Caste System and Social Stratification in India

Caste System and Social Stratification in India

PROJECT ON

Caste System and Social Stratification in IndiaSUBMITTED TO Dr. Uttam Kumar Panda(FACULTY OF SOCIOLOGY)

SUBMITTED BY RAJESH KUMAR MISHRA

ROLL NO. 56SEMESTER IiI

DATE OF SUBMISSION 27-10-10 HIDAYATULLAH NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY, RAIPURAcknowledgementsFirst & foremost, I take this opportunity to thank Dr. Uttam Kumar Panda, Faculty, Sociology, HNLU, for allotting me this challenging topic to work on. He has been very kind in providing inputs for this work, by way of suggestions.

I would also like to thank my dear colleagues and friends in the University, who have helped me with ideas about this work. Last, but not the least I thank the University Administration for equipping the University with such good library and I.T. facilities, without which, no doubt this work would not have taken this shape in correct time.

Rajesh Kumar Mishra

Semester-III, Batch-IX

Roll no-56

ABBREVIATIONS USED&........................................AndAIR..All India Reporter

Art..Article

OBC..Other Backward Classes

SC...Scheduled Caste

ST....Scheduled Tribe

USUnited States Of AmericaCONTENTs1. Introduction.....062. Caste as a system.........................................................................073. History of caste system in India ..094. Relevance of caste system in India..105. Provisions for backward castes in Indian Constitution....116. Caste system: An impediment to national growth...147. Caste system and Politics in India...158. Caste System and Social Stratification179. Conclusion...1910. Bibliography21RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This project work is descriptive & analytical in approach. It is largely based on secondary & electronic sources of data. Books & other references as guided by faculty of sociology are primarily helpful for the completion of this project.

Introduction

I have no colour prejudices norcasteprejudices nor creed prejudices. All I care to know is that a man is a human being, and that is enough for me; he can't be any worse.

Caste system hierarchically divides the society. A sense of highness and lowness or superiority and inferiority is associated with this gradation or ranking. The Brahmins are placed at the top of the hierarchy and are regarded as pure or supreme. The degraded caste or the untouchables have occupied the other end of the hierarchy. The status of an individual is determined by his birth and not by selection nor by accomplishments. Each caste has its own customs, traditions practices and rituals. It has its own informal rules, regulations and procedures.

The caste panchayats or the caste councils regulate the conduct of members. The caste system has imposed certain restrictions on the food habitats of the members these differ from caste to caste. In North India Brahmin would accept pakka food only from some castes lower than his own. But he would not accept kachcha food prepared with the use of water at the hands of no other caste except his own. As a matter of rule and practice no individual would accept kachcha food prepared by an inferior casteman.

The caste system put restriction on the range of social relations also. The idea of pollution means a touch of lower caste man would pollute or defile a man of higher caste. Even his shadow is considered enough to pollute a higher caste man. The lower caste people suffered from certain socio-religious disabilities. The impure castes are made to live on the outskirts of the city and they are not allowed to draw water from the public wells. In earlier times entrance to temples and other places of religious importance were forbidden to them. Educational facilities, legal rights and political representation were denied to them for a very long time. If the lower castes suffer from certain disabilities some higher caste like the Brahmins enjoys certain privileges like conducting prayers in the temples etc.

There is gradation of occupations also. Some occupations are considered superior and sacred while certain others degrading and inferior. For a long time occupations were very much associated with the caste system. Each caste had its own specific occupations which were almost hereditary. There was no scope for individual talent, aptitude, enterprise or abilities. The caste system imposes restrictions on marriage also. Caste is an endogamous group. Each caste is subdivided into certain sub castes which are again endogamous. Inter-caste marriages are still looked down upon in the traditional Indian society.Caste as a SystemCaste system, as Berreman discusses the concept, is one that is composed of ranked groups. Membership in a group is only through birth. The groups are exhaustive, exclusive, and discrete; that is, every person is a member of such a group and of only one; he is clearly recognized by others as a member of his separate group. Membership in his group influences most of his separate group. Membership in his group influences most of his roles and activities; there is a high degree of role summation. No one should try to change his inherited membership and any attempts by individuals to shift themselves to a higher group are strongly disapproved.

