KSLU Solved Question Papers
Women and Law (Hons)
Previous Year Question Paper with Solution
B.B.A. LL.B. (Five Years) · Sem 1
2022 Apr Examination
munotes.in
Mumbai
B.B.A. LL.B. (Five Years) Sem 1 Women and Law (Hons) 2022 Apr Question Paper with Solutions
First published on munotes.in on 2 November 2026.
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Contents
The questions below are the paper as Karnataka State Law University set it at the 2022 Apr examination, in the order it was set.
MarksPage
MarksPage
The Paper as Set
The questions in this volume are the questions asked at the 2022 Apr examination, reproduced as Karnataka State Law University set them, in the order it set them. Long reading passages are shortened to their first and last lines and our summary; the original paper prints them in full. Only the answers are ours. See the original question paper.
Duration 2½ hours · Total marks 70 · 12 questions answered
How to use this volume
Solve the paper first, under exam conditions and against the clock. Then read the answers here and mark your own. Reading a solution before attempting the question feels productive and teaches very little, because recognising an answer is not the same as being able to write one.
Q1What do you mean by Directive Principles of State Policy ? Explain protection provided for woman under these policies.[10]
Answer
For full marks, cover: what the Directive Principles are and their status (Article 37); the principles that protect women (Articles 38, 39(a), 39(d), 39(e), 42, 44, 45, 47) with a word on each; Article 51A(e); how the courts have used them (Randhir Singh, Mackinnon Mackenzie, Municipal Corporation of Delhi v. Female Workers); the laws made to carry them out (equal remuneration, now the Code on Wages; maternity benefit, now the Code on Social Security; the POSH Act); a table; the limits; and a conclusion.
Meaning of Directive Principles
The Directive Principles of State Policy are set out in Part IV of the Constitution (Articles 36 to 51). They are guidelines to the State for making laws and policies. They aim at a welfare State and social and economic justice.
Article 37 says that they are not enforceable by any court. But they are "fundamental in the governance of the country", and the State has a duty to apply them in making laws.
Directive Principles that protect women
1. Article 38: a just social order. The State must secure a social order based on justice, and try to reduce inequalities in status, facilities and opportunities. This includes the inequality between men and women.
2. Article 39(a): equal right to a livelihood. The State shall direct its policy towards securing that men and women equally have the right to an adequate means of livelihood.
3. Article 39(d): equal pay for equal work. There must be equal pay for equal work for both men and women.
4. Article 39(e): health of workers. The health and strength of workers, men and women, and the tender age of children must not be abused. No one should be forced by need into work unsuited to their age or strength.
5. Article 42: maternity relief. The State shall make provision for just and humane conditions of work and for maternity relief.
6. Article 44: uniform civil code. The State shall endeavour to secure a uniform civil code. Many personal laws treat women unequally, so a common code is seen as a step to gender justice.
7. Articles 45 and 47. Early childhood care and education, and better nutrition and public health, which benefit girls and mothers.
The Fundamental Duty
Article 51A(e) asks every citizen "to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women".
How the courts have used these principles
1. Randhir Singh v. Union of India, AIR 1982 SC 879; (1982) 1 SCC 618. Facts. A driver in the Delhi Police was paid less than drivers doing the same work elsewhere. Held. "Equal pay for equal work" is not just an abstract idea. It can be enforced through Articles 14 and 16, read with the Preamble and Article 39(d). Why it matters. It turned a Directive Principle into an enforceable right, which helps women workers too.
2. Mackinnon Mackenzie and Co. Ltd. v. Audrey D'Costa, (1987) 2 SCC 469. Facts. A woman stenographer was paid less than men doing the same work. Held. Under the Equal Remuneration Act, which carried out Article 39(d), she was entitled to equal pay. The employer's financial capacity was no defence, and the Court looked at the work actually done, not job labels.
3. Municipal Corporation of Delhi v. Female Workers (Muster Roll), (2000) 3 SCC 224. Facts. Women employed on muster roll (daily wage) were denied maternity leave. Held. They were entitled to maternity benefit. The Court read Article 42 with Articles 14, 15 and 39 and with CEDAW.
Laws made to give effect to them
- Equal pay. The Equal Remuneration Act, 1976 was repealed from 21 November 2025. The rule against gender discrimination in wages now lies in section 3 of the Code on Wages, 2019.
- Maternity relief. The Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 is now replaced by Chapter VI of the Code on Social Security, 2020. It gives up to 26 weeks of paid maternity leave.
- Safe work. The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013 protects women at work.
- Local government. The 73rd and 74th Amendments reserved one-third of seats in local bodies for women.
Principles at a glance
| Article | Protection for women |
|---|---|
| 38 | Reduce inequalities in status and opportunity |
| 39(a) | Equal right to livelihood |
| Article | Protection for women |
|---|---|
| 39(d) | Equal pay for equal work |
| 39(e) | Health of women workers |
| 42 | Maternity relief |
| 44 | Uniform civil code |
| 51A(e) | Duty to respect women's dignity |
Limits
- The principles are not directly enforceable. Women must rely on laws made under them or on Fundamental Rights.
- The uniform civil code remains unrealised.
- Implementation is uneven, especially for women in informal work.
Conclusion. The Directive Principles are not enforceable in court, but Article 37 of the Constitution makes them fundamental in governance. For women they promise an equal livelihood, equal pay, healthy working conditions, maternity relief and a uniform civil code. The courts gave them force in Randhir Singh, Mackinnon Mackenzie and the Female Workers case. Parliament carried them out through the equal pay and maternity laws, now in the Code on Wages and the Code on Social Security. They remain a guide to further gender justice.
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