Gender, Religion and Caste

Question Bank — Class 10 Political Science

A. Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. Gender division is mainly based on:

A. Biological differences only
B. Social expectations and stereotypes
C. Economic development
D. Religious beliefs

Answer: B

2. The division of work in which household work is mainly assigned to women is called:

A. Political division of labour
B. Sexual division of labour
C. Economic division of labour
D. Religious division of labour

Answer: B

3. Which of the following is an example of household work?

A. Factory production
B. Office work
C. Childcare
D. Parliamentary debate

Answer: C

4. Why is much of women’s work undervalued?

A. It is always unproductive
B. Much of it is unpaid and less visible
C. Women do not work outside homes
D. It has no social importance

Answer: B

5. A person who believes in equal rights and opportunities for women and men is called:

A. Communalist
B. Feminist
C. Casteist
D. Secularist

Answer: B

6. Patriarchy refers to a system in which:

A. Women exercise complete political power
B. Men are given greater power and social value
C. All groups have equal power
D. Religious groups control the state

Answer: B

7. Feminist movements primarily demanded:

A. Religious dominance
B. Caste hierarchy
C. Equality for women
D. End of elections

Answer: C

8. Which institution has traditionally had lower participation of women?

A. Family
B. Politics
C. Education only
D. Sports only

Answer: B

9. Reservation for women in local government bodies is:

A. One-fourth
B. One-third
C. One-half in all cases
D. Two-thirds

Answer: B

10. The Women’s Reservation Act mentioned in the chapter is:

A. 1976
B. 1992
C. 2011
D. 2023

Answer: D

11. Religious differences are:

A. Found only in India
B. Found in many societies
C. Found only in democracies
D. The same as caste differences

Answer: B

12. According to the chapter, religion may legitimately influence politics when:

A. One religion dominates others
B. religious values and demands are expressed while treating religions equally
C. religious minorities lose rights
D. the state adopts an official religion

Answer: B

13. Communalism begins when:

A. people practise their religion freely
B. religion is treated as the basis for political domination or conflict
C. different religions coexist
D. citizens demand equality

Answer: B

14. Which is an example of communal politics?

A. Equal treatment of all religions
B. Using religious identity to mobilise voters against another community
C. Freedom of religion
D. Opposition to discrimination

Answer: B

15. Which of the following is NOT a form of communalism?

A. Religious prejudice
B. Political mobilisation on religious lines
C. Communal violence
D. Equal treatment of all religions

Answer: D

16. Communal politics may involve the use of:

A. Sacred symbols
B. Religious leaders
C. Emotional appeals
D. All of the above

Answer: D

17. In its most extreme form, communalism may lead to:

A. Greater equality
B. Communal violence
C. Occupational mobility
D. Universal education

Answer: B

18. India is described in the chapter as a:

A. Theocratic state
B. Secular state
C. Monarchical state
D. Religious state

Answer: B

19. A secular state in India:

A. Has an official religion
B. Gives special political status to one religion
C. Does not have an official religion
D. Prevents people from practising religion

Answer: C

20. The Indian Constitution provides people the freedom to:

A. Follow only the majority religion
B. Profess, practise and propagate religion, or not follow one
C. Establish religious rule
D. Discriminate on religious grounds

Answer: B

21. Caste division is particularly associated with:

A. India
B. Scandinavia
C. Australia
D. Canada

Answer: A

22. Traditionally, caste was closely associated with:

A. Hereditary occupations
B. Universal voting
C. Industrialisation
D. Urbanisation only

Answer: A

23. The caste system involved:

A. Complete occupational freedom
B. Hereditary occupational division and social hierarchy
C. Equal social status
D. No restrictions on marriage

