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.
How would a sociologist explain the many denials these families face?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → As the systematic result of structural features of society
Option (1) As accidental gaps in services that reach a remote settlement — Incorrect. The denials come from the bank, the bus service, health workers, the police and the school at once. A pattern this wide is not a matter of chance.
Option (2) As the systematic result of structural features of society — Correct. Social exclusion is not accidental but systematic. It is the result of structural features of society, which is why so many institutions shut the families out together.
Option (3) As the outcome of the families' choice to live on their own — Incorrect. The families have not chosen to stay away. The exclusion is done to them, as the bank and police turn them away and the school keeps their children apart.
Option (4) As the personal prejudice of a few local officials — Incorrect. The personal prejudice of a few officials cannot explain denials across so many separate institutions. Sociologists trace such a pattern to the structure of society.
NCERT (2026-27): “Social Exclusion |