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Changing Dimensions of Caste
4.1 Sanskritisation
M.N. Srinivas coined the term in his study of the Coorg tribe (Religion and Society Among the Coorgs of South India, 1952). Sanskritisation is the process by which a lower or middle Hindu caste (or tribal or other group) changes its customs, rituals, ideology, and way of life in the direction of a higher, twice-born caste.
Key features:
- Involves adoption of vegetarianism, teetotalism, giving up widow remarriage, adopting Brahminic rituals.
- Reference group: The caste being imitated is the sanskritic reference group.
- Limitations (criticisms):
- Does not challenge the caste system itself — only repositions within it.
- Reinforces Brahminic dominance as the gold standard.
- André Béteille: Sanskritisation does not lead to structural change.
- Ignored by Dalits (Ambedkar movement preferred Buddhism/Constitution over Sanskritisation).
4.2 Westernisation and De-Sanskritisation
Westernisation (also Srinivas, 1956) — adoption of Western values, technology, institutions, and lifestyle, largely through British rule. Unlike Sanskritisation, Westernisation is not caste-specific and can transcend caste barriers.
De-Sanskritisation: Lower castes abandoning Brahminic practices in favour of their own traditions or asserting Dalit identity — a counter-movement to Sanskritisation (e.g., Dalit literature, Ambedkarite Buddhist movement).
4.3 Caste and Politics — Democratisation of Caste
A key transformation in post-Independence India: caste has entered democratic politics as a mobilisational tool.
- Caste vote banks: Political parties cultivate caste solidarities for electoral victory.
- Jat agitation (2016): Jats in Haryana demanded OBC status — blocking national highway.
- Patidar agitation (2015–17): Patidars (Patels) in Gujarat demanded OBC quota.
- Mandal politics: OBC consolidation after 1990 implementation of Mandal report.
- Dalit assertion: BSP, BRS, RPI channel Dalit political power.
Rajasthan context: Major castes — Rajputs, Jats, Meenas, Gujjars, Brahmins — all exercise significant political influence. Gujjar agitation (2007–2019) demanding ST status shows ongoing caste-based political contestation.
4.4 Caste and Education — Reservation Policy
Constitutional provisions for caste-based reservation:
| Provision | Article | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Abolition of Untouchability | Article 17 | Untouchability declared an offence |
| SC/ST reservation in legislature | Articles 330, 332 | Reserved constituencies |
| Reservation in services | Article 16(4) | State may reserve posts for backward classes |
| Direction to promote education of SC/ST | Article 46 | DPSP — state obligation |
| SC/ST atrocities protection | SC/ST (POA) Act, 1989 | Criminal law protection |
4.5 Caste in the 21st Century
New dimensions of caste change:
- Urbanisation: Anonymous city life weakens caste surveillance; inter-caste social contact increases.
- Education: Meritocratic institutions (IITs, IIMs) create some caste-neutral spaces.
- Digital India: Online matrimonial sites (Shaadi.com, Jeevansathi) still predominantly caste-based — 95% families seek same-caste matches (survey data, 2020).
- Caste-based violence: NCRB 2022 data: 50,900 cases of crimes against SCs; 10,064 against STs — indicating caste discrimination persists structurally.
- Honour killings: ~300 honour killing cases/year in India, predominantly caste/gotra-driven (Shakti Vahini v. Union of India, SC 2018 — guidelines issued).