SSC
The National Commission for Women was set up in:
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)View answer ▾Hide ▴
Answer: Option B — 1992
Detailed Solution
The National Commission for Women (NCW) is a statutory body set up in January 1992 under the National Commission for Women Act, 1990, passed by Parliament. The first Commission was constituted on 31 January 1992, with Jayanti Patnaik as its first Chairperson.
The idea of such a body was recommended earlier by the Committee on the Status of Women in India (1974) and later by other committees, which found that women faced discrimination in many areas of life despite constitutional guarantees.
The NCW consists of a Chairperson, five members and a Member-Secretary, all nominated by the Central Government. The Chairperson must be a woman committed to the cause of women. At least one member each must belong to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes.
The main functions of the NCW are to:
- Review the constitutional and legal safeguards for women and recommend changes to laws.
- Investigate complaints of violation of women's rights, and take suo motu notice of matters such as non-implementation of laws and denial of rights.
- Advise the government on policy matters affecting women.
- Inspect jails, remand homes and other places where women are kept in custody.
- Fund litigation involving issues affecting a large body of women.
The NCW has the powers of a civil court while investigating complaints, such as summoning persons and requiring documents. It also runs a helpline for women. Most states have their own State Commissions for Women.
Other national commissions include the National Human Rights Commission (1993), the National Commission for Minorities (statutory since 1992), and the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (2007).
Why not the other options?
- ✗1990 is the year the National Commission for Women Act was passed, not the year the Commission was set up.
- ✗1993 is the year the NHRC was set up.
- ✗2005 is the year the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act was passed.
Quick tip
Remember: NCW = statutory body under the NCW Act, 1990, set up 31 January 1992; first Chairperson Jayanti Patnaik. NHRC = 1993.
💬 Discussions on this question
Ask a doubt ›Still stuck on this question? Ask our faculty and fellow students — answers appear here.
Ask a doubtMore Constitutional & Statutory Bodies Questions
View all ›- Q1.The Planning Commission was replaced by:
- Q2.The Election Commission of India was established on:
- Q3.Article 148 of the Constitution of India deals with the:
- Q4.Who gives advice to the Government of India on legal matters?
- Q5.Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were used for the first time in India in May 1982 in which state?
More General Knowledge Questions
- Q1.The techniques of Rasa and Bhava used in Indian classical dance trace their origin to which ancient text?Indian Dance Forms
- Q2.Lavani, Powada, Koli, Waghya Murali and Dhangari Gaja are folk dances of which state?Indian Dance Forms
- Q3.The one-act play associated with the Sattriya tradition of Assam is called:Indian Dance Forms
- Q4.Which dance form of Goa is known as the 'Warrior Dance'?Indian Dance Forms
- Q5.Manipuri dance is based on the Rasleela themes of:Indian Dance Forms
Constitutional & Statutory Bodies — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Constitutional & Statutory Bodies, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers bodies set up under the Constitution, such as the Election Commission, UPSC, Finance Commission, Comptroller and Auditor General and the national commissions for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, and statutory or executive bodies such as NITI Aayog, the NHRC, the CVC, the CBI and Lokpal. Questions often ask whether a body is constitutional or not, which article creates it, who appoints its head and for how long. For example, the CAG is appointed under Article 148, the Finance Commission under Article 280, and NITI Aayog replaced the Planning Commission in 2015 by an executive resolution. Practise the constitutional and statutory bodies questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.