UPSC Mains 2021 GS Paper 2 Q8: model answer
Can the vicious cycle of gender inequality, poverty, and malnutrition be broken through microfinancing of women SHGs? Explain with examples.
What the question wants
Explain with examples whether microfinance for women's SHGs can break the linked cycle of gender inequality, poverty and malnutrition.
How to structure it
Can it + examples: show the cycle, show where SHGs break it, show limits.
- The cycle
- How SHGs break it
- Examples
- Limits
- Conclusion
How to think it through
Draw the cycle in words: an unequal woman eats last, has a low-birth-weight child, who grows up poor. SHGs can cut it at income and voice. Use Kudumbashree and Jeevika.
Model answer
In many Indian homes the mother eats last. When food is short, she cuts her meal first. Her low-weight baby grows into a stunted, poorer adult, and the cycle repeats. NFHS-5 (2019–21) found 57% of women aged 15–49 anaemic.
How SHG microfinance can break it
- Income: women control earnings and spend more on food and health.
- Voice: SHG members claim better anganwadi services.
- Awareness: health and nutrition sessions in SHG meetings.
Examples
- Jeevika (Bihar): SHG women run community kitchens (Didi ki Rasoi) in hospitals.
- Kudumbashree (Kerala): makes nutrition supplements for anganwadis.
- Odisha's Mission Shakti: SHGs prepare take-home rations.
Limits
- Loans may be used by men in the family.
- Small loans cannot fix sanitation or health systems.
- Women's extra work in enterprises can cut time for childcare.
- Nutrition needs diet diversity and care, not only money.
Studies of Jeevika have reported better food security and women's decision-making among members. Microfinance can loosen the cycle, but breaking it needs strong public health, clean water, food and girls' education too.
Draw: A circle of gender inequality, poverty and malnutrition, with SHG 'scissors' cutting at income and voice.
Keywords, cases and data to drop in
intergenerational cycle of malnutrition, NFHS-5, Jeevika, Didi ki Rasoi, Kudumbashree Amrutham Nutrimix, Mission Shakti Odisha, Poshan Abhiyaan.
Where most answers lose marks
- Ignoring 'with examples'.
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Question text as printed in the official UPSC Civil Services (Main) question paper. The model answer is original Battle IAS work; use it to learn structure, not to memorise.
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