Relative ranks affect almost all social relations. Most interaction among people of different groups involves considerations of superiority and inferiority, and superiority means greater privileges, precedence and a larger share of the good things in life. Each group is a firm entity, named, bounded self aware, culturally homogeneous. Because interaction between people of different groups is limited and that within a group is more intense, the members of a group tend to share distinctive cultural characteristics. A caste system is therefore one of cultural pluralism.

The groups are interdependent; each needs the services or goods provided by others. But they are held together less by agreement about mutual needs and purposes than by the coercive power wielded by the superior groups. The inferior groups conform in their actions, not necessarily in their ideas about the reasons for subservient behavior.

A general concomitant of such a system, Berreman notes, is that the higher groups explain their superiority in terms of a moral evaluation that shows why they are intrinsically more worthy. They take a paternalistic attitude towards the lower people, considering them to be childlike, irresponsible, and incapable of finer feelings or higher achievements. The lower do not share these views but adjust to the superior power by avoiding conflict, by apathy and psychic withdrawal, or by over compliance. Other concomitants are the restrictions on relations between people of different groups. Eating and sitting together, marriage and sex relations are rigidly controlled or are forbidden.

The higher, privileged groups hold that the social order is static; the lower strive to improve their status. Any system of marked stratification is itself a source of mobility motivation as Veblen, Bendix and Lipset and others have noted. Such mobility striving is a constant dynamic force in a caste system. Berreman discerns a difference between India and the U.S. South in that a lower group in India is usually more interested in achieving superiority for the group rather than equality in the society, whereas Southern Negroes, because the society of the deep South has two main divisions rather than multiple groups, have objected to the system as well as to their position in it. In this way there is more consensus about the proper nature of the social system in India than in the South, though Berreman stresses that in neither place do the lower groups accept the concept of their inferiority.

The principal functions of a caste system are t perpetuate social and cultural diversities, and to enforce and articulate them. These functions are highly dysfunctional in the modern world, irrelevant to human welfare and sources of unnecessary conflict and suffering.

The critics of such definitions of Caste system question whether the category is a useful one. Certain groups, such as the lower ranking groups in Japan, do not fit readily into the general definition. These critics point out, moreover, that specialization is essential in all modern societies and leads to some degree of stratification and ranking. Social and cultural diversities have to be articulated in all societies; each separate group tends to seek some privileges and power for its members. These processes are inherent in a complex society and, as processes, can scarcely be called dysfunctional. The trend in most contemporary societies is certainly away from the inclusive, invidious distinctions of caste divisions but also it is away from cultural pluralism and towards a cultural conformity, which some deplore. Those critics add that the discussions of caste systems in general have done little to advance an understanding of caste organization in Indian civilization.

But at least these discussions of what is meant by a caste system helps us to understand the systems of Indian society as part of the human continuum, as special phrasings and configurations of social processes common among much of mankind. It is especially important to understand the dynamic nature of the Indian systems, because they have so often been depicted as static in Hindu scripture and in villagers concepts, as well as in much of the writing on the subject.History of caste system in India

