UPSC Prelims 2020 Q32: Modern History – Social & Religious Reform Movements
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 2 and 3 only
- (c) 1 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (b) 2 and 3 only
Explanation
Rakhmabai Case (1884): Legal Issues
| Issue | Involved? |
|---|---|
| Women's right to education | NO - education not at issue |
| Age of consent | YES - age of marriage |
| Restitution of conjugal rights | YES - forced cohabitation |
Rakhmabai Case (1884): Child marriage in India. Rakhmabai (11 years) married Dadaji (when she was 11). At 19, she refused to cohabitate (restitution of conjugal rights case). Court ordered her to live with husband or face jail.
Key issues:
- Restitution of conjugal rights: Husband's right to force wife's cohabitation (archaic law, challenged by this case)
- Age of consent: Rakhmabai was too young when married; age of consent was central debate
NOT directly about education, though Rakhmabai became educated + activist later.
Answer: (b) 2 and 3 only.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Statement 1 is not primary issue.
- (b) CORRECT. Age of consent (statement 2) and restitution of conjugal rights (statement 3) are the core legal issues.
- (c) Incorrect. Statement 2 is also central.
- (d) Incorrect. Education is not the main legal issue.
Key point
Rakhmabai Case (1884): Challenged child marriage + forced cohabitation. Refused to live with husband; court ordered compliance. Case became landmark in women's rights - led to age of consent raising to 12 (1891), later 18 (1930).
Remember
The Rakhmabai case of 1884 revolved around two primary issues: age of consent (Statement 2 - child marriage) and restitution of conjugal rights (Statement 3 - forcing cohabitation with husband). Women's right to education (Statement 1) was not the central legal issue, though Rakhmabai later became educated.
Common mistakes
- Assuming Rakhmabai case was about education rights. Education was secondary; legal status of marriage was primary.
- Confusing restitution of conjugal rights (wife's duty to cohabitate) with right to marry freely. This case exposed the coercive nature of RCR.
- Missing the broader impact - case influenced Age of Consent Act 1891 (Ilbert Bill).
Exam tip
Restitution of Conjugal Rights (abolished 2023): Archaic law allowing spouse to force cohabitation. Rakhmabai case first challenged it in 1884. Remained law until 2023 (SC ruled it unconstitutional). Shows how legal reforms take 140+ years in India.
Sources
- Rakhmabai - A Maiden's Prayer (her memoirs)
- Rosalind O'Hanlon - Caste, Conflict and Ideology: Mahatma Jyotirao Phule and Low Caste Protests