Answer: B

24. Untouchability was associated with:

A. Caste exclusion and discrimination
B. Feminist movements
C. Secularism
D. Universal adult franchise

Answer: A

25. Which leader worked against caste inequalities?

A. B.R. Ambedkar
B. Jotiba Phule
C. Periyar
D. All of the above

Answer: D

26. Which of the following has helped weaken traditional caste practices?

A. Urbanisation
B. Education
C. Occupational mobility
D. All of the above

Answer: D

27. Caste has:

A. Completely disappeared
B. Remained unchanged
C. Changed considerably but continues to influence society
D. Never affected economic status

Answer: C

28. One continuing feature of caste in India is:

A. Everyone follows hereditary occupations
B. Most people marry within their caste or tribe
C. Caste has no social influence
D. Untouchability is legally permitted

Answer: B

29. Caste can influence politics when political parties:

A. Ignore voters completely
B. Consider caste composition while selecting candidates
C. Abolish elections
D. Remove universal adult franchise

Answer: B

30. Why can caste alone not determine election results?

A. Constituencies contain only one caste
B. Voters always vote independently of identity
C. Candidates and parties need support from several groups
D. Caste has no influence at all

Answer: C

B. Fill in the Blanks

Gender division is based largely on social __________ and stereotypes.
Answer: expectations
The traditional division of household work between men and women is called the __________ division of labour.
Answer: sexual
A person who supports equal rights for women and men is called a __________.
Answer: feminist
__________ refers to a system that gives greater power and value to men.
Answer: Patriarchy
Women’s movements demanded equal political and __________ rights.
Answer: legal
Religion becomes politically dangerous when it is used to establish the __________ of one religious group over others.
Answer: domination
The use of religion in politics in an exclusive and partisan manner is called __________ politics.
Answer: communal
India has no __________ religion.
Answer: official
The Indian Constitution prohibits discrimination on the grounds of __________.
Answer: religion
The caste system traditionally involved __________ occupational division.
Answer: hereditary
The caste system was associated with social __________.
Answer: hierarchy
Untouchability is prohibited by the __________.
Answer: Constitution
Movement from one occupation to another is called occupational __________.
Answer: mobility
The shift of population towards urban areas is known as __________.
Answer: urbanisation
Political mobilisation based on religious identity can become a form of __________.
Answer: communalism
The Constitution of India establishes India as a __________ state.
Answer: secular
Caste-based political identity can sometimes help disadvantaged communities demand a share of __________.
Answer: power
Caste politics may divert attention from issues such as poverty, development and __________.
Answer: corruption

C. True or False

Gender division is purely biological and cannot be changed.
False
Women often perform unpaid household work.
True
Feminism supports unequal rights for men and women.
False
Women have historically had lower political representation.
True
Religion can never have any connection with politics in a democracy.
False
Communalism treats religion as a major basis of political community.
True
Communalism always promotes equality among religions.
False
India has an official state religion.
False
The Indian Constitution protects freedom of religion.
True
Caste division is a distinctive feature of Indian society.
True
Traditional caste occupations were often hereditary.
True
Caste has completely disappeared from contemporary India.
False
Urbanisation and education have weakened some traditional caste practices.
True
Caste is the only factor determining election results.
False
Political mobilisation can influence caste identities.
True
Identity-based politics can have both positive and negative consequences.
True

D. Assertion–Reason Questions

Choose:

A. Both A and R are true, and R correctly explains A.
B. Both A and R are true, but R does not correctly explain A.
C. A is true, but R is false.
D. A is false, but R is true.

1.

Assertion (A): Gender division is considered a social division.
Reason (R): Social expectations assign different roles to men and women.

Answer: A

2.

Assertion: Women’s household work is often undervalued.
Reason: Much of this work is unpaid and less visible.

Answer: A

3.

Assertion: Feminist movements have been important in improving women’s political status.
Reason: They demanded equality and greater rights for women.

Answer: A

4.

Assertion: Communalism is harmful to democracy.
Reason: It can promote religious domination and conflict.

Answer: A

5.

