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Science, Technology and Development ISSN : 0950-0707

Sociological Analysis Of System In

Dr . Swati Kumari

P G Dept Of Sociology

Magadh University , Bodh – Gaya , , India

Abtract –

The caste system in a system of social stratification which has pre-modern origins, was transformed by the , and is today the basis of reservation in India. It consists of two different concepts, varna and jāti, which may be regarded as different levels of analysis of this system . The is the paradigmatic ethnographic example of caste. It has origins in ancient India, and was transformed by various ruling elites in medieval, early-modern, and modern India, especially the and the British Raj. It is today the basis of educational and job reservations in India. Stratification has its classification and caste system is one of those basic types. A society is stratified on many accounts but caste system gave total rights to upper-class people to put lower class people down and humiliate them . A caste system is a class structure that is determined by birth. Loosely, it means that in some societies, if your parents are poor, you're going to be poor, too. Same goes for being rich, if you're a glass-half-full person .

Key – Words – Caste , Social , Concept , Stratification , Rights .

Introduction – Caste is a form of social stratification characterized by endogamy, hereditary transmission of a style of life which often includes an occupation, ritual status in a hierarchy, and customary social interaction and exclusion based on cultural notions of purity and pollution. Its paradigmatic ethnographic example is the division of India's Hindu society into rigid social groups, with roots in India's ancient history and persisting to the present time . The caste system as it exists today, is thought to be the result of developments during the collapse of the Mughal era and the rise of the British colonial regime in India. The collapse of the Mughal era saw the rise of powerful men who associated themselves with kings, priests and ascetics, affirming the regal and martial form of the caste ideal, and it also reshaped many apparently casteless social groups into differentiated caste communities.The British Raj furthered this development, making rigid caste organisation a central mechanism of administration. Between 1860 and 1920, the British segregated Indians by caste, granting administrative jobs and senior appointments only to Christians and people belonging to certain . The caste system in India is defined as the identification of a person as to from which family he belongs to. Since centuries, the caste system in India has been the basis of division among the . But, how has it affected society as a whole? Or how has it evolved over time is something which the students should definitely know about.There are positives and negatives of everything including the caste system in India which should be known to the students. Therefore, we have come up with long essays for students along with some short essays so as to give them an insight on this ancient system of division of the society, prevalent even today.

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Caste System In India -

In India, caste was firstly classified into four types according to Chaturvarna system. Chaturvarna system is a Sanskrit term which means four kinds of color. The four types are as follows –

Brahmins– They have been most overrated peoples from the ancient times. They have been even worshipped by other caste people. It gave them the authority to be the most powerful people in society. Some of the humiliated other caste people. For example, they stopped to enter temples by giving logics that they are not appropriate people to worship God. They were mostly priests by occupation but nowadays it is not necessary for a to be a priest.

Kshatriyas- They were mainly kings who ruled states and were seen majorly in battles securing their kingdom. They can be seen as leaders of a particular place and they also gave a massive amount of respect to Brahmins.

Vaishyas– They were merchants and businessman by profession. They were seen lower to Brahmins and . Their economic condition was although much better than Brahmins but it was not considered as the basis of varna division.

Shudras- They were also called as Mushars in ancient times and were bounded to not enter temples or wells. Their existence was considered impure by many people thus they were banned at many places.

This was the scenario of Ancient India but coming to present time this Varna system has been abolished and now people are not boycotted anywhere. Now there are three categories which do not account for any kind of superiority regarding caste. The categories are as follows:-

1. General 2. OBC 3. SC/ST

This kind of stratification was mainly discouraged by an anthropologist B.R. Ambedkar who had seen indifferent attitude from a tender age. He demanded the reasons and also made some of the reservation acts for the community which has seen the worst from the beginning. But coming to the today’s scenario reservation system is eating our society as well. For example, a general student getting 120 marks in mains is not qualified for the advanced exam but a SC/ST candidate getting 50 marks can sit for the advanced exam. This kind of selection based on caste but merit kills the overall growth our society. The reservation act was made to boost the oppressed communities but now when a there condition is well enough, giving them benefits of act again make our society caste stratified and assures ascribed status more than achieved status.

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Effects of Caste System in India –

Caste system in India totally eliminated the freedom of choice of occupation and every person was forced to take up the occupation of his family. Its workings are against that of a democracy which preaches equal rights and opportunities to all while caste system in India inflicts discrimination based on status. Inter-caste marriages were considered immoral and unholy and even punished by death.

Marrying with sub-castes was also not allowed. This resulted in poor health of descendants as marrying within the family or with close relatives led to children being born with immunity disorders. came into practise due to caste system in India.

