Class 8 Social Science Exploring Society Chapter 6 Solutions (NCERT 2026–27) – The Parliamentary System: Legislature and Executive
These Class 8 Social Science Exploring Society Chapter 6 solutions cover The Parliamentary System: Legislature and Executive from Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part I), the new NCF-2023 textbook for the 2026–27 session. The chapter belongs to the theme Governance and Democracy and explains how India’s Parliament is structured, what the legislature and executive do, and how the judiciary keeps a check on both through the system of checks and balances. Below you get step-by-step answers to all Questions and activities, clear notes on key terms, extra practice, MCQs, Assertion–Reason and FAQs.
Class: 8Subject: Social ScienceBook: Exploring Society: India and BeyondChapter: 6Theme: Governance and DemocracySession: 2026–27
Class 8 Social Science Exploring Society Chapter 6 – Overview
Chapter 6, The Parliamentary System: Legislature and Executive, explains how India is governed. The people directly elect their representatives to the Lok Sabha; the majority group forms the government. The Parliament — the supreme law-making body — is made up of the President and two houses, the Lok Sabha (House of the People) and the Rajya Sabha (Council of States), making it a bicameral legislature. The chapter describes the legislative functions of Parliament (constitutional functions, lawmaking, executive accountability and financial accountability), how a bill becomes an act, the executive functions of the President, Vice President and the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister, the role of the judiciary in checks and balances, and how the same legislature–executive structure is mirrored at the state level through the Vidhan Sabha and Vidhan Parishad.
Key Concepts & Terms
Parliament: the supreme legislative (law-making) body of India. It comprises the President and two houses — the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha — and controls and guides the work of the government.
Lok Sabha (House of the People / Lower House): members are chosen directly by the people through elections based on universal adult suffrage. The Constitution envisages a maximum of 550 members.
Rajya Sabha (Council of States / Upper House): members are elected indirectly by an electoral college; seats are based on the population of each state. It is presided over by the Vice President of India as its chairperson.
Bicameral system: a legislature with two houses (‘bi’ = two, ‘cameral’ = chamber). It was adopted in the spirit of federalism so that a Council of States could represent the states.
Universal Adult Franchise: the right of all adult citizens to vote irrespective of social or economic background, gender, race or religion.
Legislature: the organ that makes laws and oversees the work of the executive.
Executive: the organ that implements and enforces laws — the President, the Vice President and the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister.
Judiciary: the branch that interprets and applies laws, resolves disputes and acts as the custodian of the Constitution, checking the Legislature and the Executive.
Bill and Act: a bill is a draft of a proposed law introduced in Parliament; once it is passed by both houses and receives the President’s assent it becomes an act (and ultimately a law).
Money Bill: a bill dealing with financial matters (taxation, government borrowing, etc.) that can be introduced only in the Lok Sabha, with the President’s prior recommendation.
Question Hour: a select period (usually the first hour of a sitting) when MPs question ministers about government policies and activities, holding the executive accountable.
Separation of powers & checks and balances: the division of power among the Legislature, Executive and Judiciary so that no single organ becomes too powerful, with each keeping a check on the others.
Union, State and Concurrent Lists: lists that divide law-making subjects — the Union government legislates on the Union List, states on the State List, and both can legislate on the Concurrent List (the Union law prevails in case of conflict).
State legislature: the Vidhan Sabha (Legislative Assembly, lower house) and, in some states, the Vidhan Parishad (Legislative Council, upper house). The Governor is the constitutional head and the Chief Minister is the de facto executive head.
“Questions and activities” — Full Solutions
All questions below are reproduced verbatim from the NCERT textbook’s end-of-chapter Questions and activities section. Answers are original, written in exam-ready style.
1. Find out how many representatives from your state are in each House of the Parliament.
ANSWERThis is an activity based on your own state, so the exact numbers will vary. To find them, look up the official websites of the Lok Sabha (loksabha.gov.in) and the Rajya Sabha (rajyasabha.gov.in), or ask your teacher.How to work it out: the number of Lok Sabha MPs from a state depends on its population (states with larger populations have more seats). The number of Rajya Sabha MPs allocated to a state is also based on its population. Note down the figure for each House for your own state.For example, a very populous state such as Uttar Pradesh sends the largest number of members to both Houses, while a small state or union territory sends only one or a few. (Fill in the figures for your own state.)
