Families of a small settlement live at the edge of a large village. They grow their own food and have built their own houses. Yet the nearest bank branch will not open accounts for them, the bus does not stop near the settlement, health workers seldom visit, and the police station turned away their complaint about a land dispute. Their children are seated apart at the village school, and few finish it.
Which concept best describes the condition of the families of this settlement?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Social exclusion
Option (1) Prejudice — Incorrect. Prejudice refers to attitudes and opinions held by members of one group about another. The families face actual denials of services, which go beyond attitudes.
Option (2) Social stratification — Incorrect. Social stratification is a system that ranks categories of people in a hierarchy. It describes the layered ranking of the whole society, and the passage shows one group cut off from services and institutions.
Option (3) Social exclusion — Correct. Social exclusion means being cut off from full involvement in the wider society. The families are denied banking, transport, health care, the police and full schooling, the essential goods and services a full life needs.
Option (4) Social capital — Incorrect. Social capital is the network of contacts and connections a person can draw on. The passage is about denial of access, which this term does not describe.
NCERT (2026-27): “Social Exclusion |