The concept of sanskritization has been criticised for which of the following?
A. It results in the adoption of upper caste rites and ritual
B. It rests on a model of equality and inclusion
C. It erodes the key characteristics of dalit culture
D. Ideology of Sanskritization accepts the ways of the upper caste as superior
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → A, C, D only
A. It results in the adoption of upper caste rites and ritual Correct. Since sanskritisation results in the adoption of upper caste rites and rituals, it leads to secluding girls and women, adopting dowry instead of bride-price and practising caste discrimination against other groups.
B. It rests on a model of equality and inclusion Incorrect. The criticism is the opposite: sanskritisation seems to justify a model that rests on inequality and exclusion, as if believing in the purity and pollution of groups of people were all right.
C. It erodes the key characteristics of dalit culture Correct. The effect of the trend is that the key characteristics of dalit culture and society are eroded: the worth of the labour that ‘lower castes’ do is degraded and rendered ‘shameful’.
D. Ideology of Sanskritization accepts the ways of the upper caste as superior Correct. Its ideology accepts the ways of the ‘upper caste’ as superior and those of the ‘lower caste’ as inferior, so the desire to imitate the upper caste is seen as natural and desirable.
NCERT (2025-26): “Sanskritisation … Sanskritisation as a concept has been criticised at different levels. One, it has been criticised for exaggerating social mobility or the scope of ‘lower castes’ to move up the social ladder. For it leads to no structural change but only positional change of some individuals. In other words inequality continues to persist though some individuals may be able to improve their positions within the unequal structure. Two, it has been pointed out that the ideology of sanskritisation accepts the ways of the ‘upper caste’ as superior and that of the ‘lower caste’ as inferior. Therefore, the desire to imitate the ‘upper caste’ is seen as natural and desirable.…” “…Third, ‘sanskritisation’ seems to justify a model that rests on inequality and exclusion. It appears to suggest that to believe in pollution and purity of groups of people is justifiable or all right.” “Fourth, since sanskritisation results in the adoption of upper caste rites and rituals it leads to practices of secluding girls and women, adopting dowry practices instead of bride-price and practising caste discrimination against other groups, etc. Fifth, the effect of such a trend is that the key characteristics of dalit culture and society are eroded. For example the very worth of labour which ‘lower castes’ do is degraded and rendered ‘shameful’. Identities based on the basis of work, crafts and artisanal abilities, knowledge forms of medicine, ecology, agriculture, animal husbandry, etc., are regarded useless in the industrial era.” |