Social Science (087) — AI-generated practice question

Changes that have weakened caste hierarchy:

1. Urbanisation and occupational mobility: Economic development and large-scale urbanisation have broken down old caste hierarchies. In urban areas, people of different castes work together, eat in the same restaurants, and take up occupations different from their ancestors, weakening the rigid link between caste and occupation.

1. Constitutional provisions: The Indian Constitution prohibited caste-based discrimination and laid the foundation for policies like reservations to reverse historical injustices, giving lower castes greater access to education and public life.

Ways caste continues to shape modern India:

1. Marriage: Even today, most people marry within their own caste or tribe, showing that social boundaries remain strong.

1. Economic inequality: Caste and economic status remain closely linked. Dalits and Adivasis have the highest poverty rates, while upper castes are over-represented among the wealthy and urban middle classes — a direct result of centuries of unequal access to land and education.

Source: Democratic Politics II, Chapter 3 — Caste and Politics; Caste Inequality Today

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• Examiners expect two distinct points for weakening and two for persistence — label them clearly.
• Quote specific examples from the textbook (urbanisation, Constitution, marriage, poverty data) rather than general statements.
• The poverty-line table and the discussion on upper-caste dominance in middle classes are key evidence for the persistence of caste — mention them briefly.
• Avoid writing a general essay; keep each point tight and evidence-backed.