MWG-110 IGNOU Handwritten Assignment 2026-27

Course Scope and Syllabus Overview for MWG-110: Women and Political Process

MWG-110: Women and Political Process is a core component of the Master of Arts in Women’s and Gender Studies (MAWGSR) under IGNOU’s School of Gender and Development Studies. This course critically examines the intersection of gender and political theory, practice, and institutional structures, equipping students with analytical frameworks to assess women’s agency, representation, and empowerment in political systems. The curriculum integrates feminist perspectives with political science, exploring historical trajectories, electoral dynamics, and conflict resolution, while emphasizing empirical case studies from India and beyond. Through rigorous engagement with academic texts, policy documents, and field-based insights, students develop a nuanced understanding of how political processes shape—and are shaped by—gendered power relations.

Key Syllabus Units and Topics

• Block-1: Feminism and the Political: This block explores the evolution of feminist thought and its engagement with political philosophy, focusing on liberal, radical, and postcolonial feminist critiques of state, citizenship, and democracy.
• Block-2: Re-Tracing History: Students analyze historical movements and political participation of women across different eras, including pre-independence struggles, colonial governance, and the formation of post-colonial political identities.
• Block-3: Women’s Agency in Post-Independence India: This unit dissects women’s leadership, grassroots mobilization, and institutional participation in India’s political landscape, with emphasis on social reforms and policy advocacy.
• Block-4: Women and the Electoral Process: The focus here is on electoral representation, voting patterns, and gendered barriers in political campaigns, alongside comparative analyses of women’s political parties and reserved seats.
• Block-6: Political Empowerment: Examines strategies for women’s empowerment, including legal reforms, quotas, and participatory governance, while evaluating their effectiveness in decentralized and local governance structures.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the marking scheme for the MWG-110 term-end examination, and how are assignments weighted in the overall grade?
A: The MWG-110 examination carries 100 marks, with assignments contributing 30% of the total grade, while the term-end theory paper accounts for the remaining 70%. Assignments are evaluated based on depth of analysis, adherence to academic standards, and relevance to the prescribed syllabus blocks.

Q: Are there specific pass marks required for MWG-110 assignments, and how are they evaluated by the Study Centre coordinator?
A: Assignments in MWG-110 must secure a minimum of 40% marks to be considered passed. Evaluation criteria include clarity of argument, use of academic references, and proper formatting as per IGNOU guidelines. Handwritten submissions are assessed for legibility, originality, and alignment with the course objectives.