Is caste weakening or strengthening?
The future of caste is not a simple fade-out: some hierarchies soften while identity and politics harden.
- M.N. Srinivas noted both erosion of some ritual disabilities and persistence of caste in marriage, politics and identity.
- Weakening factors: urban anonymity, education, industrial employment, legal equality, inter-dining in public institutions, and critique from reform/Ambedkarite currents.
- Strengthening factors: democratic mobilisation, reservation competition, endogamy, matrimonial markets, and caste associations in cities.
- K.L. Sharma and others stress change in form: from ritual hierarchy toward political and economic competition among castes.
Yogendra Singh and modernisation of tradition
- Yogendra Singh (Modernisation of Indian Tradition) argued Indian tradition selectively absorbs modern elements instead of being replaced wholesale.
- Caste can modernise its idiom—associations, courts, media, parties—while retaining boundary maintenance.
- Exam use: pair ‘weakening of untouchability practices’ with ‘strengthening of caste in elections and marriage’ in one balanced paragraph.
Pair with syllabus short notes for clause-by-clause Paper coverage.