Q1.
What can we do as individuals, and as a society, to remain vigilant and minimize these issues and hurdles?
Answer
Take the chapter's own list of hurdles and put an action against each one — that is the shape of a strong answer.
| Hurdle named in the chapter | As an individual | As a society |
|---|---|---|
| Corruption | Refuse to pay or take a bribe; keep receipts; use the RTI Act to ask where money went | Independent auditors and anti-corruption bodies; publishing accounts of local works |
| Wealth disparity | Support and use public schools and hospitals; volunteer for teaching or health drives | Fair taxes, welfare schemes, good public education and healthcare for everyone |
| Excessive control by a few over democratic institutions | Vote in every election, including panchayat and municipal ones | Transparent funding rules; strong Election Commission; limits on how long anyone holds a post |
| Erosion of the judiciary's independence | Learn what the courts do; respect court orders | Clear appointment procedures; enough judges and courts so justice is not delayed |
| Manipulation of information channels | Check a story in two reliable sources before believing or forwarding it | A free press, media literacy in schools, fact-checking that anyone can access |
Five habits that cover all of them
- Vote, and vote informed. Read what candidates promise, and check later what they did.
- Ask. Any citizen may ask a public office how a decision was taken. Questions are the cheapest form of vigilance.
- Verify. Do not forward what you have not confirmed. A rumour spread by lakhs of good people does as much harm as a lie told by one bad one.
- Take part locally. Gram sabhā, ward meetings, school committees, clean-up drives — democracy is practised nearby before it is practised nationally.
- Speak up for others' rights, not only your own. Equality survives only when people defend it for those unlike themselves.
Why ‘vigilant' is the right word: the government is accountable to the people — but accountability does not work by itself. It works when somebody is watching, asking and voting. As Class 7 students you already have three of these tools: you can read carefully, you can ask questions, and you can refuse to spread what you cannot verify.