Gender, Religion and Caste Class 10 Notes and Answers

What Gender, Religion and Caste is about

Weightage: Political Science carries 20 of the 80 theory marks; this chapter shares them with Power-sharing, Federalism, Political Parties and Outcomes of Democracy.Source: CBSE Social Science syllabus 2026-27, Political Science

In real board papers: asked in 19 of the 21 board papers we hold (2023 to 2026), on average 2.6 marks per paper. See the questions

Key concepts

Gender division and the sexual division of labour

NCERT section Public/private division

Gender division is a hierarchical social division found in every society, yet it is rarely discussed in the study of politics. People often think it is natural and cannot change. In fact it rests on social expectations and stereotypes, not on biology.

From childhood, boys and girls are taught that a woman's main job is housework and raising children. This produces the sexual division of labour: the home is treated as the woman's area, so she either does the cooking, cleaning and child care herself or manages helpers who do it, while men work outside. Men are capable of housework; they simply see it as women's duty. Notice the proof: when cooking or tailoring is paid, men take it up, which is why most hotel cooks and tailors are men.

Women also work outside the home. In villages they fetch water, collect fuel and work in fields; in cities poor women work as domestic helpers and middle-class women work in offices. But their work is not valued or recognised. The result is that women, half of humanity, have a minimal role in public life and politics. That is why a 'private' household matter becomes a political issue.

Worked example

Read the statements and choose the correct option.

Assertion (A): Gender division should not be treated as natural and unchangeable.
Reason (R): Gender division is based on social expectations and stereotypes rather than on biology.

(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is true but R is false.
(d) A is false but R is true.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. A is true: the chapter says gender division is wrongly understood as natural and unchangeable.
2. R is true: the division comes from social expectations and stereotypes, not biology.
3. R explains A: because the division is created by society, society can change it. (1 mark for the correct option)

Answer: (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.

Feminist movements and women's disadvantage in India

NCERT section Public/private division

Earlier, only men could take part in public affairs, vote and contest elections. Women in many countries organised and agitated for equal rights, first for the right to vote, then for a better political and legal status and better education and career chances. More radical movements wanted equality in personal and family life too. These are called feminist movements; a feminist is anyone, man or woman, who wants both sexes to have the same rights and chances in life.

These struggles improved women's role in public life. Women now work as scientists, doctors, engineers, lawyers, managers and university teachers. In Scandinavian countries such as Sweden, Norway and Finland, women's participation in public life is very high.

India, however, is still a patriarchal society, a social order in which men are given more importance and hold more power than women. The evidence: female literacy is 54 per cent against 76 per cent for men; girls drop out because parents spend more on sons; few women hold highly paid jobs; a woman works about one hour more a day than a man, mostly unpaid; women are paid less despite the Equal Remuneration Act, 1976; sex-selective abortion has pushed the child sex ratio down to 919; and women face harassment and violence, even at home.

Worked example

'India is still a male-dominated, patriarchal society.' Support this statement with five suitable arguments. (5 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Education: female literacy is 54 per cent against 76 per cent for men, and fewer girls go for higher studies. (1)
2. Dropouts: girls do as well as boys in school but drop out because parents spend more on sons' education. (1)
3. Work: an average woman works about one hour more daily than a man, but most of her work is unpaid and not valued; few women hold highly paid jobs. (1)
4. Wages: women are paid less than men for the same work, even though the Equal Remuneration Act, 1976 requires equal wages for equal work. (1)
5. Sex ratio and safety: sex-selective abortion has reduced the child sex ratio to 919; women also face harassment and domestic violence. (1)

Answer: - Female literacy is 54 per cent against 76 per cent for men; fewer girls reach higher studies.
- Parents prefer spending on sons, so girls drop out despite doing well.
- Women work about an hour more daily, but most of it is unpaid and unvalued; few hold well-paid jobs.
- Women earn less for equal work despite the Equal Remuneration Act, 1976.
- Sex-selective abortion has lowered the child sex ratio to 919, and women face harassment and violence even at home.

Women's political representation

NCERT section Women's political representation

Feminists noticed that even well-known problems of women get little attention. Their conclusion: unless women control power, their problems will not be addressed. One way to do this is to have more women as elected representatives.