Vedic period: The development of the caste system in India never seems to be having any universally accepted history as such. Though there is a general speculative faith that the earliest settlers to this land, the Indo-Aryans might have actually established the caste system, gradually placing them in the higher ladder of the society. There is a whole lot of controversy regarding the theory of the Indo-Aryan migration. The Vedas or the most ancient `shruti` texts emphasis very less on the caste system, same is maintained in a hymn from the Rig Veda. Later scriptures like Bhagavad Gita and Manu Smriti propounds four Varnas, to be God`s creation. There is a general idea believed by scholars that may be in the initial phases the caste system was a bit flexible. Migration from one caste to the other was possible by switching jobs. Various passages from Manu Smriti and other scriptures emphasize that the caste system in India was originally non-hereditary. Therefore, through these facts one gets an impression how the caste system developed in the later stages into a firm intricate structure from a bendable one in the earlier Vedic age.Colonial India: The castes did not constitute a rigid description of occupation or the social status but the Britishers attempted to equate the IndianCasteSystemto their own colonialcastesystemsince the British society was divided by class. Britishers further codified thecastesysteminIndiaand made it more rigid. So thecastesystemplayed an important roleinshaping economic activitiesin Indian society. The fluidity ofcastesystemwas affected by the arrival of British policy of divide and rule. Rigid categorization of population also contributed towards the hardening ofcasteidentities.

Post -independence: Insemi rural areas and small towns thecastesystemis still very rigid.Casteis also a very important factorinthe politics ofIndia. After independence, the government has officially documented castes and sub-castes, primarily to determine reservationineducation and jobs through census. The Indian reservationsystemrelies entirelyon quotas for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward castes. Thissystemhas been fairly successful inbringing the backward castes into the mainstream. However, thecastebased reservationsinIndiahas also led to widespread protests due to reverse discrimination against the uppercaste. Also thecastebased politicsinIndia has created various undue tensions amongst the social forces. With a passage of six-decades after independence thecastebased discriminationinour country has been addressed to some extent but there is still enough scope to bridge the inter-castegapsinthe society. The economic and social equality, globalization, extensive education, youth empowerment and social organizations have contributed a great dealinmellowing down the deeply rooted castebased discriminationinour country.

Relevance of caste system in India: AlthoughIndiais apolitical democracy, the hierarchicalcastesystemis deeply rooted into the society, whether it is North or South, Hindus or Muslims and cities or villages. Thissystemof discrimination, between the high and low castes exists, almostinevery community. Thecastesystemwas evolved whenIndias ancient civilizations, absorbed the nomadic Aryan population who crossed central Asia to enter northernIndia. The four castes developed out of necessity of its own social order and moral and ritual quotes. The wordcastecomes from Portuguese word Casta (breed or race). The Sanskrit word that applied to the groupings was Varna, which is often interpreted as colour. However as per Mahabharata, if different colors indicate different castes the all castes are mixed castes. The Hindus also believed that the Varna of a man is determined by his profession and deeds rather than his birth. Traditionally, the political power rested with kshatriyas and Brahmins were custodian of dharma. The Vaishyas were the traders and running the economy whereas, Shudras were service providers.

Functions of caste system:-The caste system is credited to ensure the continuity of the traditional social organization of India. It has accommodated multiple communities including invading tribes in the Indian society. The knowledge and skills of the occupations have passed down from one generation to the next. Through subsystems like Jajmani system, the caste system promoted interdependent interaction between various castes and communities with in a village. The rituals and traditions promoted cooperation and unity between members of the different castes.Provisions for backward castes in Indian Constitution:The vision of the formulators of the Indian Constitution was to develop India into a socialist state. A socialist state is the one that protects and uplifts its weaker sections. It strives to reduce the social and economical inequality between the people. To achieve this goal, our constitution has incorporated several provisions that are in the benefit of the weaker sections of the society. Based on these provisions the central and state governments implement plans or frame laws to turn this vision into reality.

Due to the caste system prevailing in India, the sudras have been exploited for the ages. They were denied the right to education and thus were left languishing behind, socially and economically. Such people have been categorized into Scheduled Castes. Tribal communities, who never mixed with the main society, are similarly challenged and are categorized into ST. The constitution does not define the term backward classes. It is up to the center and the states to specify the classes that belong to this group.However, it is understood that classes that are not represented adequately in the services of the state can be termed backward classes. Further, the President can, under Art. 340, can constitute a commission to investigate the condition of socially and educationally backward classes. Based on this report, the president may specify the backward classes.

