Castes as Weaker Sections in Contemporary Indian Society: A Sociological Study

This Article talks about the criteria by which certain classes/groups are included in various caste categories in the Indian constitution. Basically, Indian society is a caste-ridden society. Its entire population is hierarchically arranged and divided into different sections. After independence, adopting principles based on liberty, equality and fraternity of the Indian constitution, politicians, policymakers, and other intellectuals began to think for the castes, which were low in hierarchical order in the Indian social structure. Technically, different resolutions of the Indian government have divided the weaker sections, such as EWS, OBCs, SCs and STs, on the basis of social, educational and economic backwardness. As mentioned in Article 16 and its clauses of the Indian constitution, India is committed to the welfare and development of its people in general and of vulnerable sections of society in particular. Equality of status and opportunity for all citizens of the country are guaranteed by the Constitution of India. Hence, in this article, the author has tried to locate different socially, educationally and economically weaker sections/classes into different caste categories like EWS, OBCs, SCs and STs.