NCERT Solutions for Class 6 Social Science (Exploring Society) Chapter 13: The Value of Work

These Class 6 Social Science Exploring Society Chapter 13 solutions cover The Value of Work from Exploring Society: India and Beyond, the new NCF textbook for the 2026–27 session. The chapter belongs to the theme Economic Life Around Us and explains the different types of work people do, how activities are grouped into economic and non-economic activities, how people are paid (salary, fee, wage, payment in kind), the idea of value addition, and the deep importance of non-economic activities like sevā and community participation. Below you get step-by-step answers to all the Questions, activities and projects, clear notes on key terms, extra practice, MCQs, Assertion–Reason and FAQs.

Class: 6 Subject: Social Science Book: Exploring Society: India and Beyond Chapter: 13 Theme: Economic Life Around Us Session: 2026–27
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Class 6 Social Science Exploring Society Chapter 13 – Overview

Chapter 13, The Value of Work, opens with the story of Anu and Kabir, who notice the many kinds of work people around them do — an Air Force pilot, a shopkeeper, a software engineer, a teacher, and volunteers. From these examples the chapter divides all activities into two groups. Economic activities are done in exchange for money or money’s worth (a farmer selling produce, a lawyer charging a fee, a driver transporting goods). Non-economic activities do not earn income but are done out of love, care, gratitude and respect (parents cooking food, youth caring for grandparents, free teaching). The chapter then shows the different types of payment — salary, fee, wage and payment in kind — and explains value addition using Rajesh the carpenter, who turns ₹600 of wood into a ₹1,000 chair. It ends by celebrating the value of non-economic work through sevā, langars, the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and Van Mahotsav, showing how such service builds social welfare and personal wellbeing.

Key Concepts & Terms

Economic activities: activities that involve money or are performed in exchange for money or money’s worth for the parties involved — for example, a business person selling school bags, a farmer selling produce, a lawyer arguing a case for a fee, a truck driver transporting goods, or workers in a car factory.

Non-economic activities: activities that do not generate income or wealth but are done out of feelings like gratitude, love, care and respect — for example, parents cooking food or helping with schoolwork, youth taking care of grandparents, or family members helping renovate the house.

Money’s worth: the monetary value that a person places on an object based on the benefit they derive from it.

Market: a place where people engage in the exchange of goods and services. People may exchange goods for other goods, but in most markets these are exchanged for money.

Salary: a fixed regular payment, generally paid monthly by an employer to an employee (for example, Geeta Aunty the pilot, or Anu’s brother Rohan).

Fee: a payment made to a person or organisation in exchange for professional advice or services — for example, a fee paid to a doctor or a lawyer.

Wage: a payment made by the employer to the worker for a specific period of time — for example, the daily wage earned by Sahil, the farm labourer.

Payment in kind: a non-cash payment that is received for the work performed — for example, the mangoes Sahil receives as part of his payment.

Value addition: the value added at each stage of transforming something into another form. Rajesh buys wood for ₹600 and sells a chair for ₹1,000; the extra ₹400 is the monetary value of his skill, time and effort.

Sevā: selfless service done without expecting anything in return — seen in temples, gurudwaras, mosques and churches, such as the langars (community kitchens) that serve free food to every visitor.

Community participation: collective effort by people for a common good — for example, the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan to keep surroundings clean, and Van Mahotsav (the festival of forests) for tree plantation drives.

“Questions, activities and projects” — Full Solutions

All questions below are reproduced verbatim from the NCERT textbook’s end-of-chapter Questions, activities and projects section. Answers are original, written in clear exam-ready style for Class 6.

1. How are economic activities different from non-economic activities?

ANSWER Economic activities are those that involve money or are performed in exchange for money or money’s worth for the people involved. They generate income or wealth. Examples are a farmer selling produce in the market, a lawyer arguing a case and earning a fee, or a software engineer working for a salary. Non-economic activities are those that do not generate income or wealth. They are done out of feelings like gratitude, love, care and respect, not for money. Examples are parents cooking food for the family, youth taking care of grandparents, or someone teaching children for free. In short, the key difference is that economic activities are carried out for money or money’s worth, while non-economic activities are carried out without expecting money, simply to help and care for others.