Clause 4 of article 15 is the fountain head of all provisions regarding compensatory discrimination for SCs/STs. This clause was added in the first amendment to the constitution in 1951 after the SC judgement in the case of Champakam Dorairajan vs State of Madras. It says thus, "Nothing in this article or in Article 29(2) shall prevent the state from making any provisions for the advancement of any socially and economically backward classes of citizens or for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes." This clause started the era of reservations in India. In the case of Balaji vs State of Mysore, the SC held that reservation cannot be more than 50%. Art. 15(4) talks about backward classes and not backward castes thus caste is not the only criterion for backwardness and other criteria must also be considered. Finally, in the case of Indra Sawhney vs Union of India, SC upheld the decision given under Balaji vs State of Mysore that reservation should not exceed 50% except only in special circumstances. Art.15 (5) clause was added in 93rd amendment in 2005 and allows the state to make special provisions for backward classes or SCs or STs for admissions in private educational institutions, aided or unaided. Art.16(4) clause allows the state to reserve vacancies in public service for any backward classes of the state that are not adequately represented in the public services. Art. 16 (4A) allows the state to implement reservation in the matter ofpromotion for SCs and STs. Art. 16(4B) allows the state to consider unfilled vacancies reserved for backward classes as a separate class of vacancies not subject to a limit of 50% reservation. Art. 17abolish untouchability and its practice in any form. Although the term untouchability has not been defined in the constitution or in any act but its meaning is to be understood not in a literal sense but in the context of Indian society. Due to the varna system, some people were relegated to do menial jobs such as cleaning toilets. Such people were not to be touched and it was considered a sin to even touch their shadow. They were not even allowed to enter public places such as temples and shops. The constitution strives to remove this abhorring practice by not only making the provision a fundamental right but also allows punishment to whoever practices or abets it in any form. Towards this end, Protection of Civil Rights Act 1955 was enacted. Art. 40 Provides reservation in 1/3 seats in Panchayats to SC/ST.

Art. 164 Appoint special minister for tribal welfare in the states of MP, Bihar, and Odisha. Art. 275 Allows special grant in aids to states for tribal welfare. Art. 330 and 332 allow reservation of seats for SC/ST in the parliament as well as in state legislatures. Art. 335 Allows relaxation in qualifying marksfor admission in educational institutes or promotions for SCs/STs. Art. 340: Allows the president to appoint a commission to investigate the condition of socially and economically backward classes and table the report in the parliament.

Reservations:Indian constitution envisages a state where everybody is treated equally. Even in the preamble, the constitution strives to provide equality in opportunity. Further, the constitution adopts the concept of "like should be treated alike" as the basis of equality. Thus, it is very clear that the constitution guarantees special provisions to be made for the betterment of special classes of citizens. In Part XVI, the constitution has laid down several articles that provide preferential treatment to backward classes.

There can be several ways through which the condition of backward classed can be improved and reservation is one such way. So it can be safely said that although reservation is not guaranteed by the constitution or it is not a constitutional right but it is certainly protected by the constitution as a mechanism to uplift the underprivileged classes.Critical Analysis and Personal view:In my view, reservation,in principle, is an effective means of improving the condition of socially and economically backward classes. Further, since wrongs were done against SC/STs in the name of caste system, I believe that they should be meaningfully compensated. However, it must be alienated from politics for truly benefiting these classes. It must be ensured that this benefit goes to the really deserving people and not to those who have already availed its benefit. The objective of reservation should be to bring an end to reservation itself by uplifting every one of the backward classes.

Therefore, I think that the judgement delivered in the case of Indra Sawhney vs Union of India by the SC in 1993 is a very fair one because it balances the amount of compensation with general efficiency of administration by capping reservation to 50%. It also ensures that the benefits are not hogged by the already empowered people (exclusion of creamy layer).

