9 October: caste in Indian society
Friday 9 October 2026
GS Paper 1 · 150 words · 10 marks
Has caste lost its relevance in understanding the multi-cultural Indian Society? Elaborate your answer with illustrations.
(UPSC Mains 2020, GS Paper 1, Q8)
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How to approach this question
What the question asks.
| Part | What to write |
|---|---|
| Has caste lost its relevance? | Yes, no, or in part. Say which in the first line |
| In understanding Indian society | Write about what caste explains today |
| With illustrations | A named case, law or survey for each point |
A shape that works in 150 words.
- Answer in one line. Caste has weakened in some areas and persists in others.
- Where it has weakened, with one illustration.
- Where it persists, with two illustrations.
- End on what this means for policy.
What to avoid.
| Mistake | What to do instead |
|---|---|
| The origin of the varna system | Start with caste today |
| "Caste is still very relevant" with no example | Name a law, a survey or a court case |
| Only the persistence side | Give the weakening side one point first |
| Ending on "caste must be eradicated" | Say what policy should do next |
A model answer
Caste has lost much of its ritual hold. It still shapes marriage, politics and opportunity, so it remains necessary for understanding India.
Where it has weakened
Article 17 abolished untouchability. Shared trains, offices and restaurants have weakened purity rules. Occupation follows caste less often. The Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, founded in 2005, represents Dalit business owners.
Where it persists
- Marriage: most Indians still marry within their caste.
- Politics: parties choose candidates by caste arithmetic. M.N. Srinivas's idea of the dominant caste still explains village power.
- Policy: the Mandal Commission and the Indra Sawhney judgment (1992) made caste the basis of OBC reservation. Bihar's 2023 caste survey reopened the debate.
- Discrimination: the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, is still widely used.
Conclusion
Caste still explains much of Indian society. Policy needs current caste data and strict enforcement of the Atrocities Act.
Word count: 146.
Why this answer works. It answers the question in the first sentence. It gives the weakening side its due before the persistence side. Every point has a named law, judgment, survey or organisation.
Where it could be stronger. The marriage point has no source. A figure from a national survey, if you are sure of it, would carry it.