India's record has been weak. Women in the Lok Sabha reached 14.36 per cent of its strength for the first time in 2019, and in state assemblies their share is below 5 per cent. This puts India among the bottom group of nations, behind the averages of several developing countries of Africa and Latin America. Cabinets stay largely all-male even when a woman is Chief Minister or Prime Minister.

The solution India has used is to make a fair share legally binding. Under Panchayati Raj, one-third of seats in panchayats and municipalities are reserved for women, and there are now more than 10 lakh elected women representatives in local bodies. Women's groups demanded the same for Lok Sabha and assemblies for decades. In 2023 the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (Women's Reservation Act, 2023) was passed, giving 33 per cent reservation in Lok Sabha, State Legislative Assemblies and the Delhi Assembly.

The lesson: some social divisions need political expression, and disadvantaged groups gain when they do.

Worked example

Many feminists believe that 'unless women control power, their problems will not get adequate attention'. Explain how India has tried to act on this belief. (3 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Problem: women's share has been low, 14.36 per cent in Lok Sabha in 2019 and below 5 per cent in state assemblies. (1)
2. Local level: one-third of seats in panchayats and municipalities are reserved for women, giving over 10 lakh women representatives. (1)
3. National and state level: the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023 provides 33 per cent reservation in Lok Sabha, State Legislative Assemblies and the Delhi Assembly. (1)

Answer: Women's representation has been low: 14.36 per cent in Lok Sabha (2019) and under 5 per cent in state assemblies. One-third of seats in panchayats and municipalities are reserved for women, giving over 10 lakh elected women. The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023 gives 33 per cent reservation in Lok Sabha, State Assemblies and the Delhi Assembly.

Religion and politics: when the link is acceptable

NCERT section Religion, communalism and politics

Religious division is not as universal as gender, but many countries, including India, have followers of different religions. Unlike gender differences, religious differences are often expressed in politics. Not every such link is harmful.

Consider three cases. Gandhiji said religion can never be separated from politics, but by religion he meant the moral values common to all religions, not any one faith; politics should be guided by ethics. Human rights groups have asked the government to prevent communal riots and protect religious minorities. The women's movement has argued that family laws of all religions discriminate against women and should be made fairer. Family laws deal with marriage, divorce, adoption and inheritance, and in India different religions follow different family laws.

Why are these acceptable? Values drawn from religion can guide politics; people may voice their needs as members of a religious community; and governments may sometimes regulate religious practice to stop discrimination and oppression. The test is simple: such acts are fine as long as every religion is treated equally. The line is crossed only when one religion is set against another, which is communalism.

Worked example

Explain any two situations in which a relationship between religion and politics is not harmful for democracy. (2 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Gandhiji's view: politics guided by moral values common to all religions, not by one particular religion. (1)
2. Women's movement: demand that the government reform discriminatory family laws of all religions to make them fair, which treats all religions equally. (1)

Answer: Gandhiji held that politics should be guided by the moral values common to all religions. The women's movement wants the government to reform discriminatory family laws of all religions. Both treat every religion equally.

Communalism and its forms

NCERT section Communalism

The problem starts when religion is treated as the basis of the nation and is used in politics in an exclusive, partisan way: one religion's beliefs are shown as superior, one group's demands are framed against another, and state power is used to let one group dominate. This is communal politics.

It rests on the idea that religion is the main basis of social community. Followers of one religion are assumed to share the same interests; followers of different religions are assumed to have conflicting interests. In its extreme form it claims people of different religions cannot live as equal citizens: one must dominate, or they must form separate nations.

This belief is flawed. People of one religion do not share the same interests everywhere; each person has many roles and identities, and every community has many voices, all with a right to be heard.

Communalism takes four forms:

• Everyday beliefs: prejudices, stereotypes and belief in one's religion being superior.
• Quest for political dominance: majoritarian dominance for the majority, a separate political unit for a minority.
• Political mobilisation on religious lines: sacred symbols, religious leaders, emotional appeal and fear used to win votes.
• Communal violence: riots and massacres, as at Partition.