Caste system: An impediment to national growthIf there is one thing that is a characteristic of an Indian, irrespective of his region, his language and even his religion, then it is his or her caste. India has a long history of a society divided in different castes and Jaats, which goes beyond 2500 years. There are mentions of a society based on varnas (class) that are decided by the occupation or interests of a person, in the Vedas, that are the oldest written books of Hindu religion.

Over a period of time, these classes better known as castes became a hereditary phenomenon, making castes permanent. The caste system is not restricted to Hindus only, as there are different castes among Muslims and also at some places in India, among Christians. But the most rigid, prevalent and universal caste system exists among Hindus that constitute 80 percent of the population.

To understand caste system, it is important to understand its history and evolution in Indian context. Initially, the society was divided among 4 major castes or classes, that were Brahmans, Kshatriyas ,Vaisyas and Shudras. The caste of a person was decided by his or her occupation. People who were knowledgeable, had intellectual bent of mind and were a scholar, a teacher or a learned man were the Brahmans. Kshatriyas were the people in the occupation of warfare, kings and other warriors. Vaisyas were the businessman, shopkeepers, and traders etc. And the last castes were the group of people who performed daily day-to-day life duties, like cleaner, gardener, laborer etc.

But with time this system has deteriorated to a large extent. Today there are more than 2500 different castes and sub-castes in India. It is decided by the birth of the person and not by ones interests, that to which caste will one belongs. And also the castes are hierarchical in order. The Brahmans are the upper class and the Shudras, the lower class. From more than 1000 years, Shudras, are seen with disrespect, with no dignity of labor, and are even humiliated for the caste they belong to. Some of the lower castes are also termed as Untouchables, making them an outcast among the general public.

Today, caste system is one of the biggest impediments in the path of Indias success as a country. This system makes the power and resources of country divided. Also, the existence of hierarchical caste system causes disharmony and gives rise to hatred among common people.

Political leaders have actually deteriorated the condition by playing their dirty games of making the caste an issue of elections. It is an open secret that in many places across the country, the votes are cast , keeping in mind the caste of the candidate, rather than his or her work in the direction of development. The intermingling of caste and politics has played havoc with the progress of the nation.

Another major consequence of the disease called caste system is Reservations. The backward castes, which are SC(Scheduled castes), ST(Scheduled Tribes) and the OBC( other backward castes), are provided reservations in all government schools, colleges and in public sector jobs of 22.5 percent for SC, ST and 27 percent for OBC, apart from many other benefits like education concessions and financial assistance etc. This in my opinion, is disastrous and in reality, just a way to woo the votes of these castes. As these reservations, leads to a set of students and employees, who selected are not on the basis of their merit; but on the basis of their castes. This is nothing less than a caste system with the reversed hierarchical order and not actually a solution to it. Also this reduces the overall quality of employees and future engineers, doctors etc and render many meritorious students jobless. I believe reservation, if provided, should be on economical basis. As the current reservations are more of a political stunt then an actual step in the direction of doing away with Caste system.

Caste system and Politics in IndiaIndia boasts of running the largest democracy successfully for over 60 years. Now the time has come to revisit the facts and analyze one of the key areas where we have failed to achieve what was intended. Indian political arena has undergone radical changes from the moment we have attained freedom from the shackles of the British. Politics in India which were supposed to be free from discrimination and exploitation, have taken a turn around the moment power has been handed over to these fraudulent politicians. Caste based political parties have emerged with a vicious intention of cashing on vote bank of the most commanding class in terms of number. Caste based political parties have initiated a brutal process of concentrating on the large vote bank of a particular caste.

