UGC NET/JRF EXAM, September-2024 WOMEN’S STUDIES

Amartya Sen, the Nobel Laureate in Economics, coined the term "Missing Women" in his 1990 article published in The New York Review of Books.

The term refers to the millions of women who are statistically missing in developing countries due to gender-based discrimination, including female infanticide, neglect of girl children, sex-selective abortions, and inequality in healthcare and nutrition.

Sen highlighted how demographic imbalances in countries like India and China reflect deeprooted societal preferences for male children, resulting in skewed sex ratios.

Meira Kumar became the first woman Speaker of the Lok Sabha in 2009, during the 15th Lok Sabha.

A five-time Member of Parliament, she is a seasoned politician from the Indian National Congress and the daughter of Dalit leader Jagjivan Ram.

Her election was a significant milestone in women's political representation in India and symbolized increased gender inclusivity in the Indian parliamentary system.

She served as Speaker until 2014 and was known for her dignified and impartial role in conducting House proceedings.

First Wave Feminism refers to the feminist movement of the late 19th and early 20th century, primarily focused on legal rights for women, especially suffrage (the right to vote).

It originated in Western countries like the UK and USA. Key events include:

• The Seneca Falls Convention (1848)
• The women's suffrage movement led by activists like Susan B. Anthony and • Emmeline Pankhurst

The movement was concerned with issues of property rights, legal identity, and voting, rather than social or reproductive rights that were taken up in later waves.

Chronological order of Women Development Approaches:

A. Welfare Approach: Prevalent until the 1970s, this approach viewed women as passive recipients of aid and emphasized charity and family welfare programs.

B. Equity Approach: Introduced post the First UN Women's Conference in 1975, this approach focused on legal and political rights and ensuring equal opportunity for women.

C. Anti-poverty Approach: Emerged in the 1980s, it recognized women's economic role and sought to integrate them into development to reduce poverty.

D. Empowerment Approach: Gained traction in the 1990s and beyond, this approach emphasizes women's selfdetermination, access to decision-making, and collective action. It aims for transformational change.

A. Family laws differ from person to person according to her/his religion: Personal laws in India are community-specific, meaning Hindus, Muslims, Christians, and Parsis have different laws for marriage, divorce, adoption, etc.

B. Family laws are related with the maternity benefits to the working women: While this may fall under labour laws, in many contexts, family laws overlap with maternity rights and obligations within domestic settings.

C. Family laws are personal laws: This is true. Personal laws in India govern family-related matters, including matriage, divorce, inheritance, guardianship, and maintenance.

(D) Devolution, succession, maintenance, etc., are part of personal laws, but since this was not included in the selected answer (option 1), the primary focus remains on A, B, and C.

Correct chronological sequence of the development stages in feminist research is:

D. Research based on men's experiences: Early research traditionally centered around men's lives and perspectives, assuming male experience as the norm and universal.

A. Research on sex differences based on biological properties of individuals: This stage focused on identifying biological distinctions between men and women, often reinforcing gender stereotypes.

B. Research on individual-level sex roles and socialization: This phase shifted attention to how social and cultural norms shape gender roles, especially through socialization processes.

C. Research on gender as an organizing principle in all social systems: The most advanced phase recognizes gender as a social structure that influences institutions, power, labour, and identity, moving beyond individual roles to systemic analysis.

Correct matching of types of research with their explanations:

A. Action Research - II. It seeks to implement policy through the research itself: Action research is participatory and seeks practical solutions, often involving collaboration with stakeholders for social change during the process.

B. Evaluation Research - I. Oriented towards measuring organisational performance: Focuses on assessing programs, policies, or institutions, checking efficiency, effectiveness, and impact of interventions.

C. Experimental Research - III. Designed to test hypothesis under controlled conditions: Involves manipulating one variable to observe the effect on another, typically under laboratory or controlled settings to establish causality.

D. Case Study Research - IV. It is not designed to compare one individual or group to another: Case studies focus on in-depth exploration of a single case or a few cases, offering deep insights without generalizing to larger populations.

Women's Studies emerged as a distinctive and integrated field of study in India in 1976, with the establishment of the first Women's Studies Centre at SNDT Women's University, Mumbai, following the recommendations of the 1974 "Towards Equality" Report.

This movement aligned with global feminist scholarship that had already begun evolving in the 1960s-70s, particularly in the US and Europe.

In India, Women's Studies was aimed at addressing gender inequalities in education, policy, and research, and promoting interdisciplinary feminist discourse.

Rabindranath Tagore was the first Indian playwright to direct an all-women's play in 1888.

The play was titled "Valmiki Pratibha", and it was revolutionary for its time because it challenged the norm where female roles were usually performed by men due to societal restrictions.

Tagore was a pioneer in advocating women's education, social reform, and empowerment, and his contribution to promoting women in performing arts is historically significant.

Correct chronological order of schemes and programmes for vocational training and skill development of women:

B. Central Social Welfare Board - 1953: One of India's first major welfare institutions, it funded voluntary organizations to provide vocational training and welfare services for women and children.

A. National Adult Education Programme - 1978: Launched to promote literacy and skills among adults, especially rural women, and help them participate in economic and social development.

D. Mahila Samruddhi Yojana - 1993: Focused on microcredit, savings, and income generation for women, especially in rural and marginalized communities.

C. National Skill Development Mission 2015: A comprehensive mission launched to standardize and scale up skill training, including initiatives tailored for female workforce participation.