NCERT Textbook: Role of The Government in Health | Polity and Constitution (Prelims) by IAS Masters - UPSC PDF Download

 Page 1


10 Social and Political Life Chapter 1: On Equality
UNIT
TWO
Page 2


10 Social and Political Life Chapter 1: On Equality
UNIT
TWO
11
Teacher?s note
These two chapters (Chapters 2 and 3) on
State Government are an attempt to
discuss the functions and structure of
government through concrete situations.
We have chosen ?health? as an example;
there could have been other, equally
important, choices.
Chapter 2 discusses ?health? as an
important issue for people. There are both
public and private aspects of health
provisioning. Healthcare in India is not
available to all. While the Constitution
supports a view that the right to health is
an aspect of our fundamental rights, its
provisioning is rather unequal. Through
the accounts provided, learners will begin
to visualise the ideal or desired role of
government, and the meanings behind its
structures. Some ways in which this
situation can be changed are also
discussed.
Chapter 3 focuses on how the
government functions, and discusses ideas
of representation, accountability and
public welfare. Though both the executive
and the legislature are presented, one
should not expect students to retain fine
distinctions. It would be best to patiently
encourage them to ask questions such as,
?Who is the most powerful person??, ?Why
can?t the MLA solve the problem??, etc.
Such queries will enable them to construct
a sense of the government apparatus.
It is important that learners acquire the
confidence to express their views on public
issues and understand the role of
government through the exercises given in
the chapters. You could choose familiar
issues such as water, transport, school-
fees, books, child-labour, etc., for them to
discuss and arrive at how these problems
need to be tackled. Allow them to express
these ideas through wall charts. Given that
discussions on the government and its
functioning often lead to boredom and
cynicism, we need to be able to make
the classroom session less didactic and
more interactive while teaching these
lessons.
State Government
11
Page 3


10 Social and Political Life Chapter 1: On Equality
UNIT
TWO
11
Teacher?s note
These two chapters (Chapters 2 and 3) on
State Government are an attempt to
discuss the functions and structure of
government through concrete situations.
We have chosen ?health? as an example;
there could have been other, equally
important, choices.
Chapter 2 discusses ?health? as an
important issue for people. There are both
public and private aspects of health
provisioning. Healthcare in India is not
available to all. While the Constitution
supports a view that the right to health is
an aspect of our fundamental rights, its
provisioning is rather unequal. Through
the accounts provided, learners will begin
to visualise the ideal or desired role of
government, and the meanings behind its
structures. Some ways in which this
situation can be changed are also
discussed.
Chapter 3 focuses on how the
government functions, and discusses ideas
of representation, accountability and
public welfare. Though both the executive
and the legislature are presented, one
should not expect students to retain fine
distinctions. It would be best to patiently
encourage them to ask questions such as,
?Who is the most powerful person??, ?Why
can?t the MLA solve the problem??, etc.
Such queries will enable them to construct
a sense of the government apparatus.
It is important that learners acquire the
confidence to express their views on public
issues and understand the role of
government through the exercises given in
the chapters. You could choose familiar
issues such as water, transport, school-
fees, books, child-labour, etc., for them to
discuss and arrive at how these problems
need to be tackled. Allow them to express
these ideas through wall charts. Given that
discussions on the government and its
functioning often lead to boredom and
cynicism, we need to be able to make
the classroom session less didactic and
more interactive while teaching these
lessons.
State Government
11 12
2
CHAPTER
In a democracy people expect the
government to work for their welfare. This
could be through the provision of
education, health, employment, housing
or the development of roads, electricity
etc. In this chapter we shall examine the
meanings and problems related to health.
Look at the sub-headings of this chapter.
In what ways do you think this topic is
related to the work of government?
Role of the
Government
in Health
Page 4


