1. Gov 1255 Politics of India Prof Prerna Singh
Caste in India
Gov 1255
Politics of India
Prof Prerna Singh

2. Caste in India Societal structure of caste: The four varnas
Political implications of caste:
Caste Mobilization
Why, when and how did castes mobilize in North versus South India?
3. Caste in Everyday Life

3. Caste Hierarchy Brahmins Kshatriyas Vaishyas Shudras
Untouchables

4. Caste Hierarchy & Demography
Brahmins
Kshatriyas
Vaishyas
Shudras
Untouchables Scheduled Castes/ Dalits: 17%
Scheduled Tribes/ Adivasis: 6%
Non-Hindu Minorities: 18%
Upper Castes: 16%
Other Backward Castes : 43%

5. Caste Mobilization North India Rise of Intermediate/ Backward Castes
Reservations
‘Silent Revolution’

6. Social Background of Legislators elected in the Hindi Belt (1952-2004)
1967
1977
1989
1998
2004
Upper Castes 64 55 48 38 35 33
OBCs
4.5 10 13 21 24 25
SCs 16 18 17
STs 5 8 7

7. Caste Mobilization North India Rise of Intermediate/ Backward Castes
Rise of Lower Castes
Surge in political participation
Rise of Dalit Parties

8. Bahujan Samaj Party Bahujan = People in majority Samaj = Welfare
ELEPHANT MOVES: A man drives past a wall painted with BSP's election symbol the elephant.
Statue of Dr Ambedkar erected by the BSP in UP’s capital, Lucknow
BSP Leader & UP Chief Minister - Mayawati

9. Caste Mobilization
South India
Kerala
Tamil Nadu

11. Causes for Differences in Lower Caste Mobilization in North & South
Caste Demography Caste Relations
% upper vs. lower castes Steepness & strictness of hierarchy
↓ ↓
Barriers to mobilize Incentives to mobilize

12. Causes for Differences in Lower Caste Mobilization in North & South
Caste Demography Caste Relations
% upper vs. lower castes Steepness & strictness of hierarchy
↓ ↓
Barriers to mobilize Incentives to mobilize

13. Causes for Lower Caste Mobilization in South India
Caste Demography Caste Relations
Small % of upper castes
↓ ↓
Highly polarized caste structure characterized by strict rules of pollution
Barriers to mobilization by lower castes are lower
Incentives to mobilize by lower castes
are higher
Critical juncture: Changes in agrarian society and economy +
Activity of Christian Missionaries
Time period: Mid-late nineteenth century and early twentieth century in Kerala
Early-mid twentieth century in TN

14. Caste in Everyday Life
Rural India
Urban India

15. Marriages Historically, endogamous social groups Today:
Caste Matrimonials
Is Inter-caste marriage acceptable?
No 74%, Yes 20%

16. “Couple hanged for forbidden love” BBC World News: Thursday, 14 September 2006
Police in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh have arrested seven people after two young lovers were hanged because they came from different Indian castes. The boy and girl's parents were among those arrested. The brutal deaths highlight the problems of the rigid caste system in India. The couple, 19-year-old Vishal and Sonu, who was 18, were hanged one after another from the roof of a house in their home village in the Muzafarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh. Their crime - to fall in love and come from different castes. Vishal was a high-caste Brahmin and Sonu was a member of the lower caste Jat community. Hundreds watched as the couple died.

17. “India in low caste marriage plan” BBC World News: Thursday, 14 September 2006
The Indian government has suggested financial incentives of $1,100 should be offered to people who marry members of the lowest Hindu castes.
Many Indian states already pay money to those who marry Hindus from the lowest castes who are also called dalits.
But the amount differs from state to state - in Gujarat a couple gets the full $1,100 (50,000 rupees) - whereas in West Bengal state the amount is $45.
The government says it now wants the sum to be the same throughout India.
"In our caste-ridden society if someone breaks out of the mould and marries outside of the caste, we want to give them this money as a token of our appreciation. We want to make an example of them so that others will follow them“
Social Justice Minister Meira Kumar