The notion of purity, integral to the caste system is maintained by the practise of:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Endogamy
Option (1) Exogamy — Incorrect. Exogamy is the rule of marrying outside one’s own group, such as one’s clan or gotra. Marriage outside the caste would mix castes and blur their boundaries, the very opposite of keeping a caste ‘pure’.
Option (2) Polygamy — Incorrect. Polygamy means a person having more than one spouse at the same time. It is about the number of spouses, not about which group one may marry into, so it does nothing to keep castes apart.
Option (3) Endogamy — Correct. Caste groups are ‘endogamous’: marriage is restricted to members of the group. The caste system is justified in terms of the opposition of purity and pollution, and endogamy rules out the blurring of caste lines through inter-caste marriage, so each caste stays separate.
Option (4) Ascribed status — Incorrect. Ascribed status is a position given by birth: a child is ‘born into’ the caste of its parents. It is a feature of caste, not a practice; in fact the ascribed aspect of caste is itself reinforced by the practice of endogamy.
Note: The concept in Option (1), ‘Exogamy’, is not in NCERT (2025-26); explained here for the benefit of the students.
NCERT (2025-26): “3.1 Caste and the Caste System … 2. Membership in a caste involves strict rules about marriage. Caste groups are ‘endogamous’, i.e. marriage is restricted to members of the group.…” “5.1 What Is Social About Social Inequality and Exclusion? … 2. Social stratification persists over generations. It is closely linked to the family and to the inheritance of social resources from one generation to the next. A person’s social position is ascribed. That is, children assume the social positions of their parents. Within the caste system, birth dictates occupational opportunities. The ascribed aspect of social inequality is reinforced by the practice of endogamy. That is, marriage is usually restricted to members of the same caste, ruling out the potential for blurring caste lines through inter-caste marriage.” “3. Social stratification is supported by patterns of belief, or ideology. No system of social stratification is likely to persist over generations unless it is widely viewed as being either fair or inevitable. The caste system, for example, is justified in terms of the opposition of purity and pollution, with the Brahmins designated as the most superior and Dalits as the most inferior by virtue of their birth and occupation.…” |