2. What kind of economic activities do people engage in? Illustrate with examples.

ANSWER People engage in many kinds of economic activities, all of which are carried out in exchange for money or money’s worth. Some common examples are: Selling goods: a business person selling school bags in the market, or Anu’s parents running a shop that sells uniforms and ready-made garments. Farming and selling produce: a farmer selling his harvest in the market. Providing professional services: a lawyer arguing a case for a fee, a doctor treating patients, or a teacher conducting online classes for a fee. Transporting goods: a truck driver carrying goods from one place to another. Working in industry or services: workers employed in a car manufacturing factory, a software engineer in a computer company, an Air Force pilot, a post office employee, or a technician operating a bulldozer at a construction site. In each of these activities, the person is paid for their work — through a salary, a fee, a wage, or payment in kind — which is what makes them economic activities.

3. There is great value attached to people who are engaged in community service activities. Comment on this statement.

ANSWER This statement is true. People engaged in community service perform non-economic activities — they do not earn money for their work, yet the value they create for society is very high. Community service is a form of sevā, or selfless service. The langars at gurudwaras feed every visitor free of cost, and temples distribute prasād to devotees. Such acts foster a sense of satisfaction and gratitude and help people without expecting anything in return. Collective community efforts also bring large benefits. The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan keeps streets, parks and public places clean, and Van Mahotsav brings people together for tree plantation drives that protect forests. These efforts improve social welfare, personal wellbeing and the overall quality of life. Therefore, even though community service does not earn money, the kindness, unity and care it spreads make it extremely valuable, and the people who do it deserve great respect.

4. What are the various ways in which people are compensated for various economic activities? Give some examples.

ANSWER People are compensated, or paid, for their economic activities in several different ways: Salary: a fixed regular payment, generally paid monthly by an employer. For example, Geeta Aunty, the Air Force pilot, and Rohan, the software engineer, each receive a salary. Fee: a payment made for professional advice or services. For example, a lawyer charges a fee for arguing a case, a doctor charges a fee, and Kavya’s aunt charges a weekly fee for online classes. Wage: a payment made by the employer to the worker for a specific period of time. For example, Sahil, the farm labourer, earns a daily wage for tilling the land. Payment in kind: a non-cash payment received for work done. For example, Sahil receives part of his payment as mangoes of equal value instead of cash. Thus, depending on the type of work, people may be paid through a salary, a fee, a wage, or payment in kind.

“Let’s Explore” in-text activities

Let’s Explore (page 185): What activities did the people in Anu’s and Kabir’s story engage in? Then label the third column ‘economic / non-economic activity’ and classify them.

ANSWER The activities mentioned in the story and their classification are shown below:
Character in the storyActivities they are engaged inEconomic / Non-economic activity
Geeta AuntyWorks as a pilot in the Indian Air Force (receives a salary)Economic
Kabir’s grandfatherProvides free Geography classes to neighbourhood kids; tends the vegetable garden; runs errands for the homeNon-economic
Anu’s parents (Appa and Maa)Run a shop selling uniforms and ready-made garmentsEconomic
Anu’s mother (Maa)Volunteers in a group that teaches knitting to women in the communityNon-economic
Rohan (Anu’s brother)Works as a software engineer in a company (receives a salary)Economic
Rohan (Anu’s brother)Volunteers on weekends to teach computer skills for freeNon-economic

Let’s Explore (page 188): Put a tick against those activities/professions that you think create monetary value, and add two more activities with examples of money-related value creation.

ANSWER Activities that create monetary value are those done in exchange for money. The table below shows the classification with examples:
Activity / ProfessionCreates monetary value?Example of money-related value creation
1. BakerYes ✓Bakes and sells bread and cakes for money
2. TailorYes ✓Stitches clothes and charges a fee
3. Farmers repairing their tractorNoDone for their own use, not for money
4. DoctorYes ✓Treats patients and charges a fee
5. Parents cooking dinner for their familyNoDone out of love and care, not for money
6. ScientistYes ✓Does research for a salary in an institution
7. Person taking care of a sick grandparentNoDone out of love and respect, not for money
8. Carpenter (added)Yes ✓Makes furniture and sells it, adding value to wood
9. Bus driver (added)Yes ✓Drives passengers and earns a salary or fare

These are sample answers. You may tick the professions and add your own two examples of money-related value creation.

Think About It (page 187): When Kabir’s grandfather voluntarily teaches the neighbourhood kids for free, is that an economic or a non-economic activity? How is it different from your teachers teaching you at school? Also, what are some non-economic activities important to you and your family, and why are they valuable?

