Definitions [2]
Definition: Social Problem
- Fuller and Myers: A social problem is “a condition which is defined by a considerable number of persons as a deviation from some social norms which they cherish”.
- Broom and Selznick: A social problem is “a problem in human relationships which seriously threatens society or impedes the important aspirations of many people’.
- Horton and Leslie: A social problem “is a condition affecting a significant number of people in ways considered undesirable, about which it is felt that something can be done through collective social action”.
Definition: Ageing
- Hess: “An inevitable and irreversible biological process of life.”
- Birren and Renner: “Ageing refers to the regular changes that occur in mature genetically representative organisms living under representative environmental conditions as they advance in chronological age.
Key Points
Key Points: Concept of Unemployment
- India’s unemployment is structurally and cyclically driven, with youth at the highest risk.
- Unemployment is measured by hours worked, with underemployment also common.
- Solutions include focused skill development, industrial growth, and targeted government schemes.
Key Points: Characteristics of Ageing
- Ageing is universal, it occurs in all members of the population, unlike disease.
- Ageing is progressive; it is a continuous process.
- Ageing is intrinsic to the organism.
- Ageing is degenerative.
Key Points: The Problems of Ageing
- Health concerns: Old age brings physical, mental and emotional problems like weak organs, illness, anxiety and depression.
- Loneliness: Elderly people often feel isolated due to loss of spouse, children living away, or neglect by family.
- Abuse: Many aged persons face physical, emotional or financial abuse within family or society.
- Economic insecurity: Lack of pension and financial dependence on family create insecurity among the elderly.
- Mental health issues: Anxiety, depression and feeling like a burden are common among aged people.
- Absence of adequate health care: Proper medical and psychological care facilities are often unavailable or unaffordable.
- Exploitation: Elderly people may be exploited in property matters, bank work and legal documents.
Key Points: Measures to tackle the problems of ageing
- Role of Government: The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment implements schemes for the care and welfare of the aged with support of states, NGOs and civil society.
- Policy: The National Policy on Older Persons (1999) provides support, healthcare, shelter and protection for senior citizens.
- Action Plan: An Inter-Ministerial Committee ensures effective implementation of policies related to older persons.
- Role of organisations/NGOs: NGOs like HelpAge India and others support elderly people through care services and awareness programmes.
- Role of Education: Schools create awareness and sensitivity towards senior citizens through projects like NSS and community service.
- Role of Family: Families must provide respect, emotional support and a caring environment for the elderly.
Key Points: Factors responsible for unemployment
- Inadequate skills – Mismatch between individuals’ skills and job requirements leads to unemployment.
- Frequent shift in jobs – Temporary unemployment occurs during job changes or migration for work.
- Changing economy – Economic ups and downs cause job losses during recession periods.
- Seasonal shift – Certain sectors like agriculture provide employment only during specific seasons.
- Gap in demand and supply – Job seekers are more than available job opportunities, creating unemployment.
Key Points: Consequences of unemployment
- Unutilised human resources: Unemployment leads to wastage of human potential as skilled and unskilled individuals remain economically unproductive.
- Educational Stagnation: Many educated persons remain jobless as their training does not match the demands of the job market.
- Underemployment: People often work in jobs below their qualifications or in unrelated fields, reducing their efficiency and earnings.
- Anti-social activities: Lack of employment opportunities may push individuals, especially youth, towards anti-social or illegal activities.
- Impact on mental health: Unemployment causes frustration, stress, depression and feelings of loneliness among individuals.
- Adverse impact on national development: High unemployment, especially among youth, slows economic growth and negatively affects national progress.
Key Points: Measures to tackle the problem of unemployment
- Educational change: Education should be choice-based, need-based and aligned with community and industrial requirements.
- Skill Development: Practical and employment-oriented skills must be developed to enhance job opportunities and self-employment.
- Vocational Training: Vocationalisation of education should be promoted to prepare learners for specific trades and careers.
- Industry-Education symbiosis: Strong collaboration between industries and educational institutions should be encouraged for better employability.
- Entrepreneurship and Self Employment: Promotion of start-ups and self-employment can reduce dependency on jobs and minimise unemployment.
Key Points: Causes of farmers’ suicide
- Impact of environmental deterioration: Deforestation, over-exploitation of resources and climate change cause floods and droughts, destroying crops and reducing farm income.
- Impact of globalisation: Free trade and market competition lower prices of local agricultural products, affecting farmers’ earnings.
