CUET UG Political Science: Indian Politics - Social Movements, Women's Movement, Environmental, Anti-Caste

Must-Know

• The Chipko Movement began in 1973 in Uttarakhand as a forest conservation movement where villagers, especially women, hugged trees to prevent deforestation.
• The Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) was launched in the 1980s against the construction of large dams on the Narmada River, led by Medha Patkar.
• The Dalit Panthers, modeled after the Black Panthers, were formed in 1972 in Maharashtra to fight caste oppression and assert Dalit rights.
• The Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), founded in 1972 by Ela Bhat, organizes poor, self-employed women workers in the informal sector.
• The anti-arrack movement in Andhra Pradesh (1992) began as a campaign against alcohol abuse and evolved into a broader women’s movement addressing domestic violence and gender inequality.
• The Meira Paibi movement in Manipur involves women carrying torches to patrol villages and protest against human rights violations by security forces.
• The Mandal Commission, established in 1979 and chaired by Bindeshwari Prasad Mandal, recommended 27% reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in government jobs.
• The Vishakha Guidelines were laid down by the Supreme Court in 1997 (Vishakha v. State of Rajasthan) to prevent sexual harassment of women at the workplace.
• The United Nations declared 1975 as International Women’s Year, followed by the Decade for Women (1976–1985).
• The National Commission for Women (NCW) was constituted in 1992 under the National Commission for Women Act, 1990.
• The Chipko Movement’s most iconic moment occurred in 1974 when Gaura Devi led 27 women to protect trees in Reni village, Uttarakhand.
• The Silent Valley Movement in Kerala (1970s–80s) successfully prevented the construction of a hydroelectric project in a biodiversity-rich area.
• The Bhil Adivasi Movement in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan has demanded land rights and protection from displacement due to development projects.
• The anti-TASMAC movement in Tamil Nadu campaigns against state-owned liquor shops, linking alcohol to domestic violence and economic exploitation.
• The Justice Sachar Committee (2005) was constituted to study the social, economic, and educational condition of Muslims in India.
• The National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) is a coalition of grassroots movements formed in 1996, including NBA and environmental groups.
• The term “ecofeminism” links environmentalism and feminism, emphasizing women’s role in ecological conservation, as seen in the Chipko Movement.
• The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992, mandated one-third reservation for women in Panchayati Raj institutions.
• The anti-caste movement led by Jyotirao Phule in the 19th century laid the foundation for modern Dalit assertion, establishing the Satyashodhak Samaj in 1873.
• The 1990 implementation of the Mandal Commission recommendations led to widespread protests across India, particularly by student groups in urban areas.

Difficulty Level

Intermediate — Requires understanding of movements’ contexts, timelines, and linkages to constitutional provisions and policies, but facts are directly from NCERT Class XII Political Science textbook (Contemporary World Politics and Politics in India since Independence).

Common CUET Traps

• Trap: Confusing the Chipko Movement with the Bishnoi Movement (which dates back to 1730 in Rajasthan, where 363 Bishnois died protecting khejri trees). Avoid: Remember Chipko is 1970s Uttarakhand; Bishnoi is 18th century Rajasthan.
• Trap: Attributing the Vishakha Guidelines to a parliamentary law rather than a Supreme Court judgment. Avoid: Vishakha Guidelines (1997) were judicial directives, later replaced by the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.
• Trap: Assuming the Mandal Commission addressed Dalit reservation; it focused on OBCs. Avoid: Mandal Commission (1979–80) was for OBCs; Dalit reservations fall under SC/ST provisions under Articles 15(4) and 16(4).

Practice MCQs

1. Question: In which year was the National Commission for Women established?
   A. 1975
   B. 1985
   C. 1990
   D. 1992
   Answer: D
   Explanation: The NCW was constituted in 1992 under the NCW Act, 1990.
   Why others fail: 1975 is confused with International Women’s Year.

2. Question: The Chipko Movement is best known for:
   A. Demanding political representation for tribal women
   B. Using tree-hugging to prevent deforestation
   C. Protesting against mining in the Western Ghats
   D. Fighting for minimum wages in horticulture
   Answer: B
   Explanation: Villagers, especially women, hugged trees in the 1970s Uttarakhand forests to stop logging.
   Why others fail: Mining protests relate to later movements like in Niyamgiri Hills.

3. Question: Which of the following movements was primarily led by Medha Patkar?
   A. Chipko Movement
   B. Narmada Bachao Andolan
   C. Anti-Arrack Movement
   D. Dalit Panthers
   Answer: B
   Explanation: Medha Patkar was a leading figure in the Narmada Bachao Andolan against large dams.
   Why others fail: Chipko is associated with Sunderlal Bahuguna and Gaura Devi.

4. Question: The Vishakha Guidelines were issued by the Supreme Court in response to:
   A. Caste-based discrimination in employment
   B. Sexual harassment of women at the workplace
   C. Violation of forest rights of tribal communities
   D. Police brutality during student protests
   Answer: B
   Explanation: The 1997 Vishakha judgment laid down guidelines to prevent workplace sexual harassment.
   Why others fail: Students may confuse it with Dalit rights cases due to the court’s role in social justice.

5. Question: Which constitutional amendment mandated 33% reservation for women in rural local bodies?
   A. 73rd Amendment Act, 1992
   B. 74th Amendment Act, 1992
   C. 86th Amendment Act, 2002
   D. 97th Amendment Act, 2011
   Answer: A
   Explanation: The 73rd Amendment introduced reservations for women in Panchayats.
   Why others fail: 74th Amendment is for municipalities, not Panchayats.

Last-Minute Revision

• Chipko Movement: 1973, Uttarakhand, women hugged trees.
• Narmada Bachao Andolan: 1980s, Medha Patkar, Sardar Sarovar Dam.
• Dalit Panthers: 1972, Maharashtra, anti-caste assertion.
• SEWA: 1972, Ela Bhat, informal sector women workers.
• Anti-arrack movement: 1992, Andhra Pradesh, evolved into women’s rights campaign.
• Meira Paibi: Manipur, women with torches against AFSPA.
• Mandal Commission: 1979, B.P. Mandal, 27% OBC reservation.
• Vishakha Guidelines: 1997, Supreme Court, sexual harassment at workplace.
• International Women’s Year: 1975.
• NCW established: 1992, under NCW Act, 1990.
• Silent Valley Movement: Kerala, saved rainforest from dam.
• Ecofeminism: links women and nature, e.g., Chipko.
• 73rd Amendment: 1992, 1/3 reservation for women in Panchayats.
• Satyashodhak Samaj: 1873, Jyotirao Phule, anti-caste.
• TASMAC: Tamil Nadu state liquor monopoly, opposed by women’s groups.
• Justice Sachar Committee: 2005, Muslim community status.
• NAPM: 1996, coalition of people’s movements.
• Bishnoi Movement: 1730, Rajasthan, Amrita Devi, khejri trees.
• Gaura Devi: led Chipko women in Reni, 1974.
• Black vs. Dalit Panthers: Black Panthers (US), Dalit Panthers (1972, India).