ANSWER When Kabir’s grandfather teaches the neighbourhood children for free, it is a non-economic activity, because he does not earn any money for it — he does it out of care and a wish to help. In contrast, when teachers teach in a school, they are paid a salary, so their teaching is an economic activity. Some non-economic activities important to many families are cooking meals together, helping children study, caring for elderly grandparents, cleaning the house, and helping neighbours. They are valuable because they show love, build strong relationships, and keep the family and community happy and united, even though no money is involved. (Your own examples are accepted.)

Extra Practice Questions

Short Answer Type Questions

Q1. What are economic activities?

ANSWEREconomic activities are those that involve money or are performed in exchange for money or money’s worth for the people involved. They generate income or wealth, for example a farmer selling his produce or a lawyer earning a fee.

Q2. What is meant by ‘money’s worth’?

ANSWERMoney’s worth is the monetary value that a person places on an object based on the benefit they derive from it. It allows people to exchange goods or services even without using cash directly.

Q3. What is value addition? Explain with the example of Rajesh.

ANSWERValue addition is the extra value created at each stage of turning something into another form. Rajesh the carpenter buys wood for ₹600 and sells a chair for ₹1,000. The extra ₹400 is the value of his skill, time and effort that he added to the wood.

Q4. What is the difference between a salary and a wage?

ANSWERA salary is a fixed regular payment, generally paid monthly by an employer to an employee. A wage is a payment made by the employer to the worker for a specific period of time, such as a daily wage paid to a labourer like Sahil.

Q5. What is sevā? Give one example.

ANSWERSevā means selfless service done without expecting anything in return. An example is the langar, or community kitchen, at a gurudwara, which serves free food to every visitor and fosters gratitude and a sense of giving back to society.

Long Answer Type Questions

Q1. Explain the four ways in which people are paid for economic activities, with examples.

ANSWERPeople are paid for their economic activities in four main ways. A salary is a fixed regular payment, generally made monthly by an employer; for example, Geeta Aunty the pilot and Rohan the software engineer each earn a salary. A fee is a payment made for professional advice or services; for example, a doctor or lawyer charges a fee, and Kavya’s aunt charges a weekly fee for online classes. A wage is a payment made by the employer for a specific period of time; for example, Sahil the farm labourer earns a daily wage. Payment in kind is a non-cash payment given for work done; for example, Sahil receives some of his payment as mangoes of equal value instead of cash. The type of payment depends on the kind of work a person does.

Q2. Why are non-economic activities important even though they do not earn money?

ANSWERNon-economic activities are done out of feelings like love, care, gratitude and respect, not for money, yet the value they generate is very important in our lives. Within families, activities such as cooking food, helping children with schoolwork and caring for grandparents keep the household happy and united. In the wider community, sevā activities like langars feed people for free, while collective efforts such as the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan keep our surroundings clean and Van Mahotsav protects forests through tree plantation. These activities build a sense of satisfaction, gratitude and unity, improve social welfare and personal wellbeing, and enhance the overall quality of life. This is why non-economic activities are valued so highly even though no money changes hands.

Q3. Describe the different types of work people do, using examples from the chapter.

ANSWERThe chapter shows that people engage in a wide variety of work, which can be grouped into economic and non-economic activities. Economic work includes selling goods (Anu’s parents run a uniform shop), farming (a farmer sells his harvest), professional services (a lawyer, a doctor, a teacher charging a fee), transporting goods (a truck driver), and working in jobs for a salary (an Air Force pilot, a software engineer, a post office employee, a bulldozer technician). Non-economic work includes activities done out of love or service, such as parents cooking food, youth caring for grandparents, a grandfather teaching neighbourhood children for free, and volunteers teaching knitting or computer skills. Through these examples, the chapter teaches that everyone around us does many kinds of work each day, and all of it — whether paid or unpaid — has value in our lives.

