Gender, Religion and Caste – Very Short Answer Type Questions
CBSE Class 10 Social Science – Political Science (Civics)
Democratic Politics – II, Chapter 3: Gender, Religion and Caste
CBSE Board Examinations – Question Format Overview
- Very Short Answer Type Questions – 1 mark each (concept-based, definition and recall type).
- Ideal for MCQs, assertion–reason and objective type pattern questions.
- Strictly based on NCERT chapter “Gender, Religion and Caste”.
- Useful for quick revision and last-minute practice for CBSE Class 10 Board Exam.
These 50+ Very Short Answer Type Questions with clear and simple answers are designed strictly as per the
NCERT textbook for Class 10 Political Science (Democratic Politics – II), Chapter 3: Gender, Religion and Caste.
They cover all major topics – Gender and Politics, Religion and Communalism, Secular State, and Caste and Politics –
making them ideal for CBSE Class 10 board exam preparation and quick revision.
A. Very Short Answer Questions on Gender and Politics
Topics covered: Gender, public/private division, patriarchy, women’s status, women’s movements, political representation.
Gender – Basic Concepts
Q1. What is meant by “gender”?
Answer: Gender refers to the socially constructed roles, expectations and stereotypes associated with being male or female in society.
Gender – Basic Concepts
Q2. How is “sex” different from “gender”?
Answer: Sex is a biological difference between males and females, whereas gender is a social and cultural concept about roles and behaviour.
Gender Division
Q3. What is gender division?
Answer: Gender division is a form of social division based on socially created differences between men and women, giving men more value and power.
Patriarchy
Q4. What is patriarchy?
Answer: Patriarchy is a system where men hold more power and control in family, society and politics, while women are given a subordinate position.
Gender Inequality
Q5. What is meant by the “double burden” of women?
Answer: Double burden means women have to do both unpaid household work and paid work outside the home, leading to extra pressure.
Public / Private Division
Q6. What is the “private sphere” in gender division?
Answer: The private sphere refers to home and family life, where women are expected to do household and care work.
Public / Private Division
Q7. What is the “public sphere” in gender division?
Answer: The public sphere refers to areas like politics, jobs and public decision-making, traditionally seen as men’s responsibility.
Valuing Women’s Work
Q8. Why is women’s household work often called “unpaid work”?
Answer: Because women’s work at home is not paid, not counted in national income and is often not recognised as real work.
Status of Women
Q9. Mention any one social indicator that shows women’s low status in India.
Answer: Women’s literacy rate is lower than men’s literacy rate, showing their disadvantaged position in education.
Discrimination
Q10. Give one example of violence or discrimination against women.
Answer: Domestic violence, where women are abused or beaten within the family, is a common form of discrimination.
Women’s Movement
Q11. What is the women’s or feminist movement?
Answer: It is a movement that campaigns for equal rights, opportunities and respect for women in all fields.
Women’s Movement
Q12. State any one goal of the women’s movement.
Answer: One goal is to end all forms of discrimination and violence against women and ensure equality with men.
Political Representation
Q13. What is meant by women’s political representation?
Answer: Women’s political representation means women’s presence and participation as elected leaders and decision-makers in political bodies.
Political Representation
Q14. Are women adequately represented in Indian legislatures?
Answer: No, women are under-represented in Parliament and State Assemblies compared to their population share.
Reservation for Women
Q15. What provision has been made for women in local government bodies in India?
Answer: At least one-third of seats are reserved for women in Panchayats and Municipalities.
Reservation for Women
Q16. Which Constitutional Amendments introduced reservation for women in local bodies?
Answer: The 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments introduced reservation for women in rural and urban local bodies.
Equal Representation
Q17. Why is women’s equal representation in politics important for democracy?
Answer: Because women are half of the population; without their equal voice, democracy is incomplete and unjust.
Role of Political Parties
Q18. How can political parties improve women’s representation?
Answer: Political parties can give more tickets to women candidates and support them to win elections.
B. Very Short Answer Questions on Religion, Communalism and Politics
Topics covered: religion in politics, communalism, forms of communalism, secularism, secular state and constitutional provisions.
Religion & Politics
Q19. Why is religion important in people’s lives?
Answer: Religion shapes people’s beliefs and values and gives emotional support and a sense of identity.
Communalism
Q20. What is communalism?
Answer: Communalism is a belief that one’s own religion is superior and that people of different religions cannot live together as equal citizens.
Communalism
Q21. How does communalism view the political interests of people?
Answer: Communalism assumes that followers of the same religion have the same political interests different from others.
Forms of Communalism
Q22. What is a communal riot?
Answer: A communal riot is a violent clash between people of different religious communities, often caused by communal hatred.
Everyday Communalism
Q23. Give one example of communalism in everyday life.
Answer: Spreading prejudices or hateful comments against people of another religion is an example of everyday communalism.
Communalism & Democracy
Q24. Why is communalism considered a threat to democracy?
Answer: Because it breaks national unity, encourages hatred and violence, and denies equal rights to all citizens.
Majority / Minority
Q25. What is meant by a “majority community”?
Answer: A majority community is a religious group that has a larger population share in a country or region.
Majority / Minority
Q26. What is meant by a “minority community”?
