Social Institutions: Continuity and Change
Short Questions with answers
1. What are the three key social institutions discussed in this chapter?
Answer : Caste, tribe, and family.
2. What is the origin of the word ‘caste’?
Answer : It comes from the Portuguese word casta, meaning pure breed.
3. What does the term ‘varna’ mean?
Answer : It means color and represents a fourfold classification in society.
4. What is the meaning of ‘jati’?
Answer : Jati refers to species or kinds, commonly used to denote caste.
5. When did the caste system become rigid?
Answer : During the post-Vedic period.
6. What was the role of occupation in caste?
Answer : Occupations were hereditary and linked to specific castes.
7. What does ‘endogamy’ mean in the caste system?
Answer : It means marrying within one’s caste group.
8. What are Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes?
Answer : These are groups identified for affirmative action to address discrimination.
9. Who founded the Satyashodhak Samaj?
Answer : Jotirao Govindrao Phule in 1873.
10. What is ‘Sanskritisation’?
Answer : It is the process by which lower castes adopt higher caste practices to improve their status.
11. What is a dominant caste?
Answer : A caste with significant land, population, and political influence.
12. How did colonialism affect the caste system?
Answer : It rigidified caste through censuses and administrative interventions.
13. What percentage of India’s population is tribal?
Answer : About 8.6% (2011 Census).
14. What are two major criteria for classifying tribes?
Answer : Permanent traits (region, language) and acquired traits (livelihood, assimilation).
15. What is the largest tribe in India?
Answer : The Gonds.
16. What is a nuclear family?
Answer : A family with only one set of parents and their children.
17. What is an extended family?
Answer : A family with more than one couple or multiple generations living together.
18. What is matriliny?
Answer : A system where inheritance is traced through the mother.
19. What is patriliny?
Answer : A system where inheritance is traced through the father.
20. What is the main rule of residence in Indian families?
Answer : Patrilocal, where the wife moves to the husband’s family home.
21. What is the percentage of tribal populations in the Northeast states?
Answer : More than 30%, with some states having up to 95% tribal populations.
22. What is the difference between caste and tribe?
Answer : Castes are hierarchical, while tribes are egalitarian.
23. What does ‘tribalism’ refer to?
Answer : The conscious assertion of tribal identity.
24. What has led to tribal movements in India?
Answer : Issues of land rights, cultural identity, and resource control.
25. What are the key differences between caste and class?
Answer : Caste is hereditary, while class is based on economic status.
26. What is ‘kinship’?
Answer : Social relationships based on blood, marriage, or adoption.
27. What does the term ‘matrilocal’ mean?
Answer : A system where the couple resides with the wife’s family after marriage.
28. What is patriarchy?
Answer : A social system where men hold primary power in families and society.
29. What is the main focus of the chapter?
Answer : It examines continuity and change in caste, tribe, and family in Indian society.
30. What is one impact of modernization on caste?
Answer : Caste has become less visible in urban areas but remains strong in politics.
Medium Questions with answers
1. How did the colonial period shape the caste system?
Answer : The British conducted censuses that recorded caste identities, making them rigid. Colonial policies also created hierarchies within castes for administrative purposes. These changes altered the fluid nature of caste.
2. What are the main features of the caste system?
Answer : Caste is hereditary, involves endogamy, follows occupation-linked roles, and has a hierarchical structure. It also imposes strict rules on food and social interactions. These features define the rigid boundaries of caste.
3. What is the difference between varna and jati?
Answer : Varna is a broad classification into four groups (Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Shudra). Jati is a regional or local classification involving thousands of sub-castes. Varna provides a theoretical framework, while jati is more practical.
4. What are Scheduled Castes and Tribes?
Answer : Scheduled Castes and Tribes are groups identified for state benefits to address historical discrimination. Scheduled Castes include Dalits, while Scheduled Tribes represent indigenous groups. Reservations provide education and job opportunities.
5. What is the concept of Sanskritisation?
Answer : Sanskritisation involves lower castes adopting higher caste practices like rituals, language, and food habits. It helps improve social status but does not challenge the caste hierarchy. It reflects social mobility within caste systems.
6. How has caste influenced Indian politics?
Answer : Caste plays a crucial role in electoral strategies and party politics. Caste-based political parties have emerged to represent specific groups. While it empowers marginalized communities, it can also reinforce caste divisions.
7. What are the permanent traits used to classify tribes?
Answer : Permanent traits include region, language, physical characteristics, and ecological habitats. These traits highlight the diversity among tribal communities. Tribes are concentrated in specific areas like the Northeast and central India.
8. What role does family play in Indian society?
Answer : Family is a space of care and conflict, shaping personal and social lives. It influences inheritance, marriage, and kinship systems. Changes in family structures reflect broader societal transformations.
9. What is the difference between matriliny and matriarchy?
Answer : Matriliny traces inheritance through the mother, while matriarchy involves female dominance. Matriliny exists in societies like the Khasis, but true matriarchy is rare. These systems contrast with patriarchal norms.
10. What are tribal movements fighting for today?
Answer : Tribal movements focus on land rights, resource control, and cultural identity. Displacement and exploitation due to development projects are key issues. These movements assert resistance against mainstream dominance.
Long Questions with answers
1. How has caste evolved in the post-Independence period?
Answer : Caste remains influential in politics and rural areas but is less visible in urban spaces. Development policies have reduced its economic relevance for some groups. Reservation policies continue to play a vital role for marginalized castes.
2. What changes have occurred in family structures in India?
Answer : Traditional joint families are giving way to nuclear families due to urbanization and migration. Economic pressures and modern values influence family roles. Women-headed households and intergenerational caregiving are emerging trends.
3. What are the key challenges faced by tribal communities?
Answer : Tribals face displacement due to mining, deforestation, and industrial projects. Loss of land and resources disrupts their livelihoods. Cultural erosion and assimilation pressures further threaten tribal identities.
4. What is the role of caste in modern Indian society?
Answer : Caste continues to influence marriage, politics, and social mobility. While modernization has reduced its overt presence, caste-based discrimination persists. Policies like reservations address inequality but also reinforce caste identity.
5. How does the concept of kinship operate in Indian families?
Answer : Kinship defines social relationships through blood, marriage, or adoption. It shapes family roles, inheritance, and social support systems. Kinship ties are crucial in both nuclear and extended families.
6. What is the significance of tribal identity today?
Answer : Tribal identity has become a symbol of resistance against exploitation. Movements focus on protecting land, culture, and autonomy. Modern education and policies have also created a tribal middle class.
7. What is the impact of modernization on caste and tribe?
Answer : Modernization has weakened traditional hierarchies in urban areas but reinforced caste in politics. Tribes face challenges of assimilation and exploitation due to economic development. Both groups navigate change while asserting identity.
8. How does patriarchy shape Indian families?
Answer : Patriarchy gives men dominant roles in decision-making and property rights. It perpetuates gender inequality and limits women’s autonomy. However, urbanization and education are gradually challenging patriarchal norms.
9. What are the socio-economic issues faced by Scheduled Tribes?
Answer : Scheduled Tribes suffer from poverty, lack of education, and health disparities. Development projects displace them from their traditional lands. Reservation policies aim to address these inequalities but face implementation challenges.
10. How do caste and tribe differ as social institutions?
Answer : Caste is hierarchical, rigid, and based on purity and pollution. Tribe is egalitarian, community-based, and linked to nature. While caste integrates into mainstream society, tribes often resist assimilation.
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