Modern social organisation like the Brahma Samaj in Bengal and Arya Samaj in Punjab were set up. The All-India Muslim Ladies Conference (Anjuman-E-Islam) was founded in 1914. Indian reformers debated not just in public meetings but through public media like newspaper and journals. Translations of writings of social reformers from one Indian Language to another took place for instance, Vishnu Shastri published a Marathi translation of Vidyasagar's book in Indu Prakash in 1868. New ideas of liberalism and freedom, new ideas of home making and marriage, new roles for mothers and daughter new ideas of self-conscious pride in culture and tradition emerged. The value of education became very important. It was seen as very crucial for a nation to become modern but also retain its ancient heritage. The idea of Female education was debated intensely. Significantly, it was the social reformer Jyotiba Phule who opened the first school for women in Pune. Reformers argued that for a society to progress, women have to be educated. Some of them believed that in pre-modern India, women were educated. Others contested this on the grounds that this was so only of a privileged few. Thus attempts to justify female education was made by recourse to both modern and traditional ideas. They actively debated the meanings of tradition and modernity.
Which among the following was NOT a feature on women's education in pre-independent role.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Women's roles as industrial workers
Option (1) New ideas of home and marriage — A feature (Incorrect). The passage says new ideas of homemaking and marriage emerged in this period, along with the debate on female education.
Option (2) New roles of mothers and daughter — A feature (Incorrect). New roles for mothers and daughters are named among the new ideas, and educating women was argued for as part of them.
Option (3) Women's roles as industrial workers — Not a feature (Correct). The debate on women’s education was about the home, the family and the progress of society: reformers argued that for a society to progress, women have to be educated. Women as workers in factories were no part of that debate.
Option (4) Pride in traditional culture — A feature (Incorrect). New ideas of self-conscious pride in culture and tradition emerged, and education was seen as a way for the nation to become modern but also retain its ancient heritage.
NCERT (2025-26): “2.1 Social reform movements in the 19th and early 20th century … New ideas of liberalism and freedom, new ideas of homemaking and marriage, new roles for mothers and daughters, new ideas of self-conscious pride in culture and tradition emerged. The value of education became very important.…” “…The idea of female education was debated intensely. Significantly, it was the social reformer Jotiba Phule who opened the first school for women in Pune. Reformers argued that for a society to progress women have to be educated. Some of them believed that in pre-modern India, women were educated. Others contested this on the grounds that this was so only of a privileged few.…” |