Which of the following is not an example of community identity?

Answer & explanation

Correct answer: option 3

The correct answer is Option (3) → Membership of a professional group

Option (1) Membership of family — A community identity (Incorrect). No one chooses the family they are born into. Such membership is ascriptive, determined by birth, which is what marks a community identity.

Option (2) Membership of religious group — A community identity (Incorrect). Membership of one’s religious community also comes by birth and has no preconditions, yet it is total and very hard to shake off.

Option (3) Membership of a professional group — Not a community identity (Correct). Community identity is based on birth and ‘belonging’, not on acquired qualifications or ‘accomplishment’; it is what we ‘are’, not what we have ‘become’. Belonging to a profession is very different: doctors or architects have to pass exams and demonstrate their competence to become members.

Option (4) Membership of caste group — A community identity (Incorrect). Caste is determined by birth; a child is ‘born into’ the caste of its parents. It is one of the expanding circles of community ties, along with family, kinship, language, region and religion.

NCERT (2025-26): “6.1 The Importance of Community Identity … Community identity is based on birth and ‘belonging’ rather than on some form of acquired qualifications or ‘accomplishment’. It is what we ‘are’ rather than what we have ‘become’. We don’t have to do anything to be born into a community – in fact, no one has any choice about which family or community or country they are born into. These kinds of identities are called ‘ascriptive’ – that is, they are determined by the birth and do not involve any choice on the part of the individuals concerned. It is an odd fact of social life that people feel a deep sense of security and satisfaction in belonging to communities in which their membership is entirely accidental. We often identify so strongly with communities we have done noting to ‘deserve’ - passed no exam, demonstrated no skill or competence... This is very unlike belonging to, say, a profession or team. Doctors or architects have to pass exams and demonstrate their competence.…”