UGC NET/JRF EXAM, January-2025 WOMEN’S STUDIES

Correct chronological order with explanations:

B. India initiated Menstrual Hygiene Scheme (2011): Launched under the National Rural Health Mission (now NHM) in 2011. It aimed to promote menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls aged 10-19 in rural areas by distributing low-cost sanitary napkins and increasing awareness through ASHAS.

C. Nirmal Bharat Yatra (2012): A sanitation and hygiene awareness campaign initiated in 2012, led by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation. It included Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) as part of the broader agenda on sanitation and health education under NHM.

D. Availability of sanitary pads for girls in classes 6 to 12: States like Odisha, Rajasthan, and Tamil Nadu launched schemes from 2013 onwards providing free or subsidized sanitary pads to schoolgirls. While not a single "uniform national policy", over time, this idea was scaled and included in the Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK).

A. National Menstrual Hygiene Policy (drafted post-2018): A comprehensive national-level policy is under development, but as of now, only draft versions exist (not yet formally enacted). The aim is to integrate MHM into education, health, and sanitation sectors.

A. The LFPR is higher among illiterate women: This is statistically true in India, particularly because illiterate women often engage in informal, agricultural, and labor-intensive work, hence contributing to a higher measured LFPR, although mostly in lowpaying, unregulated sectors.

B. The LFPR is higher among college-educated women: As per MOSPI 2023 and PLFS data, women with higher education (graduate and above) are more likely to be employed in regular salaried jobs, leading to a higher quality of employment and participation rate in this group.

D. The LFPR is lower among women with secondary/higher secondary education (10+2): This reflects the "middle dropout phenomenon"-many women drop out after secondary schooling due to marriage, domestic duties, or social restrictions, resulting in a dip in labour participation at this stage.

C. Higher illiterate women are employed as regular wage employees - INCORRECT: Illiterate women are mostly engaged in casual or self-employment, not in regular salaried positions which usually require formal education.

A. To raise awareness among stakeholders on gender issues in budget policies: Gender Budgeting aims to sensitize policymakers, planners, and administrators about the differential impact of fiscal policies on men and women.

B. To make governments accountable for gender commitments in budgets: It ensures that gender equality commitments made in policy documents are translated into concrete budgetary allocations, thus making governments accountable for implementation.

D. Improving the quality of resource inputs: Gender budgeting focuses on effective allocation and utilization of resources to benefit women and girls, improving development outcomes.

C. To promote gender neutrality - INCORRECТ: Gender budgeting does not aim for neutrality; rather, it emphasizes gender equity, by addressing historical disadvantages through affirmative budgeting and policies.

The first Gender Budget Statement in India was presented in the Union Budget 2005-06.

India became one of the pioneers in institutionalizing gender budgeting, and sincе then, Gender Budget Statements (GBS) have been included as part of the budget documents annually.

It categorizes expenditure into:
םPart A: 100% women-specific programs.
םPart B: Programs where at least 30% of benefits go to women.

Chronological order of major legislations for women's welfare in India:

C. The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act - 1956: Originally passed as the Suppression of Immoral Traffic in Women and Girls Act (SITA), it was later amended and renamed. It aimed to combat trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation.

B. The Dowry Prohibition Act 1961: This Act made the giving, taking, or demanding of dowry a punishable offence, aiming to curb the widespread dowry-related violence and harassment.

A. Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act - 2005: This law expanded the definition of domestic abuse to include physical, sexual, verbal, emotional, and economic abuse, offering civil remedies like protection orders, residence rights, etc.

D. Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act - 2013: This Act was passed following the Vishaka Guidelines (1997) and provides a legal framework for addressing sexual harassment at workplaces, mandating Internal Complaints Committees in all organizations.

Ms. Magazine, co-founded in 1971 by Gloria Steinem and other prominent feminists, is a pioneering media platform that amplifies feminist voices and provides a critical analysis of patriarchy, gender roles, and systemic sexism.

It was one of the first national publications to discuss feminist issues such as abortion rights, domestic violence, workplace inequality, reproductive health, and LGBTQ+ rights.

Unlike Cosmopolitan, Vogue, or Harper's Bazaar, which focus primarily on lifestyle, fashion, and consumer culture, Ms. Magazine is rooted in activist journalism and political commentary from a feminist lens.

The National Committee on Women's Education was appointed in 1958-59 under the chairpersonship of Durgabai Deshmukh, a freedom fighter, social reformer, and member of the Constituent Assembly.

The committee's recommendations led to the integration of women's education into India's Five-Year Plans and called for free education for girls, special scholarships, hostels, and measures to reduce the gender gap in literacy.

She was also the founder of Andhra Mahila Sabha and played a vital role in institution-building for women's education and empowerment.

Chronological order of the given events:

D. Suffrage Movement: Emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, especially in Western democracies. In India, the women's suffrage movement was active in the 1930s-1940s.

A. Chipko Movement - 1973: A non-violent ecological movement led by women in Uttarakhand to protect trees from being cut, symbolizing eco-feminism and grassroots activism.

B. Narmada Bachao Andolan - 1985 onwards: Led by Medha Patkar, this movement protested against large dam projects on the Narmada River, raising concerns over displacement, environmental degradation, and social justice.

C. #MeToo Movement - 2017 (India: 2018): A global movement that emerged from the U.S. and was adapted in India to expose sexual harassment and assault, especially in workplaces and media. Hence, the correct chronological sequence is: D. A, B, С.

Significant challenges in promoting menstrual hygiene in India include:

A. Underuse of sanitary products: As per NFHS-5, only around 77.3% of young women (15–24) use hygienic menstrual protection methods. The remainder still rely on cloth or unsafe alternatives due to cost and inaccessibility.

B. Social taboos and lack of awareness: Menstruation is still surrounded by silence, myths, and cultural restrictions. Many adolescent girls lack scientific knowledge, leading to shame and poor hygiene practices.

C. Abundance of menstrual campaigns INCORRECT: The issue is not over-saturation but rather limited and fragmented outreach, especially in rural and tribal areas.

D. Universal access to hygiene products - INCORRECT: Access is still not universal. Factors such as economic constraints, supply chain issues, and lack of policy integration hamper nationwide access.

The following laws are gender-neutral, meaning they apply equally to all genders:

A. The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act: Applicable to all children under 18 years, regardless of gender. It recognizes that boys, girls, and transgender children can all be victims of sexual abuse.

B. The Code on Wages: Consolidates four wage laws into one and ensures equal pay for equal work regardless of gender, making it explicitly gender-neutral in its language and application.

D. Right to Education Act (RTE): Provides for free and compulsory education for all children aged 6-14 years, regardless of gender, caste, or economic status, hence classified as gender-neutral.

C. Section 498A of IPC on cruelty INCORRECT:- This section specifically protects married women from cruelty by husband or in-laws, and is therefore not gender-neutral.