Infographics: Gender Religion and Caste | Social Studies (SST) Class 10 PDF Download

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Gender and Politics in India
Traditional Gender Roles and Division of Labor
At Home
Women handle cooking, 
washing, cleaning, tailoring, 
and child-rearing 
responsibilities
Outside Home
Men dominate superior jobs, 
politics, and public life with 
higher social status
Result
Gender bias creates sexual 
division of work with little value 
attached to women's 
contributions
Status of Women in India
India operates as a patriarchal society that gives more power to men, values them more, and considers them 
superior to women.
5 4 %
Women's Literacy
Compared to 76% among 
men
9 2 7
Sex Ratio
Girls per 1000 boys (some 
states below 800)
< 1 0 %
Lok Sabha
Women members never 
reached 10%
5 %
State Assemblies
Women representation 
remains minimal
Despite girls outperforming boys in schools, more girls drop out as parents prioritize sons' education. The Equal 
Wages Act exists, yet women earn less for identical work. Women work an hour more daily than men, but their 
contributions remain undervalued and unpaid.
Empowerment Step: One-third seats reserved for women in Panchayati Raj institutions. Currently, 10 lakh 
women serve as elected representatives in rural and urban local bodies.
Religion, Communalism and Politics
Religious Differences in India
1
Birthplace of 
Religions
India gave birth to four major 
religions: Hinduism, Jainism, 
Buddhism, and Sikhism
2
Political Expression
Religious differences 
naturally find expression in 
political processes and 
governance
3
Equal Treatment
When all religions receive 
equal treatment, people can 
express their needs, 
interests, and demands fairly
Secularism in India
India chose secularism because communalism posed a major challenge. Unlike Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and England, 
India maintains no state religion - no religion receives special status. This approach ensures equal treatment of all 
faiths and prevents religious bias in governance.
Caste and Politics
Caste inequalities remain unique to India. While all societies had labor divisions and occupations passed 
generationally, India's caste system represents an extreme form - hereditary occupational divisions sanctioned by 
rituals.
Breaking Down Caste Hierarchy
01
Leaders' Efforts
Mahatma Gandhi, Jyotiba Phule, B.R. 
Ambedkar, and Periyar Ramaswami 
Naicker promoted casteless society
02
Economic Development
Growth in literacy, education, and 
occupational mobility weakened 
traditional structures
03
Power Shifts
Landlords lost traditional power and 
position in villages, enabling social 
change
Caste in Politics
Like communalism, caste encourages belief that people from the same caste form natural communities with shared 
interests. This creates problematic voting patterns where people select candidates based on caste rather than 
merit.
Candidate Selection
Political parties consider 
caste composition when 
nominating candidates for 
elections
Government 
Formation
Parties ensure different 
castes receive representation 
in government positions
Electoral Appeals
Parties appeal to caste 
sentiments during 
campaigns, creating narrow 
focus
Caste Inequalities Today
Historical caste restrictions denied untouchables land ownership and education rights. While outlawed, new 
inequalities emerged. Today, every caste contains both wealthy and poor individuals, but upper castes remain 
better off while Dalits and Adivasis face the worst conditions, with Backward classes positioned between these 
extremes.
0
20
40
60
Upper Castes Backward Classes Dalits Adivasis
This data from 1999-2000 reveals that poverty concentrates more heavily among lowest castes and appears much 
less frequently in upper castes, demonstrating persistent economic inequalities.
Politics Influences Caste
The relationship works both ways - while caste affects politics, politics also influences caste identities. Political 
mobilization can strengthen caste consciousness, but democratic participation also provides opportunities for 
marginalized groups to challenge traditional hierarchies and demand equal treatment.