The rights guaranteed by the Indian Constitution are known as Fundamental Rights because they have been included in the fundamental law of the land. Whenever the rights are violated, the Supreme court and the High Courts have the power to grant remedies. All citizens can claim these rights for securing their welfare and enriching their personality.

In a democracy, ultimate power rests with the people who belong to diverse groups and communities. The Constitution of a democratic country lays down the rules that guard against misuse of power, guarantee right to equality and also make sure that the majority group does not use its power against the minority.

A democratic country needs a Constitution because:
(i) It is a written record of rules that guard against the misuse of power by political representations of the people.
(ii) It guarantees equality to all persons and no citizen can be discriminated on the basis of caste, creed, sex, religion etc.
(iii) It prevents the domination of one majority group over the less powerful minority groups.
(iv) It states the ideals that the people of the country, coming from different communities, have agreed upon and chosen to uphold.

Right to Freedom would be violated. This includes the right to freedom of speech and expression, the right to form associations, the right to move freely and reside in any part of the country and the right to practise any profession, occupation or business.

Shabnam was happy that she had not watched TV because she had used that time to revise her chapters for the test. Because of this, she could do well in the exams. I would also have done what Shabnam did in a similar situation.

The six fundamental rights given by the Indian Constitution are:
(i) Right to Equality All persons are equal before the law and there shall be no discrimination on the basis of religion, caste or sex etc.
(ii) Right to Freedom This includes the right to freedom of speech and expression, the right to form associations, the right to move freely and reside in any part of the country and the right to practise any profession, occupation or business.
(iii) Right against Exploitation Human trafficking, forced labour and children under 14 years of age working in hazardous occupations are prohibited.
(iv) Right to Freedom of Religion All citizens have the right to practise, profess and propagate the religion of their choice.
(v) Cultural and Educational Rights All minorities, religious or linguistic. are free to set up their own educational institutions in order to preserve and develop their culture.
(vi) Right to Constitutional Remedies A citizen can move court if he/she believes that any Fundamental Right has been violated by the state.

The Constitution plays an important role in a state. It is all the more crucial in democratic societies.
Following are some of the reasons why we need a Constitution
(i) First, the Constitution states the ideals that form the basis of the kind of country its people aspire to live in. It gives a set of rules and principles that all persons residing in a country can agree upon and also shape the way in which they want their country to be governed.
(ii) Second, it determines the nature of a country's political system. It gives the guidelines that govern decision-making in the country.
(iii) Third, a Constitution is needed to protect us from ourselves. It guards against taking any decision in haste or whim that might affect the larger interest.