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Burden of Domestic Work Thrust from Childhood: Invisible Labor, Gender Inequality, and the Challenge of Women's Empowermen
General Studies Paper – I: Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World, and Society.
General Studies Paper – III: Technology, Economic Development, Biodiversity, Environment, Security, and Disaster Management.
Context
The determination of women's economic and social status in society is often viewed solely in connection with adulthood, whereas its roots are deeply embedded in the social structures of childhood. The roles assigned by family and society inadvertently severely limit women's life choices.
Training Girls to Take Up Domestic Burdens from Childhood
The method of upbringing for girls mentally prepares them from the very beginning for the management of the four walls of the house and the kitchen. Recent experiences with women entrepreneurs in rural Haryana have revealed that the biggest practical hurdle in women's paid and independent livelihoods is the fact that a large share of their time is tied up in cooking and household chores. Ironically, instead of their brothers (sons), their own young daughters share this burden by helping them in the kitchen and other household chores, thereby unintentionally passing this gender gap on to the next generation.
Reasons for Discussion
The issue has come to the center stage due to a study conducted by researchers at the 'Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations' (Tanui M. Goyal, Mohd. Tahoor, and Shravani Prakash).
- Recent data from the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS, 2025) indicates that childcare and domestic responsibilities are the most cited reasons for women's absence from the labor market. 52.5% of urban women and 40% of rural women cited this reason for staying out of the labor force, compared to less than 1% of men.
India's Time Use Survey, 2025
India's latest Time Use Survey, 2025 highlights the truth that the heavy division of labor visible in adult life does not emerge suddenly, but is the result of childhood conditioning. Adolescence is not a separate phase, but the critical stage where future adult gender paradigms and roles take shape.
'From Childhood to Adulthood: The Growing Cycle of Household Chores and Shrinking Personal Time'
In the early stages of life, boys and girls spend roughly equal time on domestic tasks (about 5 minutes per day), but after about age 10, this parity ends and their paths diverge entirely. After age 10, the domestic work curve for girls rises sharply, establishing them as the primary working component of the household by the end of adolescence, reaching its peak around age 30.
Key Statistics
Time Increasing with Age: Girls' domestic work starts at just 5 minutes a day at age 6, rising to 15 minutes at age 10, 75 minutes at age 15, and reaching about 130 minutes per day by age 17. In contrast, the domestic work curve for boys never crosses 65 minutes at any age between 6 and 75.
- Peak Point: The time spent by women on housework reaches its highest level at nearly 460 minutes (over 7.5 hours) per day around the age of 30.
- Unpaid Work Ratio (Ratio of Girls to Boys): The ratio is 1.6 among children aged 6–9, rising to 4.5 among those aged 10–14, and 7.5 among adolescents aged 15–17.
- Sharp Decline in Leisure: Between ages 6 and 17, girls' housework increases by 124 minutes a day, while their leisure time decreases by 115 minutes.
- Cooking vs. Outdoor Work: Between ages 15–17, 42.4% of girls are regularly engaged in cooking (averaging about 1 hour a day), while participation among boys is a mere 2.9% (about 2 minutes). Conversely, outward-facing and open activities like farming and shopping fall to the boys.
Major Concerns
Contraction of Skills and 'Agency': Due to a lack of time for play, rest, friendships, and creative activities, the development of self-confidence, social networks, and decision-making capacity ('agency') among girls is hindered.
- Disparity Between Education and Personal Time: Although girls spend slightly more time on studies than boys across most age groups and maintain school attendance, they still pay a heavy price in terms of personal free time and mental relaxation.
- Adverse Impact on Economic Participation: Due to years of this gender conditioning, by the time young women enter the labor market, their career choices and economic independence are already constrained.
Other Important Points
Division Between Inside vs. Outside the Home: This patriarchal structure of society trains girls for 'inside the house' (kitchen, cleaning, caregiving) and boys for the 'outside world' (fields, market, employment).
- Expansion of Policy Scope: Most welfare policies so far address adult women only through childcare, community kitchens, or flexible work, whereas the root of the problem lies in childhood inequality, which must be addressed at the policy level.
Analysis
This issue is not limited merely to time management or personal preference, but is part of a deep-seated social structure that normalizes the gender division of labor. Unless this gender-based allocation of labor is challenged from childhood, the vision of women's economic self-reliance through welfare schemes alone will remain incomplete.
Way Forward
Practical Skills in School Curriculums: Practical life skills (such as cooking, financial management, stitching, and home management) should be made mandatory equally for both boys and girls in schools.
- Gender-Neutral Family Perspective: The social mindset that views household duties solely as women's destiny must be replaced by making it a shared responsibility among all family members.
- Institutional and Social Sensitization: The government and society must jointly develop supportive infrastructure that reduces this additional invisible burden on girls.
Conclusion
If we aim to build an inclusive and developed India in the future, we must expand the scope of our policies from workplaces down to childhood. Providing equal opportunities and non-discriminatory upbringing to both boys and girls can lay the true foundation for gender equality and a robust female workforce.
