We could call it the Indira Gandhi/Sonia Gandhi Effect. Indians are far ahead of many Western developed nations and believe that: “Women and men make equally good political leaders”. In fact, one in ten (14 per cent) are willing to go a big step further and declare that women generally make “better political leaders than men”. Some 55 per cent hold the view that men and women are on par.

Most amazingly, though – while India is still a society where males still call the shots generally – only 25 per cent of Indian men believe that men are better political leaders than women. These are some of the findings of a Pew Research Center survey of 30,000 adults throughout India. The survey was conducted in 2019 and early 2020 mostly before the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown.

Get back inside the house and the picture changes dramatically and takes on a much more traditional hue. Here the Indian male insists that he must be in charge – nine out of ten men say wives should always obey their husbands. Two-thirds of Indian men, in fact, implacably insist that a man’s word is law and his will must always prevail.

Feminist thinking at home a long way to go

On the home front, feminist thinking clearly has a long way to go because nearly as many Indian women as men agree with the view that the Indian male must be the top dog in the family home. The survey says that 67 per cent of men say they must rule supreme at home and 61 per cent of women go along with that view.

In fact, 64 per cent of both sexes believe a women must always obey her husband and another 24 per cent mostly agree with this view. A tiny 8 per cent mostly disagree and a minuscule 4 per cent take a lonely stand and completely disagree.

This compares with 55 per cent of Indians who insist that women and men make equally good political leaders and an amazing 14 per cent who firmly believe that women are better political leaders than men. Prominent women in politics include Indira Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Jayalalithaa, Mamata Banerjee and Mayawati. Young Indian adults between the ages of 18 to 24 with a college education are slightly more likely to say women make better political leaders.

Child care

But even those who believe that the male’s views must always prevail, shift position when it comes to other gender roles in the family. A relatively large 62 per cent of both genders say that men and women should be responsible for taking care of children. But that still leaves 34 per cent who firmly stick to the notion that childcare should primarily be handled by women. Interestingly, nearly three-quarters of adults in India say both men and women should make financial decisions in a family.

When it comes to jobs and being the breadwinner, again there are contradictory views. A slim majority of 54 per cent say that both men and women should be responsible for earning money. But 43 per cent see this as “mainly the obligation of men”. And, at times when jobs are tight, eight out of 10 say that “men should have greater rights to employment than women, reflecting the continued prominence of men in the economic sphere.” A majority (56 per cent) completely agree on this score. But there’s a religious break-up when it comes to scarce jobs. Just under two-thirds of Muslims (64 per cent) say men should get preference for jobs compared to 34 per cent of Christians.

Same rights for both

Nevertheless, at a more general level, 80 per cent of Indians say women should enjoy the same rights as men. There are slight variations according to religion with 91 per cent of Buddhists holding this view compared to 76 per cent of Muslims.

Surprisingly, Christians come in at the bottom on this score with only 70 per cent saying women and men should have the same rights.

Unexpectedly, South India’s behind when it comes to endorsing the same rights for women and men with 72 per cent of people in Kerala, 71 per cent in Telangana and 66 per cent in Andhra Pradesh saying men and women should have the same rights. By contrast, 91 per cent of people in Maharashtra, 89 per cent in Madhya Pradesh and 87 per cent in Haryana back equal rights for both sexes.

Should wives obey husbands?

It shouldn’t be any surprise that Indians with a college education hold slightly less traditional views on a woman’s role in society. But they fall in line with their elders on many important scores. An overwhelming 80 per cent of people with a college education say wives should always obey their husbands compared to 88 per cent of people with less education who believe this.

On the delicate subject of following Hindu traditions performing last rites for parents, 63 per cent of Indians say this should be done by sons and not daughters. Another 24 per cent says sons have a greater right to perform last rites and a very tiny 1 per cent argue that daughters have a greater right. This is crucial because having someone to perform the last rites is a key reason by Hindus have traditionally been eager to have a son.

Sons gain in importance also because about 39 per cent of adults say they have the primary duty to care for their parents when they are older or infirm. Another 58 per cent say both sons and daughters have a role in caring for their ageing parents.

Punjab has the worst male-female rations but the study notes that there appears to be a slight reduction nationwide in selective abortions after an ultrasound.

