Goa Higher Secondary-Mock Parliament (SESSION 1) - The ACTiZENS' Club Programme by Desh Apnayen

NOTE FOR TEACHER

Topics -

Energy conservation bill

Anti ragging bill

Cleanliness in school bill

Note – This activity can be run for 3 months or can be finished in 1.5 months in continuation as per schools’ decision. This is to give students the exposure to their role in schools’ development as ACTIZENS’ through parliamentary processes.

Session overview-

Sessions	Steps for the activity	Pre activity planning	Time/duration
Session 1	Introduction of activity Brainstorming activity to understand the process through statement cards Explanation of task for next session Group formation and division of work Selection of topic for drafting bill and research areas by respective groups	1. Research about the parliamentary process to pass the bill in India	45 mins
Session 2	Main activity Two Groups will form the bill with the help of given format and research findings collected Both Groups will come together and collate it as one Bill to be presented to Parliament in next session. Two bills are ready by class for Parliamentary proceedings.	Research on existing policy in school Check points to collect facts to draft the bill	45 Mins (20 Mins for drafting the bill and 25 Mins for compilation by 2 groups)
Session 3	Activity extension 1. Presentation of Bill 1 in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha 2. Voting 3. Acceptance or rejection of bill 4. Rework if bill is rejected 5. Next group will proceed to present the bill 2 and same process to be followed (If time is limited, teacher can ask 1 group to present in Lok Sabha and 1 group to present in Rajya Sabha and decide on accepting/rejecting the bill) If both the bills need rework, then groups will come prepare and present again after the recommended amendments, voting will happen again, and bills get passed and signed by teacher as President 6. If both the bills passed, groups will decide on members of the committee to ensure execution of policy. 7. Take signature from the committee members after sharing the policy to them and display the bill on Desh Apnayen Wall. Present the policy in school assembly or to 11th Grade students if permission given by teacher and principal to spread awareness about the policy	1. Rework on points suggested in previous session by Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members, if any 2. Drafting policy on plain paper by keeping space for committee signature	45 Mins

Very frequently, we hear about a new bill getting passed by the Cabinet, or a certain law getting amended by Parliament. But have we ever taken a moment to try and understand how laws get made in India? Laws in India can be made by the Union Government (National Laws) or by the State Governments (State Laws). For a law to be recognised in India, it must first be introduced in the form of a ‘Bill’ in either House of the Parliament, then passed by both the Houses and finally, assented to by the President of India before it becomes an ‘Act of Parliament’.

This Activity focuses on the students to learn and experience how a bill becomes a law. Also, students will give students to experience mock parliament setting in classroom. Through this simulation activity students will understand how the bill becomes a law with practical experience by creating a energy conservation bill for their school.

Bill - A bill, also known as a draft act of Parliament, is a proposed law that has not been passed yet. Once passed by both Houses of Parliament (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha) and approved by the President, it becomes a Law.

OBJECTIVES

To experience the parliamentary process to pass any bill related to school level policies.

SKILLS

Leadership, Communication, Research, Collaboration

VALUES

Equity, Fairness

MATERIAL REQUIRED

Notebook, pens.

PRE-ACTIVITY PREPARATION

Ask any one student to copy Annexure 1 on Board in same order.
Ask students to research about the parliamentary process to pass the bill in India

MAIN ACTIVITY

1. Teacher will begin the session by introducing the Actizen Club in brief. Tell them that since 12th Grade is the senior most class and they need to take role of ACTIZEN leaders for others to follow.

2. Ask them about their understanding of parliament, bill, Act, etc.

3. Tell them, During the 1960’s, it was that women in our country were subjected to lot of abuse at home at hands of partner, and there were no specific laws limited to these kinds of cases. A need was felt to address these issues that women in Indian society were facing. So, to protect the women from Domestic Violence - The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act came into being in 2005. Now, how did these efforts that started about 1970s became an Act (Law) in 2005 – let us explore this example’s journey to understand steps of how bill becomes a law.

4. Show them the sentences/steps (given in Annexure 1) on board – these represent the journey of how this draft bill became an Act. Basis this in pairs, order the steps and conclude the process how a bill becomes a law.

5. Tell students they will get 15 mins to order the sentences and deduce the steps of how bill becomes a law from it.

6. Invite different students to read out the steps one by one and conclude the steps of how a bill becomes a law with help of this example. (Teacher will correct the order if needed – refer Annexure 2)

7. Divide the class into four groups. Two groups will work on same topic but in different teams. In this manner, the class will work on drafting two bills out of the following –

Energy Conservation Bill
Anti ragging bill
Cleanliness in school bill
Any other topic that students feel is need of school, they can take that in approval by teacher.

8. Each group will divide their responsibilities to research for drafting the bill in next session. Ask students to select one group leader, research on existing policy in school for the chosen topic and check points to collect facts to draft the bill

9. The teacher will ask these questions & summarize the key learning points.

What did you learn from the activity?
What is the difference between a law and a bill?

Key Learnings –

A bill, also known as a draft act of Parliament, is a proposed law that has not been passed yet. Once passed by both Houses of Parliament (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha) and approved by the President, it becomes a Law.