TEACHGYAN • CLASS 8 SOCIAL SCIENCE • EXPLORING SOCIETY: INDIA AND BEYOND

Chapter 6: The Parliamentary System: Legislature and Executive

NCERT-aligned • Detailed explanations • Sources/diagrams • Competency practice

Parliamentary government

India follows a parliamentary form of government. At the Union level, the Parliament consists of the President and two Houses: Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The Council of Ministers is responsible to the Lok Sabha.

🔎 Think Like a Social Scientist

Ask: What is the evidence? Who produced it? What does it show? What might it leave out? Use these questions before drawing a conclusion.

🧩 Activity

Work with a short source, map, timeline or institutional diagram. Identify the key information, arrange it logically and write a two- or three-sentence evidence-based conclusion.

The legislature

The legislature makes laws, represents citizens and scrutinises government work. Parliament also discusses public issues and approves taxation and government expenditure through constitutional procedures.

🔎 Think Like a Social Scientist

Ask: What is the evidence? Who produced it? What does it show? What might it leave out? Use these questions before drawing a conclusion.

🧩 Activity

Work with a short source, map, timeline or institutional diagram. Identify the key information, arrange it logically and write a two- or three-sentence evidence-based conclusion.

Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha

Lok Sabha is the House of the People and its members are directly elected from constituencies. Rajya Sabha is the Council of States and represents the states and Union territories through its constitutional method of composition.

🔎 Think Like a Social Scientist

Ask: What is the evidence? Who produced it? What does it show? What might it leave out? Use these questions before drawing a conclusion.

🧩 Activity

Work with a short source, map, timeline or institutional diagram. Identify the key information, arrange it logically and write a two- or three-sentence evidence-based conclusion.

The executive

The President is the constitutional head of the Union. The Prime Minister heads the Council of Ministers, which exercises executive authority in accordance with the Constitution and is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha.

🔎 Think Like a Social Scientist

Ask: What is the evidence? Who produced it? What does it show? What might it leave out? Use these questions before drawing a conclusion.

🧩 Activity

Work with a short source, map, timeline or institutional diagram. Identify the key information, arrange it logically and write a two- or three-sentence evidence-based conclusion.

Checks, accountability and law-making

Parliamentary questions, debates, committees, motions and financial procedures provide ways to scrutinise government. Law-making normally involves consideration by Parliament followed by the constitutional process for assent.

🔎 Think Like a Social Scientist

Ask: What is the evidence? Who produced it? What does it show? What might it leave out? Use these questions before drawing a conclusion.

🧩 Activity

Work with a short source, map, timeline or institutional diagram. Identify the key information, arrange it logically and write a two- or three-sentence evidence-based conclusion.

🗺️ Visual Learning Diagram

📊 Key Concepts

Concept	Core idea	Example
Lok Sabha	House of the People	Directly elected members
Rajya Sabha	Council of States	States/UT representation
Executive	Implements laws and runs administration	Council of Ministers
Parliament	Union legislature	President + two Houses

🧠 Concept-Based MCQs

1. India’s Union Parliament consists of: A) President, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha B) Prime Minister only C) Supreme Court and Lok Sabha D) Governors only
2. The Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to: A) Lok Sabha B) Rajya Sabha only C) Supreme Court D) Election Commission
3. Rajya Sabha is known as the: A) Council of States B) House of the People C) House of Judges D) Council of Ministers
4. Parliamentary questions and committees help: A) scrutinise government work B) conduct weather forecasts C) appoint every civil servant D) replace elections

Answers: 1-A, 2-A, 3-A, 4-A.

📌 Competency Case Study

A school Parliament is studying how a bill can be discussed and how the government can be questioned. Students compare the roles of the legislature and executive.

1. Identify the central concept.
2. What evidence or constitutional/institutional information should be checked?
3. Explain one cause-and-effect or role relationship.
4. What additional source would strengthen the answer?

🔥 HOTS / Competition Corner

1. Explain why evidence and context matter when interpreting Social Science sources.
2. Compare two concepts from the chapter using a table.
3. Design a map, timeline or flowchart that teaches the chapter to another student.
4. Write an evidence-based answer to a situation not directly memorised from the chapter.

✍️ Exam Practice

1. Explain the main concepts with a suitable diagram/timeline.
2. Differentiate two important terms.
3. Explain one cause-and-effect relationship.
4. Answer a source/map/institution-based question.
5. Write a structured 5-mark answer with introduction, evidence and conclusion.

🎯 One-Minute Revision

Parliament → Lok Sabha + Rajya Sabha + President → Legislature → Executive → Accountability → Law-making

🏆 Mastery Checklist

• ☐ I can explain the chapter in my own words.
• ☐ I can interpret the diagram/timeline.
• ☐ I can identify reliable evidence.
• ☐ I can solve case-based and competency questions.
• ☐ I can write a structured exam answer.

🏠 Social Science Main Page | ← Previous | Next →