Answer: A minority community is a religious group with a smaller population share compared to the majority community.
Secular State
Q27. What is a secular state?
Answer: A secular state is one that has no official religion and treats all religions equally.
Secular State
Q28. Does the Indian Constitution give any official religion to the country?
Answer: No, the Indian Constitution does not give any official religion to the country.
Constitutional Provisions
Q29. What right related to religion is given to all citizens by the Constitution?
Answer: All citizens have the right to freedom of religion – to practise, profess and propagate any religion or none.
Constitutional Provisions
Q30. Can the state discriminate against any citizen on the ground of religion?
Answer: No, the state cannot discriminate against any citizen only on the ground of religion.
State Intervention
Q31. Why can the state intervene in religious matters?
Answer: The state can intervene to stop practices that violate the rights of individuals or go against equality and justice.
Positive Role of Religion
Q32. How can religion play a positive role in politics?
Answer: Religion can inspire moral values like honesty and compassion, which can guide political leaders and citizens.
Separation of State & Religion
Q33. What is the main aim of keeping state separate from religion?
Answer: The aim is to protect the freedom and equality of all religions and prevent domination of one religion over others.
Secularism – Core Idea
Q34. What is the core idea of secularism in India?
Answer: The core idea is equal respect and protection for all religions without any special favour or discrimination.
Democratic Values
Q35. Which democratic value is harmed by communalism – equality or fraternity?
Answer: Communalism harms both equality and fraternity, but especially the spirit of fraternity among citizens.
Religious Differences & Democracy
Q36. How does democracy handle religious differences?
Answer: Democracy respects religious differences, protects minority rights and encourages peaceful coexistence under common laws.
C. Very Short Answer Questions on Caste and Politics
Topics covered: caste system, caste inequalities, changes in caste, reservations, caste in politics and politics in caste.
Caste System
Q37. What is caste?
Answer: Caste is a hereditary social group in India in which a person is born and which traditionally decides occupation and social status.
Features of Caste
Q38. Mention any one feature of the traditional caste system.
Answer: One feature is that caste status is based on birth and cannot be changed easily.
Hereditary Occupation
Q39. What is meant by hereditary occupation?
Answer: Hereditary occupation means children are expected to follow the same occupation as their parents due to caste rules.
Untouchability
Q40. What is untouchability?
Answer: Untouchability is a practice in which some castes are treated as “polluting” and are socially excluded and discriminated against.
Constitution & Caste
Q41. How does the Indian Constitution deal with untouchability?
Answer: The Indian Constitution abolishes untouchability and makes its practice a punishable offence.
Reserved Groups
Q42. Name any two social groups for whom reservations are provided in India.
Answer: Reservations are provided for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) (also for Other Backward Classes – OBCs).
SC / ST / OBC
Q43. Who are Scheduled Castes (SCs)?
Answer: Scheduled Castes are those castes which historically faced extreme social discrimination and untouchability and are listed in the Constitution.
SC / ST / OBC
Q44. Who are Scheduled Tribes (STs)?
Answer: Scheduled Tribes are tribal groups that lived in remote areas, often isolated, and are recognised as socially and economically backward.
SC / ST / OBC
Q45. What are Other Backward Classes (OBCs)?
Answer: OBCs are castes and communities that are socially and educationally backward but not listed as SCs or STs.
Caste Inequalities
Q46. Mention any one effect of caste inequalities.
Answer: Caste inequalities limited the access of lower castes to education, land, government jobs and positions of power.
Changes in Caste
Q47. Mention any one factor that has weakened the caste system.
Answer: The spread of education has weakened the caste system by creating awareness and new job opportunities.
Changes in Caste
Q48. How has urbanisation affected caste?
Answer: Urbanisation mixes people from different castes; in cities, jobs and housing depend more on ability than on caste.
Caste in Politics
Q49. What is meant by “caste in politics”?
Answer: “Caste in politics” means caste influences voting, candidate selection and political alliances.
Politics in Caste
Q50. What is meant by “politics in caste”?
Answer: “Politics in caste” means democratic politics changes caste relations and makes caste groups organise to demand a fair share in power.
Positive Role of Caste
Q51. State one positive effect of caste in politics.
Answer: Caste-based mobilisation has helped disadvantaged castes to organise and demand their rights in a democratic way.
Negative Role of Caste
Q52. State one negative effect of caste in politics.
Answer: Political parties sometimes use caste as a vote-bank, which can create division and tension in society.
Caste & Elections
Q53. Why is it wrong to say that caste has disappeared from Indian politics?
Answer: Because caste still influences voting patterns, candidate selection and formation of governments in many areas.
Reformers
Q54. Name any one social reformer who worked against caste inequalities.
Answer: Dr. B. R. Ambedkar worked strongly against caste discrimination and untouchability.
Democracy & Caste
Q55. How does democracy help in reducing caste inequality?
Answer: Democracy gives equal political rights to all, provides reservations and legal protection to weaker castes, and allows them to participate in power.
Exam Perspective
Q56. Why are questions on gender, religion and caste important for the CBSE exam?
Answer: Because they link democratic politics with real social divisions in India and are frequently asked in exams in different formats.