Caste Hierarchy and social change: a study of myth and reality

The fundamental characteristics of the
Hindu caste structure are (i) the concept
of ritual purity, (ii) status and ()
restrictions of endogamy (in regard to
marriage) and commensality (in regard to
community meals) Today, the Indian
Constitution and the legal set-up provide
no place for any form of institutionalised
inequality. However, it would be highly
unrealistic to ignore the socio-psychological
fact that only institutional or legal reform is
hardly enough to transform the structure of
values and standards of behaviour in a
society.
In analysing the caste system one needs a
dispassionate and realistic appraisal of this
system in order to apply to the Indian
society the dynamic concept of social change
which has already ushered in India with the
expansion of education and intellectual and
professional preparation (open to all)
directed to bring about a
cultural and
and economic emancipation of the whole
society from all forms of exploitation and
injustice.
The interplay of the newly emerging criteria
of status in the wake of the increasing
contact with the
the West, commercial and
industrial development throwing open jobs
and professions requiring intellectual and
professional preparation with no conside-
ration of caste vis-a-vis the caste hier-
archy can hardly be ignored. The most
important point for consideration today is
how to control the natural human tendency
of self-distinction leading to the creation of
of classes based on segregative and separatist
tendencies which is a natural manifestation
of the human psychlogical fact and results
into the development of dual personalities
with convictions quite distinct from their
claims.