Meera, a Class 12 student in Pune, was asked to complete ten sentences beginning with 'I am'. Among them she wrote 'I am a Maharashtrian' and 'I am a singer'. Her teachers, parents and friends have found her truthful for many years, at school, at home and among friends. At a crowded family wedding, though, the usually quiet Meera chats freely with everyone. Her younger brother Rohan refuses whenever he is told what to do. So their mother has stopped telling him; she now offers him two or three choices she is happy with and lets him pick one.
Which of the following correctly describes Meera's two sentences?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → 'I am a Maharashtrian' shows social identity; 'I am a singer' shows personal identity
Option (1) 'I am a Maharashtrian' shows social identity; 'I am a singer' shows personal identity — Correct. 'I am a Maharashtrian' links Meera to a <strong>social or cultural group</strong>, so it shows social identity. 'I am a singer' names her own capability, which makes her <strong>different from others</strong>, so it shows personal identity.
Option (2) Both 'I am a Maharashtrian' and 'I am a singer' show personal identity — Incorrect. Only the singer sentence is personal identity. Being a Maharashtrian comes from a regional or cultural group, so it is social identity.
Option (3) 'I am a Maharashtrian' shows personal identity; 'I am a singer' shows social identity — Incorrect. This swaps the two. A capability such as singing belongs to personal identity, and a regional group belongs to social identity.
Option (4) Both 'I am a Maharashtrian' and 'I am a singer' show social identity — Incorrect. Only the Maharashtrian sentence is social identity. Being a singer is a personal capability.
NCERT (2026-27): “CONCEPT OF SELF … |