2. What makes the Indian Parliament the “voice of the people”? How does it ensure that different opinions are heard?
ANSWERThe Indian Parliament is called the “voice of the people” because its members are the elected representatives of the citizens. The people directly elect the members of the Lok Sabha through universal adult franchise, and the majority among these representatives forms the government. The government therefore functions with the consent of the people.How different opinions are heard: Parliament represents people from every state, region, community and political party, so a wide range of views is brought into one place. Laws are made only after debates and discussions in which members from different parties can speak. Mechanisms such as the Question Hour let MPs raise the concerns of the people, and parliamentary committees (with members from different parties) examine government actions. Translation services in many Indian languages ensure that members can take part in their own language. In these ways Parliament gives space to diverse opinions and addresses public grievances.
3. Why do you think the Constitution made the Executive responsible to the Legislature?
ANSWERThe Constitution made the Executive (the Council of Ministers) responsible to the Legislature (the Lok Sabha) to keep the government accountable to the people through their elected representatives.Since the people cannot directly supervise the day-to-day work of the government, their representatives in Parliament do it for them. The ministers must justify their decisions during the Question Hour, answer questions in committees, and retain the support of the majority in the Lok Sabha to stay in power.This arrangement prevents the misuse of power, ensures that the government works in the interest of the people, and upholds the principle of executive accountability — a key feature of parliamentary democracy.
4. Why do you think we have chosen the system of bicameral legislature at the Union level?
ANSWERIndia chose a bicameral legislature (two houses) at the Union level for several reasons discussed during the making of the Constitution:First, it was felt that a single, directly elected House would be inadequate to meet the challenges that independent India would face. A second House provides an additional layer of review for proposed laws, reducing the chance of hasty or poorly considered legislation.Second, in the spirit of federalism, a Council of States — the Rajya Sabha — was needed to represent the states at the national level, with its composition and method of election deliberately made different from the Lok Sabha.Thus the Lok Sabha represents the people directly, while the Rajya Sabha represents the states, together balancing national unity with the interests of the states.
5. Try to track the journey of a recent bill passed by the Parliament. Identify in which House it was introduced. Were there any major debates or disagreements? How long did it take for the bill to become a law? Use newspaper archives, government websites, and Lok Sabha debates, or ask your teacher for help.
ANSWERThis is a research activity, so your findings will depend on the bill you choose. Pick any recent bill (for example a bill reported in the news) and trace its journey using reliable sources such as the PRS Legislative Research website, the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha websites, the official Gazette, or newspaper archives.What to record: (i) the name of the bill; (ii) the House in which it was first introduced (remember a Money Bill can be introduced only in the Lok Sabha); (iii) whether it was referred to a Standing Committee; (iv) the major debates or disagreements among parties; and (v) the dates on which it was introduced, passed by both Houses, received the President’s assent, and was notified in the Gazette — this tells you how long it took to become law.(Present your findings as a short timeline or chart. Answers will vary with the bill chosen.)
6. Choose a recent law passed by the Parliament. Divide into teams to role-play different parts of the process — MPs debating in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, ministers answering questions, and the President giving assent. Present a short skit showing how a bill becomes a law; enact a ‘model Parliament’.
ANSWERThis is a group role-play activity (a ‘model Parliament’). Choose a recent law and assign roles so that the whole lawmaking process is acted out in order:Suggested sequence for the skit: a minister introduces the bill in one House → a member moves to refer it to a Standing Committee → the bill is read and discussed clause by clause → members debate and vote → the process is repeated in the other House → the bill is sent to the President, who gives assent → it is notified in the Gazette and becomes a law.Let some students play MPs from different parties debating, some play ministers answering questions, and one play the President giving assent. This helps you understand each step of how a bill becomes an act. (Performance and choice of law will vary.)
7. The Women’s Reservation Bill, 2023, was passed with wide support. Why might it have taken over 25 years for this bill to be passed, despite being discussed for so long?
ANSWERA bill can take many years to become law when it requires wide agreement and raises difficult questions. The Women’s Reservation Bill, which reserves seats for women in legislatures, was discussed for over 25 years for several likely reasons:There were long-standing disagreements among political parties over its details — for example, whether there should be a separate sub-quota within the reservation for certain groups. Building a broad consensus on such a major change is difficult and time-consuming.Because it changes the composition of legislatures, it needed careful examination and the support of a large majority. Earlier attempts could not gather enough agreement, so the bill lapsed or was deferred several times. Only when wide support was finally built could it be passed. This shows how the rigorous lawmaking process and the need for consensus can delay even an important bill. (Reasoned points are accepted.)
8. Sometimes the Parliament is disrupted and does not function for the number of days it is supposed to. What impact do you think this has on the quality of laws and the trust people place in their representatives?