- Indebtedness: Crop failure and high input costs force farmers to take loans, leading to heavy debt and financial stress.
- Ignorance: Lack of awareness about modern technology and scientific farming methods hampers productivity.
- Disparity of land holdings: Small and marginal farmers have less economic security compared to large landholders.
- Dowry system: Loans taken for social customs like dowry increase financial burden and worsen farmers’ distress.
Key Points: Consequences of farmers’ suicides
- Impact on farmers’ families: The suicide of a farmer causes long-term economic and emotional trauma to the family, especially the wife and children.
- Impact on spouse: The wife often becomes the sole breadwinner without adequate skills, forcing her into hard physical labour.
- Impact on children: Children may drop out of school and take up responsibilities early, suffering psychological stress and insecurity.
- Impact on economy: Farmers’ suicides create despair in villages, discourage youth from agriculture, and negatively affect rural and national economy.
- Impact on social environment: Repeated suicides generate fear, helplessness, guilt and loss of morale within the farming community.
Key Points: Measures to tackle the problem of farmer suicides
- Support to farmers in distress: Strong support systems are needed to help farmers deal with crop failure, monsoon failure and indebtedness.
- Insurance: Providing life insurance and crop insurance can protect farmers from financial loss due to crop failure or natural calamities.
- Provision for direct sales from farmers to buyers: Eliminating middlemen and enabling direct selling can ensure better profits for farmers.
- Water harvesting: Effective water harvesting and water management can reduce the impact of floods and droughts.
- Role of Banks: Banks and cooperative credit societies should provide easy, farmer-friendly loans to reduce dependence on private moneylenders.
- Multi-cropping: Encouraging multi-cropping instead of monoculture can reduce risk and improve farmers’ income stability.
Key Points: Causes of domestic violence
- Patriarchy: Patriarchal system creates power imbalance where men dominate and women, children and others have lower status.
- Insecurity: Feelings of suspicion, ego issues and fear of infidelity can lead to violence within marriage.
- Dysfunctional relationships: Personal insecurities, incompatibility and constant conflicts may result in abuse.
- Traditional and religious outlook: Rigid traditional beliefs often justify male dominance and normalise violence.
- Heteronormativity: Strict gender roles and expectation of heterosexual norms lead to discrimination and abuse.
- Vulnerability: Women, children, elderly and disabled persons are more vulnerable to exploitation and violence.
Key Points: Consequences of domestic violence
- Psychological trauma: Long-term emotional stress, fear, depression and need for counselling due to abuse.
- Unfulfilled lives: Victims lose confidence, hope and trust, affecting their goals and aspirations.
- Effect on health: Causes physical and psychosomatic problems like depression, illness and stress-related disorders.
- Perpetration of abuse: Children exposed to violence may consider it normal and repeat it in adulthood.
- Decline in individual productivity: Poor physical and mental health reduces efficiency and overall productivity.
Key Points: Measures to deal with domestic violence
- Creating awareness: Domestic violence must not be normalised and society should promote equality and social justice.
- Personal empowerment: Women and vulnerable groups should be empowered through SHGs, NGOs and social support systems.
- Role of media: Media should spread awareness, share real stories and sensitise people about domestic violence.
- Role of NGOs: NGOs support victims through counselling, legal aid and coordination with police.
- Role of Law: Strong legal provisions protect victims and empower individuals against abuse.
- Role of Police: Police must handle domestic violence cases sensitively and ensure justice for victims.
Key Points: Types of Addiction > Substance Addiction
- Substance Addiction refers to physical and biological dependence on chemical substances.
- It leads to withdrawal symptoms when the person stops using the substance.
- Common substances include alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, cocaine and narcotic drugs.
- Substance abuse affects health, family life, workplace and social relations.
- It can lead to anti-social behaviour, depression and legal problems.
Key Points: Types of Addiction > Internet Addiction
- Internet addiction refers to excessive and compulsive use of the internet.
- It becomes a problem when a person feels a constant need to access specific websites for personal gratification.
- Addiction may involve gaming, social media, pornography, entertainment or online stimulation.
- It affects people of all age groups, including children, youth and adults.
- Excessive internet use can interfere with daily life, responsibilities and social relationships.
Key Points: Types of Addiction > Mobile addiction
- Mobile addiction is obsessive use of mobile phones.
- It includes constant checking of calls, messages and social media.
- It leads to excessive selfies and posting on social media.
