Philosophy Optional · Paper II · Socio-Political Philosophy
Gender Discrimination Notes · PYQs
Free notes and every UPSC previous year question for Gender Discrimination, Unit 09 of Paper II, Section A: the official syllabus, 7 topic-wise notes in syllabus order, and all 30 questions from 2000 to 2026 grouped by sub-topic.
7
Free notes
30
Questions listed
23
Asked since 2013
2000–2026
Years covered
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Syllabus Free notes Previous year questions All Philosophy units
Official UPSC syllabus
Gender Discrimination: syllabus
The syllabus text for this unit in Paper II, Section A (Socio-Political Philosophy) of Philosophy Optional. Every note and question on this page maps to it.
Gender Discrimination: Female Foeticide, Land and Property Rights; Empowerment.
Paper II · Section A · Unit 09
Gender Discrimination notes
Topic-wise notes for this unit in syllabus order, written for UPSC Mains in plain language, with diagrams and the previous year questions on each topic.
Free notes
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Gender Discrimination: Meaning, Sex vs Gender, Is Inequality Rooted in Biology?, Gender as a Social Construct, Spheres of Discrimination, and Gender Equality as Social Justice
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Simone de Beauvoir’s The Second Sex: “One Is Not Born, but Rather Becomes, a Woman”, Woman as the Other, Immanence and Transcendence, the Independent Woman and the Critics
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Feminism I: Meaning, the Four Waves, Liberal, Marxist, Socialist and Radical Feminism, Gender Equality within a Socialist Regime, and Is Feminism for Empowerment or Equality?
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Feminism II: Eco-feminism, Intersectionality, Dalit Feminism, the Ethics of Care, Okin and Justice as Fairness, and Indian Voices — Phule, Ramabai, Gandhi and Ambedkar
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Female Foeticide: Sen’s Missing Women, Causes, Is It Only a Demonic Use of Technology?, Social Imbalance, Ethical Analysis, Law and Policy, Empowerment and Social Progress
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Land and Property Rights of Women: Agarwal’s A Field of One’s Own, Sen’s Cooperative Conflict, Indian Inheritance Law, Religious Sanction, and Necessary or Sufficient for Gender Equality?
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Empowerment of Women: Kabeer, Rowlands, Nussbaum, Sen and Freire, Collective Reflection, Political Representation, Severe Punishment and Mindset, and Gender Equality as a Necessary Condition
Free practice
Previous year questions: Gender Discrimination
All 30 questions UPSC has set from this unit between 2000 and 2026, grouped by sub-topic with the most-asked first, newest first within each. Questions from 2013 onwards are shown; earlier ones open on a tap.
How often UPSC asks each sub-topic
| Sub-topic | Questions | Since 2013 | Last asked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Land & Property Rights | 7 | 4 | 2026 |
| Gender as Construct | 5 | 4 | 2025 |
| Female Foeticide | 5 | 4 | 2024 |
| Empowerment | 3 | 2 | 2020 |
| Gender Equality | 3 | 3 | 2019 |
| Economic Empowerment | 2 | 2 | 2015 |
| Political Empowerment | 2 | 1 | 2013 |
| Feminism | 1 | 1 | 2018 |
| Crimes Against Women | 1 | 1 | 2017 |
| Gandhi on Women | 1 | 1 | 2016 |
Land & Property Rights
7 questions · 4 since 2013 · last asked 2026
Asked since 2013 · 4
2026Does providing land and property rights to women constitute a necessary condition or a sufficient condition or both for ensuring social equality among the genders ? Discuss. (15 marks)2023Do you agree that the rights concerning land and property have empowered women? Discuss. (10 marks)2021How far can land and property rights be effective in empowerment of women? Explain. (10 marks)2017Is empowerment of women a sufficient means to their equal rights to land, property and divorce? Discuss in the context of religious sanctions. (15 marks)
Show 3 earlier questions (before 2013)
