How do illiteracy, poverty and gender discrimination affect the working of Indian democracy?

1. 1 · Open with the idea. Democracy works well only when every citizen can take part fully and equally.
2. 2 · Illiteracy. Illiterate citizens may not use the vote meaningfully or know about issues and rights; literacy was only 18.33 per cent in 1951.
3. 3 · Poverty. For a hungry person food comes before the vote; poverty denies a healthy, full life and causes other inequalities.
4. 4 · Gender discrimination. A low sex ratio, female foeticide and few women in public life keep half the people from equal participation.
5. 5 · Close in one line. So education for all, poverty removal and gender equality are needed to strengthen democracy.

Scoring tip: Give one fact for each challenge, such as a year, a term or a law. Three points with one fact each make a full 3-mark answer.