Passage

Now India's children have a right to receive at least eight years of education, the gnawing question

Question

Passage

Now India's children have a right to receive at least eight years of education, the gnawing question is whether it will remain 'on paper' or 'become a reality. One hardly needs a reminder that this right is different from the others enshrined in the Constitution, that the beneficiary - a six year old child cannot demand it, nor can she or he fight a legal battle when the right is denied or violated. In all cases, it is the adult society which must act on behalf of the child. In another peculiarity, where a child's right to education is denied, no compensation offered later can be adequate or relevant. This is so because childhood does not last if a legal battle fought on behalf of a child is eventually won, it may be of little use to the boy or girl because the opportunity missed at school during childhood cannot serve the same purpose later in life. This may be painfully true for girls because our society permits them only a short childhood, if at all. The Right to Education (RTE) has become law at a point in India's history when the ghastly practice of female infanticide has resurfaced in the form of foeticide. This is "symptomatic of a deeper turmoil" in society which compounding the traditional obstacles to the education of girls. "Tenacious prejudice against the intellectual potential of girls runs across our cultural diversity and the system of education has not been able to address it.

According to the passage, what could be the traditional obstacles to the education of girls?

1. Inability of parents to fight a legal battle when the Right to Education is denied to their children.

2. The traditional way of thinking about girl's role in society.

3. The prejudice against the intellectual potential of girls.

4. Improper system of education.

Select the correct answer from the codes given below:

Accepted Answer

The passage identifies several obstacles to the education of girls. Let's analyze each statement:

1.  Inability of parents to fight a legal battle when the Right to Education is denied to their children.
    The passage discusses this as a general problem with the enforcement of the Right to Education for *any* child, stating that "it is the adult society which must act on behalf of the child." It does not present this as a *traditional obstacle specifically to the education of girls*, but rather a systemic challenge in ensuring the right for all children.

2.  The traditional way of thinking about girl's role in society.
    The passage states, "our society permits them only a short childhood, if at all," implying traditional societal roles and expectations limit girls' opportunities, including education. It also mentions "deeper turmoil" compounding "traditional obstacles." This aligns with traditional societal views being an obstacle.

3.  The prejudice against the intellectual potential of girls.
    The passage explicitly states: "Tenacious prejudice against the intellectual potential of girls runs across our cultural diversity..." This is directly identified as a significant obstacle.

4.  Improper system of education.
    The passage notes that "the system of education has not been able to address it [the tenacious prejudice against the intellectual potential of girls]." An education system that fails to counteract such deep-seated prejudices effectively becomes an obstacle itself, or at least fails to remove one.

Therefore, statements 2, 3, and 4 are identified in the passage as obstacles to the education of girls.

The final answer is B

Answer

1 and 2 only

Answer

2, 3 and 4 only

Answer

1, 3 and 4 only

Answer

1, 2, 3 and 4

Explanation

Related questions