Exercise Solutions Available
Step-by-step answers for all textbook questions in this chapter
NCERT Solutions for Class 6 Social Science Civics Chapter 9 — Urban Livelihoods
How to Use This Page
1. Read the Key Concepts table first to brush up on important terms from the chapter. 2. Attempt Intext Questions on your own before reading the answers — this reveals what you actually understand. 3. Work through the Chapter-End Exercise Questions — these mirror what appears in the exam. 4. Practise the MCQs to sharpen recall and spot common traps. 5. Review the Common Mistakes and Exam Checklist the night before your test.
Key Concepts
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Permanent Worker | A worker with a regular, permanent job — earns a fixed monthly salary and receives benefits like paid leave, provident fund, medical facilities, and pension. |
| Casual Worker | A worker hired on a temporary, day-to-day basis — no job security, no fixed salary, no benefits. Payment depends on whether work is available. |
| Self-Employed | A person who runs their own business or works independently — shopkeepers, doctors, lawyers, tailors, electricians, etc. |
| Vendor / Hawker | A person who sells goods on the roadside or in markets without a permanent shop — vegetables, fruit, clothes, household items. |
| Organised Sector | Part of the economy where workers have regular employment, fixed hours, and social security benefits such as PF, gratuity, and paid leave. |
| Unorganised Sector | Part of the economy where workers have no job security, no fixed hours, and no social security benefits — includes casual workers, street vendors, and daily wage earners. |
| Social Security | Government-provided benefits that protect workers — includes provident fund, pension, health insurance, paid leave, and maternity benefits. |
| Daily Wage | Payment received at the end of each working day — common for casual workers and labourers on construction sites. |
| Piece-Rate Work | Payment based on the number of items a worker produces — common in factories and home-based work like embroidery or packaging. |
| Right to Livelihood | The right of every citizen to earn a living by lawful means — recognised as part of the Right to Life under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution. |
| Migrant Worker | A worker who moves from a rural area to a city (or between states) in search of employment. |
| Provident Fund (PF) | A retirement savings scheme where both the employee and employer contribute a portion of the salary each month. |
Intext Questions
Intext Question 1 (Page 67)
"Bachchu Manjhi comes to the city from his village in Bihar. He works as a vegetable vendor. Read his story and discuss."
Q: Why did Bachchu Manjhi come to the city?
Intext Question 2 (Page 68)
"Bachchu Manjhi earns between Rs 80 and Rs 100 every day. His wife and he work together. They have to spend Rs 50-60 every day on buying vegetables from the mandi."
Q: Why do you think Bachchu Manjhi has to go back to his village periodically?
1. Family ties: His family — including children and possibly elderly parents — still live in the village. He goes back to meet them and check on their well-being. 2. Agricultural work: During the sowing or harvest season, his family in the village may need his help with farming activities. 3. No permanent home in the city: Since he lives on the footpath or in temporary shelters in the city, his real home remains in the village. 4. Festivals and social occasions: He returns for important festivals, weddings, and family events. 5. Stress of city life: The difficult living conditions in the city — sleeping on footpaths, uncertainty of daily earnings — make him want to go back to the familiarity and comfort of his village from time to time.
Intext Question 3 (Page 69)
"Read and discuss the following description of living and working conditions of casual workers in a factory."
Q: What are the working conditions of casual workers in factories?
1. Long working hours: Casual workers may have to work for 10-12 hours a day, sometimes even longer during busy periods. 2. No job security: They can be removed from work at any time without notice. There is no guarantee of getting work the next day. 3. Low wages: They are paid much less than permanent workers for doing the same or similar work. 4. No benefits: They do not get paid leave, medical facilities, provident fund, or any other social security benefits. 5. Poor working environment: Factories may be poorly ventilated, cramped, and unsafe. Casual workers are often given the most difficult and hazardous tasks. 6. Piece-rate payment: Many casual workers are paid according to the number of items they produce, which forces them to work faster and longer to earn a decent amount. 7. No legal protection: Since they are not officially employed, they cannot complain or demand better conditions without the risk of losing their job.
Intext Question 4 (Page 70)
"Sudha works in a company as a permanent employee. She gets a regular salary and several benefits."
