scheme	Year	Beneficiary
Atal Pension Yojana	2015	Unorganized sector workers
Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan	2019	Unorganized sector (₹3,000/month after 60)
Employees’ State Insurance (ESI)	1948	Industrial workers
Public Provident Fund (PPF)	1968	Savings for all

Welfare of Marginalized Groups:

Category	Major Programs
SC	Post-matric scholarships, hostels, Dr. Ambedkar Foundation
ST	Adivasi Academy, Scholarship for ST students
OBC	National Backward Classes Finance Commission
Minorities	Multi-sectoral Development Programme (MSDP)

⚡ Key Landmark Cases on Social Justice:

Case	Year	Key Observation
Minerva Mills v. Union of India	1980	Limited economic rights over fundamental rights
Unnikrishnan v. State of Andhra Pradesh	1993	Right to education implied from Article 21
Mohini Jain v. State of Karnataka	1992	Capitation fee in private medical colleges unconstitutional
Olga Tellis v. Bombay Municipal Corporation	1986	Right to livelihood included in Article 21

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