Chapter 4
Gender, Religion and Caste'
Exercises -
1. Mention different aspects of life in which women are discriminated or disadvantaged in India.
Ans.
Women in India are discriminated against or disadvantaged in the following ways:
a. Literacy – The literacy rate for females is 65.46 percent, compared to 82.14 percent for males. It shows that since independence, the gap between male and female ratios regarding literacy is yet to be bridged.
b. Higher Education – When you compare the percentage of boys and girls pursuing higher education after school, it is lower for girls as they drop out after school. This is because parents do not want to spend their resources on a girl's education, which is quite expected in the case of a boy.
c. High-paying jobs – The percentage of women working in high-paying jobs is still lower than men. On average, an Indian woman works one hour more per day than an average man. Yet, most of her workis uncompensated and therefore often not valued.
d. The Equal Remuneration Act, 1976 states that equal wages should be paid for equal work. However, in almost all areas of work, from sports and cinema to factories and fields, women are paid less than men, even when both do exactly the same work.
e. Sex-ratio – Sex Ratio of India is 107.48, i.e., 107.48 males per 100 females in 2019.
2. State different forms of communal politics with one example each.
Ans.
The different forms of communal politics are:
a. Communalism takes the form of religious prejudices, stereotypes of religious communities and a belief in the superiority of one’s religion over other religions. E.g., militant religious groups.
b. The quest for political dominance of one religion over another in a community. It takes a form of majoritarianism. For example, rift between political parties based on religion.
c. Political mobilisation on religious lines is another frequent form of communalism. Example – During elections, hate speeches come to the surface, revealing the communalism.
d. Communal violence is another form of communalism in politics. For example, riots on the basis of religious sentiments.
3. State how caste inequalities are still continuing in India.
Ans.
According to the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), the following evidence reflects the present caste inequalities in India:
a. The average economic status of caste groups (measured by terms such as monthly consumption expenditure) still follows the old hierarchy – the 'upper' castes are the best, the Dalits and Adivasis are the worst, and the backward classes are in the middle.
b. Although each caste has some poor members, the proportion living in extreme poverty (below the official 'poverty line') is significantly higher for the lowest castes and significantly lower for the upper castes, with the backward classes once again in the middle.
4. State two reasons to say that caste alone cannot determine election results in India.
Ans.
The two reasons that say that caste alone cannot determine election results in India are as follows:
a. In India, there is no clear majority of a single caste in any parliamentary constituency. Therefore, each candidate and party must win the trust of multiple nations and communities to win the election.
b. No party can win the votes of all voters of race or community. When people say that race is the 'vote bank' of a party, it means that a large proportion of the voters of that nation vote for that party.
5. What is the status of women's representation in India's legislative bodies?
Ans.
There are more than 1 million elected women representatives in rural and urban local bodies. Women's organizations and activists have been demanding reservation of at least one-third seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. A bill with this proposal has been pending before Parliament for more than a decade. However, there is no consensus among all political parties on this issue. The bill has not been passed.
6. Mention any two constitutional provisions that make India a secular state.
Ans.
a. The fundamental right to the freedom of religion clearly states that one has a right to practise, profess and propagate any religion.
b. Prohibition of discrimination on the basis of religion is one of the tenets of the constitution under the fundamental right to equality.
7. When we speak of gender divisions, we usually refer to:
(a) Biological difference between men and women
(b) Unequal roles assigned by the society to men and women
(d) Absence of voting rights for women in democracies
Ans.
(b) Unequal roles assigned by society to men and women
8. In India seats are reserved for women in
Ans.
(d) Panchayati Raj bodies
9. Consider the following statements on the meaning of communal politics. Communal politics is based on the belief that:
A. One religion is superior to that of others.
Which of the statements is/are correct?
(a) A, B, C, and D (b) A, B, and D (c) A and C (d) B and D
Ans. (c) A and C
10. Which among the following statements about India's Constitution is wrong? It
(a) prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion.
(b) gives official status to one religion.
(d) ensures equality of citizens within religious communities.
Answer: (b) gives official status to one religion.
Ans.
Social divisions based on caste are peculiar to India.
12. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the Lists:
List I | List II | |
1. | A person who believes in equal rights and opportunities for women and men | A. Communalist |
2. | A person who says that religion is the principal basis of community | B. Feminist |
3. | A person who thinks that caste is the principal basis of community | C. Secularist
|
4. | A person who does not discriminate others on the basis religious beliefs | D. Castiest |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
(a) | B | C | A | D |
(b) | B | A | D | C |
(c) | D | C | A | B |
(d) | C | A | B | D |
Ans.
(b) B A D C
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