Mahatma Gandhi and B. R. Ambedkar had radically different approaches to caste especially over constitutional politics and the status of "untouchables". Till the mid-1970s, the politics of independent India was largely dominated by economic issues and questions of corruption. But since 1980s, caste has emerged as a major issue. According to a report by Human Rights Watch, "Dalits and indigenous peoples (known as Scheduled Tribes or adivasis) continue to face discrimination, exclusion, and acts of communal violence. Laws and policies adopted by the Indian government provide a strong basis for protection, but are not being faithfully implemented by local authorities." Though Indian National Congress succeeded in keeping all the sections of the community under its umbrella for a couple of decades, by early 70s caste based politics have sprung to life. From then on we have seen a vital change in the way the political parties approached the Indian voter. A particular section of the society when deprived of the progress and government aid, are left with not much choice other than to choose a candidate from their lot who can raise their issues at the national level. I should say most of the political parties during 80s and 90s succeeded in representing their section and decipher their tribulations. Almost all the sections considered to be backward have succeeded in drawing the attention of the ruling party to unravel their concerns. This is truly a positive sign to the political arena. But with time political parties got side tracked from their actual motto and started to indulge themselves in cheap political tricks.

Now the political situation in the country is very grim. If we analyze the manifestos of political parties in 2009 general elections, the agenda revolved around wooing the various sections of the society. Looks like this general election have witnessed more number of caste based political parties than the previous ones. We have also witnessed political leaders making inflammatory statements in open meetings. The election commission has succeeded in arresting the political parties from crossing limits to some extent but it could not wipe them out completely. Caste based politics are surely a negative phenomenon to the Indian political arena. Political parties and leaders should understand that caste based politics might act as a hindrance to the nations development.

CriticismBack in 1950s, B. R. Ambedkar had criticized the use of caste as a political plank Caste System and Social StratificationStratification is a hierarchy of positions with regard to economic production which influences the social rewards to those in the positions. Primitive communalism characterized by a high degree of sharing and minimal social inequality. In sociology and other social sciences, social stratification refers to the hierarchical arrangement of individuals into divisions of power and wealth within a society. Stratification derives from the geological concept of strata - rock layers created by natural processes. The term most commonly relates to the socio-economic concept of class, involving the "classification of persons into groups based on shared socio-economic conditions ... a relational set of inequalities with economic, social, political and ideological dimensions." In modern Western societies, stratification is broadly organized into three main layers: upper class, middle class, and lower class. Each class may be further subdivided into smaller classes (e.g. occupational). These categories are particular to state-level societies as distinguished from, for instance, feudal societies composed of nobility-to-peasant relations. Stratification may also be defined by kinship ties or castes. For Max Weber, social class pertaining broadly to material wealth is distinguished from status class which is based on such variables as honor, prestige and religious affiliation. It is debatable whether the earliest hunter-gatherer groups may be defined as 'stratified', or if such differentials began with agriculture and broad acts of exchange between groups. One of the ongoing issues in determining social stratification arises from the point that status inequalities between individuals are common, so it becomes a quantitative issue to determine how much inequality qualifies as stratification. Openness is the opportunity for individuals to change their status. Caste stratification systems are closed whereas class stratification systems are more open. The degree of equality is the degree to which the social structure approaches an equal distribution of resources. Hunting and gathering societies are typically very equal with inequality developing in later stages of agriculture and industrialization.

The concept of social stratification is interpreted differently by the various theoretical perspectives of sociology. Proponents of structural-functionalism have suggested that since social stratification is commonly found in developed societies, hierarchy may be necessary in order to stabilize social structure. Talcott Parsons, an American sociologist, asserted that stability and social order are achieved by means of a universal value consensus, satisfying the functional prerequisites of a society. By contrast, conflict theories, such as Marxism, point to the inaccessibility of resources and lack of social mobility found in stratified societies. Many sociological theorists have criticized the extent to which the working classes are unlikely to advance socioeconomically; the wealthy tend to hold political power which they use to exploit the proletariat intergenerationally. Theorists such as Ralf Dahrendorf, however, have noted the tendency toward an enlarged middle-class in modern Western societies due to the necessity of an educated workforce in technological and service economies. Various social and political perspectives concerning globalization, such as dependency theory, suggest that these effects are due to the shift of workers to the third world.

