One of the implications of equality in society is the absence of
Answer & explanation
Answer: (a) Privileges
Equality means that the treatment people get and the chances open to them are not fixed by birth or status. That requires ending special privileges reserved for a few; it does not require removing rules, rivalry or beliefs.
- ✓ (a) The first step towards equality is dismantling formal systems of inequality and privilege, such as rights, offices or entry open only to some castes, classes or sexes.
- ✗ (c) Equality of opportunity is compatible with competition; liberal thinkers in fact treat fair competition as a just way to distribute rewards once everyone starts on equal terms.
- ✗ (b) An equal society still has laws and restraints; equality asks that the same restraints apply to all, not that restraints disappear.
Remember · Equality = no special privileges by birth or status, plus equal opportunities. It sits comfortably with laws (restraints) and fair competition.
📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 11 Political Theory, Ch 3 (practise this chapter) · Class 11 Political Theory, Ch 3 (practise this chapter) · Class 11 Political Theory, Ch 3 (practise this chapter)
Sources
- NCERT Class 11 · Political Theory, Chapter 3 “The first step towards bringing about equality is, of course, ending the formal system of inequality and privileges.”
- NCERT Class 11 · Political Theory, Chapter 3 “It merely suggests that the treatment we receive and the opportunities we enjoy must not be pre-determined by birth or social circumstance.”
- NCERT Class 11 · Political Theory, Chapter 3 “Liberals uphold the principle of competition as the most efficient and fair way of distributing resources and rewards in society.”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2017, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·