Here is Question No. 32 a part of our series on UPSC Prelims 2020.
Q32. In the context of Indian history, the Rakhmabai case of 1884 revolved around
Women’s right to gain education
Age of consent
Restitution of conjugal rights
Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: B
Rakhmabai (1864-1955) made her mark in history due to the legal case she was involved in, which contributed to the enactment of the Age of Consent Act, of 1891
Statement 1 is not correct: Rakhmabai became the first female doctor to practice medicine in British India, the case was not related to the women’s right to gain education.
Statement 2 is correct: The ripples that the case created led to the influence on the passage of the Age of Consent Act, 1891, which made child marriages illegal across the British Empire.
Statement 3 is correct: In 1885, after 12 years of marriage, her husband sought “restitution of conjugal rights”, Rakhmabai was ordered to go live with her husband or spend six months in jail.