Caste system refers to a broad hierarchical institutional arrangement along which basic social factors like birth, marriage, food-sharing, etc are arranged in a hierarchy of rank and status. Though a social system, it has religious sanctions. Thus caste-religion interplay continues to dominate Indian society despite advancements made in other aspects like economy and literacy. The literacy rate in India has drastically improved since independence and stands at 71 percent in rural and 86 percent in urban areas, however despite these high literacy levels, primordial identities like caste and religion still play a huge role in our society.

Caste And Religion Retain Their Sheen In India

1. Even though untouchability and caste-based discrimination are barred under the Constitution of India, occupations like manual scavenging have the majority of workers from lower castes.
2. In a recent Pew survey, a substantial share of people from the upper caste said they would not be willing to accept a person who belongs to a Scheduled Caste as a neighbor.
3. Indians may be comfortable living in the same neighborhoods as people of different castes but they tend to make close friends within their own caste.
4. Nearly half (47%) of Hindus said that all their close friends shared their religious identity, while 39% said most of their friends were fellow Hindus.
5. With westernization, modernization, and LPG reforms, the caste system also underwent numerous changes, adapting itself to these changes scenarios.
6. For example, various caste communities have asserted themselves by forming political parties based on caste identities. Even today political mobilization in India happens mostly on the basis of caste and religion.

Caste And Religion Continues To Influence Indian Society Despite Literacy

1. Even though literacy and its influences are supposed to reduce the influence of primordial social identities, the influence of the caste system in India is such that this system is influencing access to education.
2. Official data indicate that across India, four out of five female teachers and three out of four male teachers belong to the three caste groups where the practice of untouchability is the highest.
3. There are instances where teachers discourage hard work among Dalit and Adivasi (Tribal) students, either unfairly stereotyping them as beneficiaries of reservations or questioning the value of education for such children.
4. Even for urban educated people, caste and religion are important for important life decisions. We can see this in matrimonial advertisements of highly educated people.
5. In matters of inter-religious marriage too, most educated people across religions feel that it is very important to stop the women in their community from marrying outside their religion.
6. The increasing violence against dalits and religious minorities also reflects that increasing literacy has not tempered the influences of caste and religion. Even today nearly 27 percent of households openly practice untouchability.
7. The practices like having separate tumblers and plates for domestic maids, posters in RWA apartments asking delivery boys and maids to use separate stairs, incidents of refusing food delivery because delivery boys belong to different religions all indicate that caste and religion exert major influence despite literacy.

Literacy Helped In Diluting The Influence Of Caste And Religions

1. Literacy has brought a moderating influence on the rigidity of caste and religious system and to an extent, diminished their discriminatory tendencies.
2. This is particularly true in urban areas. The urban literacy rate is at 86 percent and this is reflected on the influence exerted by caste and religion. Caste became a much less significant part of daily lives of people who lived in urban areas compared to rural areas.
3. Practices of interdining at workplaces, eating out in hotels run by people of lower caste or other religions, celebrating major festivals of other religions indicate, literacy has diluted caste and religion to an extent. 4.
4. Among urban educated middle-class professionals, caste is not openly discussed and is pretty insignificant, except when it comes to marital arrangements. Even then, there are adjustments made with considerations towards education, occupation, and income, etc.
5. The caste system for a very long time had prevented occupational mobility and access to quality education for people from lower castes. Now with access to education due to various government interventions, the influence of caste on occupation has decreased.
6. Even though political mobilization happens predominantly on religious and caste lines, in urban areas, for educated middle-class developmental issues influence their voting behaviour. The recent Delhi elections are a good example of this.
7. Under the impact of literacy and technological advancement, the strict codes of marriage and inheritance have diluted with more inter-caste marriages taking place. Caste groups like Khap Panchayats have been brought under the scrutiny of the judiciary.

Literacy was considered as a medicine to cure ailments of social evils like caste and religious discrimination and to an extent increased literacy in India has diluted the influence of these evils. However, considering that these divisions offer solidarity and psychological strength, it will be difficult to erase these primordial identities. What can be achieved and must be achieved is to reduce the evil impact of these systems and the hindrances they cause for the intellectual and personal development of people.