Read the passage carefully and answer the questions based on the passage:
There has been greater recognition that both men and women are constrained by dominant gender identities. For instance, men in patriarchal societies feel they must be strong and successful. It is not manly, to express oneself emotionally. A gender-just society would allow both men and women to be free. This, of course, rests on the idea that for true freedom to grow and develop, injustices of all kinds have to end. The idea of a gender-just society is based upon two important factors - educated women with multiple roles and improved sex ratio. The programme of the Government of India, Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Yojana is an important effort in the actualization of a gender-just society.
What is the basis for a gender-just society?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Presence of educated women with multiple roles and improved sex ratio.
Option (1) Gender identities based on commonsense. — Incorrect. Commonsense ideas about men and women are the very dominant gender identities that constrain both sexes. A gender-just society would free people from them, not rest on them.
Option (2) Multiple gender roles and conflicts. — Incorrect. The passage speaks of women with multiple roles, but conflict between the genders is no basis for justice. The option takes half a phrase of the passage and joins it to an idea it never states.
Option (3) Presence of dominant gendered identities as role models. — Incorrect. Dominant gender identities are what hold men and women back: men must be strong and successful, women are disadvantaged. Setting them up as role models would keep the injustice in place.
Option (4) Presence of educated women with multiple roles and improved sex ratio. — Correct. The idea of a gender-just society is based upon two important factors: educated women with multiple roles and an improved sex ratio. Education lets women take up roles beyond the home, and a better sex ratio shows that girls are no longer neglected or kept from being born.
NCERT (2025-26): “Post 1947 … There has also been greater recognition that both men and women are constrained by the dominant gender identities. For instance, men in patriarchal societies feel they must be strong and successful. It is not, manly, to express oneself emotionally. A gender-just society would allow both men and women to be free. This of course rests on the idea that for true freedom to grow and develop, injustices of all kind have to end. The idea of gender-just society is based upon two important factors — educated women with multiple roles and improved sex ratio. The programme of the Government of India, Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Yojana is an important effort in the actualisation of a gender-just society.…” |