A report recently published that a women president of Therku Thittai Village Panchayat in Tamil Nadu was made to sit on floor as she belonged to lower caste community. With which concept can this example be associated?

Discrimination

The correct answer is Option 4: Discrimination

The incident described — where a woman president was made to sit on the floor because she belonged to a lower caste — is a clear example of discrimination.

Discrimination refers to:

• Unjust or prejudicial treatment of individuals based on their caste, gender, religion, race, etc.

• It involves actionable denial of dignity or equality despite legal or social status.

In this case: Despite holding a position of authority (Panchayat President), she was treated unequally based on her caste. This is not just a bias in thought (like stereotype or prejudice) but an act of exclusion and humiliation — hence, discrimination.

Why not the other options?

• Stereotype – Generalized belief (e.g., "lower castes are unfit for leadership") — no action involved.

• Prejudice – Negative attitude or feeling — again, no necessary action.

• Exploitation – Involves unfair use of someone’s labor or resources, which is not the main issue here.