In calling for a social and not merely political democracy to emerge from the Constitution, Dr. Ambedkar stressed the absence of fraternity as a major ingredient that was missing in India. “Fraternity means a sense of common brotherhood of all Indians, of Indians being one people. It is the principle which gives unity and solidarity to social life.” But thanks to the caste system, the entire structure of caste, he averred, was ‘anti-national’ — religious divisions and the absence of a common sense of nationhood among some Indians, fraternity had not yet been achieved. But it was indispensable, since liberty, equality and fraternity were all intertwined and could not flourish independently of one another.

Which one of the following statements best reflects the central idea of the above passage?
(a) The absence of fraternity and national unity undermined by the caste system was a critical deficiency preventing the full realization of a social democracy.
(b) The Indian Constitution successfully established political democracy but failed to address the deep-rooted social issue of the caste system.
(c) Liberty and equality can be achieved through legal and political means even in the absence of widespread social fraternity on the national level.
(d) Specific legislative measures should be implemented to dismantle the caste system and promote religious harmony.

Question

In calling for a social and not merely political democracy to emerge from the Constitution, Dr. Ambedkar stressed the absence of fraternity as a major ingredient that was missing in India. &ldquo;Fraternity means a sense of common brotherhood of all Indians, of Indians being one people. It is the principle which gives unity and solidarity to social life.&rdquo; But thanks to the caste system, the entire structure of caste, he averred, was &lsquo;anti-national&rsquo; &mdash; religious divisions and the absence of a common sense of nationhood among some Indians, fraternity had not yet been achieved. But it was indispensable, since liberty, equality and fraternity were all intertwined and could not flourish independently of one another.

Which one of the following statements best reflects the central idea of the above passage?
(a) The absence of fraternity and national unity undermined by the caste system was a critical deficiency preventing the full realization of a social democracy.
(b) The Indian Constitution successfully established political democracy but failed to address the deep-rooted social issue of the caste system.
(c) Liberty and equality can be achieved through legal and political means even in the absence of widespread social fraternity on the national level.
(d) Specific legislative measures should be implemented to dismantle the caste system and promote religious harmony.

ONLiNE UPSC · Accepted Answer

Statement (a) is correct: This statement accurately captures the core: Dr. Ambedkar's emphasis on social democracy, the missing "fraternity," its definition, the reasons for its absence (caste, religious divisions, lack of common nationhood), and its indispensability for the intertwined flourishing of liberty and equality (i.e. social democracy).

Statement (b) is not correct: The passage highlights Ambedkar's call for social democracy to emerge from the Constitution, stressing fraternity's absence. It's about an ongoing aspiration, not a definitive failure of the Constitution to address caste.

Statement (c) is not correct: This statement directly contradicts the passage's core assertion, quoting Ambedkar, that liberty, equality, and fraternity "were all intertwined and could not flourish independently of one another."

Statement (d) is not correct: The passage presents Dr. Ambedkar's analysis of the problems (absence of fraternity due to caste, etc.). It does not proceed to advocate for specific legislative solutions.

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M Question 1	⏱ 0
In calling for a social and not merely political democracy to emerge from the Constitution, Dr. Ambedkar stressed the absence of fraternity as a major ingredient that was missing in India. “Fraternity means a sense of common brotherhood of all Indians, of Indians being one people. It is the principle which gives unity and solidarity to social life.” But thanks to the caste system, the entire structure of caste, he averred, was ‘anti-national’ — religious divisions and the absence of a common sense of nationhood among some Indians, fraternity had not yet been achieved. But it was indispensable, since liberty, equality and fraternity were all intertwined and could not flourish independently of one another. Which one of the following statements best reflects the central idea of the above passage? (a) The absence of fraternity and national unity undermined by the caste system was a critical deficiency preventing the full realization of a social democracy. (b) The Indian Constitution successfully established political democracy but failed to address the deep-rooted social issue of the caste system. (c) Liberty and equality can be achieved through legal and political means even in the absence of widespread social fraternity on the national level. (d) Specific legislative measures should be implemented to dismantle the caste system and promote religious harmony.