UPSC DAW Mains Answer Writing 2025 16th October

UPSC DAW Mains Answer Writing 2025 16th October

Question

Has caste lost its relevance in understanding the multi-cultural Indian Society? Elaborate your answer with illustrations. (150 Words, 10 Marks) 

Model Answer

Approach: Introduction:  

  • Define Caste and mention how it has long been considered as a distinctive feature of Indian society. 

Body :  

  • As the question asks for caste’s relevance, both sides have to be written about. Mention about caste has become less important in many areas. 

  • Then mention how it continues to be relevant in several other areas. 

Conclusion :  

  • Conclude stating that caste is a social system that is still having its place in the society although it has changed the ways and places where it manifests. 

 Introduction: The caste system has historically been a cornerstone of Indian society, engraining social hierarchies and individual identities. However, the burgeoning multicultural ethos of India necessitates an examination of caste's ongoing relevance in understanding societal dynamics.  Body: Caste in Contemporary Indian Society:  

  1. Declining Importance of Caste: 

  1. Achieved status over caste: Education and income matter more — e.g., Sundar Pichai and Satya Nadella admired for merit, not caste. 

  2. Reservations improving representation: Dalits and OBCs hold positions like President Droupadi Murmu, CM Mayawati, etc. 

  3. Occupation no longer caste-bound: Brahmins in business, Dalits in bureaucracy — eg.,Dalits like K. Raju (IAS, advisor to PMO) or Bezwada Wilson (activist) have entered professions once closed to their communities 

  4. Liberal, urban mindset: Metro cities like Bengaluru or Mumbai are more cosmopolitan and caste-neutral. 

  5. Public spaces caste-free: Restaurants, malls, and offices don’t discriminate on caste basis. e.g., Swiggy/Zomato employ across castes without bias. 

  6. Inter-caste and Inter-religion marriages rising: Strict codes of marriage and inheritance have been diluted due to increased inter-caste marriages. e.g., like Priyanka Chopra–Nick Jonas. 

  1. Continuing Relevance of Caste: 

  1. Caste shapes aspirations: In rural Bihar or UP, caste networks still influence education and job ambitions. 

  2. Marriage preferences: Matrimonial sites like Shaadi.com filter by caste. 

  3. Caste in politics: Parties like BSP, SP, and RJD mobilize caste-based vote banks. 

  4. Caste violence persists: Incidents like Hathras case (2020, UP) reveal deep social divides. 

  5. Manual scavenging continues: Despite bans, Dalit communities still engaged in it — seen in states like Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh. 

Conclusion: The caste system, while still influential in certain spheres, is gradually losing its iron grip, especially in urban and multicultural settings. The interplay between traditional caste hierarchies and modern egalitarian values depicts a society in flux. For the development of a more diverse and inclusive Indian society, a thorough understanding of this complex transition is essential.