Q: What work does Sudha do and what are the benefits she gets?
The benefits Sudha gets include:
1. Regular salary: She receives a fixed amount every month, regardless of how many days she actually works. 2. Paid leave: She is entitled to a certain number of paid holidays, sick leave, and casual leave every year. 3. Provident Fund (PF): Both Sudha and her employer contribute to a provident fund, which provides savings for her retirement. 4. Medical facilities: She gets access to medical reimbursement or health insurance provided by the company. 5. HRA and DA: She receives House Rent Allowance and Dearness Allowance as part of her salary. 6. Job security: As a permanent worker, she cannot be removed from her job without proper notice and reason. 7. Pension: After retirement, she will receive a pension for the rest of her life. 8. Festivals and bonuses: She receives a bonus during festivals and special occasions.
These benefits are typical of workers in the organised sector, which provides social security to its employees.
Intext Question 5 (Page 71)
"There are almost one crore 'street vendors' in the country working in urban areas."
Q: Why is it difficult for street vendors to carry out their trade?
1. No permanent space: They do not have a fixed place to set up their stalls. They occupy whatever space is available on pavements and roadsides. 2. Harassment by authorities: The police and municipal corporation officials often harass them, confiscate their goods, or force them to pay bribes. 3. Threat of eviction: They can be evicted from their spot at any time without notice, especially during anti-encroachment drives. 4. No legal protection: Until the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, there was no law to protect their right to vend. 5. Weather conditions: They work in the open — braving extreme heat, rain, and cold — without any shelter. 6. Uncertain income: Their daily earnings fluctuate depending on the number of customers, season, and competition. 7. Lack of basic facilities: They do not have access to clean drinking water, toilets, or storage facilities near their work area. 8. Competition: With so many vendors selling similar items, competition is fierce and profit margins are low.
Chapter-End Exercise Questions
Exercise Question 1
Q: Read and discuss the following description of living and working conditions of a casual worker.
"In a slum area, many casual workers live. They work for 12 hours every day. They get very low wages. They have no job security and no benefits."
Living conditions:
- Casual workers often live in slums or informal settlements that lack basic amenities like clean water, proper sanitation, and electricity.
- Houses are cramped, poorly built, and overcrowded. Several family members may live in a single room.
- These areas are usually located near industrial zones or construction sites where casual work is available.
Working conditions:
- Casual workers labour for extremely long hours — often 10 to 12 hours a day — sometimes even more.
- Despite working so hard, their wages are very low. Many earn only the minimum wage or even less.
- There is absolutely no job security. They may find work one day and not the next.
- They receive no social security benefits — no paid leave, no medical insurance, no provident fund, and no pension.
- They are often subjected to exploitation by contractors and middlemen who take a cut of their wages.
This is the reality for a large majority of urban workers in India who belong to the unorganised sector. The government has enacted several laws to protect such workers, but implementation remains a challenge.
Exercise Question 2
Q: Why do you think many workers in the city are casual workers and not permanent workers?
1. Shortage of permanent jobs: The number of permanent jobs available in cities is far fewer than the number of people who come looking for work. Companies and factories prefer to hire workers on a temporary basis to save on salary costs and benefits.
2. Lack of education and skills: Many migrant workers who come to cities from villages have limited education and no specialised skills. Permanent jobs usually require specific qualifications, which these workers do not possess.
3. Employer preference for flexibility: Employers in the unorganised sector prefer hiring workers on a daily or temporary basis so they can adjust their workforce according to demand. During busy periods they hire more workers, and during slow periods they reduce the workforce — something they cannot do with permanent employees.
4. Cost-cutting by employers: Hiring permanent workers means the employer has to pay benefits like provident fund, medical insurance, paid leave, and pension. Casual workers do not receive any of these benefits, making them much cheaper to employ.
5. Large supply of labour: Because so many people migrate to cities in search of work, there is always a surplus of labour. This allows employers to hire workers at very low wages on a casual basis — the workers have no bargaining power.
6. Nature of certain industries: Construction, small-scale manufacturing, domestic work, and street vending are all sectors where permanent employment is rare. The work itself is often seasonal or project-based, making casual hiring the norm.
