The Hindu Editorial (​​Faiths and fences) – Mar 27, 2026

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The Hindu Editorial (​​Faiths and fences) – Mar 27, 2026:

1. faith (noun) – a particular religion; belief system, creed, denomination.
2. fence (noun) – boundary, barrier, dividing line, restriction, limitation.
3. reservation (noun) – a systemic policy of setting aside a certain percentage of seats in educational institutions and government jobs for historically marginalized communities; affirmative action, quota system.
4. limit (verb) – restrict, confine, bound, restrain.
5. appropriate (adjective) – fitting, apt, correct, justifiable, suitable, proper, relevant.
6. reiterate (verb) – to say/state something again or repeatedly; repeat, restate, reaffirm, emphasize.
7. long-held (adjective) – deep-rooted, longstanding, entrenched, established.
8. yet (adverb) – despite that, or nevertheless, indicating a contrast; however, still, nevertheless, nonetheless.
9. contested (adjective) – vigorously opposed, debated, or argued against; disputed, challenged, controversial.
10. anti-discrimination (noun) – the foundational legal principle, policy, or proactive practice of opposing and preventing the systemic, unfair, or prejudicial treatment of marginalized groups based on characteristics such as caste or religion; non-discrimination, egalitarianism, equity, impartiality.
11. anti-discrimination (adjective) – unbiased, egalitarian, fair, unprejudiced.
12. jurisprudence (noun) – legal philosophy, legal theory, body of laws, legal principles.
13. protection (noun) – safeguard, defense, shelter, shield.
14. provision (noun) – clause, stipulation, condition, article, requirement.
15. practise (verb) – observe, follow, adhere to, engage in (a particular religion).
16. Chinthada Anand vs State of Andhra Pradesh case (Court judgment March 24, 2026) (noun) – a judicial ruling by the Supreme Court of India clarifying that Scheduled Caste (SC) status is constitutionally restricted to individuals professing Hinduism, Sikhism, or Buddhism.
17. arise from (phrasal verb) – originate from, stem from, emerge from, result from.
18. pastor (noun) – a formally ordained minister or spiritual leader in charge of a Christian church; clergyman, minister, priest, cleric.
19. sought past tense of seek (verb) – attempt or try to obtain, or achieve something; request, apply for, petition.
20. SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act (proper noun) – officially the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989; a parliamentary legislation designed to prevent and strictly punish hate crimes, atrocities, and discrimination against members of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
21. uphold (verb) – affirm, validate, sustain, endorse.
22. convert out (phrasal verb) – to officially or practically leave one’s original religion or belief system to adopt another faith entirely; change faith, apostatize, renounce, defect.
23. Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 (proper noun) – a Presidential Order issued under Article 341 of the Constitution specifying the communities deemed as Scheduled Castes, originally limiting the status exclusively to persons professing Hinduism, later expanded to Sikhism and Buddhism.
24. Article 341 of the constitution of India (proper noun) – a constitutional provision empowering the President of India to officially notify and specify the castes, races, or tribes deemed as Scheduled Castes for the purpose of affirmative action and constitutional safeguards.
25. cease (verb) – stop, terminate, halt, conclude.
26. definition (noun) – an exact, legally or constitutionally recognized description, specification, explanation.
27. founding leader (noun) – an eminent individual who played a crucial role in drafting the constitution or establishing the ideological framework of a nation; founding father, architect.
28. discrimination (noun) – prejudice, bias, bigotry, unfairness.
29. manifest (verb) – display, exhibit, demonstrate, reveal.
30. untouchability (noun) – social ostracism, segregation, caste-based exclusion, marginalization.
31. social reality (noun) – the dominant attitudes, behaviors, and structural conditions that are collectively experienced within a specific society; societal condition, social fact, collective experience, social phenomenon.
32. amendment (noun) – revision, alteration, modification, change.
33. act of assertion (noun) – a confident and forceful public or legal action intended to boldly claim one’s fundamental rights, identity, or autonomy; declaration, vindication, affirmation, insistence.
34. assertion (noun) – declaration, claim, affirmation, statement.
35. autonomy (noun) – independence, self-determination, freedom, sovereignty.
36. notably (adverb) – significantly, remarkably, especially, particularly.
37. bring under (phrasal verb) – include, encompass, subsume, incorporate.
38. theological (adjective) – religious, spiritual, scriptural, doctrinal.
39. distinction (noun) – difference, contrast, differentiation.
40. theological defence (noun) – religious justification, doctrinal argument, scriptural vindication, religious defense.
41. social stratification (noun) – a complex societal system of ranking categories of people in a fixed hierarchy (ladder/pecking order) based on wealth, status, or inherited caste; social hierarchy, class division, caste system, social structuring.
42. stratification (noun) – hierarchy, caste, stratum, class, division.
43. civilisational (adjective) – cultural, societal, historical, foundational.
44. civilisational universe (noun) – cultural sphere, historical domain, societal realm, cultural ecosystem.
45. constitutional legitimacy (noun) – legal validity, constitutional lawfulness, statutory authorization, legality.
46. legitimacy (noun) – validity, lawfulness, authenticity, justification.
47. Explanation II to Article 25(2) of the Constitution (proper noun) – a specific constitutional clause clarifying that for the purposes of social welfare and reform, the reference to “Hindus” shall be legally construed as including persons professing the Sikh, Jaina, or Buddhist religion.
48. Article 25(2) of the Constitution of India (proper noun) – a constitutional provision empowering the State to enact laws regulating secular activities associated with religious practices, and providing for social welfare, reform, or the throwing open of Hindu religious institutions to all sections of Hindus.
49. empirically (adverb) – practically, observably, factually, experientially.
50. watertight (adjective) – indisputable, foolproof, unassailable, flawless.
51. hence (adverb) – therefore, consequently, thus, accordingly.
52. fester (verb) – (of a social or legal problem) to progressively become worse, more intense, or legally complex through long-term systemic neglect; worsen, intensify, rankle, brew.
53. face (verb) – confront, encounter, experience, endure.
54. after all (phrase) – ultimately, nevertheless, essentially, in the end.
55. sanction (noun) – approval, authorization, permission, endorsement.
56. surcharged (adjective) – highly charged, fraught, emotional, tense.
57. commission (noun) – committee, board, panel, investigative body.
58. activist (noun) – a dedicated individual who rigorously campaigns to bring about systemic political, legal, or social change; campaigner, advocate, champion, reformer.
59. quantum (noun) – quantity, amount, portion, share.
60. meant for someone (phrase) – specifically designed, legislatively intended, or officially designated for a particular person or purpose; intended for, designed for, tailored for, aimed at.
61. Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (proper noun) – a constitutional classification used by the Government of India for castes or communities that are historically disadvantaged socio-economically and educationally, thereby making them eligible for affirmative action benefits.
62. Article 15(4) of the Constitution (proper noun) – a constitutional provision, introduced by the First Amendment Act of 1951, empowering the State to make special affirmative provisions for the advancement of any socially and educationally backward classes of citizens, or for the SCs and STs.
63. come through (phrasal verb) –  emerge, materialize, arrive, transpire.
64. legislative (adjective) – directly having the constitutional power to make laws, or strictly relating to statutes and the parliamentary lawmaking process; lawmaking, statutory, parliamentary, governmental.

Note:

1. Definitions (elementary level) & Synonyms provided for the words above are our personal work. Tentative definitions/meanings are provided for study purposes only and they may vary in a different context. 

2. This word list is for personal use only. Reproduction in any format and/or Commercial use of it is/are strictly prohibited.

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