Hinglish

Three Levels of Government

Class 6 Social Science · Chapter 10: Grassroots Democracy – Part 1: Governance · NCERT Exploring Society: India and Beyond section 10.2

Learn

When a bulb at Diya's home stops working, her father first checks the bulb and switch. If that fails, he calls an electrician. If the problem is outside the house, he complains to the Electricity Board. Problems are handled at different levels, starting closest to home.

Government in India also works at three levels: local (villages, towns and cities), State (each state has its own government) and Central or Union (for the whole country). Each level deals with different matters.

Imagine heavy rain floods part of a district. If it's small, local authorities manage it. If many towns and villages are hit, the State Government sends rescue teams. If it's a massive flood over a vast area, the Central Government also helps with relief supplies and even the army.

At the national level, Parliament (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha) makes laws; the President is the nominal head and the Prime Minister leads the government; the Supreme Court is the highest court. In a State, the Vidhan Sabha makes laws, the Governor is the nominal head, the Chief Minister leads the government, and the High Court is the top court. India's motto is Satyameva Jayate: "Truth alone triumphs".

Explore: which level handles it?

  1. Sort each card.

Remember

  • Government works at three levels: local, State and Central (Union).
  • Each level has law-makers, an executive and courts; problems are handled at the right level.

Quick check

Who leads a State Government in practice?

  1. The Chief Minister
  2. The Prime Minister
  3. The Mayor
  4. The Sarpanch
Answer

The Chief Minister. The Governor is the nominal head; the Chief Minister leads.

Think about it

Why might it be better for a village's water problem to be solved locally rather than by the Central Government?

One answer

Local people and leaders know the problem best, can act faster, and can be held responsible directly. Higher levels can help when the problem is too big.

Practice

Practise with fresh questions at three levels (easy, medium, hard), some answered hands-on, with hints and worked answers. Get 4 of your last 5 right to finish the topic.