Hinglish

The Importance of Non-Economic Activities

Class 6 Social Science · Chapter 13: The Value of Work · NCERT Exploring Society: India and Beyond section 13.2

Learn

Non-economic activities don't involve money, but the value they create is very real. Imagine a home where no one cooked, cleaned or cared for the young, the old and the sick. Families depend on this unpaid work every day. If we had to pay someone to do it all, it would cost a lot!

Sevā means selfless service. We see it in temples, gurdwaras, mosques and churches. Langars, community kitchens at gurdwaras, serve free food to every visitor; temples share prasad; volunteers help at hospitals and shelters. Sevā brings satisfaction and gratitude, and is a way to give back to society without expecting anything in return.

Community participation is powerful too. In the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, people clean their homes and come together to clean streets, parks and public places. On Van Mahotsav, the festival of forests, communities plant trees together. When neighbours decorate and cook together for a festival, that's community spirit too.

Rohan joins a tree-planting drive in his uncle's village. No one is paid, but by evening, two hundred saplings stand in neat rows along the new road. "In ten years," his aunt says, "this road will be full of shade." The value of such work lasts for years.

Explore: what value does it create?

  1. Sort each activity.

Remember

  • Non-economic activities like household work, caring and sevā create real value without money.
  • Community efforts like Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and Van Mahotsav improve everyone's surroundings.

Quick check

Sevā means …

  1. selfless service without expecting anything in return
  2. a paid job
  3. a tax
  4. a business
Answer

selfless service without expecting anything in return. Langars are a famous example of sevā.

Think about it

Festivals involve a lot of work, but no one is paid. Why do you think they still hold great value?

One answer

They bring families and communities together, keep traditions alive, share joy and food, and build friendships and belonging that money cannot buy.

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.