Q9 · UPSC Civil Services Mains 2023 · GS I · 10 marks · 2 min read

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Explain why suicide among young women is increasing in Indian Society.

Topic: Women, Population and Urbanisation. Syllabus: Role of women and women’s organization, population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanization, their problems and their remedies. Same official PYQ from year-wise 2023 and Women, Population and Urbanisation.

Revision summary

NCRB patterns point to young women and housewives as a large share of women who die by suicide. Dowry, early marriage, and domestic violence close exit routes. Education without safe work and voice creates a hope gap. Mental-health stigma and thin district care leave distress untreated. The response is law enforcement, confidential care, and economic independence, not only awareness weeks.

Model answer

Flow diagram

flowchart TD
  P[Patriarchy dowry violence] --> R[Young women at risk]
  E[Hope vs blocked work exams] --> R
  M[Stigma thin mental care] --> R
  R --> S[Suicide toll]

Conclusion

  • Enforce dowry and domestic-violence law, and make one-stop centres and women’s helplines actually answer.
  • Put school and college counsellors, and the Tele-MANAS and KIRAN mental-health lines, within reach of young women without a guardian’s veto.
  • Expand safe paid work and delayed marriage so adulthood is not only a transfer between two families.

Suicide among young women rises where patriarchy, dowry, violence, blocked work, and untreated distress meet. Law already names some of these harms; the way forward is enforcement, confidential care, and real economic options.

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