Important Questions for Chapter 4 Gender, Religion and Caste Class 10 Political Science
Important Questions1
Define a feminist?
Answer
A person who believes in equal rights and opportunities for all human beings.
VSAQ
2
Explain the term 'Feminist Movement.
Answer
A Feminist Movement is a movement aimed at equality in personal and family life for men and women.
VSAQ
3
What do you mean by Patriarchal society?
Answer
Male dominated society.
VSAQ
4
What do you mean by Gender division?
Answer
Unequal roles assigned by the society to men and women.
VSAQ
5
In which country is the participation of women in public life very high?
Answer
Sweden.
VSAQ
6
At which level of government in India 1/3rd of seats are reserved for women?
Answer
Local Self Government bodies.
VSAQ
7
What do you understand by a secular state?
Answer
A secular state is a state which is not based on a religion and does not discriminate between citizens on the basis of religion.
VSAQ
8
What do we call a person who does not discriminate against other on the basis of religious beliefs?
Answer
Secular person.
VSAQ
9
How is the caste of person determined in India?
Answer
On the basis of their birth.
VSAQ
10
Which feature is against the spirit of Indian secularism?
Answer
The religious community in majority is given a prominent place in the government.
VSAQ
11
Who said that religion can never be separated from politics?
Answer
Mahatma Gandhi
VSAQ
12
How the Scheduled Tribes are commonly known?
Answer
Adivasis.
VSAQ
13
Explain the concept occupational mobility.
Answer
Occupational mobility is shifting from one occupation to another, usually when a new generation takes up occupations other than those practised by their ancestors.
VSAQ
14
Which division is unique to India?
Answer
Caste division.
VSAQ
15
What do you mean by caste hierarchy?
Answer
Caste hierarchy means a ladder like formation in which all the caste groups are placed from the highest to the lowest caste.
VSAQ
1
Define feminist. Which movements are called feminist movements?
Answer
A woman or a man who believes in equal rights and opportunities for women and men is called feminist.
Movements demand to enhance the political and legal status of women and improving their educational and career opportunities. These movements are called Feminist movements.
SAQ
2
Explain the concept of sexual division of labour with example. What are the results of this concept?
Answer
Sexual division of labour is a system in which all work inside the home is either done by the women of the family, or organised by them through domestic help. Example: cooking, washing clothes etc. done by women.
Results:
• Women’s face disadvantage and discrimination.
• Many girls are not sent to school.
• Women earn less than men.
SAQ
3
How does communalism create problems in politics?
Answer
When one uses religion in politics, it is communal politics.
• It creates problems when one sees religion as the basis of the nation.
• When one religion considers itself superior to other religions.
• When there is discrimination against the followers of the other religion.
SAQ
4
What is secularism? Mention any three provisions of the Indian Constitution which makes it a secular state.
Answer
Secularism means all religions are given the same respect and there is no state religion.
• No religion has a special status.
• Freedom to practice, profess and propagate one’s religion is allowed by the Constitution.
• No discrimination of any kind is allowed on religious grounds.
SAQ
5
Suppose a politician seeks your vote on the religious ground. Why is his act considered against the norms of democracy? Explain.
Answer
His act is against the spirit of democracy as the said politician is not working as per the Constitution.
• It also exploits the social difference.
• It may create social discard and may lead to social division.
• It is also biased attitude and neglects the principle of equality.
SAQ
6
Explain the status of women’s representation in India’s legislative bodies.
Answer
The status of women’s representation in India’s legislative bodies are as follows:
• The percentage of elected women members in Lok Sabha has touched 12 per cent of its total strength for the first time in 2014.
• Their share in the state assemblies is less than 5 percent.
• In panchayati raj, one-third of the seats are reserved for women.
SAQ
7
How does religion influence the political set up in our country? Explain.
Answer
The religion in politics is not dangerous as it seems to us. Ethical values of each religion can play a major role in politics. As a member of any religious community, people should express their political needs. The political leaders regulate the practice of religion so that there should be no discrimination and oppression. If all religions are treated equally then these political acts are correct in any way.
SAQ
8
In our country women still lag much behind men despite some improvements since independence.
Answer
• The literacy rate among women is only 54 percent compared with 76 percent among men.
• The proportion of women among the highly paid and valued job is still very small.
• The Equal Remuneration Act, 1976 provides that equal wages should be paid to equal work. But, 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.
SAQ
9
What are the factors other than the caste which play a decisive role at the time of the election?
Answer
Other than caste some more are there which play a decisive role at the time of the election –
• Money: During election some candidates purchase the vote by giving money.
• Power: Power also attracts the voter. Sometimes willingly and sometimes by force.
• Prestige: Suppose any party or candidate having good prestige, then also voters get attracted.
SAQ
10
Unless women are empowered, their problems will never get adequate attention. Suggest any 3 ways to empower them.
Answer
Women can be empowered by –
• Enhancing the political and legal status
• Enhancing their educational status
• By giving them equal rights and career opportunities.
SAQ
11
Describe the adverse effects of caste in politics in India.