ANSWERWhen Parliament is disrupted and does not function for the scheduled time, its productivity falls (productivity is the number of hours a House actually worked against the time it was scheduled to). This has several harmful effects:On the quality of laws: important bills may be passed in a hurry without proper debate, or may be delayed for years. Without thorough discussion, mistakes in laws may not be noticed, and the executive is not questioned properly, weakening accountability.On people’s trust: citizens elect representatives to debate and make laws in their interest. Repeated disruptions, walkouts and the loss of working days make people feel that their concerns are being ignored and that public money and time are being wasted, reducing their trust in Parliament and their representatives. (Reasoned points are accepted.)
9. Can you create ‘interest’ groups among students and list questions related to any policy that you may want to ask your MP and / or your MLA? How would these questions be different if it is to the MP instead of the MLA, and vice versa?
ANSWERThis is a group activity. Form small ‘interest’ groups around a topic you care about (for example education, clean water, roads, sports facilities or the environment) and frame questions for your representatives.How the questions differ: an MP (Member of Parliament) makes laws on subjects in the Union List and the Concurrent List, so ask the MP about national-level matters — for example national education policy, railways, defence, telecom or a central scheme. An MLA (Member of Legislative Assembly) makes laws on subjects in the State List and the Concurrent List, so ask the MLA about state and local matters — for example state roads, the local school or hospital, water supply, electricity or land in your area.So questions to the MP focus on national policies and laws, while questions to the MLA focus on state and local issues. (Your topic and questions will vary.)
10. What is the role that the Judiciary plays in Indian democracy? What could happen if we didn’t have an independent judiciary?
ANSWERRole of the Judiciary: the Judiciary is the branch of government that interprets and applies the laws of the land and settles disputes through a system of courts. It is the custodian of the Constitution — it ensures that the laws passed by Parliament do not violate the Constitution, and that the Executive does not break the Constitution while implementing laws. By interpreting laws, resolving disputes and safeguarding fundamental rights, it keeps a check on the Legislature and the Executive (checks and balances) and protects the democratic nature of society.If there were no independent judiciary: the Legislature or the Executive could misuse their power without any check. Laws that violate the Constitution or harm citizens’ rights could be passed and enforced, disputes might not be settled fairly, and people would have no neutral place to seek justice. One organ could become too powerful, weakening democracy and endangering the rights of the people. (Reasoned points are accepted.)
Extra Practice Questions
Short Answer Type Questions
Q1. What is the Parliament of India composed of?
ANSWERThe Parliament of India is composed of the President and two houses — the Lok Sabha (House of the People / Lower House) and the Rajya Sabha (Council of States / Upper House). Because it has two houses, it is called a bicameral legislature.
Q2. What is a bicameral system?
ANSWERA bicameral system is a legislature with two houses (‘bi’ means two and ‘cameral’ means chamber or house). At the Union level India has a bicameral Parliament — the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.
Q3. Who presides over the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha?
ANSWERThe Lok Sabha is presided over by a Speaker, who is elected by its members and conducts the sessions, allows members to speak, maintains discipline and ensures rules are followed. The Rajya Sabha is presided over by the Vice President of India, who acts as its chairperson.
Q4. What is the difference between a bill and an act?
ANSWERA bill is a draft of a proposed law that is introduced in Parliament. After it is passed by both Houses and receives the President’s assent, it becomes an act, and ultimately a law. The bill goes through a long and rigorous process before becoming an act.
Q5. What are the three Lists that divide law-making subjects?
ANSWERThe three Lists are the Union List (subjects on which only the Union government can legislate), the State List (subjects on which only the state governments can legislate) and the Concurrent List (subjects on which both can legislate, with the Union law prevailing in case of conflict).
Long Answer Type Questions
Q1. Explain the legislative functions of the Parliament.
ANSWERThe Constitution lays down the key functions of Parliament, broadly classified under four heads. (1) Constitutional functions: Parliament elects the President and the Vice President, amends the Constitution, and upholds its core values — parliamentary democracy through universal adult suffrage, separation of powers, federalism, and Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles. (2) Lawmaking: its primary task is to make laws through a rigorous process by which a bill becomes an act. (3) Executive accountability: Parliament holds the executive answerable through mechanisms like the Question Hour and parliamentary committees, where ministers must justify their actions. (4) Financial accountability: Parliament approves and monitors government expenditure through the annual budget and examines how funds are distributed among ministries. Together these functions make the government work with the people’s consent.
Q2. Describe the steps through which a bill becomes an act in Parliament.