Exercise Question 3
Q: What are the differences between permanent workers and casual workers?
| Aspect | Permanent Worker | Casual Worker |
|---|---|---|
| Job security | Has a secure, permanent job — cannot be fired without proper notice and reason | No job security — can be hired and fired at will, sometimes within the same day |
| Salary | Receives a fixed monthly salary regardless of work available | Paid daily wages or piece-rate; earnings depend on whether work is available |
| Working hours | Fixed working hours (usually 8-9 hours per day) | Long, irregular hours (often 10-12 hours or more) |
| Paid leave | Entitled to paid holidays, sick leave, and casual leave | No paid leave — if they do not work, they do not get paid |
| Provident Fund | Both employee and employer contribute to PF | No PF or retirement savings |
| Medical benefits | Gets medical insurance or reimbursement | No medical benefits — must pay for healthcare from own pocket |
| Pension | Receives pension after retirement | No pension — must work as long as they are physically able |
| Other benefits | HRA, DA, bonus, gratuity, maternity leave | No additional benefits |
| Sector | Usually works in the organised sector | Usually works in the unorganised sector |
| Legal protection | Protected by labour laws — can approach courts for grievances | Little or no legal protection — often unaware of their rights |
Exercise Question 4
Q: Why do you think the government has a law that says that workers in the organised sector should get several benefits?
1. Protection from exploitation: Without legal protection, employers would exploit workers by paying low wages, making them work long hours, and denying them basic rights. Laws ensure a minimum standard of living for workers.
2. Social security: Workers need financial support during times of illness, old age, disability, or unemployment. Benefits like PF, pension, and medical insurance provide this safety net.
3. Dignity of labour: Every worker deserves to be treated with dignity and fairness. Providing benefits ensures that workers are not reduced to mere tools of production but are recognised as human beings with rights.
4. Preventing poverty: Without benefits, workers who fall ill or grow old would have no source of income, pushing them and their families into poverty. Social security benefits prevent this.
5. Healthy workforce: Medical benefits and regulated working hours ensure that workers remain healthy and productive. An overworked, sick workforce benefits neither the worker nor the employer.
6. Reducing inequality: Labour laws help reduce the gap between the rich and the poor by ensuring that workers receive a fair share of the wealth they help create.
7. International standards: India is a member of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and is committed to providing decent working conditions as per international norms.
Exercise Question 5
Q: How would you distinguish between organised sector and unorganised sector? Explain with examples.
| Feature | Organised Sector | Unorganised Sector |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Sector where employment terms are regular and governed by law | Sector where employment is irregular and not governed by any law |
| Job security | Workers have permanent jobs with security | Workers have no job security; employment is temporary |
| Examples | Government offices, banks, large companies like Tata and Infosys | Street vendors, casual construction workers, domestic helpers, small shop workers |
| Salary | Fixed monthly salary with increments | Daily wages or piece-rate; income fluctuates |
| Working conditions | Regulated — fixed hours, safe workplace, breaks | Unregulated — long hours, unsafe conditions, no breaks |
| Social security | PF, pension, medical insurance, paid leave, gratuity | No social security benefits at all |
| Government regulation | Covered by labour laws — Factories Act, Minimum Wages Act, etc. | Largely outside the scope of labour laws |
| Number of workers | About 6-8% of India's workforce | About 92-94% of India's workforce |
Examples in detail:
- Organised sector: A teacher working in a government school gets a regular salary, paid holidays, pension after retirement, and medical facilities. A bank employee similarly receives all these benefits and has a secure job.
- Unorganised sector: A vegetable vendor like Bachchu Manjhi earns based on what he sells each day. If he falls ill, he earns nothing. A construction labourer is hired daily and has no guarantee of work the next day. A domestic worker sweeping floors in multiple houses has no written contract, no paid leave, and no pension.
MCQ Practice (Exam-Oriented)
Choose the correct answer for each question.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Confusing "self-employed" with "permanent worker"
A self-employed person (like a shopkeeper or doctor) is NOT a permanent worker. Permanent workers are employed by someone else — a company, institution, or government. Self-employed people work for themselves.