We could call it the Indira Gandhi/Sonia Gandhi Effect. Indians are far ahead of many Western developed nations and believe that: “Women and men make equally good political leaders”. In fact, one in ten (14 per cent) are willing to go a big step further and declare that women generally make “better political leaders than men”. Some 55 per cent hold the view that men and women are on par.

Most amazingly, though – while India is still a society where males still call the shots generally – only 25 per cent of Indian men believe that men are better political leaders than women. These are some of the findings of a Pew Research Center survey of 30,000 adults throughout India. The survey was conducted in 2019 and early 2020 mostly before the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown.

Get back inside the house and the picture changes dramatically and takes on a much more traditional hue. Here the Indian male insists that he must be in charge – nine out of ten men say wives should always obey their husbands. Two-thirds of Indian men, in fact, implacably insist that a man’s word is law and his will must always prevail.

Feminist thinking at home a long way to go

On the home front, feminist thinking clearly has a long way to go because nearly as many Indian women as men agree with the view that the Indian male must be the top dog in the family home. The survey says that 67 per cent of men say they must rule supreme at home and 61 per cent of women go along with that view.

In fact, 64 per cent of both sexes believe a women must always obey her husband and another 24 per cent mostly agree with this view. A tiny 8 per cent mostly disagree and a minuscule 4 per cent take a lonely stand and completely disagree.

This compares with 55 per cent of Indians who insist that women and men make equally good political leaders and an amazing 14 per cent who firmly believe that women are better political leaders than men. Prominent women in politics include Indira Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Jayalalithaa, Mamata Banerjee and Mayawati. Young Indian adults between the ages of 18 to 24 with a college education are slightly more likely to say women make better political leaders.

Child care

But even those who believe that the male’s views must always prevail, shift position when it comes to other gender roles in the family. A relatively large 62 per cent of both genders say that men and women should be responsible for taking care of children. But that still leaves 34 per cent who firmly stick to the notion that childcare should primarily be handled by women. Interestingly, nearly three-quarters of adults in India say both men and women should make financial decisions in a family.

When it comes to jobs and being the breadwinner, again there are contradictory views. A slim majority of 54 per cent say that both men and women should be responsible for earning money. But 43 per cent see this as “mainly the obligation of men”. And, at times when jobs are tight, eight out of 10 say that “men should have greater rights to employment than women, reflecting the continued prominence of men in the economic sphere.” A majority (56 per cent) completely agree on this score. But there’s a religious break-up when it comes to scarce jobs. Just under two-thirds of Muslims (64 per cent) say men should get preference for jobs compared to 34 per cent of Christians.

Same rights for both

Nevertheless, at a more general level, 80 per cent of Indians say women should enjoy the same rights as men. There are slight variations according to religion with 91 per cent of Buddhists holding this view compared to 76 per cent of Muslims.

Surprisingly, Christians come in at the bottom on this score with only 70 per cent saying women and men should have the same rights.

Unexpectedly, South India’s behind when it comes to endorsing the same rights for women and men with 72 per cent of people in Kerala, 71 per cent in Telangana and 66 per cent in Andhra Pradesh saying men and women should have the same rights. By contrast, 91 per cent of people in Maharashtra, 89 per cent in Madhya Pradesh and 87 per cent in Haryana back equal rights for both sexes.

Should wives obey husbands?

It shouldn’t be any surprise that Indians with a college education hold slightly less traditional views on a woman’s role in society. But they fall in line with their elders on many important scores. An overwhelming 80 per cent of people with a college education say wives should always obey their husbands compared to 88 per cent of people with less education who believe this.

On the delicate subject of following Hindu traditions performing last rites for parents, 63 per cent of Indians say this should be done by sons and not daughters. Another 24 per cent says sons have a greater right to perform last rites and a very tiny 1 per cent argue that daughters have a greater right. This is crucial because having someone to perform the last rites is a key reason by Hindus have traditionally been eager to have a son.

Sons gain in importance also because about 39 per cent of adults say they have the primary duty to care for their parents when they are older or infirm. Another 58 per cent say both sons and daughters have a role in caring for their ageing parents.

Punjab has the worst male-female rations but the study notes that there appears to be a slight reduction nationwide in selective abortions after an ultrasound.