The caste system in India originated around 1500 BC when Indo-European Aryans invaded and divided people into five classes: Brahmins (priests and teachers), Kshatriyas (warriors and rulers), Vaishyas (traders and merchants), Sudras (servants and laborers), and Harijans (untouchables responsible for sanitation work). The caste system enforced social restrictions where people could not marry, interact, or eat with those outside their caste. Lower castes also faced barriers to education, temples, and intergenerational mobility.

1. Caste System
The Evolution and the Effects of
Indian Caste System
-Anand Jhunjhunwala
BBM-B
Trimester – I
Roll No. 3

2. Origin
• Indo-European Aryans invaded our country in
1500 BC
• They were warriors who established control
and began to restructure our social
classifications.
• Under their influence, people were divided
into five different classes.

3. The Different Castes

4. The Brahmins
• Members of the highest
caste
• Priests and teachers of
Sanskrit
• Performed religious
duties and preached
Dharma
• Only caste allowed to
teach and attend school

5. The Kshatriyas
• Ranked below the
Brahmins
• Functioned as warriors
or army leaders
• Apart of the miltary.
• Had Political influence
• Women could not be
warriors but could
belong to this class.

6. The Vaishyas
• Below the Kshatriyas
• Traders, cattle
farmers, minor
officials, merchants and
artisans
• Owned their own
business or farm land
• There were many more
people in this caste
than the Kshatriyas or
Brahmins

7. The Sudras
• Below the Vaishyas
• Servants and
Farmhands
• Did not own their own
lands or businesses
• Were employed by
members of higher
castes
• The most populous
caste

8. The Harijans
• Known as
“Untouchables, Pariahs”
• Technically not even a
caste, below all others
• Responsible for
handling the
dead, cleaning human
wastes, and collecting
garbage.

9. Caste System in Practice
• People from different
castes could not
marry, befriend or eat
with each other
(especially sudras and
harijans with upper
castes)
• Lower castes could not
attend schools
• They were not allowed
in temples
• Impossible to change
castes
• Caste passed down to
generations by family