The most common features of caste are : (A) It involves strict rule a…

The most common features of caste are :

(A) It involves strict rule about marriage.
(B) It involves rules about food and food sharing.
(C) It is a matter of choice.
(D) Castes involves subdivisions within themselves.

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Answer & explanation

Correct answer: option 1

The correct answer is Option (1) → (A), (B) and (D) only

(A) It involves strict rule about marriage. Correct. Caste groups are ‘endogamous’, that is, marriage is restricted to members of the group.

(B) It involves rules about food and food sharing. Correct. What kinds of food may or may not be eaten is prescribed, and who one may share food with is also specified.

(C) It is a matter of choice. Incorrect. Caste is determined by birth: a child is ‘born into’ the caste of its parents. One can never change one’s caste, leave it or choose not to join it, so caste is never a matter of choice.

(D) Castes involves subdivisions within themselves. Correct. Castes almost always have sub-castes, and sometimes sub-castes have sub-castes of their own. This is called a segmental organisation.

NCERT (2025-26): “3.1 Caste and the Caste System … The most commonly cited defining features of caste are the following:

1. Caste is determined by birth – a child is ‘born into’ the caste of its parents. Caste is never a matter of choice. One can never change one’s caste, leave it, or choose not to join it, although there are instances where a person may be expelled from their caste.…
2. Membership in a caste involves strict rules about marriage. Caste groups are ‘endogamous’, i.e. marriage is restricted to members of the group.
3. Caste membership also involves rules about food and food-sharing. What kinds of food may or may not be eaten is prescribed and who one may share food with is also specified.
4. Caste involves a system consisting of many castes arranged in a hierarchy of rank and status. In theory, every person has a caste, and every caste has a specified place in the hierarchy of all castes. While the hierarchical position of many castes, particularly in the middle ranks, may vary from region to region, there is always a hierarchy.
5. Castes also involve sub-divisions within themselves, i.e., castes almost always have sub-castes and sometimes sub-castes may also have sub-castes. This is referred to as a segmental organisation.…”