Changing Geopolitical Equation in West Asia: Emerging Strategic Challenges and Options for India
General Studies Paper – II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice, and International Relations.
Context
West Asia has been the axis of global energy security, maritime trade, and geopolitical equilibrium. Any structural shift in the balance of power in this region directly impacts India’s energy security, macroeconomic stability, welfare of expatriate citizens, and strategic interests associated with the Indo-Pacific.
India and West Asia:
Backbone of Energy Security: India imports a major share of its total energy requirements (crude oil and natural gas) from the Gulf countries.
- Economic Sovereignty (Expatriate Remittances): Billions of dollars in annual remittances sent by millions of Indian expatriates working in the Gulf region (GCC region) play a significant role in balancing India’s foreign exchange reserves and Current Account Deficit (CAD).
- Extended Neighborhood Policy: This region is the central pillar of India's 'Act West Policy', which rests on bilateral partnerships on security and trade fronts.
Reasons for Recent Discussions:
Fragmentation of Security Architecture: The regional spillover of the ongoing conflict between the US-Israel and Iran has completely altered the strategic equations of West Asia.
- Rethinking the Traditional Security Umbrella: Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are re-evaluating the effectiveness and reliability of the traditional American 'security umbrella' in the changing geopolitical environment.
- Emergence of Strategic Alliances: Emerging new multilateral defense agreements and strategic alliances in the region have created a serious strategic test for India's traditional 'balanced diplomacy'.
India’s Past Achievements and Emerging Strategic Limitations in West Asia:
Over the past decade, India had gained significant diplomatic ground in the region, which is now undergoing a phase of geopolitical turmoil:
- High-Level Strategic Engagement: The conferment of Saudi Arabia’s highest civilian honor on the Indian Prime Minister in 2016 symbolized the deepening defense and strategic relations between the two countries.
- I2U2 Forum (2021): This mini-lateral platform between India, Israel, the UAE, and the USA emerged as a new medium for cooperation on technology, economy, and supply chain fronts.
- Chabahar Port Agreement (2024): India securing the long-term development and operational rights of Iran’s Chabahar Port was a milestone for India’s geo-economic outreach to Central Asia, Afghanistan, and the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).
- Current Challenge: Clouds of uncertainty are looming over the smooth implementation of these initiatives due to ongoing regional conflicts and geopolitical polarization.
Recent Geopolitical Impacts and Current Situation:
West Asia currently stands at two opposite ends: 'Strategic Engagement' (such as the UAE’s approach) and 'Resistance' (such as Saudi Arabia’s potential strategy).
- Escalation in the Iran-Israel Conflict and Activism of Militia Groups: The heightened scope of the Iran-Israel conflict and the activity of militia groups (such as the Houthi rebels) in the Red Sea-Gulf region have placed maritime commerce, energy transport lines (SLOCs), and geopolitical stability at direct risk.
Pakistan’s Diplomacy and the Emerging New Regional Equation:
Diplomatic Mediation: Pakistan’s efforts at mediation in the US-Iran conflict have yielded some diplomatic visibility and prestige gains in the region.
- Mecca Collective Defense Agreement: The recent defense cooperation framework among Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Pakistan focuses primarily on strategic deterrence against Israel compared to Iran. It attempts to coordinate Saudi capital, Pakistan’s military capability, and Türkiye’s strategic-technical expertise.
- Implications for India: If strategic tensions between Israel and Pakistan escalate in the future, or if Türkiye provides direct assistance to Pakistan on anti-India issues, it could turn into a sensitive equation for India’s national security.
Strategic Concerns for India:
Maritime Security and Trade Vulnerability: Insecurity at chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz and Bab-el-Mandeb is directly impacting India's energy imports and merchant shipping.
- Strategic Dilemma: Balancing strong defense and economic ties with Israel and the UAE on one hand, and traditional energy and strategic interests with Iran and Saudi Arabia on the other, has become extremely complex.
- Influence of External Powers: The emergence of the Türkiye-Pakistan-Saudi Arabia axis could adversely affect India's traditional strategic advantages in West Asian geopolitics.
Policy Options Available for India:
Active Regional Political Diplomacy: Rather than being merely reactive, India should further deepen high-level political dialogue with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries.
- Mediation in Trust-Building: India can act as a bridge for dialogue at the regional level and help reduce tensions between Arab countries and Iran.
- Maritime Security and Freedom of Navigation: Joint maritime security operations and patrols should be increased with friendly countries (such as Egypt and regional navies) in the Red Sea and Western Indian Ocean.
- Appointment of a Special Envoy: A high-level 'Special Envoy' for West Asia should be appointed to coordinate all diplomatic threads of the region (energy, expatriate security, defense, and diplomacy).
The Way Forward:
India must transform its policy in West Asia from merely 'transactional-based' to 'long-term institutional partnership'.
- India can maintain its strategic autonomy in the region only through active participation in energy security, maritime sovereignty, and multilateral security frameworks.
Conclusion:
Rapid geopolitical changes unfolding in West Asia clarify that India cannot remain neutral to the turmoil in this region. As an emerging global power, India possesses both the capability and the strategic responsibility to play a decisive role in restoring peace, stability, and predictability while balancing the power dynamics in West Asia.
