The Caste System


Understanding Diversity I - Concepts
Class - 6th Foundation NTSE Subjects
 
 
Concept Explanation
 

The Caste System

The state of being different, of being unique, is known as diversity. Diversity includes such factors as age, gender, race, religion, education, occupation and food. Diversity does not mean that each of us does different things all the time. Very often we might be doing the same thing, but we just do it differently. The presence of a wide range of features in any sphere is called diversity.

Samir Ek is a Hindu, Samir Do is a Muslim. In addition to their diverse religious and cultural backgrounds, there are other ways in which Samir Ek and Samir Do are different from each other. For example  , while Samir Ek goes to school, Samir Do sells newspaper. Samir Do did not have the opportunity to attend school. Perhaps you’ve noticed that there are several people in the area where you live who are poor and who don't have enough to eat or wear and sometimes not even a place to live.

This difference is not the same as the one who we have seen earlier. Here, we’re talking not of difference but of inequality. Inequality comes about when a person does not have the resources and opportunities that are available to other persons.

The caste system is another example of inequality. According to this, society was divided into different groups depending upon the work that people did and they were supposed to remain in those groups. So if your parents were potter, you could only become a potter, nothing else. This system was considered irreversible.

And because we were not supposed to change our profession, it was not considered necessary for us to know anything more than what we needed in our profession. This created a situation of inequality. We will read more about this and other inequalities later on.

Just like Samir Ek and Samir Do became friends. You might have friends who are very different from you. You have probably eaten different kinds of food in their homes, celebrated different festivals with them, tried out the clothes they wear, and learnt some of their languages as well.

 
 
 


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