Worked example

'Communalism can take various forms in politics.' Explain any five features or forms of communal politics. (5 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Meaning: religion used in exclusive, partisan terms, with one religion pitted against another and treated as the principal basis of community. (1)
2. Everyday beliefs: religious prejudices, stereotypes and belief in the superiority of one's own religion. (1)
3. Political dominance: majoritarian dominance by the majority, or a demand for a separate political unit by a minority. (1)
4. Political mobilisation: use of sacred symbols, religious leaders, emotional appeal and fear to bring followers together; special appeals to voters of one religion. (1)
5. Communal violence: riots and massacres, as seen in India and Pakistan at Partition and later. (1)

Answer: - Communal politics treats religion as the main basis of community and pits one religion against another.
- Everyday beliefs carry prejudices, stereotypes and a sense of one's religion being superior.
- A communal mind seeks political dominance: majoritarian rule for the majority, a separate political unit for a minority.
- Mobilisation uses sacred symbols, religious leaders, emotional appeals and fear, and targets voters of one religion.
- At its worst it leads to riots and massacres, as at Partition.

Secular state

NCERT section Secular state

The makers of our Constitution saw communalism as a major challenge to democracy, so they chose the model of a secular state. Four provisions show this:

• No official religion: unlike Buddhism in Sri Lanka, Islam in Pakistan and Christianity in England, no religion has special status in India.
• Freedom of religion: every individual and community may profess, practise and propagate any religion, or follow none.
• No discrimination on grounds of religion.
• State intervention for equality: the state may step into religious matters to ensure equality within communities; for example, it bans untouchability.

Notice the last point carefully. Indian secularism does not mean the state ignores religion completely. It keeps equal distance from all religions but can act against injustice inside any of them.

So secularism is not the ideology of some party or person; it is one of the foundations of India. Communalism therefore threatens not just some groups but the very idea of India. A secular Constitution is necessary but not sufficient: prejudice and propaganda must be countered in everyday life, and religion-based mobilisation must be countered in politics.

Worked example

Identify the secular provision of the Indian Constitution shown in each hypothetical case, and explain why the third case does not violate secularism. (3 marks)

(i) A citizen tells the census official that she follows no religion, and this is accepted.
(ii) A candidate is told he cannot be refused a government job because of his religion.
(iii) The state stops a religious group from keeping some of its own members out of a shrine on grounds of untouchability.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. (i) Freedom to profess, practise and propagate any religion, or to follow none. (1)
2. (ii) Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion. (1)
3. (iii) The Constitution allows the state to intervene in religious matters to ensure equality within a community, as in banning untouchability; this protects equality, so it fits secularism. (1)

Answer: (i) Freedom to follow any religion or none. (ii) No discrimination on grounds of religion. (iii) Indian secularism lets the state intervene in religion to ensure equality within communities, such as by banning untouchability. The state is acting against injustice, not favouring a religion, so secularism is upheld.

Caste inequalities

NCERT section Caste inequalities

Caste division, unlike gender and religion, is special to India. All societies have inequality and pass occupations down generations, but the caste system is an extreme form: hereditary occupational division was sanctioned by rituals. Members of a caste followed the same or similar occupation, married within the group and did not eat with other castes. The system excluded and discriminated against 'outcaste' groups through untouchability. Reformers such as Jotiba Phule, Gandhiji, B.R. Ambedkar and Periyar Ramaswami Naicker worked for a society without caste inequality.

Partly because of them and partly because of socio-economic change, caste has changed greatly. Economic development, urbanisation, growth of literacy and education, occupational mobility and the weakening of landlords have broken down old caste hierarchy. The Constitution prohibits caste discrimination and laid the base for policies to undo its injustices.

Yet caste has not disappeared. Most people still marry within their caste or tribe. Untouchability has not ended fully. Groups that once had access to education did well in modern education too, while groups denied it lagged behind. So the 'upper castes' are over-represented in the urban middle class, and caste stays closely linked to economic status.

Survey evidence in the textbook shows how strong this link still is. Today you can find rich and poor people in every caste, but the National Sample Survey shows three patterns: the average economic status of caste groups (measured by things like monthly consumption spending) still follows the old order, with 'upper' castes best off, Dalits and Adivasis worst off and backward classes in between; the share of people in extreme poverty is much higher among the lowest castes and much lower among upper castes; and upper castes are heavily over-represented among the rich while lower castes are severely under-represented.

The size of these groups matters too. In the 2011 Census, Scheduled Castes were 16.6 per cent and Scheduled Tribes 8.6 per cent of the population. The Census does not count OBCs; the National Sample Survey of 2004-05 put them at around 41 per cent. By religion, the 2011 Census shows Hindus at 79.8, Muslims at 14.2, Christians at 2.3 and Sikhs at 1.7 per cent. The idea that the Muslim share will overtake other communities is mistaken: expert estimates expect only a rise of about 3 to 4 per cent in the next 50 years.

