75 years of independence and caste system in India

Abstract

Caste system is deeply embedded in Indian society. To understand Indian society, one has to have deep understanding of Indian Caste system. Even after 75 years of independence caste system is omnipresent in India society but its contours have been constantly changing. While G S Ghurye (known as father of Indian sociology) looked upon Indian caste structure from structural functional perspective in which its rigidity, hierarchy, endogamy, restriction on food, occupation based on ascription, segmental division of society were the prominent features. Louis Dumont has focused on the binary dialectical approach in which there is opposition between Brahmin and untouchable; high caste and low caste: spiritual and temporal. Ethics doesn’t allow bifurcation in society on the basis of caste but its presence is harsh reality of India. But today caste scenario is changing. These set features of traditional caste system in India have been weakening to some extent. Caste as a system is weakening but ironically caste identity has become stronger these days. Dipankar Gupta has called it an optical illusion and looked it as a temporary phenomenon. Even prominent sociologist like Srinivas and Andre Beteille feels that caste is losing its strength but it is going to stay in India. This paper tries to explore the changing scenario of caste system in India after 75 year of independence.. What features of the caste system is becoming more prominent these days. If caste as a system is weakening then can we assume that caste will evade from Indian society in near future. This paper tries to focus on the nitigrities of caste system in today’s India.