Family and Community — NCERT Notes for UPSC
Family and Community
🔹 FAMILY: The Fundamental Unit of Society
🔸 Definition and Importance
The family is the fundamental and most ancient unit of society.
Types of families:
Joint Family: Several generations live together (grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins).
Nuclear Family: A couple and their children (sometimes single parent + children).
🧠 UPSC Tip: Direct questions have been asked in Prelims about social institutions — e.g., types of families.
🔸 Linguistic Insight into Indian Families
Indian languages have specific kinship terms: e.g., in Hindi — bua, tau, mausi, nana, nani.
Most Indian languages do not have a separate term for ‘cousin’ — cousins are treated as brothers/sisters, reflecting close familial bonds.
🔹 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES WITHIN FAMILY
Based on love, care, cooperation and interdependence.
‘Cooperation’ = working together.
Children gradually take up responsibilities and learn traditions.
Family teaches values like:
Ahimsa (non-violence)
Dāna (charity)
Sevā (service)
Tyāga (sacrifice)
Dharma: Following one’s duties towards the family and society.
🧩 Case Study 1: Shalini’s Family (Kerala)
A joint family helps an uncle who lost his job by buying festival clothes for him and his family.
Shalini sacrifices her wish for a silk dress — shows collective support and empathy in families.
🧩 Case Study 2: Tenzing’s Family (Meghalaya)
Father and mother share economic and domestic responsibilities.
Grandparents contribute to education, household and community welfare.
Reflects gender equality, collective duty, and community awareness.
🔹 COMMUNITY: Beyond the Family
🔸 Definition and Nature
A community is a group of connected people who support each other.
They may:
Celebrate festivals
Cooperate in agriculture
Share natural resources (e.g., water, grazing land)
Often governed by unwritten rules agreed upon collectively.
🧩 Case Study 3: Bhil Tribe’s Halma Tradition (Jhabua, MP)
Bhil community engaged in:
Tree plantation
Trench digging
Water harvesting
Voluntary action without payment — out of duty to community and environment.
Award: Padma Shri to Mahesh Sharma (Shivganga Movement)
🧩 Case Study 4: 2015 Chennai Floods
Religious and spiritual organisations provided food and relief to flood victims.
Shows community solidarity during disasters.
🧩 Case Study 5: Kamal Parmar (Ahmedabad, Gujarat)
Taught underprivileged street children after work hours (5:30–9:30 PM).
Provided free tuition and meals.
Local teachers and students also volunteered.
Values: compassion, selflessness, education for all.
🔸 Modern Urban Communities
Residents’ Welfare Associations (RWAs):
Manage cleanliness, waste, pets, etc.
Make their own community rules.
RWAs depend on:
Traders (supplies)
Municipal staff (services)
Reflects interdependence of communities in complex societies.
🔸 Broader Meaning of Community
Flexible term — can refer to:
Jāti or caste groups
Religious/regional groups (e.g., Mumbai’s Parsi community)
Occupational (e.g., scientific community)
Interest-based (e.g., sports community)
🔚 Summary Pointers
Family is the foundation of society.
It teaches values, duties, and social behavior.
Community extends family values into wider society.
Both joint and nuclear families have pros and cons.
Community participation (rural & urban) is vital for collective well-being.
Concepts like halma, RWA, and voluntary service show grassroots governance.
Mains-Based Questions on Family and Community
✅ Q1. Discuss the role of family as the fundamental unit of society. How does it shape values and responsibilities in individuals?
Answer Framework:
Introduction:
The family is regarded as the oldest and most foundational institution in human society.
It plays a pivotal role in socializing individuals, transmitting culture, and instilling values.
Body:
🔹 Types of Family Structures in India
Joint Family: Multiple generations living together (example: Shalini’s family from Kerala).
Nuclear Family: Parents and children (more common in urban areas).
🔹 Functions of Family
Socialization – Teaching values like ahimsa, dāna, seva, tyāga.