- It affects mood, behaviour and mental health.
- It may cause accidents, stress and physical health problems.
Key Points: Causes of Addiction
- Personal factor: Addiction develops gradually due to individual habits and repeated behaviour over time.
- Peer pressure: Friends or social groups may influence a person to adopt addictive habits to fit in.
- Social status: Some addictions are seen as symbols of status or fashion, encouraging people to follow them.
- Validation of the ‘Self’: People seek attention, approval or importance (especially through social media), leading to addictive behaviour.
- Psychological factor: Mental conditions like anxiety, insecurity, inferiority complex or frustration can push individuals toward addiction.
- Inadequate role models: Lack of positive guidance may lead individuals to imitate harmful habits seen in their surroundings.
Key Points: Consequences of Addiction
- Psychological effect on the individual: Addiction creates mental dependence, obsession for validation, and emotional instability.
- Impact on family: Addiction disturbs family life, causes conflict, poor communication and insecurity.
- Impact on health: It harms physical, mental and emotional health causing stress, anxiety and aggression.
- Impact on work: Addiction reduces efficiency, focus, commitment and overall work performance.
- Economic Impact: Addiction leads to financial burden due to spending on substances, devices or treatment.
- Isolation: Addicts withdraw from social interaction and become detached from real-life relationships.
Key Points: Measures to tackle addiction problems
- Creating awareness: Spreading awareness helps people understand addiction and encourages self-assessment.
- Counselling: Professional counselling by psychologists helps addicts recover effectively.
- De-addiction Clinics: Special clinics provide treatment and support through de-addiction programmes.
- Laws: Strict legal provisions help control drug peddling and harmful online activities.
- Mass Media: Mass media spreads awareness through campaigns, helplines and online platforms.
- Voluntary organisations: NGOs like AA and NA support addicts through guidance and group help.
- Group activity: Participation in sports, hobbies and social activities reduces isolation and addiction.
Important Questions [19]
- State whether the following statement is True or False with reasons. Technology is always useful for social progress.
- Write differences. Social problem and Individual problem.
- Correct the underlined word and complete the statement. Ageing is an artificial process.
- Give your personal response. Give your suggestions to overcome the problems faced by the aged.
- Identify the appropriate term from the given options and rewrite it against the given statement: It is a source to fulfill the needs of some senior citizens.
- Give your personal response. Discuss how keeping aged parents in a 'Home for the Aged' can have positive and negative consequences.
- Answer the following question in detail (in 150-200 words). Describe the problems of ageing and suggest measures to solve them.
- Give your personal response to the following statement. Farmers’ suicide is increasing.
- Explain the following concept with an example. Domestic violence
- Correct the incorrect pair and rewrite it.
- Correct the underlined word, and complete and rewrite the statement: ‘Bell Bajao Andolan’ is against alcoholic addiction.
- 'Bell Bajao Andolan' is related to ______.
- Answer the following question in detail (in 150-200 words). There are various types of addiction. Elaborate their causes and consequences.
- Write differences. Mobile addiction and Drug addiction.
- Correct the incorrect pair and rewrite it: Alcohol - Internet addiction (ii) Inadequate skills - Unemployment (iii) Indebtedness - Farmers' suicide (iv) Dada-Dadi - NGO
- Write a short note on the following topic in 50 to 60 words: Internet addiction
- Correct the incorrect pair and rewrite it. (i) Marijuana – Drug addiction (ii) Violent films – Internet addiction (iii) Selfitis syndrome – Substance addiction (iv) Country liquor – Alcohol addiction
- Identify the appropriate term from the given options and rewrite it against the given statement. It can lead to physical health problems.
- Complete the concept map. Solutions to Substance Addiction
Concepts [21]
- Social Problem
- Ageing
- The Problems of Ageing
- Measures to Tackle the Problems of Ageing
- Concept of Unemployment
- Causes of Unemployment
- General Measures to Reduce Unemployment
- Farmers’ Suicide
- Causes of Farmers’ Suicide
- Consequences of Farmers’ Suicides
- Measures to Tackle the Problem of Farmer Suicides
- Domestic Violence
- Causes of Domestic Violence
- Consequences of Domestic Violence
- Measures to Deal with Domestic Violence
- Addiction (Substance, Internet, Mobile)
- Types of Addiction
- Causes of Addiction
- Consequences of Addiction
- Measures to Tackle Addiction Problems
- Overview of Social Problems in India
