A Rich Diversity
Class 6 Social Science · Chapter 8: Unity in Diversity, or 'Many in the One' · NCERT Exploring Society: India and Beyond section 8.1
Learn
Pranav takes the train from Delhi to Chennai with his family. Over two days, the fields outside change from wheat to coconut palms, the signboards change script, and the tea seller's call changes language at almost every big station.
India is one of the most diverse countries in the world. Landscapes, climates, dress, food, music and customs change from region to region, and even within one region you meet people with different traditions.
People speak hundreds of languages and dialects, written in many scripts. The Constitution lists 22 languages in its Eighth Schedule, including Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Odia, Punjabi, Assamese and Urdu. Many Indians speak two or three languages.
Yet thinkers like Rabindranath Tagore and Sri Aurobindo described India as "unity in diversity", or "the Many in the One": beneath all the variety lies a deep, shared bond. In this chapter we'll look for that bond in food, clothing, festivals and stories.
Explore: diversity or unity?
- Sort each card.
Remember
- India is very diverse in landscapes, languages, scripts, dress, food and customs.
- 22 languages are in the Eighth Schedule; beneath the diversity lies unity, "the Many in the One".
Quick check
How many languages are listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution?
- 22
- 5
- 50
- 1
Answer
22. 22 languages are listed, but hundreds more are spoken.
Think about it
Why do you think so many Indians speak more than one language?
One answer
People live near other language areas, move for work and study, and use a home language, a state language and a link language like Hindi or English. Speaking many languages helps people connect.
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.