Role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Healthcare: Opportunities and Challenges
General Studies Paper – II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice, and International Relations.
General Studies Paper – III: Technology, Economic Development, Biodiversity, Environment, Security, and Disaster Management.
Context
Modern medicine has made unprecedented progress in the field of knowledge, but delivering this expertise to needy patients on time has remained a major challenge. In a developing country like India, where healthcare infrastructure is expanding and diseases are becoming increasingly complex, broadening the reach of healthcare services has become essential.
AI in Healthcare
Artificial Intelligence (AI) adds a new dimension to the health sector, making accumulated medical knowledge directly available at the 'point of care'. AI is no longer limited to research; rather, it is becoming an integral part of clinical workflows, consultations, and day-to-day hospital operations.
Reasons for Current Discussion
Global Progress: In January 2025, the US FDA authorized more than 1,000 AI-enabled medical devices. Meanwhile, in the UK, the NHS adopted 'ambient scribing' technology to save doctors' time.
- India's Digital Leap: By May 2026, more than 100 crore health records had been linked to Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts. Additionally, the ABDM 'Scan and Share' service reduced hospital registration time to just 2 to 5 minutes.
How is AI Important?
It helps prioritize radiology scans and identify critically ill patients.
- It provides virtual expert assistance to physicians located in small towns or remote areas to make accurate decisions in complex cases.
- It can save doctors' precious time by reducing the burden of hospital administrative tasks.
- The use of AI significantly improves healthcare efficiency.
- It ensures continuous patient care even after discharge through remote monitoring.
- Through risk-based preventive programs, it enables the identification of diseases at an early stage.
Reports
According to a McKinsey analysis from January 2026, applying AI across healthcare revenue-cycle operations can reduce collection costs by 30% to 60%, helping hospitals mobilize better resources.
Impact
- Economic Impact: Administrative expenses of hospitals decrease and operational efficiency increases.
- Social Impact: Continuous management of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer improves patients' quality of life and makes healthcare more inclusive.
Concerns
- Diversity and Bias: An AI model that succeeds in one hospital or region may not be equally effective across other states of the country or different demographic patterns.
- Real-World Evaluation: According to concerns raised by the FDA in September 2025, good performance of AI devices at launch does not guarantee that they will continue to yield accurate results over time. Continuous human oversight remains necessary.
Way Forward
The use of AI in healthcare should be judicious, not indiscriminate.
- Robust regulatory standards should be formulated for clinical validation, representative data, and strict human monitoring.
- The main objective of technology should not be to sell tech, but to reach patients on time and save lives.
Conclusion
A nation's economic strength ultimately depends on the health and productivity of its citizens. The true evaluation of AI in healthcare will be determined not by the number of systems deployed, but by the number of lives saved and the smiles brought to the faces of the common people.
Mahadayi River Dispute
Context
Recently, the Union Ministry of Environment clarified in the Lok Sabha that no proposal seeking Environmental Clearance (EC) for the diversion of the Mahadayi river by Karnataka is currently under consideration. Additionally, the National Board for Wildlife has not approved the use of forest land for the Kalasa Nala project.
Mahadayi River:
The Mahadayi (Mandovi) river originates from the Western Ghats in the Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary area located in the Khanapur taluk of Karnataka's Belagavi (Belgaum) district.
- The Mahadayi basin extends across three states: Karnataka, Goa, and Maharashtra. The river primarily flows from Karnataka into Goa and empties into the Arabian Sea.
- It is known as the 'Mandovi River' in Goa and is referred to as the lifeline of Goa.
Why is it in the news?
This river has been the center of a legal and political dispute regarding water-sharing between Karnataka and Goa for the past several decades.
- Recently, the issue has come into national focus once again after the central government clarified that there are no formal proposals for the diversion or Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA) of the Mahadayi basin.
Important Points
Water Disputes Tribunal: The 'Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal' was constituted in 2010 to resolve the water-sharing dispute of this river.
- Ecological Sensitive Zone: This river flows through the sensitive ecosystem of the Western Ghats, which is extremely crucial for biodiversity and wildlife corridors (such as the Kali and Sahyadri Tiger Reserves).
- Major Projects: The main projects associated with this dispute are the Kalasa-Banduri Nala projects, which the Karnataka government wants to build for drinking water supply.
- Federal Dispute: This case illustrates the federal conflict of water rights and resource sharing among states (Karnataka, Goa, and Maharashtra) under the Inter-State Water Disputes Act, 1956.
Other Important Points
Impact on Ecology: Goa and environmentalists argue that the diversion of this river could cause a drinking water crisis in Goa, lead to saline water ingress into coastal lands, and cause severe damage to the ecosystem.
- Legal Status: The tribunal allocated water sharing among the three states in its verdict, over which legal and political tug-of-war continues.
Conclusion
The Mahadayi river dispute is not merely a matter of water sharing between two states, but a sensitive balance between environmental protection and human development. For the long-term resolution of this complex challenge, cooperative federalism and a scientific-based Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) are highly essential.