Target Exam

CUET

Subject

History

Chapter

Ancient India: Kinship, Caste and Class

Question:

Which of the following is NOT true about the term 'jati'?

Options:

Varna was based on birth, but jati was not based on birth.

While the number of varnas was fixed at four, the jatis were fixed at 25.

Whenever Brahmanical authorities encountered new groups which did not easily fit into the fourfold Varna system, they classified them as a jati.

Both 1 and 2

Correct Answer:

Both 1 and 2

Explanation:

In Brahmanical theory, jati, like Varna, was based on birth. However, while the number of varnas was fixed at four, there was no restriction on the number of jatis. In fact, whenever Brahmanical authorities encountered new groups – for instance, people living in forests such as the cicadas – or wanted to assign a name to occupational categories such as the goldsmith or, which did not easily fit into the fourfold Varna system, they classified them as a jati. Jatis which shared a common occupation or profession were sometimes organised into shrenis or guilds