NCERT Book Class 10 Political Science Gender Religion and Caste

Gender, Religion and Caste

Gender and politics Let us begin with gender division. This is a form of hierarchical social division seen everywhere, but is rarely recognised in the study of politics. The gender division tends to be understood as natural and unchangeable. However, it is not  based on biology but on social expectations and stereotypes. Public/private division Boys and girls are brought up to believe that the main responsibility of women is housework and bringing up children.

This is reflected in a SEXUAL DIVISION OF LABOUR in most families: women do all work inside the home such as cooking, cleaning, washing clothes, tailoring, looking after children, etc., and men do all the work outside the home. It is not that men cannot do housework; they simply think that it is for women to attend to these things. When these jobs are paid for, men are ready to take up these works. Most tailors or cooks in hotels are men. Similarly, it is not that women do not work outside their home. In villages, women fetch water, collect fuel and work in the fields. In urban areas, poor women work as domestic helper in middle class homes, while middle class women work in offices. In fact the majority of women do some sort of paid work in addition to domestic labour. But their work is not valued and does not get recognition. The result of this division of labour is that although women constitute half of the humanity, their role in public life, especially politics, is minimal in most societies. Earlier, only men were allowedto participate in public affairs, vote and contest for public offices. Gradually the gender issue was raised in politics. Women in different parts of the world organised and agitated for equal rights. There were agitations in different countries for the extension of voting rights to women. These agitations demanded enhancing the political and legal status of women and improving.

QUESTION

1. Mention different aspects of life in which women are discriminated or disadvantaged in India.

2. State different forms of communal politics with one example each.

3. State how caste inequalities are still continuing in India.

4. State two reasons to say that caste alone cannot determine election results in India.

5. What is the status of women’s representation in India’s legislative bodies?

6. Mention any two constitutional provisions that make India a secular state.

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

8. In India seats are reserved for women in

(a) Lok Sabha

(b) State legislative assemblies

(c) Cabinets

(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.

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 (c) A and C (d) B and D

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.

(c) provides to all individuals freedom to profess any religion.

(d) ensures equality of citizens within religious communities.

11. Social divisions based on _________ are peculiar to India.

Please refer to attached file for NCERT Class 10 Political Science Gender Religion and Caste