Activity 2 - Celebrating Democracy

One of the key elements of our Republic is that it’s a democratic Republic. It gives us a reason to celebrate democracy on adopting the Constitution. Democratic Republic means people elect the government (executive).

Contextualising this for the school would mean that students elect their government i.e monitors, house captains, cleanliness incharge etc. The school may not be comfortable to conduct elections for all the above posts. If that is the case, you may choose some posts for which elections could take place.

You could follow the following action plan:

Step 1 – Discussion on Democracy

– Generate a discussion among students on democracy. The following questions could be discussed:

· What is democracy?
· What is the benefit of a democracy?
· Where do we see democracy around us? In government, in institutions, schools
· How can we created democratic structures in school?

At the end of the discussion, tell the students that the school has decided to implement some democratic experiments. The school is conducting elections to some offices.

Step 2 – Declaration of elections

- Declare that elections are being held to some particular posts. Tell the kids that anybody could take part in the elections. Declare an election officer (a teacher or you could experiment with a student). Let some children file nominations and canvass by speaking to children in the classrooms. Declare a voting day

Step 3 – Conduct Elections and Declare results

– Do a polling exercise, where students put votes. Count votes and declare the results.

Possible Activities:

· Call a local official who is part of actual elections and let him or her speak about the actual filing of nominations, the EVM or Electric Voting Machines. The official can share the entire election experience with the kids
· Call a worker/s of a local political party or parties. Ask that person to explain the election experience. Brief the political party worker in advance that this is not a forum to promote their party. The best would be to have workers from two or three parties come together to speak to the kids. Also, brief the children that they are supposed to ask questions related to elections and not on the agendas of the particular political parties.