Why stratification exists?

Natural inevitability which suggests that inequality exists because of natural differences in people's abilities and is a just system. Structural -functionalist which states that stratification is useful to society because it enhances stability and induces members of the society to work hard. Conflict which suggests that stratification occurs through conflict between different classes, with the upper classes using superior power to take a larger share of the social resources. Evolutionary which states that people will share enough resources to ensure the survival of the group until a surplus exists at which time power determines how the surplus is distributed. Symbolic Interactionist which calls attention to the importance of symbolic displays of wealth and power that influence one's definition of self and the importance of ideas in defining social situations. Inequality may emanate from natural differences in people's abilities. What are the functionalist and conflict theories as to the reasons for stratification? Structural-functionalists believe that societies tend to be stable and are held together through consensus. Stratification provides an important function to society by aiding this process because it lessens conflict and provides structure. Conflict theorists believe that society tends toward conflict and change and that stratification system coerce the lower classes in order to benefit the upper classes. CONCLUSION

I am of the opinion that the caste system in Hinduism has been unduly highlighted by the media and state that one way to discredit any system is to highlight its excesses, and this only adds to the sense of inferiority that many Indians feel about their own culture. Caste system is often portrayed as the ultimate horror, in the media; however, there is no organized discrimination in other societies as Hinduism has in its society. The slight bright hope is that the discrimination has slightly reduced now while untouchability has been drastically reduced if not fully eliminated and raises its ugly head in some form or other. The Indian Government has catered for various reservations in Government jobs, educational Institutions, Professional colleges such as medicine, Engineering and Dental Courses. Reservations have also been laid down in various parliamentary constituencies and legislatures of States apart from various local and municipal bodies. Some States and political parties vie with each other in extending more and more reservations based on the castes to become popular and gain vote banks. These gimmicks have resulted in serious unrest among youth and agitations that have resulted in further cleavages between various castes and sects in the society.

Thus it is seen that caste system although was not sanctioned by Vedas made inroads into the society and got entrenched. With Government policies, further irreparable damage has been done to the society and it would be impossible to eradicate the evil. Vested interests have developed due to various reservations where merit is thrown to winds.

Thus Caste system is going to stay permanently in India and all slogans denouncing the system is a pure and mere eye wash. Although Caste system is outwardly shown as the biggest villain in Indian social and political scene, it is encouraged more and more at every level and is being institutionalized, regularized and being promoted. There is no element of doubt that Hinduism has to live by this system outwardly called evil and internally is being strongly promoted by virtue of vested interests. Although caste was not originally intended to be acquired by birth, it has become hereditary in character and Hindu society has to reconcile to it. The society is facing serious challenges and conflicts on account of this system, yet people have to live by the system. In the meantime, Indian society is slowly inching towards caste war that could prove catastrophic to the Indian nation and also could lead to its own destruction. If at all India is to be destroyed, it will not be out of any enemy action, and it would be out of the caste war that could spell doom to the nation perpetuated by its own selfish leaders.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

BOOKS REFERREDAtal, Yogesh, (2009) Changing Indian Society, Rawat Publication, Jaipur.Beteille Andre, (2007) Caste Class And Power,Second Edition,Oxford University Press, New DelhiDahiwale S.M., (2007) Understanding Indian Society The Non-Brahmanic Perspective, Rawat Publication, Jaipur.Ahuja Ram , (2008) Indian Social System, Rawat Publications, Jaipur.Byrne David, (2006) Social Exclusion, Second Edition, Rawat Publication, Jaipur.Paul B. Horton & Chested L. Hunt, (2009) Sixth Edition, Tata Mcgraw Hill Education Private Limited, New DelhiWEBSITES REFERRED1. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caste_politics_in_India

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