Worked example

'Caste has not disappeared from contemporary India.' Give three reasons to support this statement. (3 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Marriage: most people still marry within their own caste or tribe. (1)
2. Untouchability: it has not ended completely despite being prohibited by the Constitution. (1)
3. Education and economic status: groups that had access to education earlier gained modern education too, while others lagged; so upper castes are over-represented in the urban middle class and caste remains linked to economic status. (1)

Answer: - Most people still marry within their own caste or tribe.
- Untouchability has not fully ended despite the constitutional ban.
- Centuries of advantage and disadvantage still show: castes that had education earlier did well in modern education, others lagged, so upper castes dominate the urban middle class and caste stays tied to economic status.

Caste in politics

NCERT section Caste in politics

Casteism is the belief that caste is the sole basis of social community, so people of one caste share interests not shared with others. Like communalism, this is not borne out by experience: caste is one part of a person's life, not the only or most important part.

Caste enters politics in three ways:

• Parties choose candidates keeping the caste make-up of voters in mind, and governments try to include representatives of different castes and tribes.
• Parties and candidates appeal to caste sentiment; some parties are seen as representing certain castes.
• Universal adult franchise and one-person-one-vote forced leaders to mobilise support, and gave new awareness to castes once treated as low.

But elections are not only about caste:

• No parliamentary constituency has a clear majority of one caste, so candidates need several castes' support.
• No party gets all the votes of a caste; a 'vote bank' only means a large share of that caste votes for a party.
• Several parties may field candidates of the same caste, while many voters have no candidate from their caste.
• Ruling parties and sitting MPs or MLAs often lose.

Other factors matter: party loyalty, economic interests, differences between rich and poor or men and women, government performance and leaders' popularity.

Worked example

Suppose a newspaper columnist writes: 'In our country a candidate only needs the backing of one large caste to win; nothing else counts.' Give three arguments to show why this view is not correct. (3 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. No parliamentary constituency has a clear majority of a single caste, so a candidate must win the trust of more than one caste and community. (1)
2. No party gets all the votes of a caste; voters of the same caste differ by economic condition, and rich and poor or men and women often vote differently. (1)
3. Ruling parties and sitting MPs or MLAs often lose, showing voters judge government performance and leaders' popularity, not only caste. (1)

Answer: - No constituency has a clear majority of one caste, so every candidate needs support from several castes and communities.
- No party wins all votes of a caste; people of one caste vote differently according to economic condition and gender.
- Ruling parties and sitting MPs or MLAs often lose, so government performance and leaders' popularity are often decisive.

Politics in caste: positive and negative effects

NCERT section Politics in caste

The relation between caste and politics runs both ways. Politics also changes caste by bringing it into the political arena. So it is not that politics becomes caste-ridden; rather, caste gets politicised. This happens in three ways:

• Each caste group tries to grow bigger by including neighbouring castes or sub-castes that it earlier kept out.
• Caste groups must form coalitions with other castes or communities, which forces dialogue and negotiation.
• New kinds of caste groups appear in politics, such as 'backward' and 'forward' groups.

This makes caste play different roles. On the positive side, expressing caste differences gives disadvantaged communities space to demand their share of power. Caste politics has helped Dalits and OBCs gain better access to decision making, and many organisations campaign for an end to discrimination and for more dignity, land, resources and opportunities.

On the negative side, politics based on caste identity alone is not healthy for democracy. It can divert attention from pressing issues like poverty, development and corruption, and it can lead to tensions, conflict and violence. This is why the chapter says caste in politics has both positive and negative aspects, unlike gender (largely positive) and communalism (largely negative).

Worked example

'It is not politics that gets caste-ridden, it is the caste that gets politicised.' Explain this statement and assess whether caste politics is good or bad for democracy. (5 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Castes grow by including neighbouring castes or sub-castes that were earlier excluded. (1)
2. Castes must form coalitions with other castes and communities, leading to dialogue and negotiation. (1)
3. New caste groups such as 'backward' and 'forward' have appeared in politics. (1)
4. Positive: disadvantaged groups get space to demand power; Dalits and OBCs have gained better access to decision making. (1)
5. Negative: politics based only on caste diverts attention from poverty, development and corruption, and can cause tension, conflict and violence. (1)

Answer: Politics also reshapes caste:
- Castes enlarge themselves by absorbing neighbouring castes or sub-castes once excluded.
- They must ally with other castes and communities, which requires dialogue and negotiation.
- New groups like 'backward' and 'forward' castes emerge.
Assessment: caste politics has helped Dalits and OBCs claim a share of power and decision making. But politics based only on caste diverts attention from poverty, development and corruption and can cause conflict and violence. So it has both positive and negative effects.

