Quick Revision Notes: Class 10 Social Science (Civics)

Chapter: Gender, Religion and Caste (लैंगिक, धर्म और जाति)

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### 1. Gender and Politics (लैंगिक जनन और राजनीति)

• Sexual Division of Labour (श्रम का लैंगिक विभाजन): A system in which all work inside the home is either done by the women of the family, or organized by them through domestic helpers.
• Feminist Movement (नारीवादी आंदोलन): A radical women’s movement aimed at equality in personal and family life as well as in public life for women.
• Patriarchy (पितृप्रधानता): A social system in which men hold primary power and dominate in roles of political leadership, moral authority, social privilege, and control of property.
• Key Indicator of Women's Empowerment: Child Sex Ratio, Literacy Rate, and Representation of women in elected bodies (like Lok Sabha and State Assemblies).
• Reservation for Women:
  • One-third (33%) of seats in local government bodies (Panchayats and Municipalities) are reserved for women in India.

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### 2. Religion, Communalism and Politics (धर्म, सांप्रदायिकता और राजनीति)

• Secular State (धर्मावरोधी या धर्मनिरपेक्ष राज्य):
  • India is a secular state. There is no official religion for the Indian state (unlike Islam in Pakistan or Christianity in England).
  • The Constitution provides to all individuals and communities freedom to profess, practice, and propagate any religion, or not to follow any.
• Communalism (सांप्रदायिकता):
  • When the beliefs of one religion are presented as superior to those of other religions, when the demands of one religious group are formed in opposition to another, and when state power is used to establish domination of one religious group over the rest.
• Communal Politics (सांप्रदायिक राजनीति): Based on the idea that religion is the principal basis of social community.

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### 3. Caste and Politics (जाति और राजनीति)

• Caste System (जाति व्यवस्था): A social hierarchy based on hereditary occupational division, which is sanctioned by ritual.
• Casteism (जातिवाद): Based on the belief that caste is the sole basis of social community.
• Forms of Caste in Politics:
  • Candidate Selection: Parties choose candidates from different castes/tribes to muster support to win elections.
  • Voter Behavior: Voters tend to prefer candidates from their own caste.
  • Universal Adult Franchise: Brought people closer to the political sphere, making caste identities very prominent.
• Politics in Caste (जाति में राजनीति):
  • Castes also try to enter politics by coalition or by amalgamating smaller castes to gain political power.
  • New kinds of caste groups have come up in the political arena like 'backward' and 'forward' caste groups.

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### 4. Key Terms & Summary Points (मुख्य परिभाषाएँ और बिंदु)

• Secularism: Equal treatment of all religions by the state.
• Gender Division: Not based on biology, but on social expectations and stereotypes.
• Constitutional Provisions in India:
  • Prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth (Article 15).
  • Ensures equality before the law (Article 14).
  • Freedom of religion (Articles 25-28).