2000–2012 · 3 questions
2012Denial of access and inheritance of land and property to women is denial of their fundamental as human.” Discuss (20 marks)2010Does the right to property bring economic disparity and threat human fraternity? Discuss (20 marks)2000Gender empowerment and property rights of women in India. (20 marks)
Gender as Construct
5 questions · 4 since 2013 · last asked 2025
Asked since 2013 · 4
2025How does gender as a social construct affect individuals’ opportunities, rights, and access to resources? Critically discuss. (10 marks)2022Discuss gender as a cultural category as opposed to sex as a biological category. (15 marks)2019Consider critically, that gender discrimination is a rather man-made concept but not naturally endowed. (15 marks)2014“One is not born a woman, but she becomes a woman.” Critically comment on it. (15 marks)
Show 1 earlier question (before 2013)
2005 · 1 question
2005Critically examine – “sex is the biological category whereas gender is a culturally shaped expression of sexual difference. (20 marks)
Female Foeticide
5 questions · 4 since 2013 · last asked 2024
Asked since 2013 · 4
2024Discuss gender equality as a necessary condition to achieve empowerment of women. Also examine the role of women empowerment in curbing the menace of female foeticide. (20 marks)2023How does gender discrimination lead to female foeticide and social imbalance? Discuss. (15 marks)2021What are the main causes of female foeticide in India? Is it the result of demonic application of technology only? Discuss. (15 marks)2018How do you evaluate gender discrimination in the context of female foeticide? (15 marks)
Show 1 earlier question (before 2013)
2012 · 1 question
2012Is there any necessary connection between social progress and protection against female foeticide? Discuss (20 marks)
Empowerment
3 questions · 2 since 2013 · last asked 2020
Asked since 2013 · 2
2020Do you agree that empowering women can eliminate gender discrimination? Discuss. (20 marks)2016Do you agree that women become empowered through collective reflection and decision-making? Discuss. (15 marks)
Show 1 earlier question (before 2013)
2012 · 1 question
2012Woman empowerment and social justice (12 marks)
Gender Equality
3 questions · 3 since 2013 · last asked 2019
Asked since 2013 · 3
2019Can gender equality be realized within a socialist regime? Analyse. (10 marks)2015What does gender discrimination mean? Is it not a violation of equality and social justice? Discuss. (20 marks)2013What do you understand by ‘gender equality’ and why is it important? (20 marks)
Economic Empowerment
2 questions · 2 since 2013 · last asked 2015
Asked since 2013 · 2
2015Does economic empowerment of women eliminate gender discrimination? Discuss. (15 marks)2013Is economic independence essential for equality between men and women? (15 marks)
Political Empowerment
2 questions · 1 since 2013 · last asked 2013
Asked since 2013 · 1
2013Why is adequate representation of women in political institutions important in this context? (15 marks)
Show 1 earlier question (before 2013)
2010 · 1 question
2010Can only the political empowerment of women wipe out gender discrimination in a male-dominated Indian society? (20 marks)
Feminism
1 question · 1 since 2013 · last asked 2018
Asked since 2013 · 1
2018Is feminism an ideology for empowerment or for equality? Discuss. (15 marks)
Crimes Against Women
1 question · 1 since 2013 · last asked 2017
Asked since 2013 · 1
2017Will a severe punishment for crimes against women change the mind-set of society? Justify your position. (15 marks)
Gandhi on Women
1 question · 1 since 2013 · last asked 2016
Asked since 2013 · 1
2016“To me the female sex is not the weaker sex. It is the nobler of the two.” Evaluate this statement of Gandhi. (20 marks)
Year-wise question papers
All question papers Topic-wise PYQ bank (both papers) 2026 paper 2025 paper 2024 paper 2023 paper
Next · Paper II · Unit 10
Caste Discrimination: Gandhi and Ambedkar
Caste Discrimination: Gandhi and Ambedkar.
Philosophy Optional
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