Gender, Religion and Caste in real life

Each concept, met in an everyday situation. Read the situation, answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

Topics in this chapter

• Gender and Politics
• Women's Political RepresentationComing soon
• Religion, Communalism and Politics
• Secular State in IndiaComing soon
• Caste Inequalities and Caste in Politics

Gender, Religion and Caste: key facts

Sexual division of labour

Home	treated as the woman's area
Women	do or manage cooking, cleaning, child care
Men	take jobs outside

Use to explain why women's role in public life is minimal.

Patriarchy

Means 'rule by father': a social order in which men are given more importance and hold more power than women.

Use when asked why India is called a male-dominated society.

Feminist

Anyone, man or woman, who wants women and men to have the same rights and chances in life.

Use when defining the term or matching it with its meaning.

Feminist movements

Women's agitations for voting rights, better political and legal status, education and careers, and equality in family life.

Use for questions on how women's role in public life improved.

High women's participation

Scandinavian countries such as Sweden, Norway and Finland have very high participation of women in public life.

Use when naming countries where women take a large part in public life.

Literacy gap

Women's literacy 54 per cent; men's 76 per cent.

First piece of evidence for women's disadvantage.

Equal Remuneration Act, 1976

Law that equal wages should be paid for equal work; women are still paid less.

Use in answers on wage discrimination.

Child sex ratio

How many girls there are for every 1,000 boys; it fell to 919 because of sex-selective abortion.

Use as evidence of son preference.

Women in legislatures

Lok Sabha: 14.36 per cent for the first time in 2019; state assemblies: below 5 per cent.

Use for 'status of women's representation' questions.

Reservation in local bodies

One-third of seats in panchayats and municipalities reserved for women; over 10 lakh women representatives.

Use when naming the bodies where one-third seats are reserved for women.

Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023

Women's Reservation Act, 2023: 33 per cent seats for women in Lok Sabha, State Assemblies and Delhi Assembly.

Use when suggesting or describing measures for women's representation.

Family laws

Laws on marriage, divorce, adopting a child and inheritance; in India, followers of different religions have different family laws.

Use with the women's movement demand for fair laws.

Communal politics

Religion used in exclusive, partisan terms, one religion pitted against another, treated as the main basis of community.

Start every communalism answer with this meaning.

Secular state: four provisions

No official religion; freedom to follow any or none; no religious discrimination; state may intervene for equality (bans untouchability).

Core of 2-, 3- and 5-mark secularism answers.

Caste reformers

Jotiba Phule, Gandhiji, B.R. Ambedkar, Periyar Ramaswami Naicker worked for a society free of caste inequality.

Use in caste inequality answers.

Caste and economic status (National Sample Survey)

• •Average economic status still follows the old caste order
• •Extreme poverty much higher among the lowest castes
• •Upper castes over-represented among the rich

Use as evidence that caste inequalities continue today.

SC, ST and OBC shares

Scheduled Castes	16.6 per cent (Census 2011)
Scheduled Tribes	8.6 per cent (Census 2011)
OBCs	about 41 per cent (National Sample Survey 2004-05 estimate)

Use when describing the size of caste groups; the Census does not count OBCs.

Religious communities, 2011

Hindu 79.8, Muslim 14.2, Christian 2.3, Sikh 1.7 per cent; the overall balance is not likely to change much.

Use to correct the mistaken idea that one community will overtake the others.

Vote bank

A large share of a caste's voters votes for one party; never all of them.

Use to show elections are not only about caste.

How the board asks Gender, Religion and Caste

The question patterns to expect, and the method that works for each.

Tricks to remember Gender, Religion and Caste

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

• Three verdicts

  Gender = Plus, Religion (communalism) = Minus, Caste = Both.

  Use it when: Instantly frames any 'healthy or not for democracy' question.

• Secular provisions: N-F-D-I

  No official religion, Freedom of religion, Discrimination banned, Intervention for equality (bans untouchability).

