International Research Journal of Social Sciences_____________________________________ ISSN 2319–3565 Vol. 3(1), 21-26, January (2014) Int. Res. J. Social Sci. International Science Congress Association 21 Status of Women through Ages in India Vikas Nandal 1 and Ms. Rajnish 2 1 M.D. University, Rohtak, Haryana, INDIA 2 I.P.University, New Delhi, INDIA Available online at: www.isca.in, www.isca.me Received 20 th November 2013, revised 18 th December 2013, accepted 1 st January 2014 Abstract The status of women is one of important aspects to study in every era. In Ancient Indian society status of women is some extent satisfactory. In recent years the role of women has undergone some drastic changes due to globalization and commercialism. This paper investigate whether the status of women in modern Indian society regarding Equality, Education, Health, Employment, Marriage and Family life, Race and Gender, Religion and Culture is maintained or deteriorated. It also explores that as the society is developed in 21 st century the position and respect of women is deteriorated after so many constitutional provisions what are the factors behind it. Keywords: Society, status, rights, participation, patriarchy, community. Introduction Any study of civilization is incomplete without study the status and position of women in it. Women constituted the keystone in the arch of Indian civilization. Indian civilization based on the spirit that women’s cause is men; they rise or sink together, dwarfed or godlike, bond or free. One of the best way to understand the spirit of civilization and to appreciate its excellences and to realize its limitations is to study the history of the position and status of women in it. As far as education is concerned, the Ancient Indian Women enjoyed deny them the right to education. Women enjoyed freedom and participation in public life show that the sense of justice and its play developed in a community. The laws of marriage and customs serve as guide to evaluate partner. His co-operation was must for the happiness and success of the family. The extent to which women were freedom to choose their partners in life. Her management of their household as also the recognition of their proprietary rights indicates man’s capacity to control the natural love of self, pelf, power and possession, which is so deeply implanted in the heart of every human being. The position and status of women did not remain constant through the period of our study. Gods are pleased with where women are held at honour remained merely an ideal and in actual practice she was treated as Sudra. She was under the influence where she is given of her parents, as an adult, of her husband and as a widow of her sons. The freedom of women is also circumscribed. If she is girl and a young women or even by an aged one she cannot do anything independently even in herown house. There was gradual deterioration in her status and position. Ancient Indian society was found wanting in establishing the footing equality of man and woman. There was greater erosion in her status and position in medieval and modern period. Those countries which don’t respect women have never become great. The main reason why our race is so much degraded is that we have no respect for these living images of Shakti. If we do notraise the women who are living example of the Divine mother, don’t think we have another way raise 1 . Objectives of the Study: i. To study the status of women from ancient Indian society to modern times. ii. To study status of women is maintained or not. A debate is going on regarding the status of women in primitive communities. The ideas that the primitive people were barbaric have led some to conclude that women had been subordinate to men. In early uncivilized societies the communities had not yet emerged from barbarism and there hardly existed any checks on the tyranny of men over women. In primitive life the muscle was an indispensable element in success and the man was stronger in it than women. Physical power, bodily vigour and muscular strength thus naturally established man’s permanent superiority over women. So the position women occupied in Hindu society at the dawn of civilization during Vedic age is much better than what we ordinarily expect it to have been. During Vedic period the society had certainly left behind the state of food gathering and hunting. Women held a position of honour because of her participation was found to be necessary in the production process. During this, the husband and wife are called dampati. It is indicative of the society in which relations between the sexes were based on reciprocity and autonomy in their respective spheres of activity. They took equal part in the sacrificial rites, pressed the Soma, rinsed and mixed it with milk and offered adoration to gods. A woman frequently associated themselves with folk assembly and participated in its deliberations, but in modern time situation is