Assertion: Religious identity can never be expressed in democratic politics.
Reason: Citizens have the right to express their needs and interests as members of religious communities.

Answer: D

6.

Assertion: India is a secular state.
Reason: The Constitution does not give official status to one religion.

Answer: A

7.

Assertion: Caste has completely disappeared from India.
Reason: Urbanisation has weakened some traditional caste practices.

Answer: D

8.

Assertion: Caste influences electoral politics.
Reason: Parties may consider caste composition while selecting candidates.

Answer: A

9.

Assertion: Caste alone cannot determine election results.
Reason: Political parties need support from several castes and communities.

Answer: A

10.

Assertion: Caste politics can have positive effects.
Reason: It can provide disadvantaged groups opportunities to demand representation and equality.

Answer: A

E. Match the Following

Set 1

Column A	Column B
1. Feminist	A. Caste as principal basis of community
2. Communalist	B. Equal rights for women and men
3. Secularist	C. Religious basis of political community
4. Casteist	D. Equal treatment regardless of religion

Answer: 1-B, 2-C, 3-D, 4-A

Set 2

Column A	Column B
1. Patriarchy	A. Movement between occupations
2. Urbanisation	B. Greater power given to men
3. Occupational mobility	C. Shift towards urban areas
4. Caste hierarchy	D. Ranking of caste groups

Answer: 1-B, 2-C, 3-A, 4-D

Set 3

Column A	Column B
1. Gender	A. Communalism
2. Religion	B. Feminism
3. Caste	C. Hereditary occupational division
4. Secularism	D. No official religion

Answer: 1-B, 2-A, 3-C, 4-D

F. Very Short Answer Questions

1. What is gender division?

Answer: It is a social division based on different roles and expectations assigned to men and women.

2. What is sexual division of labour?

Answer: It is the traditional division in which household work is mainly assigned to women and outside income-generating work mainly to men.

3. Who is a feminist?

Answer: A person who believes in equal rights and opportunities for women and men.

4. What is patriarchy?

Answer: A social system in which men are given greater power and value than women.

5. What is communalism?

Answer: It is the use of religious identity as the main basis of political or social community, especially in a divisive or dominating manner.

6. What is secularism?

Answer: It is the principle that the state does not establish one official religion and protects religious freedom and equality.

7. What is caste hierarchy?

Answer: It is a system in which caste groups are arranged in a higher-to-lower order.

8. What is occupational mobility?

Answer: It is the movement from one occupation to another.

9. What is urbanisation?

Answer: It is the shift of population towards urban areas.

10. Name two social reformers who opposed caste inequality.

Answer: Jotiba Phule and B.R. Ambedkar.

11. Name two constitutional features supporting secularism in India.

Answer: Freedom of religion and prohibition of discrimination on religious grounds.

12. How much reservation for women exists in Panchayats and municipalities according to the chapter?

Answer: At least one-third of the seats.

G. Short Answer Questions — 2/3 Marks

1. Why is gender division considered a social division?

Answer: Because society assigns different roles and responsibilities to men and women. These expectations influence education, employment, household work and political participation.

2. Why is women’s household work often undervalued?

Answer: Much household work is unpaid and not counted as income-generating work. As a result, it is less visible even though it requires considerable time and effort.

3. What were the major demands of feminist movements?

Answer: They demanded equal political and legal rights, better educational and career opportunities, and greater equality in personal and family life.

4. Give two examples of gender inequality in India.

Answer: Women may receive lower wages than men for similar work, and women remain underrepresented in political institutions.

5. Why can religion be involved in politics without being communal?

Answer: People may use moral values or express legitimate religious interests in politics. It becomes problematic when religion is used to discriminate against or dominate another community.

6. Mention three forms of communalism.

Answer: Religious prejudice, political mobilisation on religious lines, and communal violence.

7. Why is communalism based on a flawed idea?

Answer: It assumes that all members of one religion have identical interests and that people of different religions necessarily have conflicting interests. In reality, people have multiple identities and interests.

