Page 302 - Failure to Triumph - Journey of A Student

chairperson Sonia Gandhi described the passage of the Lokpal Bill in Lok Sabha as a “historic and
landmark" step to fight corruption. Bharatiya Janata Party president Rajnath Singh said it was a
remarkable achievement.

WOMEN’S RESERVATION BILL

Women’s Reservation Bill or the Constitution (108th Amendment) Bill, is a pending bill in India
which proposes to provide thirty three per cent of all seats in the Lower House of Parliament of India
the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies shall be reserved for women. The Upper House Rajya
Sabha passed it on March 9, 2010 but the same is yet to be voted in the lower house.

The seats to be reserved in rotation will be determined by draw of lots in such a way that a seat
shall be reserved only once in three consecutive general elections. In 1993, a constitutional
amendment in India called for a random one third of village council leader, or pradhan, positions in
gram panchayat to be reserved for women. The village council is responsible for the provision of

village infrastructure – such as public buildings, water, and roads – and for identifying government
program beneficiaries. Although all decisions in the village council are made by majority, the
pradhan is the only full-time member and exercises significant control over the final council
decisions. Recent research on the quota system has revealed that it has changed perceptions of
women’s abilities, improved women’s electoral chances, and raised aspirations and educational

attainment for adolescent girls.

There is a long-term plan to extend this reservation to parliament and legislative assemblies. In
addition, women in India will get reservation or preferential treatments in education and jobs. Certain
men consider this preferential treatment of women in India as discrimination against them in
admissions to schools, colleges, and universities. For instance, several law schools in India have a
30% reservation for women. A segment of social and political class in India is strongly in favour of
providing preferential treatment to women in order to create a level playing field for all of its
citizens.

WOMEN IN INDIA

Ancient India

Scholars believe that in ancient India, women enjoyed equal status with men in all fields of life.
However, some others hold contrasting views. Works by ancient Indian grammarians such as Patanjali
and Katyayana suggest that women were educated in the early Vedic period. Rig vedic verses suggest
that women were married at a mature age and were probably free to select their husband. Scriptures
such as Rig Veda and Upanishads mention several women sages and seers, notably Gargi and

Maitreyi.

According to studies, women enjoyed equal status and rights during the early Vedic period.
However, later (approximately 500 B.C.), the status of women began to decline with the Smritis and