Question

“The Constitution sought to balance the competing claims by providing three lists of subjects”. Explain the statement.
chapter 10 history
India After Independence

Answer 1

Answer:

After a long and difficult freedom struggle, India attained her Independence from British rule in 1947. However, this Independence came with the partition of the country. A new state of Pakistan was created with portions of Western and Eastern India. After Independence, a Constitution was framed, new states were formed, planning for the development of the country. The Chapter 10 of Class 8 History teaches in detail about the scenarios mentioned above. In conclusion, it discusses the nation after sixty years. Our subject matter experts while preparing CBSE Class 8 History notes Chapter 10 – India after Independence covered all the topics mentioned in the respective chapter.

CBSE Notes Class 8 History Chapter 10 – India after Independence PDF

A New and Divided Nation

In August 1947, India became independent. Due to Partition, 8 million refugees had come into the country from what was now Pakistan. The problem of the princely states was that each was ruled by a maharaja or a nawab, each of whom had to be persuaded to join the new nation.

In 1947, India’s population was huge, and divided between high castes and low castes, between the majority Hindu community and Indians who practised other faiths. The citizens of India spoke different languages, wore different kinds of dresses, ate different kinds of food and practised different professions.

At Independence, the majority of Indians lived in the villages. Farmers and peasants depended on the monsoon for their survival and the non-farm sector of the rural economy. In the cities, factory workers lived in crowded slums with little access to education or health care.

Unity and development should go hand in hand. Divisions between different sections of India should be healed so that it doesn’t turn into violent and costly conflicts. The fruits of economic development should reach the broad masses of the population, to avoid fresh divisions.

A Constitution is Written

Between December 1946 and November 1949, some three hundred Indians had a series of meetings on the country’s political future. These “Constituent Assembly” meetings were held in New Delhi. These discussions resulted in the framing of the Indian Constitution, which came into effect on 26 January 1950.

One feature of the Constitution was its adoption of universal adult franchise. All Indians above the age of 21 would be allowed to vote in state and national elections. On the other hand, soon after Independence, India chose to grant this right to all its citizens regardless of gender, class or education. The second feature of the Constitution guaranteed equality before the law to all citizens, regardless of their caste or religious affiliation.