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Chapter 3 Understanding Social Institutions Questions and Answers: NCERT Solutions for Class 11th Sociology
Class 11 Sociology Chapter 3: Understanding Social Institutions - Questions and Answers of NCERT Book Solutions.
Question 1. Note what are the marriage rules that are followed in your society. Compare your observations with those made by other students in the class. Discuss.
Answer:
In Indian society marriage has been regulated by certain norms. It is an institution for man and woman to enter family life. In our society marriage is not simply a contract instead it is a comprehensive relationship. It includes emotional involvement, loyalty, commitment for each other, economic attachment and responsibility. It is a stable relationship in which man and woman are socially committed to have children and the right to have children implying the rights to sexual relations.
In our society, a marriage consists of a husband and wife i.e. monogamy. Individuals are allowed to marry again after the death of his/her spouse or after legal divorce.
In Indian society marriage is allowed between the two particular individuals of opposite sex. There are certain restrictions on choosing the life partner in traditional conservative families related to caste and religion.
In Indian society arranged marriages are preferred. Although many revolutionary changes have emerged in our society due to urbanisation, industrialisation, education among women, social reforms, globalisation and various legal modifications e.g. women empowerment and property rights.
The young generation finds it uncomfortable in marrying someone whom they have never seen or met before, whose habits,values, attitudes, beliefs they don’t know. Youths find it very stressful. Nowadays nuclear families have replaced joint families and the social support of parents is also not available. So this is a transitional period in Indian society so far institution of marriage is concerned.
Question 2. Find out how membership, residence pattern and even the mode of interaction changes in the family with broader economic, political and cultural changes-for instance migration.
Answer: Social relations are the base of group structure. Modem society is changing rapidly and so the structure and composition. Change is a universal and continuous process. Due to industrialisation, urbanisation, globalisation, information and technology, easy availability of electric and electronic gadgets and means of commutation has tremendous influence on our communication and social interaction. Now modem society is not significantly relationship oriented instead now it is time focused society. Therefore with broader economic, political and cultural changes migration within the country as well as outside the country is a common phenomena and due to low cost calls, skype, whats app and other sources the mode of social interaction has changed.
Question 3. Write an essay on ‘work’. Focus on both the range of occupations, which exist and how they change.
Answer:
Work is not only for livelihood but also for satisfaction. It involves carrying out tasks which require physical and mental activities.
Work refers to paid employment. It can be termed as the physical or mental efforts of the individual. It may be paid or unpaid, it is performed as services to cater the human needs. The work may be performed in direct exchange of goods of services.
The economic activities other than social and political activities, form an important part of human social life.
The economic activities are significant dimension of modem society which includes production and consumption.
Economic Institutions coordinate activities of individuals with regard to production, distribution and consumption of goods and services in the society.
Work involves many dimensions such as:
1. Contract: An agreement between two or more people having same rules and conditions to attain specific goals in a specified period of time.
2. Division of Labour: Refers to a system of distribution of work among the people . based on their skills and competence.
Division of labour is directly connected with density of population. It makes . members of society interdependent. The modem society and its economy is
technology based that requires specialisation.
Question 4. Discuss the kind of rights that exist in your society. How do they affect your life?
Answer:
Kinds of Rights
* Civil rights: Right to information, right to education, freedom of speech, freedom to follow religion, food security are several civil rights which all the people of a democratic India enjoy.
* Social rights: All Indian citizens have right to enjoy a minimum standard of welfare and security such as health benefits. Minimum level of wages, old age benefits or employment allowance particularly for BPL people.
* Political rights: Right to vote and freedom of expression are political rights.
* Welfare rights: Social security in developed western countries.
India a largest democracy in the world and being a welfare state has given above mentioned rights to her citizens.
These rights have changed the structure, composition and functioning of Indian society. Freedom, equality, liberty of expression, faith and religion have changed the composition of social network and people find themselves confident, politically aware and mature. The social rights are giving poor people an opportunity of education, keeping good health and minimum wages which prevent people from exploitation. Right to franchise makes the people real king maker. Because of this right Indians can choose their government.
Question 5. How does sociology study religion?
Answer:
According to Emile Durkheim, “Religion is a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, creating into a simple moral community all those who adhere to those beliefs and practices.”
* Sociologists study religion as the belief in spiritual beings.
* Religion is a mode of action as well as a system of beliefs and a sociological phenomena as well as personal experience.
* Religion rests upon beliefs in supernatural which embraces animism.
* From sociological perspective religion performs many functions for the society. It is a form of social control.
* Religion exists in all known societies although religious beliefs and practices vary from culture to culture.
* Religion is only a personal phenomena, but also has a public aspect which has an important influence upon the social institution.
* Religion is the collection of customs and rituals. Because of religion people respect the customs and norms which maintains the social network.
* Religion encourages people to develop a complex, balanced, integrated, healthy and happy personality and get involved in social welfare activities. It helps people in maintaining internal force.
Sociologists study the public form of religion because it is quite important from social perspective which takes care of society and social institution.
Question 6. Write an essay on school as a social institution. Draw from both your reading as well as your personal observations.
Answer: School is a social institution which provides formal learning with an objective of developing an all round development of personality. School through classroom teaching and curricular and co-curricular activities makes children growing, fully functioning, creative self actualising, good human beings. Schools facilitate physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and social development among children.Schools provide an environment through which social norms are transmitted to children.
very Short Answer Type Questions
Question 1. What is marriage?
Answer: Marriage is society’s sanction for the establishment of family through procreation. Marriage is a stable relationship in which a man and a woman are socially permitted without loss of standing in the community to have children.
Question 2. State a few objectives of marriage.
Answer:
Objectives of marriage are:
* Fulfilment of biological needs of procreation and sexual satisfaction.
* Fulfilment of economic needs.
* Legitimisation of children.
* Two families enter into kinship bonds and a complex web of social relationship develops.
Question 3. State any two functions of marriage.
Answer:
* Marriage sustains society by developing kinship bonds.
* Marriage facilitates and strengthens social status.
Question 4. What is exogamy?
Answer: It refers to the norms of avoidance in marital relationship. Marriage is not allowed among same ‘gotra’ and blood relations, according to exogamy.
Question 5. How joint family is different from nuclear family?
Answer: In joint family, husband, wife, children and close relations live together and contribute to family income as per their capabilities whereas nuclear family is basically a small family in which husband, wife and their unmarried children live.
Question 6. What do you mean by wage?
Answer: It refers to a fixed amount which is essential part of contract between the employer and employees and it is regulated by law.
Question 7. What is contract?
Answer: Contract is an agreement between two individuals or groups or individuals and a group under some terms and conditions to attain certain goals in a fixed period of time.
Question 8. What are Economic Institutions?
Answer: Economic Institution refers to a coordinated activities of individuals or groups with regard to production, distribution and consumption of products and services in the society.
Question 9. What is state?
Answer: State is an association or a group of people having a definite territory, own population, government and sovereignty. Its main institutions are law and the right to administer, through which it can maintain control in a definite territory.
Question 10. What is a welfare state?
Answer: It refers to a system in which the government ensures responsibilities for the welfare of its citizens like food, health care, education, employment and housing etc.
Question 11. Explain concepts of power and authority.
Answer: Central to the study of political institutions are the concepts of power and authority. Political institutions are concerned with the distribution of power in society.
Last Updated on: December 05, 2025
