Meena, a young woman in a village, completes her schooling and takes up a paid job. Later, she keeps her family small and makes sure her children get timely health care. Which reasons for promoting women’s education does her case show?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Economic independence of women, and a favourable impact on fertility rate and on health care of women and children
Meena’s paid job shows economic independence. Her small family shows the favourable impact on fertility rate, and her care for her children shows better health care of women and children.
Option (1) Economic independence of women, and a favourable impact on fertility rate and on health care of women and children — Correct. All three parts fit her case.
Option (2) Social status of women, and a favourable impact on the literacy gap and on health care of the elderly — Incorrect. Her case is about a job, family size and children’s health. The literacy gap and care of the elderly are not shown.
Option (3) Economic independence of women, and a higher fertility rate with better health care of children — Incorrect. Education lowers the fertility rate; Meena keeps her family small.
Option (4) Social status of women, and a fall in school dropouts and in child labour among girls — Incorrect. Her case says nothing about dropouts or child labour.
NCERT (2026-27): “Gender Equity — Better than Before: The differences in literacy rates between males and females are narrowing signifying a positive development in gender equity; still the need to promote education for women in India is imminent for various reasons such as improving economic independence and social status of women and also because women education makes a favourable impact on fertility rate and health care of women and children. Therefore, we cannot be complacent about the upward movement in the literacy rates and we have miles to go in achieving cent per cent adult literacy.” |