Social Science — CBSE Class 10 board question

Role of Women in the Civil Disobedience Movement:

1. Large-scale participation: The Civil Disobedience Movement saw large-scale participation of women — a notable feature of the movement.

1. Active roles: During Gandhiji's salt march, thousands of women came out of their homes. They participated in protest marches, manufactured salt, and picketed foreign cloth and liquor shops.

1. Imprisonment: Many women courageously went to jail for their participation.

1. Social background: In urban areas, these women were from high-caste families; in rural areas, they came from rich peasant households.

1. Motivation: Moved by Gandhiji's call, they began to see service to the nation as a sacred duty of women.

1. Limitations: However, this increased public role did not bring radical change. Gandhiji believed women's primary duty was home and hearth. The Congress was reluctant to give women positions of authority and was keen only on their symbolic presence.

Source: Chapter 2, Section 3.2 — How Participants saw the Movement

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• The examiner expects you to cover: what women did, who they were, why they participated, and importantly — the limitations/contradictions in their role. Missing the last point (Congress's reluctance, Gandhiji's view) loses marks.
• Quote specific activities (salt march, picket, jail) — these fetch direct marks.
• The 5-mark answer needs 5–6 distinct points; avoid padding with general statements.