ANSWERA bill becomes an act through a long and effortful journey. First, the bill is introduced in either House of Parliament. It is then read so that members understand its contents. The bill may be referred to a Standing Committee, a permanent committee of MPs that scrutinises it and suggests modifications (though not all bills are referred to committees). Next it is taken up for consideration and passing, with a clause-by-clause discussion in which amendments are voted on, followed by a vote on the bill. The same process is then repeated in the other House. Once passed by both Houses, the bill goes to the President for assent, after which it is notified in the Gazette and becomes an act, and ultimately a law — as happened with the Right to Education Act, 2009.
Q3. How is the structure of government at the state level similar to and different from the Union level?
ANSWERThe state-level structure largely mirrors the Union level. Just as the Union has a President as constitutional head and a Prime Minister as the de facto executive, each state has a Governor (appointed by the President) as its constitutional head and a Chief Minister as the de facto executive head, chosen as the leader of the majority party in the Vidhan Sabha. Just as MPs make laws in Parliament, MLAs (Members of Legislative Assembly) make laws in the state legislature on subjects in the State List and Concurrent List, and the Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the lower house. The main difference is in the legislature’s structure: while the Union Parliament is always bicameral (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha), state legislatures can be unicameral (only a Vidhan Sabha) or bicameral (a Vidhan Sabha plus a Vidhan Parishad). Only a few states — such as Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh — have a bicameral legislature.
MCQs & Assertion–Reason
1. The Parliament of India is composed of the President and:
(a) one house (b) two houses (c) three houses (d) four houses
2. The members of the Lok Sabha are chosen:
(a) directly by the people (b) by the President (c) by the Prime Minister (d) by the Governor
3. The Rajya Sabha is presided over by the:
(a) Speaker (b) Prime Minister (c) President (d) Vice President of India
4. A legislature having two houses is called:
(a) unicameral (b) bicameral (c) federal (d) presidential
5. A draft of a proposed law introduced in Parliament is called a:
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: The Indian Parliament is a bicameral legislature.
Reason: It consists of the President and two houses — the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.
A-R 2. Assertion: The members of the Lok Sabha are elected indirectly by an electoral college.
Reason: The people of India choose their Lok Sabha representatives through direct election based on universal adult suffrage.
A-R 3. Assertion: The Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha.
Reason: The executive is made responsible to the legislature to keep the government accountable to the people.
A-R 4. Assertion: A Money Bill can be introduced in either House of Parliament.
Reason: A Money Bill deals with financial matters such as taxation and government borrowing.
A-R 5. Assertion: The Judiciary helps maintain checks and balances in Indian democracy.
Reason: The Judiciary checks that laws passed by Parliament and actions of the Executive do not violate the Constitution.
Answer key: 1-(A), 2-(D), 3-(A), 4-(D), 5-(A).
Exam Tips & Common Mistakes
How to score full marks in this chapter
Remember the Parliament has three parts — the President, the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. When comparing the legislature and the executive, use a clear two-sided structure (legislature = makes laws and oversees; executive = enforces laws). Learn the four legislative functions (constitutional, lawmaking, executive accountability, financial accountability) and the ordered steps of how a bill becomes an act. For state-level questions, link each Union office to its state counterpart (President–Governor, Prime Minister–Chief Minister, Lok Sabha–Vidhan Sabha, Rajya Sabha–Vidhan Parishad). Use the textbook’s own examples — the RTE Act, 2009, the Question Hour, and the bicameral states — to show you have studied the chapter.
Common mistakes to avoid
Forgetting that the President is part of Parliament along with the two Houses.
Saying Lok Sabha members are elected indirectly — they are elected directly by the people; Rajya Sabha members are elected indirectly.
Confusing the presiding officers — the Speaker presides over the Lok Sabha, the Vice President over the Rajya Sabha.
Thinking a Money Bill can start in either House — it can be introduced only in the Lok Sabha.
Mixing up the legislature (makes laws) with the executive (enforces laws).
Leaving activity-based questions (Q1, Q5, Q6, Q9) blank — write your own reasoned response, report or chart.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the parliamentary system in Class 8 Social Science Chapter 6?
India’s parliamentary system is a form of democracy in which the people elect their representatives, the majority forms the government, and the Parliament — made up of the President, the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha — is the supreme law-making body. The legislature makes laws, the executive (Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister) implements them, and the judiciary keeps a check on both.
What is the difference between the legislature and the executive?
The legislature (Parliament) makes laws and oversees the work of the government, while the executive (the President, Vice President and the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister) implements and enforces those laws. The executive is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha.
What is the exercise heading for Chapter 6 of Exploring Society?
The end-of-chapter exercise in Exploring Society: India and Beyond Chapter 6 is headed Questions and activities and contains 10 numbered questions, all answered step by step on this page.