  Use it when: Write the four provisions in order in 2-, 3- or 5-mark answers.

• Forms of communalism: 'Bad Days Make Violence'

  Beliefs, Dominance, Mobilisation, Violence.

  Use it when: Recall the four forms in the order of increasing harm.

• Four 'No's of caste and elections

  No single-caste majority, No party gets all votes, No guarantee of own-caste candidate, No frozen preferences (sitting members lose).

  Use it when: Argue that elections are not only about caste.

• Politics in caste: E-A-N

  Expand (absorb sub-castes), Ally (coalitions), New labels (backward, forward).

  Use it when: Answer 'caste gets politicised' questions.

• Women's numbers ladder

  1976 Act, 54 vs 76 literacy, 919 sex ratio, 14.36 in 2019, one-third local, 33 per cent by 2023 Act.

  Use it when: Add one hard fact to each point on women's disadvantage or representation.

Gender, Religion and Caste: board-level solved questions

Ordered from board level to HOTS. Cover the solution, write your own, then compare step by step.

Case-study practice (Section E style)

Read the situation, then answer every part. In the board paper this is a 4-mark question split into 1 + 1 + 2 marks.

Where the marks are

How a typical answer is split into step marks. Show every step: a right final answer alone rarely earns full marks.

Where students lose marks in Gender, Religion and Caste

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

• ✗Mistake: Calling gender division biological

  Students confuse sex differences with the social roles given to men and women.

  Wrong working

  Gender division means the biological difference between men and women.

  Right working

  Gender division means unequal roles assigned by society to men and women, based on stereotypes, not biology.

  ✓Do this: Remember the word 'social': the division is made by society, so it can be changed.

  Usually costs: 1 mark in MCQ or assertion-reason.

• ✗Mistake: Placing women's reservation in the wrong body

  Students mix up local bodies, legislatures and cabinets.

  Wrong working

  One-third seats are reserved for women in cabinets, and women already hold 33 per cent of the Lok Sabha.

  Right working

  One-third seats are reserved in panchayats and municipalities. The 2023 Act provides 33 per cent reservation in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies; women's share in Lok Sabha was 14.36 per cent in 2019.

  ✓Do this: Link each body to its own fact: local bodies one-third, 2023 Act for legislatures, cabinets largely all-male.

  Usually costs: 1 mark in MCQ; 1 mark per wrong point in short answers.

• ✗Mistake: Defining secularism as the state staying away from religion

  Students forget the provision allowing state intervention.

  Wrong working

  A secular state never interferes in any religious matter.

  Right working

  India has no official religion, but the Constitution allows the state to intervene in religion to ensure equality within communities, for example by banning untouchability.

  ✓Do this: Always include the fourth provision with the untouchability example.

  Usually costs: 1 mark in a 2- or 3-mark answer.

• ✗Mistake: Treating every link of religion and politics as communal

  Students learn 'communalism is bad' and stretch it too far.

  Wrong working

  Gandhiji mixed religion with politics, so he was communal.

  Right working

  Gandhiji meant moral values common to all religions. Religion in politics becomes communal only when one religion is pitted against another or claimed superior.

  ✓Do this: Apply the test: is every religion treated equally? If yes, it is not communal.

  Usually costs: 1 to 2 marks in reasoning questions.

• ✗Mistake: Writing 'caste in politics' points for a 'politics in caste' question

  The two section titles look alike.

  Wrong working

  Parties choose candidates by caste and appeal to caste sentiment.

  Right working

  Politics changes caste: castes absorb sub-castes, form coalitions and new groups like 'backward' and 'forward' appear.

  ✓Do this: Ask: is caste acting on politics, or politics acting on caste?

  Usually costs: Up to 3 marks out of 3, or most of a 5-mark answer.

• ✗Mistake: Listing points without explaining them, or running past the word limit

  Students write one-word headings or copy every point they know.

  Wrong working

  Communalism forms: beliefs, dominance, mobilisation, violence. (no explanation)

  Right working

  Political mobilisation on religious lines uses sacred symbols, religious leaders, emotional appeal and fear to bring one religion's followers together for votes.

  ✓Do this: One point, one explained sentence, one example; count points against marks and stop.

  Usually costs: ½ mark per bare point; marks lost for overlong answers.