MCQs & Assertion–Reason

1. Economic activities are those that:

(a) are done only at home    (b) involve money or are performed in exchange for money or money’s worth    (c) are done out of love    (d) never earn any income

2. Which of the following is a non-economic activity?

(a) A farmer selling produce    (b) A lawyer charging a fee    (c) Parents cooking food for the family    (d) A worker in a car factory

3. A fixed regular payment, generally made monthly by an employer, is called a:

(a) fee    (b) wage    (c) salary    (d) payment in kind

4. The mangoes that Sahil receives instead of cash are an example of:

(a) a salary    (b) payment in kind    (c) a fee    (d) money’s worth

5. Rajesh buys wood for ₹600 and sells a chair for ₹1,000. The extra ₹400 represents:

(a) the cost of the wood    (b) the value of his skill, time and effort    (c) a fee    (d) a loss

6. A payment made to a person or organisation for professional advice or services is called a:

(a) wage    (b) salary    (c) fee    (d) prasād

7. The langar at a gurudwara that serves free food to every visitor is an example of:

(a) an economic activity    (b) sevā (selfless service)    (c) value addition    (d) payment in kind

8. A place where people engage in the exchange of goods and services is called a:

(a) factory    (b) market    (c) garden    (d) post office

9. Which national programme is based on the collective efforts of citizens to keep surroundings clean?

(a) Van Mahotsav    (b) Green Revolution    (c) Swachh Bharat Abhiyan    (d) International Solar Alliance

10. Van Mahotsav, the festival of forests, brings communities together for:

(a) selling timber    (b) tree plantation drives    (c) building highways    (d) running shops

Answer key: 1-(b), 2-(c), 3-(c), 4-(b), 5-(b), 6-(c), 7-(b), 8-(b), 9-(c), 10-(b).

For each Assertion–Reason question, choose: (A) Both true and the Reason correctly explains the Assertion; (B) Both true but the Reason is not the correct explanation; (C) Assertion true, Reason false; (D) Assertion false, Reason true.

A-R 1. Assertion: A software engineer working in a company performs an economic activity.

Reason: The engineer is paid a salary in exchange for the work done.

A-R 2. Assertion: A grandfather teaching neighbourhood children for free is performing an economic activity.

Reason: He earns money each time he teaches the children.

A-R 3. Assertion: Rajesh adds value to the wood when he turns it into furniture.

Reason: Value addition is the value added at each stage of transforming something into another form through skill, time and effort.

A-R 4. Assertion: Non-economic activities have no value for society.

Reason: Non-economic activities are done out of love, care and gratitude and improve social welfare and wellbeing.

A-R 5. Assertion: A daily wage and payment in kind are two different ways of compensating a worker.

Reason: A wage is paid for a specific period of time, while payment in kind is a non-cash payment received for work done.

Answer key: 1-(A), 2-(D), 3-(A), 4-(D), 5-(B).

Exam Tips & Common Mistakes

How to score full marks in this chapter

Learn the clear difference between economic and non-economic activities — economic activities are done for money or money’s worth, non-economic ones out of love, care, gratitude and respect. Memorise the four ways people are paid (salary, fee, wage, payment in kind) with the textbook’s own characters: Geeta Aunty/Rohan (salary), the doctor/lawyer (fee), Sahil (wage and payment in kind). For value addition, always use the Rajesh example (₹600 wood → ₹1,000 chair = ₹400 added value). For the importance of non-economic work, mention sevā, langars, the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and Van Mahotsav to show you studied the chapter.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Thinking all work that helps people is “economic” — if no money is involved, it is non-economic.
  • Confusing a salary (fixed, monthly) with a wage (paid for a specific period, often daily).
  • Mixing up a fee (for professional services) with payment in kind (non-cash payment).
  • Forgetting that a teacher in a school earns a salary, so school teaching is an economic activity.
  • Saying non-economic activities are “useless” — they have great social and personal value.
  • Calculating value addition wrongly — it is the selling price minus the cost of materials.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Chapter 13 of Class 6 Social Science Exploring Society about?

Chapter 13, The Value of Work, explains the different types of work people do, divides activities into economic and non-economic activities, describes the ways people are paid (salary, fee, wage and payment in kind), introduces value addition with the example of Rajesh the carpenter, and shows the importance of non-economic activities like sevā and community participation.

What is the difference between economic and non-economic activities?

Economic activities are done in exchange for money or money’s worth and generate income, such as a farmer selling produce or a lawyer earning a fee. Non-economic activities do not earn money and are done out of love, care, gratitude and respect, such as parents cooking food or someone teaching children for free.

What is the exercise heading for Chapter 13 of Exploring Society?

The end-of-chapter exercise in Exploring Society: India and Beyond Chapter 13 is headed Questions, activities and projects and contains 4 numbered questions, all answered step by step on this page along with the in-text “Let’s Explore” and “Think About It” activities.

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