Women Issues — UPSC CSE Questions

295 UPSC CSE practice questions on Women Issues, part of Social Issues. Below are 12 of them in full, each with the answer and a written explanation.

Questions & explanations

1. With respect to the legal framework on violence against women, consider the following statements: 1. The Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013, expanded the definition of 'rape' to include various forms of penetrative acts beyond penile-vaginal penetration. 2. The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, includes emotional and economic abuse as forms of domestic violence. 3. The Indian Penal Code does not recognize marital rape as a criminal offense. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. (a) 1 and 2 only
  2. (b) 2 and 3 only
  3. (c) 1 and 3 only
  4. (d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3

All three statements are correct, so the answer is (d). Statement 1: The Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013, widened the meaning of rape in Section 375 of the IPC. Rape now covers many penetrative acts, not just penile-vaginal penetration. It includes putting the penis, any object, or any body part into a woman's vagina, anus, urethra, or mouth. So statement 1 is correct. Statement 2: The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, defines domestic violence in a wide way. It covers physical, sexual, verbal, emotional, and economic abuse. So statement 2 is correct. Statement 3: The IPC did not treat marital rape as a crime. Section 375 had an exception that said sex by a man with his own wife (above the legal age) is not rape. So statement 3 is correct.

2. With reference to the 108th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2008, consider the following statements: 1. It introduced a constitutional provision for 33% reservation for women in Parliament and State Legislatures. 2. The Act amended the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments to include women’s reservation in PRIs and ULBs. 3. The reservation is not applicable to the Rajya Sabha. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. (a) 1 and 2 only
  2. (b) 2 and 3 only
  3. (c) 1 only
  4. (d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (c) 1 only

The 108th Constitutional Amendment Bill was proposed but never enacted. Statement 1 is false — there is no '108th Constitutional Amendment Act 2008' that is in force; the bill was proposed but lapsed. Statement 2 is false — the 108th Bill did NOT amend the 73rd and 74th Amendments; those already provide women's reservation in PRIs/ULBs. The 108th Bill was specifically about Parliament and State Legislatures. Statement 3 is true — the reservation was proposed to apply to Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies, NOT to Rajya Sabha (which is not directly elected from constituencies in the same way). Since statement 1 is false (the Act was not passed), and statement 2 is false, only statement 3 is correct. Answer is (c).

3. With reference to the legal framework for women's rights in India, consider the following statements: 1. The Supreme Court in Vishaka v. State of Rajasthan (1997) laid down guidelines for preventing sexual harassment at the workplace. 2. The Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013, introduced the definition of 'rape' to include non-penetrative sexual acts. 3. The Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act, 2005, granted daughters equal coparcenary rights in ancestral property. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. (a) 1 and 2 only
  2. (b) 2 and 3 only
  3. (c) 1 and 3 only
  4. (d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (c) 1 and 3 only

Statement 1 is true — Vishaka v. State of Rajasthan (1997) laid down guidelines for preventing sexual harassment at workplace. Statement 2 is false — the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 2013 expanded the definition of 'rape' under Section 375 IPC to penetrative sexual assault (including oral penetration, insertion of objects, etc.) but it is categorised as penetrative acts, not 'non-penetrative' acts. The Act introduced a separate offence of assault/criminal force (Section 354) for non-penetrative acts; it did NOT include non-penetrative acts within rape. Statement 3 is true — Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act 2005 granted daughters equal coparcenary rights. Statements 1 and 3 are correct: answer is (c).

4. With reference to workplace issues faced by women in India, consider the following statements: 1. The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017, increased paid maternity leave from 12 to 26 weeks. 2. The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, applies to all workplaces, including informal sectors. 3. The Equal Remuneration Act, 1976, ensures equal pay for equal work but does not cover job evaluation. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. (a) 1 and 2 only
  2. (b) 1 and 3 only
  3. (c) 2 and 3 only
  4. (d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3

All three statements are correct. Statement 1: The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017, raised paid maternity leave from 12 weeks to 26 weeks. Statement 2: The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013, covers all workplaces, including the informal or unorganised sector. It needs an Internal Complaints Committee in places with 10 or more workers and a Local Complaints Committee for smaller and informal workplaces. Statement 3: The Equal Remuneration Act, 1976, gives equal pay for equal work but does not deal with job evaluation. So the answer is (d), 1, 2 and 3. Options (a), (b) and (c) are wrong because each one leaves out a statement that is actually correct.

5. Which constitutional amendment introduced 33% reservation for women in Panchayati Raj Institutions?

  1. (a) 73rd Amendment
  2. (b) 74th Amendment
  3. (c) 84th Amendment
  4. (d) 89th Amendment

Answer: (a) 73rd Amendment

The answer is (a) the 73rd Amendment. The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992 added Article 243D. It reserves at least one-third of the seats for women in Panchayati Raj Institutions. Why the others are wrong: The 74th Amendment dealt with urban local bodies and gave women reservation there (Article 243T), not in Panchayats. The 84th Amendment of 2001 froze the delimitation of constituencies till 2026; it had nothing to do with women's reservation. The 89th Amendment of 2003 split the combined commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes into two separate bodies, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes.

6. With reference to the National Policy for Women's Empowerment (2001), consider the following statements: 1. It emphasizes the need for legal and institutional mechanisms to protect women’s rights. 2. It recommends strengthening the National Commission for Women by providing adequate resources and appropriate delegation of authority. 3. It advocates for the integration of gender perspective in all development programs. Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. (a) 1 and 2 only
  2. (b) 2 and 3 only
  3. (c) 1 and 3 only
  4. (d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3

All three statements are correct, so the answer is (d). The National Policy for the Empowerment of Women (2001) calls for strong legal and institutional ways to protect women's rights, so statement 1 is right. The policy wants a gender view built into all development programmes, so statement 3 is right. It also says the National and State Commissions for Women should be made stronger by giving them enough money, staff, information, and proper powers, so statement 2 is right. Option (a) leaves out statement 3, which is also correct. Option (b) leaves out statement 1, which is also correct. Option (c) leaves out statement 2, which is also correct.

