GENDER, RELIGION AND CASTE CHAPTER-4 CIVIC! Textual Questions------ Important Term: a) Sexual Division of labour:- A system in which all work inside the home is either done by the wome| of the family, or organised by them through the domestic helpers. b) Feminist:- A woman or a man who believes in equal rights and opportunities for women and men. ©) Patriarchy:- Literally, rule by father, this concept is used to refer to a system that values men mor and gives them power over women. d) Family Laws:- Those laws that deal with family related matters such as marriage, divorce, adoptior inheritance, etc. In our country, different family laws apply to followers of different religions. ¢) Urbanisation:- Shift of population from rural areas to urban areas. f) Occupational Mobility:- Shift from one occupation to another, usually when a new generation take| up occupations other than those practiced by their ancestors, g) Caste Hierarchy:- A ladder like formation in which all the caste groups are placed from the ‘highest to the ‘lowest’ castes, Q.1 := Mention different aspects of life in which women are discriminated or disadvantaged in India. Ans(a) Literacy Rate The literacy rate among women is only 54% as compared to 76% among mei Similarly, a smaller proportion of girl students go for higher studies because parents prefer to spend thei resources for their boys’ education than spending equally on their daughters. (b) Unpaid Work The proportion of women among the highly paid and valued jobs is still very smal Though on an average, Indian women work one hour more than men every day, most of them are not pai equally and therefore, their work is often not valued. (©) Sex Ratio In many parts of India, parents prefer to have sons, and find ways to have the girl child abortey before she is born, This has led to a decline in the child sex ratio (the number of girl children per thousan| boys) in the country to merely 927. (d) Domestic Violence There are reports of various kinds of harassment, exploitation women, Both urban as well as rural areas have become unsafe for women They are not s ‘own homes from beating and other forms of domestic violence. Q.2 :- State different forms of communal polities with one example each. Ans. Communalism can take several forms in politics as:~ i(a) The most common expression of communalism is of communal superiority in our everyday belief Militant religious groups are an example. (b) Sometimes communalism takes its most ugly form in riots, India and Pakistan suffered some of the wor communal riots at the time of partition. (©) A communal mind often leads to a quest for political dominance of one’s own religious community; can take the form of a desire to form a separate political unit. An example is the separatist leaders i Kashmir, (@) Political mobilization based on religion is another form of communalism. This involves the use of sacret symbols, religious leaders, emotional appeal to bring the followers of one religion together in the politicd areas, Examples in India are politicians trying to influence voters from the two largest religious communitii in the country. Q.3:- State how caste inequalities are still continuing in Indi Ans. Even now, most people marry within their own caste or tribe. Untouchability has not ended completely despite its constitutional prohibition. Education is not easily available to the low castes. Even today most the poor belong to the low castes, while most of the rich are the *high castes’. Q.4 :- State two reasons to say that caste alone cannot determine election results in India. Ans. (a) No party wins the votes of all the voters of a caste or community. When people say the caste is “vote bank” of one party, it usually, means that a large proportion of voters from that caste vote for that party. (b) No Parliamentary Constituency in the country has a clear majority of one single caste. So, ever candidate and party needs to win the confidence of more than one caste and community to win elections, Q.5 :- What is the status of women’s representation in India’s legislative bodies? Ans. In India, the women’s participation in the political area is very low. The women’s strength in the Lo| Sabha is not even 10%. Their share in state assemblies is as low as 5%. The share of women legislators i India is behind hind those of several developing countries of Latin America and Africa, In the panchayat and municipalities, ally binding to fill one-third of the seats by women candidates. This has resulte in 10 lakh elected women representatives in the local government bodies. Q.6 :- Mention any two constitutional provisions that make India a secular state. Ans. (a) Fundamental Rights Under the Right to Freedom of Religion, our Constitution provides to al citizens freedom to profess, practice and propagate any religion, or not to follow any. (6) Under the Cultural and Educational Rights, our Constitution prohibits discrimination on grounds religion. Q.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 (c) Unequal child sex ratio (d) Absence of voting rights for women in democracies Ans. (b) Unequal roles assigned by the society to men and women Q.8:- In India seats are reserved for women in (a) Lok Sabha (b) State Legislative Assemblies (©) Cabinets(d) Panchayati Raj bodies Ans. (d) Panchayati Raj bodies Q.9 :- Consider the following statements on the meaning of communal politics, Communal pol based on the belief that: A. One reli supcrior to that of others. B, People belonging to different religions can live together happily as equal citizens. C, Followers of a particular religion constitute one community. D, State power cannot be used to establish the domination of one religious group over others. Which of the statements is/are correct? (a) A,B, C and D (b) A, B and D (©) Aand C (@) Band D Ans. (c) A and C A. One religion is superior to C. Followers of a particular religion constitute one community. of others. Q.10 :- Which among the following statements about India’s Con: (a) prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion (b) gives official status to one religion (c) provides to all individuals freedom to profess any religion (d) ensures equality of citizens within religious communities Ans, (b) gives official status to one religion jon is wrong? Tt Q.L1:- Social divisions based on are peculiar to India, Ans, Social divisions based on easte are peculiar to India. Q.12:- Match List I with List Il and select the correct answer using the codes given below the Lists: List I List I 1.A person who believes in equal rights and opportunities for women and menA.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 CSecularist 4.A person who does not discriminate others on the basis of religious beliefs D.Castiest 1234 (a)BCAD (b)BADC (©) DCAB (@)CABD Ans, 1234 (bJBADC Extra Questions------------- 1. Explain the factors responsible for low female literacy rate.Ans, (I)Indian society is basi (2)he parents do not expense (3) is a prevailing stereotype for women that even afier getting well education, they have to do househok jobs. ly a patriarchal society where boys are given preference over the girls equally for both boys and girls. Boys are given more attention. Q2. What do you mean by secular state ? Give any two provisions that make India a secular state 2 Ans, A nation or state which keeps itself equidistant from different religious issues, and does not giv protection to a particular religion. (1) India is a country of diverse religions. It was the religions on the basis of which India was divided Unlike Pakistan Buddhism in Sri Lanka, Christianity in England. (2) The constitution provides to all individuals and communities freedom to profess practice ani propagate any religion. Q3. In which country was the “Civil Rights Movement” Started? Name any leaders related to thi] movement? Why did he start this movement? Ans. America, Martin Luther King. The purpose of this movement was to gi discrimination being practiced against the Afro- Americans. e end to the racial linked with divi ion? How in of Labour in most of th} Q4. What do you mean by gender d societies? Ans. Gender d ion of work between the men and the women, Some wort sion simply refers to the div especially the households such as cooking, washing, cleaning, etc. are exclusively meant for the wome| while the man have some other defined areas of work. (1) The gender division between the men and women does not mean that men cannot do househol works, They simply think that it is for women to attend the household works. (2) The gender division also doesn’t mean that women do not work outside their home. Q5. Give three ill-effects of communalism in the society. Ans. (1) A communal thought always tends to establish political dominance offer particular religiou| community. (2) The country weakens when political parties are formed and political activities are conducted o the communal lines, (3) One of the most ugly Face of communalism em ‘ges out in the form of riots, violence and homicides.