NCERT exercise guide: Gender, Religion and Caste

What each exercise in the NCERT chapter tests, how to approach it, and a question of the same kind solved step by step. Questions here are written in our own words.

Gender, Religion and Caste: previous year questions

• Asked in 19 of the 21 board papers we hold (2023 to 2026), on average 2.6 marks per paper; 36 questions in all, counting OR alternatives. In 3 of 4 sample papers.

Counted from the real papers on our previous year papers page, not estimated. Average marks are over every board paper we hold, with an OR pair counted once. Chapter tags are ours.

Solved board questions from Gender, Religion and Caste

Real questions from recent papers. Try each one first, then open our step-by-step solution with marks per step.

Every Gender, Religion and Caste question, by year

Practice questions on Gender, Religion and Caste

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

1. Q1 · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

   The child sex ratio refers to:
   (a) the number of women per thousand men
   (b) the number of girl children per thousand boys
   (c) the number of girls enrolled per thousand boys in school
   (d) the number of girls born per thousand births

   Hint

   The word 'child' matters, and so does 'per thousand boys'.

   Answer

   (b) the number of girl children per thousand boys. Sex-selective abortion brought it down to 919 in the country (Census 2011), and to below 850 or even 800 in some states.

2. Q2 · 2 marks · Very short answerBoard level

   What are family laws? Why has the women's movement demanded changes in them? (2 marks)

   Hint

   Give the meaning first, then the complaint against them.

   Answer

   Family laws deal with marriage, divorce, adoption and inheritance. In India, different family laws apply to followers of different religions. The women's movement argues that the family laws of all religions discriminate against women, so it wants them made more equitable.

3. Q3 · 1 mark · Assertion-reasonBoard level

   Read the statements and choose the correct option.

   Assertion (A): The Indian state has an official religion.
   Reason (R): The Constitution allows the state to intervene in matters of religion to ensure equality within religious communities.

   (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
   (b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
   (c) A is true but R is false.
   (d) A is false but R is true.

   Hint

   Compare India with Sri Lanka, Pakistan and England.

   Answer

   (d) A is false but R is true. India has no official religion. The state can, however, intervene to ensure equality, for example by banning untouchability.

4. Q4 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

   How does the sexual division of labour lead to a minimal role for women in public life? Explain. (3 marks)

   Hint

   Start with how boys and girls are brought up, then trace the effect on politics.

   Answer

   • Children are brought up to believe that housework and child care are women's main duty, so women do the work inside the home.
   • Even when women do paid work as well, their work is not valued or recognised.
   • So although women make up half of humanity, their role in public life and politics stays minimal. Earlier, only men could vote and hold public office.

5. Q5 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

   Compare gender, religion and caste as social divisions on two points: how widespread each is, and how each is expressed in politics. (3 marks)

   Hint

   Think universal, widespread and special to India.

   Answer

   • Gender: found everywhere; expressed through women's agitations for equal rights and reserved seats, with largely positive results.
   • Religion: fairly widespread, not universal; often expressed in politics, acceptable when all religions are treated equally, harmful when communal.
   • Caste: special to India; expressed through caste-based candidates and appeals, with both positive and negative effects.

6. Q6 · 2 marks · Very short answerHarder board level

   Why did the makers of the Indian Constitution choose the model of a secular state? (2 marks)

   Hint

   Which challenge to democracy were they aware of?

   Answer

   Communalism was, and still is, one of the major challenges to democracy in India. Aware of this, the Constitution makers chose a secular state so that no religion is favoured and all citizens are treated equally whatever their religion.

7. Q7 · 5 marks · Long answerHarder board level

   'Communalism threatens the very idea of India.' Explain why, and suggest ways in which it can be combated. (5 marks)

   Hint

   Use two or three points on the danger and two or three on the remedy.

   Answer

   • Communalism makes religion the basis of the nation and pits one religion against another.
   • In its extreme form, it claims that people of different religions cannot live as equal citizens: one must dominate, or they must form separate nations.
   • It can lead to riots and massacre, as at Partition, so it attacks the secular foundation of India.
   • Remedies: uphold the secular Constitution (no official religion, freedom of religion, no discrimination).
   • Counter communal prejudice and propaganda in everyday life, and counter religion-based mobilisation in politics.

8. Q8 · 5 marks · Long answerHarder board level

   Distinguish between 'caste in politics' and 'politics in caste'. (5 marks)

   Hint

   One is what caste does to politics; the other is what politics does to caste.