8. Mention two features of India’s secular state.

Answer: India has no official religion, and citizens have freedom to profess, practise and propagate religion or choose not to follow one.

9. How has modernisation affected caste?

Answer: Education, urbanisation, economic development and occupational mobility have weakened some traditional caste practices and reduced rigid occupational restrictions.

10. Why has caste not disappeared completely?

Answer: Caste continues to influence marriage, social relationships and economic opportunities. Historical inequalities also continue to affect different caste groups.

11. How do political parties use caste during elections?

Answer: They may consider the caste composition of constituencies while selecting candidates and may appeal to caste interests to gain electoral support.

12. Give two reasons why caste alone cannot decide elections.

Answer: Constituencies contain several caste and community groups, and voters are influenced by factors such as party preference, government performance and leadership.

13. How can caste politics benefit disadvantaged groups?

Answer: It can give disadvantaged communities greater political representation and a platform to demand dignity, equality, resources and opportunities.

14. How can caste politics become harmful?

Answer: Exclusive caste-based politics can create tension, divert attention from issues such as poverty and development, and sometimes contribute to conflict.

H. Long Answer Questions — 4/5 Marks

1. Explain the various forms of gender inequality discussed in the chapter.

Answer points:

Unequal division of household responsibilities
Unpaid and undervalued domestic work
Unequal educational opportunities
Unequal wages and employment opportunities
Violence and harassment against women
Low political representation
Son preference and sex-selective practices

2. Explain the different forms of communalism.

Answer points:

Everyday religious prejudices and stereotypes
Demand for political dominance by a religious community
Political mobilisation using religious symbols, leaders and emotions
Communal violence, riots and conflict

3. Explain why India is called a secular state.

Answer points:

No official state religion
Freedom to profess, practise and propagate religion
Freedom not to follow any religion
No discrimination based on religion
State may intervene to ensure equality within religious communities

4. Explain how caste affects politics.

Answer points:

Parties consider caste composition while choosing candidates.
Governments try to include representatives of different castes and tribes.
Parties may appeal to caste sentiments.
Some parties become associated with particular caste groups.
Caste groups organise politically to demand representation and resources.

5. Explain why caste alone cannot determine electoral outcomes.

Answer points:

No constituency normally has only one caste.
Parties need support from multiple communities.
Voters do not always vote according to caste.
People within the same caste have different economic interests.
Party preference, leadership and government performance also matter.

6. “Social divisions can be both positive and negative for democracy.” Explain.

Answer points:

Positive:

Gives disadvantaged groups a political voice.
Helps expose discrimination.
Improves representation.
Enables demands for equality and justice.

Negative:

Can encourage exclusion.
Can create hostility between groups.
Can divert attention from development issues.
Extreme identity politics may produce conflict or violence.

I. Case-Based Questions

Case 1: Gender

A village council notices that women spend substantial time caring for children, preparing food and managing household responsibilities. However, most of this work is unpaid. The council decides to encourage equal participation of men and women in household responsibilities and public decision-making.

Questions

What type of social division is illustrated?
What is the traditional division of household work called?
Which movement demands equal rights and opportunities for women and men?
Why can greater political representation help women?

Answers:

Gender division
Sexual division of labour
Feminist movement
It can help bring women’s concerns into political decision-making.

Case 2: Communalism

During an election campaign, a political group tells voters that people belonging to one religion have interests completely different from those belonging to another religion. It asks voters to support candidates solely because of their religious identity.

Questions

What form of politics is illustrated?
What assumption about religious communities is being made?
Why is this approach harmful to democracy?
What principle of the Indian Constitution provides an alternative to such politics?

Answers:

Communal politics
That each religious community has identical interests and necessarily conflicts with other communities.
It can divide citizens and promote religious domination or conflict.
Secularism.

