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

The core argument of feminist epistemology is that knowledge is socially constructed and shaped by gendered experiences. It challenges the idea of "objective" or "value-free" knowledge by showing how dominant ways of knowing have historically reflected male perspectives.

Feminist epistemologists like Sandra Harding and Donna Haraway argue that social position, especially gender, influences what and how we know - emphasizing situated knowledge and standpoint theory.

The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, passed in 2023, provides 33 percent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha, State Legislative Assemblies, and the Delhi Legislative Assembly.

This significant step towards gender equality in political representation was enacted as the One Hundred and Sixth (106th) Amendment to the Constitution of India. It aims to enhance women's participation in governance and decisionmaking processes at the highest levels.

Vandana Shiva is referred to as the "Gandhi of Grain" due to her activism for seed sovereignty, biodiversity, and sustainable agriculture.

She advocates against industrial farming and genetically modified seeds, promoting organic and traditional farming methods that empower rural women and preserve indigenous knowledge systems.

The phrase "Third Wave Feminism" was coined by Rebecca Walker in 1992 in an article titled "Becoming the Third Wave", published in Ms. Magazine.

This wave of feminism emphasized diversity, intersectionality, and individual identity, moving beyond the essentialism often associated with earlier feminist movements.

The Radha Krishnan Commission, also known as the University Education Commission (1948-1949), was appointed to review higher education in India after independence.

It analyzed issues related to women's education at the college and university levels, highlighting the importance of equal opportunities and inclusion for women in higher education.

The argument that girls and boys develop different relational capacities and senses of self as a result of growing up in a family in which women are mothers was made by Nancy Chodorow, a feminist psychoanalyst and sociologist.

In her influential work "The Reproduction of Mothering" (1978), Chodorow explained that since women are the primary caregivers, daughters tend to identify with their mothers, developing relational and nurturing identities.

While sons differentiate themselves, leading to more independent and detached selves. Her theory blends psychoanalysis and feminism to show how family structures reproduce gender roles across generations.

In the Global Gender Gap Index 2023, published by the World Economic Forum (WEF), India ranked 127th out of 146 countries.

This ranking reflected moderate progress compared to previous years but still indicated significant gender disparities in political representation, economic participation, health, and education.

Iceland topped the index, maintaining its status as the most gender-equal country, while India showed improvement particularly in political empowerment.

The offense of sexual intercourse by a person in authority-such as a public servant, jail or hospital superintendent, or anyone in a position of power who abuses that position to obtain consent-is recognized under Section 376C of the IPC.

It acknowledges that even if such acts don't fit the strict definition of rape under Section 375, they still involve coercion and misuse of authority. Given the options, the relevant section covering punishment for such offenses is Section 376.

The idea that einema is a technology of scopophilia where women provide visual pleasure and are portrayed as passive sexual objects comes from Laura Mulvey, a British feminist film theorist.

In her 1975 essay "Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema", she applied psychoanalytic theory to film, arguing that mainstream cinema is structured around the male gaze - where men are the active viewers and women are objectified for visual and erotic pleasure. Her work remains foundational in feminist film criticism.

According to the Global Gender Gap Report 2024 released by the World Economic Forum, India ranked 129th out of 146 countries globally.

Within South Asia, India stood at the fifth position, behind countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan.

The report highlighted improvements in India's political empowerment of women but persistent gaps in economic participation and health indicators.