WIKIPEDIA: Future of Caste System in India

 

WIKIPEDIA: Future of Caste System in India

From the above brief discussion of the various measures that have been taken in India. It may be said that though the influence of caste system is slowly decreasing, yet continues as before and there very litle change in the attitude mentality of the people. 

The village, the heart of social organisation, is the seat of caste at its strongest. The endogamous nature of caste has remained almost the same with this difference, that whereas formerly marriage out side the caste was not even though of, today many young men and women are prepared to break though the caste if love marriage

demands it in such marriages the female partner belong to a caste lower than that of the male partner. 

The older generation however, still thinks in old caste terms one has still to depend very largely or one's caste for help at critically periods of ones life, like marriage and death. Many leaders in civic life are associated with the movement of amelioration of their respective castes. The elections in India are contested very much on the basis of casteism. The voters are asked to vote for their caste candidates and thus casteism is maintained by the elected leader after the elections are over. Political parties also sponsor only that candidate from a particular constituency whose caste in the most numerous in that area. Casteism still persists in government services and political elections. 

Seats are reserved for backward and scheduled castes in government services as well as in the legislatures. They are given special scholarship for education. Caste

Journals have made their appearance. Thus the Indian democracy has in practice encouraged rather than discouraged the caste system. 

The recent atrocities on Harijans by lended

aristocracy point to our failure to solve the problem of casteism. No amount of mere legislation can eradicate a social institution which is 5,000 years old. What is needed is to educated public opinion and denounce caste - patriotism is unequivocal terms. The age long untouchability has been legally abolished still the stratification system is strongly embedded in Indian life. The enthusiasm of youth will surely transcend

the artificial barriers of caste. With the spread of education and the consequent com amelioration of economic position it is hoped the Indian people will rise to the occasion and throw of the caste system.