How To Make Caste Irrelevant

Context: India needs to ensure growth and opportunities for all to get rid of from Caste-based discrimination.

Government measures to make ‘Caste’ irrelevant

• Empowering all sections of society by providing growth opportunities: “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas” has made the foundational principle of India’s governance model.
• Promoting oneness of India and equality of all Bharatiyas: State is responsible for building a just and egalitarian society in line with great leaders of nation.
  • Key aspect of oneness is developing social order where caste is irrelevant.
  • Incorporating vision of great leaders: Like “jaati todo abhiyan” of Swami Vivekananda and the teachings of Deendayal Upadhyaya, who spoke of “antyodaya”, the rise of the last man.
• Education, Efforts and Efficiency to all: The current government is working relentlessly to ensure the quality education, level playing field to make efforts and fair and equitable efficiency to all.
  • The aim is to ensure social inclusion and social mobility of the vulnerable sections.

Issues associated with Caste System in India

• Caste linked to occupation: It means, only a certain group of people should do a certain type of work.
• Continuing symbolisms: Surname of a person reflect to his occupation, which created social hierarchies as certain kinds of work were considered superior to others.
• Political exploitation of identities: Caste-based social hierarchy has for long been exploited by political parties to expand their base and win elections. Social groups were empowered and disempowered based on electoral calculations.

Way Forward

• Ensure social mobility: Make use of technology, which is a democratising and equalising force, rather than linked to caste.
• Democratising technology with the aim of building a more democratic and egalitarian society. Technology should be deployed in physical labour in the same way it is used in work requiring mental or intellectual labour.
• Ensure access of quality education: Education is the most potent enabler of social mobility.
• Ensuring a life of dignity to all: The government is also ensuring a life of dignity for all by providing food, health, employment opportunities and roads in remote villages.