| Paper | GS Paper 1 |
| Word Limit | 150 words |
| Syllabus Topic | Salient features of Indian Society – Family |
Model Answer
A joint family is a household where two or more generations share property, kitchen and worship. Its life cycle moves from formation to growth to fission (break-up into nuclear units). Both economic factors and social values shape it.
Life cycle of a joint family: economics splits it, values hold it together
Economic Factors
- Agrarian economy: Joint land needed many hands, which kept the family together.
- Common property: Ancestral property and HUF (Hindu Undivided Family) tax status encourage jointness. The Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act, 2005 made daughters coparceners, adding new claimants.
- Industrialisation and migration: Urban wage jobs split households.
- Land fragmentation: Small holdings cannot feed many members.
Role of Social Values
- Duty to elderly parents; the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 makes it a legal duty.
- Marriage, rituals and festivals reunite members.
- Many nuclear units stay “functionally joint”, sharing money and decisions.
Conclusion
Economics decides whether a family stays under one roof; values decide whether it stays connected. Its life cycle is economically driven but socially sustained.
Related PYQs
- Explore and evaluate the impact of ‘Work From Home’ on family relationships. (2022)
- Do you think marriage as a sacrament is losing its value in Modern India? (2023)
- Critically examine the effects of globalization on the aged population in India. (2013)
See all: Society Mains (GS I) Previous Year Questions
Get Your Answer Evaluated
Write this answer in 7 minutes and get it evaluated for free:
- Upload on our website: Free UPSC Mains Answer Evaluation
- Join our free daily answer-writing group on Telegram: t.me/freemainsanswerwriting
Want visual, easy-to-revise notes? Check our Super Simplified books. Helpline: 7827779142