Topic: Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.
1. Indian family structures have evolved to accept personal preferences and social realities. Comment in the context of changing family structures in India. (250 words)
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Live Mint , Insights on India
Why the question:
The remarks of India’s top court, in a dispute over maternity benefits, make a powerful intervention. They expand the idea of the ‘family’ beyond the narrow heterosexual nuclear unit. The case involved a nurse in a government hospital who was denied maternity leave because she had taken time off earlier to care for her husband’s children from a previous marriage. The court rejected the argument that her “atypical” family doesn’t qualify for what others are accorded under the law.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about modern Indian family and bring out how it has grown embrace individual choices and social realities. You need to analyse the present family structures and notions in India.
Directive:
Comment– here we must express our knowledge and understanding of the issue and form an overall opinion thereupon.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by giving context.
Body:
First, Discuss in points as to how the modern family system in India has developed in India and how it has strengthened individual choices and changed the social realities. E.g The Indian family is changing. There’s no ‘ideal family’ defined by children or lineage.
Next, the concept of ‘family’ has always been fluid, even in traditional set-ups, but today “the new generation is seeing much more of the world; they’re exposed to Western norms of individualism and autonomy.
Next, write about the impact of the same.
Conclusion:
Conclude by summarising.
