NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Social Science Civics Chapter 3: This chapter explains the impact of social divisions on politics and society in a clear and informative way, as per the CBSE Class 10 syllabus. This chapter discusses how gender, religion, and caste influence political representation, access to resources, and social equality.
Class 10 Political Science Chapter 3 question answers help students understand key concepts like discrimination, social justice, and equality. The solutions also include examples of gender bias, caste-based inequalities, and religious divisions, showing how they affect democratic participation.
Define Gender Religion and Caste Class 10
This chapter explains how social divisions based on gender, religion, and caste influence politics, society, and everyday life. It highlights how these divisions can lead to discrimination, unequal opportunities, and social inequalities.
The chapter also explores the importance of equality, social justice, and inclusivity in strengthening democracy and ensuring fair participation for all groups in society
Gender Religion and Caste Class 10 Questions and Answers
This chapter explains how social divisions like gender, religion, and caste affect politics and society.Exercises
1. Mention different aspects of life in which women are discriminated or disadvantaged in India.
Answer.
In India, women face discrimination and disadvantages in various aspects of life:
- Literacy : The literacy rate for women is lower at 65.46% compared to 82.14% for men. This persistent gap in literacy rates between men and women highlights ongoing challenges in achieving gender equality in education.
- Higher Education : Girls are less likely to pursue higher studies after school compared to boys. Many girls drop out due to financial constraints, as families often prioritize spending on boys' education over girls'.
- Employment Opportunities : Women have limited access to highly paid jobs compared to men. Despite working longer hours on average, women's work is often unpaid and undervalued. Even though the Equal Remuneration Act of 1976 mandates equal pay for equal work, women continue to be paid less than men in various fields.
- Sex Ratio : The sex ratio in India stands at 107.48 males per 100 females. This imbalance reflects deep-rooted gender biases and cultural preferences for male children, leading to issues of female foeticide and gender-based discrimination.
2. State different forms of communal politics with one example each.
Answer.
Various forms of communal politics manifest in different ways:
- Religious Prejudices: Communalism often involves harboring prejudiced attitudes towards other religious communities, perpetuating stereotypes, and believing in the superiority of one's own religion. This can be observed in the activities of militant religious groups that promote intolerance and hatred towards other faiths.
- Quest for Political Dominance: Communalism may also manifest as a desire for one religious community to dominate over others politically. This form, known as majoritarianism, can lead to tensions and conflicts between political parties based on religious affiliations.
- Political Mobilisation on Religious Lines: Another common form of communal politics involves mobilising voters along religious lines during elections. Politicians may resort to divisive rhetoric and hate speech to appeal to certain religious communities, exacerbating communal tensions for electoral gains.
- Communal Violence: Perhaps the most visible and destructive form of communal politics is communal violence. This includes riots and clashes between religious communities, often fueled by religious sentiments and exacerbated by political and social factors. Such violence can have devastating consequences for communities and society as a whole.
3. State how caste inequalities are still continuing in India.
Answer.
The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) provides evidence of ongoing caste inequalities in India:
- Economic Disparities: The economic status of different caste groups continues to mirror the traditional caste hierarchy. On average, the 'upper' castes tend to have higher economic status, while Dalits and Adivasis face greater economic challenges. The backward classes fall somewhere in between. This economic disparity persists despite efforts to promote social and economic equality.
- Extreme Poverty: Although poverty exists across all castes, the proportion of individuals living in extreme poverty (below the official poverty line) varies significantly. The lowest castes, such as Dalits and Adivasis, are disproportionately affected by extreme poverty compared to the upper castes. Meanwhile, the backward classes experience poverty rates somewhere in the middle. This disparity underscores the deep-rooted inequalities that persist in Indian society based on caste.
4. State two reasons to say that caste alone cannot determine election results in India.
Answer.
Two reasons why caste alone cannot determine election results in India are:
- Diverse Constituencies: In India, no parliamentary constituency is dominated by a single caste. Therefore, candidates and parties must appeal to multiple castes and communities to secure victory in elections. Winning the confidence of a diverse voter base becomes essential for electoral success, making it challenging for caste alone to determine election outcomes.
- Vote Bank Dynamics: While certain parties may be associated with specific castes or communities, no party can claim to win the votes of all members of a particular caste or community. When people refer to a caste as a 'vote bank' for a particular party, it typically means that a significant proportion of voters from that caste support that party. However, there are always variations in voting preferences within each caste, making it difficult for caste alone to dictate election results.
5. What is the status of women’s representation in India’s legislative bodies?
Answer.
Currently, there are over 10 lakh elected women representatives serving in rural and urban local bodies across India. Advocates and activists for women's rights have long been advocating for similar reservation policies at the national level, specifically for at least one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies to be reserved for women. However, despite efforts to introduce a bill proposing this reservation, it has been pending before the Parliament for over a decade. Unfortunately, there is no consensus among all political parties regarding this issue, leading to the bill not being passed into law.
6. Mention any two constitutional provisions that make India a secular state.
Answer.
The fundamental right to freedom of religion in the Constitution guarantees individuals the right to practice, profess, and propagate any religion of their choice without interference. Additionally, the constitution upholds the principle of equality by prohibiting discrimination on the basis of religion. This ensures that every individual is entitled to equal treatment and opportunities regardless of their religious beliefs.
7. When we speak of gender divisions, we usually refer to:
- Biological differences between men and women
- Unequal roles assigned by society to men and women
- Unequal child sex ratio
- Absence of voting rights for women in democracies
Answer.
(b) Unequal roles assigned by society to men and women
8. In India, seats are reserved for women in
- Lok Sabha
- State legislative assemblies
- Cabinets
- Panchayati Raj bodies
Answer.
(d) Panchayati Raj bodies
9. Consider the following statements on the meaning of communal politics. Communal politics is based on the belief that:
- One religion is superior to that of others.
- People belonging to different religions can live together happily as equal citizens.
- Followers of a particular religion constitute one community.
- State power cannot be used to establish the domination of one religious group over others. Which of the statements is/are correct?
- A, B, C, and D
- A, B, and D
- A and C
- B and D
Answer.
(c) A and C
10. Which among the following statements about India’s Constitution is wrong? It
- prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion.
- gives official status to one religion.
- provides to all individuals freedom to profess any religion.
- ensures equality of citizens within religious communities.
Answer.
(b) gives official status to one religion.
11. Social divisions based on _________ are peculiar to India.
Answer.
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 of 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 |
Answer.
| (b) | B | A | D | C |
Gender Religion and Caste Class 3 Summary
In Chapter 3 of the NCERT Social Science Civics textbook – Democratic Politics-II, students will learn social divisions in India based on gender, religion, and caste. How these divisions influence the country's politics.
Topics such as gender equality, communal differences, and governmental efforts to address these issues through constitutional provisions will be discussed. Students will learn about:
- Gender and politics
- The public/private division
- Women’s political representation
- Religion, communalism, and politics
- Communalism
- The concept of a secular state
- Caste and politics
- Caste inequalities
- The role of caste in politics
- Politics surrounding caste issues
| NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Social Civics |
| Chapter 1 Power-sharing |
| Chapter 2 Federalism |
| Chapter 3 Gender, Religion and Caste |
| Chapter 4 Political Parties |
| Chapter 5 Outcomes of Democracy |