   Answer

   Caste in politics (caste shapes politics):

   • Parties choose candidates keeping the caste make-up of the electorate in mind.
   • Governments include representatives of different castes, and parties appeal to caste sentiment.

   Politics in caste (politics changes caste, so caste gets politicised):

   • Caste groups grow by absorbing neighbouring castes or sub-castes they once excluded.
   • Castes enter coalitions, dialogue and negotiation with other castes and communities.
   • New groups such as 'backward' and 'forward' castes appear in the political arena.

9. Q9 · 3 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency

   Study this data from the National Sample Survey given in your textbook: the percentage of the rural population living below the poverty line in 1999-2000 was Scheduled Tribes 45.8, Scheduled Castes 35.9, Other Backward Classes 27.0, Hindu Upper Castes 11.7, and All groups 27.0.

   A student argues: 'Today there are rich and poor people in every caste, so caste no longer has anything to do with economic status.'

   (i) What pattern does the data show?
   (ii) Is the student right? Give two reasons. (3 marks)

   Hint

   Arrange the groups from the highest poverty to the lowest and compare with the old caste order.

   Answer

   (i) Poverty is highest among STs and SCs, OBCs are in between, and Hindu upper castes are lowest: the old caste order.
   (ii) Only partly right. Every caste has rich and poor, but average economic status still follows the old hierarchy, extreme poverty is much higher among the lowest castes, and upper castes are over-represented among the rich.

10. Q10 · 3 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency

    A student asks: 'If casteism and communalism are bad because they divide society, then feminism must be bad too, as it divides men and women.' Do you agree? Justify your view. (3 marks)

    Hint

    Compare what each one aims at: equality or domination.

    Answer

    No. A feminist believes in equal rights and opportunities for women and men, so feminism aims at equality. Communalism and casteism treat one identity as the only basis of community and can seek domination over others. Raising gender inequality in politics has helped a disadvantaged group, for example through reserved seats for women.

11. Q11 · 2 marks · Very short answerHOTS / competency

    Find and correct the error: 'In a secular state like India, the government must stay completely away from religion and can never interfere in any religious matter.' (2 marks)

    Hint

    Recall the example of untouchability.

    Answer

    The statement is wrong. Indian secularism means the state has no official religion and treats all religions equally. But the Constitution allows the state to intervene in religious matters to ensure equality within religious communities, for example by banning untouchability.

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

1. 1.What is the sexual division of labour?Show answer

   Treating the home as women's work: women do or manage the cooking, cleaning and child care, while men work outside.

2. 2.Name three countries where women's participation in public life is very high.Show answer

   Sweden, Norway and Finland (Scandinavian countries).

3. 3.What does the Equal Remuneration Act, 1976 provide?Show answer

   Equal wages should be paid for equal work.

4. 4.What share of seats is reserved for women in panchayats and municipalities?Show answer

   One-third.

5. 5.What does the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023 provide?Show answer

   33 per cent reservation for women in Lok Sabha, State Legislative Assemblies and the Delhi Assembly.

6. 6.What are family laws?Show answer

   Laws that settle family matters like marriage, divorce, adopting a child and inheritance.

7. 7.Give one example of the state intervening in religion to ensure equality.Show answer

   The Constitution bans untouchability.

8. 8.What does 'occupational mobility' mean?Show answer

   People moving into new kinds of work, as when children take up jobs different from their parents' and grandparents'.

Quick revision checklist

The night before the exam: can you do each of these without looking?

• ☐Can you explain why gender division is social, not natural, in two lines?
• ☐Can you give five pieces of evidence that India is a patriarchal society?
• ☐Can you state the figures for women in Lok Sabha (2019) and state assemblies?
• ☐Can you name the two legal steps for women's reservation and the bodies they cover?
• ☐Can you give three examples where religion in politics is not wrong, and the test that makes them acceptable?
• ☐Can you write the meaning and four forms of communalism with an example each?
• ☐Can you list the four secular provisions and the three countries with official religions?
• ☐Can you give three ways caste continues today and five factors that weakened caste hierarchy?
• ☐Can you argue in four points that elections are not only about caste?
• ☐Can you explain 'caste gets politicised' in three forms and give one positive and one negative effect?

Gender, Religion and Caste: frequently asked questions