2. What is Social Stratification?
Refers to the practice of classifying people based on caste,
income, education, colour, gender, occupation, intelligence, etc.
Stratification is done by society – not a written rule or guide
Economic stratification results in rich and poor – lot of poor
children do not have access to nutritious food
Social stratification created by society based on caste system:
Untouchables or Shudras are considered lower caste as they used to
perform low level jobs – Birth does not determine upper class or lower
class – social evil
Everyone has right to equal opportunity in democratic India
Stratification also present in other countries like US –White
population treated the blacks as their slaves & traded them
Stratification leads to inequality & differences
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3. Prejudice Created Due to Discrimination
The Whole Mankind is ONE – Kannada Poet Pampa
Discrimination exists based on caste, gender, region,
rich and poor creating prejudice in minds of people
Prejudice -people forming opinion of another
person/community without even knowing them
Opinions can be positive or negative
Prejudices leads to impatience, contempt, disrespect &
hatred
Causes social inequality that leads to conflicts
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4. Untouchability – Social Evil
Stratification in India can be seen in the caste system
Untouchables were not provided social equality – were
prevented from entering temples, houses of certain people,
sitting on the floor, etc.
Things are changing but still some parts of country practice this
Untouchability is a stigma in Hindu society – Mahatma Gandhi
Constitution of India provides guarantees & provisions:
Untouchables are now provided reservations in education & government
jobs to remove the suppression from ages
Literacy of people has gradually reduced this social evil
Promoting social harmony
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5. Measures to Eradicate Untouchability
Swami Vivekananda, Jyotiba Phule, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar worked
or wiping stigma of untouchability
Many laws have been enforced to prevent practiceof
untochabiltiy:
Section 17 of consititution prohibits this practice
“Untouchability Crime Act” implemented in 1955
“Citizens Right Protection Act” in 1976 – makes practice of untochability
as punishable offence
Right to equality is granted in constitution to all people of India
Regulation of 1989 confers special responsibility on state governments
for eradication of untouchability
India has moved in the right direction to eradicate this social evil
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