Women & Children — POCSO, PCPNDT, Domestic Violence, Maternity Benefits

What should you study in Women & Children?

• POCSO Act 2012 — age-neutral, stringent punishment
• PCPNDT Act 1994 — sex-selective abortion, declining sex ratio at birth
• Domestic Violence Act 2005 — protection officer, shared household right
• Women's Reservation Act 2023 — 33% seats in Lok Sabha & state assemblies

How often is Women & Children asked in UPSC Mains?

Asked in 4 of 10 years, including 1 of the last 5. Highlighted years below are the ones it appeared in.

1. 2016: asked
2. 2017: not asked
3. 2018: asked
4. 2019: not asked
5. 2020: asked
6. 2021: not asked
7. 2022: asked
8. 2023: not asked
9. 2024: not asked
10. 2025: not asked

About the Mains GS Paper II paper

GS Paper II is a 250-mark descriptive Mains paper covering governance, the Constitution, polity, social justice and international relations. See all 40 Mains GS Paper II topics.

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