7. With reference to the legal framework for addressing violence against women, consider the following statements: 1. The Indian Penal Code (IPC) does not define 'domestic violence' as a distinct offence. 2. The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, provides for both civil and criminal remedies. 3. The Supreme Court has recognized the right to live with dignity as a fundamental right under Article 21, which includes protection from violence. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. (a) 1 and 2 only
  2. (b) 2 and 3 only
  3. (c) 1 and 3 only
  4. (d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (c) 1 and 3 only

Statement 1 is true — the IPC does not define 'domestic violence' as a distinct criminal offence; domestic violence as a distinct category is addressed under the civil PWDVA 2005. Statement 2 is false — PWDVA 2005 provides civil remedies (protection orders, residence orders, monetary relief). It does NOT provide criminal remedies directly (though violation of a protection order is criminal). Statement 3 is true — the Supreme Court has interpreted Article 21 to include the right to live with dignity, which encompasses protection from violence. Therefore statements 1 and 3 are correct: answer is (c), not (d).

8. Which of the following is NOT a key feature of the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme?

  1. (a) Focus on improving the child sex ratio in districts with low sex ratios
  2. (b) Incentives for families with girl children through cash transfers
  3. (c) Mandatory registration of all newborn girls with the government
  4. (d) Promotion of girls' education through awareness campaigns

Answer: (c) Mandatory registration of all newborn girls with the government

The answer is (c). Beti Bachao Beti Padhao does not require every newborn girl to be registered with the government; birth registration is part of the general civil registration system, not a special feature of this scheme. So option (c) is NOT a feature and is the right pick. Option (a) is a real feature because the scheme works to improve the child sex ratio in districts where it is low. Option (b) describes support given to families with girls, which the scheme uses. Option (d) is a real feature because promoting girls' education through awareness drives is a core part of the scheme.

9. Which of the following statements about the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme are correct? 1. It is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Women and Child Development and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. 2. The scheme focuses on improving the child sex ratio in districts with low sex ratios. 3. It includes awareness campaigns, community mobilization, and incentives for girl child education. Select the correct answer using the code below:

  1. (a) 1 and 2 only
  2. (b) 2 and 3 only
  3. (c) 1 and 3 only
  4. (d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3

All three statements are correct, so the answer is (d). Beti Bachao Beti Padhao is run jointly by more than one ministry. The Ministry of Women and Child Development, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and the Ministry of Education work together on it, so statement 1 is correct. The scheme mainly aims to improve the child sex ratio in districts where it is low, so statement 2 is correct. It uses awareness drives, community efforts, and support for girls' education, so statement 3 is also correct. Options (a), (b), and (c) each leave out a true statement, so they are wrong.

10. Which of the following best explains the limitation of the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao scheme in achieving long-term gender equality? 1. It focuses only on reducing sex-selective abortions without addressing social norms. 2. It lacks integration with broader education and employment policies. 3. It is implemented only in districts with low sex ratios. Select the correct answer using the code below:

  1. (a) 1 and 2 only
  2. (b) 2 and 3 only
  3. (c) 1 only
  4. (d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only

Statement 1 is partially true — BBBP does address sex-selective abortions but also includes education promotion; however, critics note it focuses heavily on media campaigns without deep social norm change. Statement 2 is a valid critique — BBBP has been criticised for not being sufficiently integrated with broader education and employment policies for women. Statement 3 is factually false — BBBP was initially implemented in 100 districts with low sex ratios but has since been expanded to all districts of India. Statements 1 and 2 represent valid limitations: answer is (a).

11. Which of the following is NOT a key feature of the Women's Reservation Bill (108th Constitutional Amendment Bill)?

  1. (a) It proposes 33% reservation for women in Parliament and State Legislative Assemblies
  2. (b) It includes reservation for women in local self-government bodies
  3. (c) It mandates that the reservation be implemented through a system of rotation
  4. (d) It has been passed by both Houses of Parliament and is in force

Answer: (d) It has been passed by both Houses of Parliament and is in force

Option (d) is the correct answer because it is NOT a true feature of the 108th Amendment Bill. This bill was introduced in 2008. The Rajya Sabha passed it in 2010, but the Lok Sabha never voted on it, so it lapsed and never became law. Options (a), (b), and (c) describe real features of the proposal: 33 percent reservation for women in Parliament and State Assemblies, extension of the idea to legislatures, and rotation of the reserved seats. Note that a later, separate law, the 106th Amendment of 2023, did pass both Houses, but the question is about the older 108th Bill.

12. Consider the following statements regarding violence against women in India: 1. The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) reports a decline in physical and sexual violence against women. 2. The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, provides for civil remedies and protection orders. 3. Honor killings are not recognized as a form of violence under Indian law. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. (a) 1 and 2 only
  2. (b) 2 only
  3. (c) 1 and 3 only
  4. (d) 3 only

Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only

Statement 1 is correct. NFHS-5 (2019-21) shows an overall fall in physical and sexual violence by husbands against ever-married women compared with NFHS-4 (2015-16). Statement 2 is correct. The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, gives civil remedies such as protection orders, residence orders, and money relief. Honour killings are treated as a crime in India and are tried as murder under the law (Section 300 defines murder and Section 302 gives the punishment). So statements 1 and 2 are correct, and the right answer is (a) 1 and 2 only.

More Social Issues topics

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