Case 3: Caste and Elections

A political party studies the caste composition of a constituency before selecting its candidates. However, during the election, voters from different castes support different parties because they are also considering employment, development and the performance of the government.

Questions

How is caste influencing politics?
Why does caste not completely determine the election?
Mention two other factors influencing voters.
Does the example show that caste has no political importance?

Answers:

The party is considering caste composition while selecting candidates.
Voters have multiple interests and identities.
Development and government performance.
No. Caste matters, but it is not the only factor.

J. Competency/Application Questions

1. A family expects its daughter to do household work while its son is encouraged to study and pursue a career. Which concept best explains this situation?

Answer: Gender division and socially assigned gender roles.

2. A political leader asks people to vote against candidates belonging to another religion. What democratic danger does this illustrate?

Answer: Communal political mobilisation.

3. A student says, “People belonging to the same caste always have the same political interests.” Do you agree?

Answer: No. People within the same caste can have different economic conditions, occupations, political preferences and other identities.

4. A government reserves seats for women in local bodies. What democratic purpose does this serve?

Answer: It increases women’s political representation and provides greater opportunities for their participation in decision-making.

5. A person changes from a traditional family occupation to a completely different profession after receiving modern education. Which concept is illustrated?

Answer: Occupational mobility.

6. A political party forms an alliance with several caste groups to increase its support. What does this show?

Answer: Politics can bring different caste groups together through negotiation and coalition-building.

7. A society has people from many religions, but all citizens enjoy equal rights. Which democratic principle is being followed?

Answer: Secularism and religious equality.

8. A political campaign focuses entirely on caste and ignores poverty, development and corruption. What possible danger does this represent?

Answer: Excessive caste-based politics can divert attention from broader public issues.

K. Choose the Correct Statement

1.

A. Gender roles are completely determined by biology.
B. Gender roles are influenced by social expectations.
C. Women never perform paid work.
D. Men cannot perform household work.

Answer: B

2.

A. Communalism promotes equal citizenship.
B. Communalism treats religious differences as politically irrelevant.
C. Communalism can seek domination of one religious group over others.
D. Communalism is the same as secularism.

Answer: C

3.

A. India has an official religion.
B. India prohibits freedom of religion.
C. India is a secular state.
D. Only majority communities have religious freedom.

Answer: C

4.

A. Caste has completely disappeared.
B. Caste practices have remained exactly unchanged.
C. Caste has changed but continues to influence Indian society.
D. Caste has no relationship with economic inequality.

Answer: C

5.

A. Caste alone determines election results.
B. Government performance can influence elections.
C. Voters always vote according to caste.
D. Every constituency contains only one caste.

Answer: B

L. One-Word / One-Term Questions

Equal rights movement for women and men — Feminism
Greater power given to men — Patriarchy
Religious identity used divisively in politics — Communalism
State without an official religion — Secular state
Traditional hereditary social division in India — Caste system
Ranking of castes from higher to lower — Caste hierarchy
Movement between occupations — Occupational mobility
Shift towards urban areas — Urbanisation
Social group historically subjected to untouchability — Dalits / Scheduled Castes
Broad communities historically associated with secluded life in hills and forests — Scheduled Tribes / Adivasis

M. Important Exam Questions to Practise First

If you have limited revision time, prioritise these:

Explain the meaning of gender division.
What is sexual division of labour?
Explain the role of feminist movements.
Describe major forms of gender inequality in India.
What is communalism? Explain its different forms.
Why is India called a secular state?
Explain the traditional caste system.
What factors have weakened traditional caste practices?
How does caste influence electoral politics?
Why can caste alone not determine election results?
Explain the relationship between caste and politics.
Explain the positive and negative effects of social divisions in politics.

Quick Revision

Gender → inequality → feminism → representation

Religion → diversity → communalism → secularism

Caste → hierarchy → discrimination → political representation

Democratic lesson → social differences may be expressed politically, but democracy must prevent discrimination, domination and conflict.