NCERT Class 5 EVS Chapter 16: Who Will Do This Work

Dignity of Labour and Social Equality

In our society, people perform different types of jobs to earn their livelihood and help the community. Some work in clean offices, while others work on the streets cleaning sewers and collecting trash. Unfortunately, society often creates a hierarchy where certain physical cleaning jobs are considered 'low' or 'dirty'. This mindset is incorrect and harmful. Every job is necessary for our survival. Class 5 EVS Chapter 16 teaches us the concept of 'Dignity of Labour'—the principle that all forms of work are respected equally, and no occupation is superior to another. Mahatma Gandhi spent his entire life fighting against social discrimination and manual scavenging. He believed that everyone should clean their own toilets and do their own work to understand the effort it takes. When we start respecting every job, we move closer to a fair and equal society where no one is forced into hereditary sanitation work due to their caste or background.

Important Terms to Remember

Dignity of Labour

The philosophy that all kinds of jobs are respected equally, and no job is considered superior or inferior to another.

Manual Scavenging

The practice of manually cleaning, carrying, or disposing of human excreta from dry toilets and sewers, which is now legally banned in India due to its inhuman nature.

Untouchability

An ancient social evil where certain groups of people were discriminated against and prevented from touching others, entering temples, or drawing water from common wells. It is now completely illegal under the Indian Constitution.

How We Can Bring About Social Change

1. Acknowledge and Greet — Begin by smiling and greeting the sanitation workers in your colony or school. A simple 'Good Morning' or 'Thank You' shows them that they are seen and appreciated.
2. Segregate Waste at Home — Keep wet waste (biodegradable) and dry waste (recyclable) in separate bins. This prevents cleaning workers from having to sort through dangerous or unhygienic mixtures of trash with their hands.
3. Maintain Personal Cleanliness — Do not throw litter on the streets or school grounds. Keep your own room, desk, and surrounding area clean. If you create the trash, you must take responsibility for disposing of it.
4. Promote Equality Among Friends — Speak up when someone makes fun of a cleaner's job. Educate your friends that all workers deserve equal respect and dignity.

Exam Preparation Tip: Connecting Lessons to Life

Many questions from Chapter 16 are value-based and test your empathy and understanding of social situations. Always write answers that reflect respect, equality, and personal responsibility. For example, if asked 'How would you feel if you had to clean a drain?', explain both the physical difficulty and the importance of respecting those who do it. Use terms like 'Dignity of Labour' and reference Gandhiji's teachings to secure high marks.

Practice Questions with Solutions

• Q: Why did Gandhiji and his team start doing the work of cleaning toilets themselves?
  A: Step 1: Understand Gandhiji's philosophy. Gandhiji believed in the dignity of labour and wanted to wipe out the social stigma associated with cleaning toilets.
  Step 2: Note the action. To change people's minds, he and his team started cleaning toilets themselves at his ashram so everyone, regardless of caste, would learn self-reliance.
  Final answer: Gandhiji and his team cleaned toilets themselves to show that no work is low or dirty, to teach people the dignity of labour, and to eradicate the social evil of untouchability.

• Q: What is manual scavenging, and is it allowed in India today?
  A: Step 1: Define the term. Manual scavenging refers to the manual cleaning, carrying, or disposing of human excreta from dry latrines and sewers.
  Step 2: State its legal status. This practice is extremely unhygienic and disrespectful.
  Final answer: Manual scavenging is the practice of removing waste manually. It is completely banned in India today under the law to protect the dignity and health of sanitation workers.

• Q: How can we reduce the burden of cleaning workers in our schools and neighborhoods?
  A: Step 1: Identify the main issue. Cleaners have to pick up litter thrown carelessly by others.
  Step 2: Propose actionable steps. We can sort waste and keep our surroundings clean.
  Final answer: We can reduce their burden by always throwing trash in the dustbin, segregating dry and wet waste at home, and taking responsibility for cleaning our personal spaces.

• Q: Why should we respect sanitation workers?
  A: Step 1: Think about our daily lives. Without sanitation workers, our streets, sewers, and surroundings would become dirty and disease-ridden.
  Step 2: Connect it to their contribution. They risk their health to keep our environment clean.
  Final answer: We should respect sanitation workers because they perform a vital public service that keeps us healthy and safe. Every profession deserves dignity and appreciation.

Frequently Asked Questions