2. Thinking all city workers earn good incomes
Many students assume that all workers in cities are well-off. In reality, a vast majority of urban workers are in the unorganised sector and earn very little. City life can be as difficult as village life for casual workers and street vendors.
3. Mixing up "organised" and "unorganised" sectors
- Organised sector = regular employment + benefits (think: banks, government, big companies)
- Unorganised sector = irregular employment + no benefits (think: street vendors, casual labourers, domestic workers)
A useful trick: if the worker gets PF and paid leave, they are in the organised sector.
4. Ignoring the problems of street vendors
Do not romanticise street vending as "being your own boss." Street vendors face immense hardships — police harassment, eviction threats, weather exposure, and no social security. The chapter discusses these difficulties for a reason.
5. Writing vague answers about "differences"
When asked to compare (e.g., permanent vs. casual workers or organised vs. unorganised sector), always use a structured format — either a table or point-by-point comparison. Vague, paragraph-style answers lose marks.
6. Forgetting the Right to Livelihood
The Right to Livelihood is part of the Right to Life under Article 21 of the Constitution. This is a key concept in the chapter. Do not forget to mention it when discussing the rights of street vendors and casual workers.
7. Assuming casual workers get minimum legal protections
In theory, laws like the Minimum Wages Act exist. In practice, casual workers are often paid less than the minimum wage, work more than the legally permitted hours, and receive no benefits. Answers should reflect this ground reality.
Exam Checklist
Before your exam, make sure you can answer Yes to every item below:
- [ ] I can define and give examples of: permanent worker, casual worker, self-employed person, and street vendor.
- [ ] I can explain the story of Bachchu Manjhi — why he came to the city, how he earns, and why he goes back to his village.
- [ ] I can list at least 5 differences between permanent workers and casual workers in a table format.
- [ ] I can distinguish the organised sector from the unorganised sector with at least 4 points of difference and examples for each.
- [ ] I can explain why casual workers form the majority of urban workers and why employers prefer hiring them.
- [ ] I can describe the working conditions of casual factory workers (long hours, low pay, no security, no benefits).
- [ ] I can list the benefits that Sudha receives as a permanent employee and explain why such benefits matter.
- [ ] I can explain the difficulties faced by street vendors and the purpose of the Street Vendors Act, 2014.
- [ ] I can explain what "social security" means and name at least 4 types of social security benefits.
- [ ] I can state the approximate percentage of India's workforce in the unorganised sector (around 90%).
- [ ] I can explain the Right to Livelihood as part of Article 21 (Right to Life) of the Indian Constitution.
- [ ] I can define piece-rate work and daily wage and explain how they differ from a fixed monthly salary.
- [ ] I can give at least 3 reasons why rural migrants come to cities for work.
- [ ] I have practised at least 8 MCQs from this chapter and can avoid common traps.
- [ ] I can write a 5-6 mark answer comparing organised and unorganised sectors with a table and examples.
Quick Revision Table — Types of Urban Livelihoods
| Type of Worker | Example | Income | Security | Benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Permanent | Bank employee, government teacher | Fixed monthly salary | High — cannot be dismissed easily | PF, pension, paid leave, medical |
| Casual | Construction labourer, factory helper | Daily wage or piece-rate | None — hired and fired daily | None |
| Self-Employed | Doctor with own clinic, shopkeeper | Income from business/profession | Depends on own effort and market | None (unless self-funded) |
| Street Vendor | Bachchu Manjhi (vegetable seller) | Daily earnings from sales | Very low — risk of eviction | None — no formal protection until 2014 Act |
Key Takeaways
1. Most urban workers in India are in the unorganised sector — they have no job security, no benefits, and no legal protection. 2. Permanent workers are a minority — only about 6-8% of India's workforce enjoys the security and benefits of the organised sector. 3. Street vendors are among the most vulnerable — the 2014 Act offers some protection, but implementation remains a challenge. 4. The Right to Livelihood is a fundamental right — no person can be deprived of their right to earn a living by lawful means. 5. Education and skills are key — they are the main factors that determine whether a worker can access organised sector jobs with security and benefits.