Government Reforms - The upper castes usually treated the lower castes people as their slaves and mostly occupied the higher positions in all the institutions.To rectify the past unfairness effects of the Caste System in India, Government has introduced quotas and reservation systems thereby giving access to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes to help them ramp up to positions that matter. Discrimination based on Caste System is a crime.

Law against Caste System in India –

The caste system in India was always criticized by everybody and numerous people volunteer to battle against it, however, such effort could not shake the base of this evil system. After India got freedom from the British, the declared to place a prohibition on discrimination over the basis of the caste system in India. It was a clear and loud message to all such people who mistreated the lower caste people.

Introduction of the Reservation System –

The formation of law against the caste system in India was a smart step but one more decision i.e., introduction of the quota or the reservation system has shown to be damaging for our modern Indian society. In such a system, there are reserved seats for the lower caste people in the government jobs and in the education sector. Such type of system was introduced to raise the backward class’ standard of living.But, it has turned into a reason of great worry in modern India. Owing to this quota system, numerous times the worthy contenders from the general group do not have an employment opportunity whereas the applicants from the scheduled tribe or scheduled caste acquire the same without being enough capable or skilled.

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Government Reforms –

The upper castes usually treated the lower castes people as their slaves and mostly occupied the higher positions in all the institutions.To rectify the past unfairness effects of the Caste System in India, Government has introduced quotas and reservation systems thereby giving access to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes to help them ramp up to positions that matter. Discrimination based on Caste System is a crime.

The Implications of Caste System in India –

There were several implications of the caste system in India. As per the dogma of the caste system, people hailing from the lower caste could only marry within their caste. They were not allowed access to temples and other religious buildings. At the same time, there was also restriction on their use of food and drinks. They were not allowed to touch the same vessels as the ones used by the members of the upper caste. It was believed that if a person from the lower caste would touch a vessel, the food would become polluted.The treatment met out to members of the lower caste was so harsh that it led to scholars fighting for the need of reforms.

The Solution –

There were a lot of scholars who put forth their voice against the caste system in India. They fought for the need of reforms. Raja Ram Mohan Roy and even were phenomenal in their work. It is believed that it was with the right awareness that things started taking a turn for the good.However, we are far away from reaching the state of equality. Even today, the fighting for the need of reforms still needs to go on.Caste system in India still has its root firmly set. The lower segment of the society does not have easy access to all the facilities and they cannot walk with their head held high. It is important to create education and awareness campaign because such vices can cripple not just the society but the nation as a whole.The youth needs to understand the futility of the concept behind the caste system in India and come forth with the right ideas to eradicate the problem once and for all.

Sociologist View On Caste System -

1. Risley believed that caste is an integration of some people who belong to a same family by the title, also can be depicted as coming from the common ancestor and later on forming a community which can be called as their caste too. 2. Maclver and Page gave a theory that a person birth cannot be controlled and it is his ascribed status which cannot be changed by any factor.

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3. Durmont also gave his perspective stating that caste is mainly religion driven fact and the people of same level be it economy, same culture and religion come together and forms a caste. 4. According to Cooley status is a factor of family and the family in which a man is born can be called his caste. 5. Ghurne depicted caste as a complicated phenomenon and inferred that its definition cannot be put in words.

Conclusion –

The Indian caste system has played a significant role in shaping the occupations and roles as well as values of Indian society. Religion has been the constant push towards this stratification system for centuries, beginning with the Aryans and continuing down a long road of unfortunate discrimination, segregation, violence, and inequality. Hinduism was the backbone of the puritypollution complex, and it was the religion that influenced the daily lives and beliefs of the . Even after sixty-three years of independence, Indians continue to be in the grip of caste consciousness. Caste system in India is still prevalent; however, today the impact of caste has diminished subsequently due to education and modernization of the society. People of different castes live side-by-side and inter-caste marriages are encouraged and have become a norm. Still it is necessary that caste system in India is fully abolished in papers and in the minds of people to truly realize and experience democracy in the country.

Refrences –

Berreman, D. G. (1960). Caste in India and the United States. American Journal of Sociology, 66, 120–27.

Bose, P. K. (1985). Social Mobility and Caste Violence in Caste, Caste-Conflict and Reservation. : Ajanta Publications.

Caste, Society and Politics (2001), pp. 25-27, 392i

Indian Social system by Ram Ahuja

Government of India, National Commission for SCs and STs. (1990). Atrocities on Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes: Causes and Remedies. New Delhi.

Omvedt, G. (2011). Understanding Caste: From Buddha to Ambedkar and Beyond. New Delhi: Orient Blackswan

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