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The Value of Work – Class 6 Social Science notes, important questions and MCQs

NCERT Class 6 Social Science, chapter 13. Notes, key terms, important questions with answers and MCQs.

Chapter overview

People do many kinds of work every day. Some activities earn money or produce goods and services for sale; these are economic activities. Others are done out of love, care, duty or for the community without payment; these are non-economic activities. Both are valuable for society.

Economic activities

Economic activities are done to earn income or produce goods and services for the market, such as farming, teaching in a school, running a shop or working in a factory.
Payment can be in money (wages, salary, profit) or sometimes in kind (grain for labour).

Non-economic activities

Non-economic activities are done without the aim of earning, such as cooking for one's family, caring for elders, helping a neighbour or volunteering during a flood.
Household work, mostly done by women, is unpaid but essential for the family and society.
Community activities such as cleaning a pond together, langar in gurdwaras or helping at festivals build social bonds.

Dignity of labour

All honest work deserves respect; no work is small.
Recognising unpaid work helps value the contribution of homemakers and volunteers.

Key terms

Economic activity: an activity done to earn income or to produce goods and services for the market
Non-economic activity: an activity done out of love, care, duty or service without the aim of earning
Wages: payment given to a worker for work done, often daily or weekly
Volunteer: a person who works for others or the community without payment

Important questions with answers

What is the difference between economic and non-economic activities?2 marks

Economic activities are done to earn income or produce goods and services for the market, such as farming for sale, teaching in a school or working in a factory. Non-economic activities are done without the aim of earning, out of love, care, duty or service, such as cooking for the family or volunteering.

Explain with examples how the same activity can be economic or non-economic.3 marks

Cooking food at home for the family is a non-economic activity, but a cook preparing food in a restaurant is doing economic work because he is paid. Teaching one's own child at home is non-economic, while a teacher teaching in a school earns a salary. Whether an activity is economic depends on whether it is done for payment or the market.

'All work has value.' Explain this statement with reference to economic and non-economic activities and the dignity of labour.5 marks

Economic activities such as farming, manufacturing, trading, teaching and nursing earn income and produce goods and services that people need; they keep the economy running. Non-economic activities such as cooking, cleaning, caring for children and elders, and volunteering in the community are not paid, but they keep families healthy and communities united, and they allow other members to go to work and school. Much of this unpaid work is done by women, and it should be recognised and shared. Community service such as cleaning a pond or helping during floods builds trust and cooperation. The idea of dignity of labour teaches that every honest job, whether of a cleaner, farmer, carpenter or officer, deserves equal respect. Thus all work, paid or unpaid, has value for society.

Quick revision

Economic = for income or the market.
Non-economic = love, care, duty, service.
Unpaid household work is essential.
Dignity of labour: all honest work deserves respect.

Exam tips

To classify an activity, ask: is it done to earn money or for the market. If yes, it is economic.
The same activity can be economic or non-economic: cooking at home is non-economic, but a cook in a hotel does economic work.

Practice MCQs

A farmer selling vegetables in the market is doing
1. a non-economic activity
2. no activity
3. a religious activity
4. an economic activity
Show answer
Answer: (d) an economic activity. It earns income.
A mother cooking food for her family is doing
1. an economic activity
2. a government job
3. a business
4. a non-economic activity
Show answer
Answer: (d) a non-economic activity. It is done out of love and care.
A person who works for others without payment is a
1. wage earner
2. trader
3. volunteer
4. landlord
Show answer
Answer: (c) volunteer. Volunteering is non-economic.
A cook working in a hotel kitchen is doing
1. a non-economic activity
2. household work
3. volunteering
4. an economic activity
Show answer
Answer: (d) an economic activity. The cook is paid for the work.
Payment given to a worker, usually daily or weekly, is called
1. wages
2. profit
3. rent
4. tax
Show answer
Answer: (a) wages. Labourers often receive daily wages.
Serving free food at a langar in a gurdwara is an example of
1. a community non-economic activity
2. an economic activity
3. a factory job
4. a trade
Show answer
Answer: (a) a community non-economic activity. It is service to the community.
Why is unpaid household work important even though it earns no money
1. it is not important
2. it is paid by the government
3. it keeps the family healthy and allows others to work and study
4. it is done only by children
Show answer
Answer: (c) it keeps the family healthy and allows others to work and study. Without it, families and society cannot function.
Which statement shows dignity of labour
1. every honest job deserves respect
2. some jobs are shameful
3. only office jobs matter
4. manual work is worthless
Show answer
Answer: (a) every honest job deserves respect. All useful work contributes to society.

All chapters of Class 6 Social Science

Written by Kundali IQ from standard, well-established facts to help with revision. This is not an official NCERT publication; always read your textbook too.