Answer
Adverse effects of caste in politics in India:
• Political parties try to use caste to gain votes.
• Promise to take care of interests and demands of different castes.
• Leads to conflicts and tensions among various caste groups.
SAQ
12
“Caste has not still disappeared from contemporary India.” Write any three examples to justify the statement.
Answer
• Even now most people marry within their own caste or tribe.
• Untouchability has not ended completely, despite constitutional prohibition.
• Effects of centuries of advantages and disadvantages continued to be felt today.
SAQ
13
How does caste get politicised? Give three points.
Answer
• Each caste group tries to become bigger by incorporating within its neighbouring castes or sub-castes which were earlier excluded from it.
• Various caste groups are required to enter into a coalition with other castes or communities and thus enter into a dialogue and negotiation.
• New kinds of caste groups have come up in the political area like ‘backward’ and ‘forward’ caste groups.
SAQ
1
Caste can take various forms in politics. Describe them.
Answer
The caste can take following forms in politics :
• Sometimes candidates are chosen on the basis of their caste. When political parties choose candidates, they keep in mind the caste composition of their voters.
• In many places, voters vote on the basis of caste and fail to choose suitable candidates.
• When a government is formed after elections, political parties take care that different castes are represented in the government.
• Political parties appeal to caste sentiments during elections.
• To gain support, political parties raise caste-based issues during elections. This they do to get political support, as one man, one vote system or adult franchise has made the voter very powerful.
• The castes considered inferior or low until now have been made conscious of their rights by the political parties.
LAQ
2
Define a patriarchal society. What are the impacts of this society on women?
Answer
Patriarchal society is used to refer to a society that values men more and gives them power over women.
Effects are:
• The literacy rate among women is only 54 per cent compared with 76 percent among men.
• The proportion of women among the highly paid and valued jobs is still very small.
• The Equal Remuneration Act, 1976 provides that equal wages should be paid to equal work. However in almost all areas of work, from sports and cinema, to factories and fields, women are paid less than men.
• In many parts of India parents prefer to have sons and find ways to have the girl child aborted before she is born. Such sex-selective abortion led to a decline in child sex ratio.
LAQ
3
How can the relationship between politics and religion be beneficial and problematic at the same time? Explain.
Answer
Beneficial:
• Influence of religion can make politics value based.
• Religious communities can politically express their needs and interests.
• Political authorities can monitor and control religious discrimination and oppression.
Problematic:
• Religion can become the base for the development of nationalist sentiments which can lead to conflicts.
• Political parties will try to make political gains by pitting one group against the other.
• State power may be used to establish the domination of one religious group over another.
LAQ
4
Explain any five socio-economic changes responsible for breaking down the old notion of caste hierarchy in India.
Answer
Decline of the caste system in India:
• Efforts of social reformers like Phule, Gandhiji, Ambedkar against caste system have helped to promote a casteless society.
• Economic development has reduced the emphasis on caste.
• Large scale urbanisation has diminished the awareness of caste, as people rub shoulders in buses, trains and offices.
• Growth of literacy and education has helped to decrease the belief in caste.
• Occupational mobility is possible now and children are not compelled to continue the profession of the family or father.
LAQ
5
How “Women in India still face discrimination and oppression in various ways”. Support the statement with five examples.
Answer
In our country, women still lag much behind men despite some improvements since Independence. Women face disadvantage, discrimination and oppression in various ways:
• The literacy rate among women is only 54 percent as compared with 76 percent among men.
• Similarly, a smaller proportion of girl students go for higher studies. Girls are performing as well as boys in school. But they drop out because parents prefer to spend their resources for their boys’ education rather than spending equally on their sons and daughters.
• The proportion of women among the highly paid and valued jobs is still very small. On an average an Indian woman works one hour more than an average man everyday.
• The Equal Wages Act provides that equal wages should be paid to 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.
• In many parts of India, parents prefer to have sons and find ways to have the girl child aborted before she is born. Such sex selective abortion led to a decline in child sex ratio.
LAQ
6
‘Caste system cannot be separated from Indian politics.’ Justify the comment.
Answer
• Many political parties come forward in our country to protect interests of the backward classes. They are even given ministries to gain their support so that these castes would remain loyal to them.
• Certain pressure groups in the country are related to particular castes. They pressurise the government to meet their demands. They have a dominant part in the distribution of tickets of political parties and in winning the elections. They even campaign in favour of candidates of their own caste.
• Lower castes or Scheduled Castes have been provided reservation in educational institutions and in government jobs, in addition to reservation of seats in legislatures.
LAQ
1
“Gender division is not based on biology but on social expectations and stereotypes.” Support the statement.
Answer
• Gender division is a form of hierarchical social division based on social expectation and stereotypes.
• Boys and girls are brought up to believe that the main responsibility of women is house work and bringing up children.
• There is a sexual division of labour in most families where women do all the household chores and men work outside the home.
• Majority of women do some paid work in addition to domestic labour both in rural and Urban areas but work is not valued and does not get recognition.
• Women constitute half of the humanity, their role in public life, especially politics is minimal in most societies.
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