Dear MEL Topic Readers,
India’s caste system is controversial and discriminatory. So why is it
being included in the next census?
Originating as far back as 1500 BCE, India's caste system is one of the
oldest forms of social stratification in the world. The Varna system consists
of four divisions: Brahmins (priests and scholars), Kshatriyas (warriors and rulers), Vaishyas (merchants
and landowners), and Shudras (laborers and service providers). The Dalits,
formally known as “Untouchables”, were considered below the Varna system. Over
time, the Varna became rigid and birth-based, and this social division persisted
in India’s society until it was banned in 1950 under the new constitution. However,
this segregatory stratification persists in today’s India, the world’s most
populous country. For example, only about 5% of marriages are inter-caste, and
there are gaps in wealth, health, and educational attainment between different
castes. The national and local governments have been offering affirmative
action quotas and benefits for jobs and educational opportunities for people in
marginalized castes, but without knowing exactly who and how many in a specific
caste. In order to better aid and allocate resources to those who need the most,
Modi’s administration recently announced that caste will be included in the
next national census, which was last surveyed in 1930 during the colonial
period. India is the world's most diverse country, with a variety of languages,
religions, ethnicities, customs, and social structures, and different regions
boast unique blends of traditions and cultures. Will the census results be
published?
Read the article and learn what caste is and does to India’s society
even today.
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