10 Social and Political Life Chapter 1: On Equality
UNIT
TWO
11
Teacher?s note
These two chapters (Chapters 2 and 3) on
State Government are an attempt to
discuss the functions and structure of
government through concrete situations.
We have chosen ?health? as an example;
there could have been other, equally
important, choices.
Chapter 2 discusses ?health? as an
important issue for people. There are both
public and private aspects of health
provisioning. Healthcare in India is not
available to all. While the Constitution
supports a view that the right to health is
an aspect of our fundamental rights, its
provisioning is rather unequal. Through
the accounts provided, learners will begin
to visualise the ideal or desired role of
government, and the meanings behind its
structures. Some ways in which this
situation can be changed are also
discussed.
Chapter 3 focuses on how the
government functions, and discusses ideas
of representation, accountability and
public welfare. Though both the executive
and the legislature are presented, one
should not expect students to retain fine
distinctions. It would be best to patiently
encourage them to ask questions such as,
?Who is the most powerful person??, ?Why
can?t the MLA solve the problem??, etc.
Such queries will enable them to construct
a sense of the government apparatus.
It is important that learners acquire the
confidence to express their views on public
issues and understand the role of
government through the exercises given in
the chapters. You could choose familiar
issues such as water, transport, school-
fees, books, child-labour, etc., for them to
discuss and arrive at how these problems
need to be tackled. Allow them to express
these ideas through wall charts. Given that
discussions on the government and its
functioning often lead to boredom and
cynicism, we need to be able to make
the classroom session less didactic and
more interactive while teaching these
lessons.
State Government
11 12
2
CHAPTER
In a democracy people expect the
government to work for their welfare. This
could be through the provision of
education, health, employment, housing
or the development of roads, electricity
etc. In this chapter we shall examine the
meanings and problems related to health.
Look at the sub-headings of this chapter.
In what ways do you think this topic is
related to the work of government?
Role of the
Government
in Health
13
13
What is health?
We can think of health in many ways. Health means
our ability to remain free of illness and injuries. But
health isn?t only about disease. You may have
associated only some of the situations in the above
collage with health. What we often ignore is the fact
that each of the above situations is related to health.
Apart from disease, we need to think of other factors
that affect our health. For example, if people get clean
drinking water or a pollution free environment they
are likely to be healthy. On the other hand, if people
do not get adequate food to eat or have to live in
cramped conditions, they will be prone to illness.
All of us would like to be active and in good spirits
in whatever we may be doing. It isn?t healthy to be
dull, inactive, anxious or scared for long stretches of
time. We all need to be without mental strain. All of
these various aspects of our lives are a part of health.
Pick two situations from the above
collage that are not related to
illness and write two sentences on
how they are related to health.
Would you associate all or some of
these pictures with ?health? ? In
what ways? Discuss in groups.
Chapter 2: Role of the Government in Health
Page 5


10 Social and Political Life Chapter 1: On Equality
UNIT
TWO
11
Teacher?s note
These two chapters (Chapters 2 and 3) on
State Government are an attempt to
discuss the functions and structure of
government through concrete situations.
We have chosen ?health? as an example;
there could have been other, equally
important, choices.
Chapter 2 discusses ?health? as an
important issue for people. There are both
public and private aspects of health
provisioning. Healthcare in India is not
available to all. While the Constitution
supports a view that the right to health is
an aspect of our fundamental rights, its
provisioning is rather unequal. Through
the accounts provided, learners will begin
to visualise the ideal or desired role of
government, and the meanings behind its
structures. Some ways in which this
situation can be changed are also
discussed.
Chapter 3 focuses on how the
government functions, and discusses ideas
of representation, accountability and
public welfare. Though both the executive
and the legislature are presented, one
should not expect students to retain fine
distinctions. It would be best to patiently
encourage them to ask questions such as,
?Who is the most powerful person??, ?Why
can?t the MLA solve the problem??, etc.
Such queries will enable them to construct
a sense of the government apparatus.
It is important that learners acquire the
confidence to express their views on public
issues and understand the role of
government through the exercises given in
the chapters. You could choose familiar
issues such as water, transport, school-
fees, books, child-labour, etc., for them to
discuss and arrive at how these problems
need to be tackled. Allow them to express
these ideas through wall charts. Given that
discussions on the government and its
functioning often lead to boredom and
cynicism, we need to be able to make
the classroom session less didactic and
more interactive while teaching these
lessons.
State Government
11 12
2
CHAPTER
In a democracy people expect the
government to work for their welfare. This
could be through the provision of
education, health, employment, housing
or the development of roads, electricity
etc. In this chapter we shall examine the
meanings and problems related to health.
Look at the sub-headings of this chapter.
In what ways do you think this topic is
related to the work of government?
Role of the
Government
in Health
13
13
What is health?
We can think of health in many ways. Health means
our ability to remain free of illness and injuries. But
health isn?t only about disease. You may have
associated only some of the situations in the above
collage with health. What we often ignore is the fact
that each of the above situations is related to health.
Apart from disease, we need to think of other factors
that affect our health. For example, if people get clean
drinking water or a pollution free environment they
are likely to be healthy. On the other hand, if people
do not get adequate food to eat or have to live in
cramped conditions, they will be prone to illness.
All of us would like to be active and in good spirits
in whatever we may be doing. It isn?t healthy to be
dull, inactive, anxious or scared for long stretches of
time. We all need to be without mental strain. All of
these various aspects of our lives are a part of health.
Pick two situations from the above
collage that are not related to
illness and write two sentences on
how they are related to health.
Would you associate all or some of
these pictures with ?health? ? In
what ways? Discuss in groups.
Chapter 2: Role of the Government in Health