Role Training – Assigning responsibilities (e.g., helping in chores, decision-making).
Cultural Transmission – Preserving language, traditions, festivals.
Emotional Support – Providing security, love, and guidance.
🔹 Examples from Text
Shalini giving up a silk dress for her cousin shows value of sacrifice.
Tenzing’s family in Meghalaya reflects gender equality and elder involvement in social work.
Conclusion:
The family not only fulfills economic and emotional needs but also creates ethical citizens who contribute to society.
Thus, strengthening family systems is essential for nation-building.
✅ Q2. Examine how communities contribute to social well-being and resource management in India, with examples.
Answer Framework:
Introduction:
A community is a group of interconnected individuals who live together and support each other through shared customs and responsibilities.
In India, communities have historically managed natural resources and supported one another during crises.
Body:
🔹 Community Functions
Social Cohesion – Organizing festivals, feasts, marriages.
Resource Management – Unwritten rules for using forests, water, grazing land.
Crisis Support – Mutual aid during disasters, illness, or unemployment.
🔹 Examples from the Chapter
Bhil Community (Jhabua, MP): Practiced Halma, planted trees, built trenches for water conservation.
Chennai Floods (2015): Religious groups offered food and relief to affected people.
Urban Example – Kamal Parmar’s initiative to educate street children in Ahmedabad.
RWAs in urban areas manage cleanliness, garbage disposal, rules for pets.
🔹 Significance
Promotes decentralized governance and inclusive participation.
Develops interdependence, where even modern communities rely on each other (e.g., RWAs and municipal workers).
Conclusion:
Communities, both rural and urban, are critical pillars of resilience and sustainability in India.
Empowering local communities is key to achieving SDG goals and ensuring grassroots democracy.
✅ Q3. Compare and contrast joint and nuclear family systems in India. What are the socio-cultural implications of this change?
Answer Framework:
Introduction:
Family systems in India have undergone transitions — from joint families to nuclear units, especially in urban areas.
Body:
🔹 Comparison Table Format
| Aspect | Joint Family | Nuclear Family |
|---|---|---|
| Members | Multi-generational | Parents and children |
| Values | Collective living, interdependence | Independence, privacy |
| Economic | Shared resources | Dual incomes, higher cost |
| Emotional | Strong support system | Often emotionally isolated |
| Example | Shalini’s family | Increasingly common in metros |
🔹 Socio-Cultural Implications
Advantages of Joint Family:
Support in child-rearing
Elder care
Cultural continuity
Challenges in Joint Families:
Conflict of interests
Lack of privacy
Advantages of Nuclear Family:
Autonomy
Focus on individual development
Challenges:
Emotional alienation
Stressful parenting
Conclusion:
While nuclear families are adapting to modern life, the values of joint families like cooperation and shared responsibility are still relevant.
A hybrid model — where emotional and cultural connectivity is retained despite physical separation — is emerging.
✅ Q4. How can community initiatives play a role in achieving inclusive development in India?
Answer Framework:
Introduction:
Inclusive development involves participation of all sections in growth and prosperity.
Communities are key agents of inclusion, especially where state mechanisms are weak.
Body:
🔹 Community-led Initiatives from Chapter
Halma Movement (Bhil Tribe) – Conservation of water and environment.
Kamal Parmar’s Education Drive – Bridged educational gaps for slum children.
Residents’ Welfare Associations – Maintain cleanliness, promote civic responsibility.
🔹 Benefits of Community Action
Better local governance.
Sustainable solutions to problems (e.g., environmental protection).
Creates active citizenship and social capital.
Encourages volunteerism, reduces dependence on government.
🔹 Policy Implication
Community-based programs must be integrated into schemes like:
Swachh Bharat Mission
Jal Shakti Abhiyan
Education for All (Samagra Shiksha)
Conclusion:
Empowered communities are essential to ensure that development is bottom-up, participatory, and sustainable.
They must be treated as partners in progress, not passive recipients.
