Explain Social Stratification in India

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22. Explain Social Stratification in India

Social stratification refers to the hierarchical division of society into layers based on unequal distribution of resources, power, and prestige, as per sociologists like Max Weber, who identified class, status, and party as dimensions. In India, this system is uniquely complex, blending ancient caste hierarchies with modern class dynamics, gender inequalities, and ethnic divisions. Rooted in the Vedic varna system (Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Shudras), stratification persists despite constitutional efforts for equality, influencing access to education, jobs, and justice. As of 2025, India remains stratified, with caste discrimination, economic disparities, and social mobility challenges shaping daily life. From an MSW viewpoint, understanding this aids in addressing oppression, advocating affirmative action, and promoting inclusion. This explanation covers forms, theories, current status, impacts, and changes.

Forms of stratification in India include caste, class, gender, and ethnicity. Caste, the most enduring, is a hereditary, endogamous system with over 3,000 jatis (sub-castes), ranked by purity-pollution notions. Dalits (SCs, 16.6% population) and Adivasis (STs, 8.6%) face exclusion, while upper castes dominate resources. Class stratification overlays caste, based on income, occupation, and education; the middle class (300-400 million) grows, but 21% live below poverty. Gender stratifies via patriarchy, with women facing wage gaps (23% less pay) and violence. Ethnicity and religion add layers; Muslims (14%) and Christians (2%) experience marginalization.

Theories explain this: Functionalism (Davis-Moore) sees stratification as necessary for role allocation, but critics note it ignores exploitation. Conflict theory (Marx) views it as class struggle; in India, caste masks class conflicts. Weber's multidimensional approach fits, with caste as status, economy as class. Dumont's Homo Hierarchicus emphasizes ritual hierarchy in caste. André Béteille highlights hybridity, where caste and class intersect.

Current status, per 2025 data, shows persistence amid change. Caste influences 80% of marriages, with inter-caste unions at 5-10%. Violence rose 7% in 2024 against SCs/STs, with 50,000 cases. Economic inequality: Gini coefficient at 0.35, top 10% hold 57% wealth. Urban-rural divide: 70% rural poor are lower castes. Affirmative action (reservations: 50% in jobs/education) aids mobility, but backlash grows.

Impacts are profound: Lower strata face health disparities (Dalit life expectancy 5 years less), educational barriers (dropout rates 20% higher), and political underrepresentation. It perpetuates poverty cycles, fuels conflicts (e.g., caste clashes), and hinders national development. Positively, stratification motivates achievement in open systems.

Changes include Sanskritization (lower castes adopting upper norms), urbanization blurring boundaries, and laws like SC/ST Act. Globalization fosters class mobility, but caste endures in villages. MSW interventions focus on empowerment, anti-discrimination programs, and policy advocacy for equity.

In conclusion, India's stratification, though evolving, remains a barrier to justice, demanding sustained reforms.