Features of Indian Society | Social Issue for UPSC 2024 (Pre & Mains) PDF Download

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• There can be various ways to imagine various features of Indian Society.  
• Since India is a great landmass covering diverse geographies, it has a great diversity in its features.  
Broadly, we can say the following are the features of Indian Society 
• Multi-Lingual  
• Multi-Ethnic 
• Multi-Racial 
• Multi-Cuisine 
• Multi-Religious 
• Multi-Class 
• Caste Based, etc. 
The Traditional Indian Society can be seen using the following dimensions 
• Hierarchy 
o Seen in 
? Caste  
? Gender Roles  
? Age, etc. 
• Collectivity Oriented 
•  Ascriptive  
• Rural 
But i t ’ s rapidly transforming into 
• Modern  
• Achievement Oriented  
• Individualist  
• Class Driven  
• Technology Oriented 
Framework 1 
• It can be best understood using the framework of 
o  Continuity  
o Change 
• There is a lot of continuity in Indian tradition as well as processes as well as a sense of continuous change in them. 
• While we are continuing with the idea of 
o Hierarchy (example: seen in Caste, gender relations, religions, jobs, etc.) 
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• There can be various ways to imagine various features of Indian Society.  
• Since India is a great landmass covering diverse geographies, it has a great diversity in its features.  
Broadly, we can say the following are the features of Indian Society 
• Multi-Lingual  
• Multi-Ethnic 
• Multi-Racial 
• Multi-Cuisine 
• Multi-Religious 
• Multi-Class 
• Caste Based, etc. 
The Traditional Indian Society can be seen using the following dimensions 
• Hierarchy 
o Seen in 
? Caste  
? Gender Roles  
? Age, etc. 
• Collectivity Oriented 
•  Ascriptive  
• Rural 
But i t ’ s rapidly transforming into 
• Modern  
• Achievement Oriented  
• Individualist  
• Class Driven  
• Technology Oriented 
Framework 1 
• It can be best understood using the framework of 
o  Continuity  
o Change 
• There is a lot of continuity in Indian tradition as well as processes as well as a sense of continuous change in them. 
• While we are continuing with the idea of 
o Hierarchy (example: seen in Caste, gender relations, religions, jobs, etc.) 
o Religion 
o Family  
o Transcendence (ideas like Moksha, afterlife, spirituality, etc.) 
o  Patriarchy 
o Ascriptive Identities 
• We are also witnessing continuous changes like 
o Equality (in Law, Rise of middle class comprising diverse groups and people) 
o Secularism in various fields  
o  Nuclearization of family (from earlier joint family)  
o Rise of Materialism 
o  Increased emphasis on women’s participation in various fields 
o  Rise of Achieved Identities, possibility of mobility 
Framework 2 
• We can also see the features of Indian Society on the basis of 
o Fact: What is there on the ground. The reality. 
o Value: What is desired. 
• Examples 
o While we value duties, we also see a lot of acceptance of corruption in the society.  
o While Joint Family, respect and service of elders is valued, we also see rising cases of Nuclear Families. 
o While woman is seen as a goddess and is worshipped, we often see cases of dastardly violence against 
women.  
o While we talk of Vasudeva Kutumbakam, we also practice intolerance towards those having varied 
ideologies, religions, castes, gender, etc. 
o  While we talk of worshiping mother Earth, river Ganga, we are often accused of having the most polluted 
rivers and land. 
o  While we river Cow, they are often left to roam on the roads, eating plastic and garbage. While we preach 
equality, we also witness Politicisation of Caste, Religion and other primordial identities. 
Framework 3 
• Another framework that we can use is 
o Diversity  
o Unity 
• We witness a diverse range of 
o Languages 
o  Foods 
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• There can be various ways to imagine various features of Indian Society.  
• Since India is a great landmass covering diverse geographies, it has a great diversity in its features.  
Broadly, we can say the following are the features of Indian Society 
• Multi-Lingual  
• Multi-Ethnic 
• Multi-Racial 
• Multi-Cuisine 
• Multi-Religious 
• Multi-Class 
• Caste Based, etc. 
The Traditional Indian Society can be seen using the following dimensions 
• Hierarchy 
o Seen in 
? Caste  
? Gender Roles  
? Age, etc. 
• Collectivity Oriented 
•  Ascriptive  
• Rural 
But i t ’ s rapidly transforming into 
• Modern  
• Achievement Oriented  
• Individualist  
• Class Driven  
• Technology Oriented 
Framework 1 
• It can be best understood using the framework of 
o  Continuity  
o Change 
• There is a lot of continuity in Indian tradition as well as processes as well as a sense of continuous change in them. 
• While we are continuing with the idea of 
o Hierarchy (example: seen in Caste, gender relations, religions, jobs, etc.) 
o Religion 
o Family  
o Transcendence (ideas like Moksha, afterlife, spirituality, etc.) 
o  Patriarchy 
o Ascriptive Identities 
• We are also witnessing continuous changes like 
o Equality (in Law, Rise of middle class comprising diverse groups and people) 
o Secularism in various fields  
o  Nuclearization of family (from earlier joint family)  
o Rise of Materialism 
o  Increased emphasis on women’s participation in various fields 
o  Rise of Achieved Identities, possibility of mobility 
Framework 2 
• We can also see the features of Indian Society on the basis of 
o Fact: What is there on the ground. The reality. 
o Value: What is desired. 
• Examples 
o While we value duties, we also see a lot of acceptance of corruption in the society.  
o While Joint Family, respect and service of elders is valued, we also see rising cases of Nuclear Families. 
o While woman is seen as a goddess and is worshipped, we often see cases of dastardly violence against 
women.  
o While we talk of Vasudeva Kutumbakam, we also practice intolerance towards those having varied 
ideologies, religions, castes, gender, etc. 
o  While we talk of worshiping mother Earth, river Ganga, we are often accused of having the most polluted 
rivers and land. 
o  While we river Cow, they are often left to roam on the roads, eating plastic and garbage. While we preach 
equality, we also witness Politicisation of Caste, Religion and other primordial identities. 
Framework 3 
• Another framework that we can use is 
o Diversity  
o Unity 
• We witness a diverse range of 
o Languages 
o  Foods 
o  Religions  
o Classes 
o  Dialects, etc 
• Yet, we are united by 
o Rulers/Governments 
o  Constitution/Law 
o  Ideas (like Varna, Tolerance, Secularism, etc.) 
o  Institutions (like Caste, Patriarchy, etc.)  
o Values (like Modernity at some places or Tradition at others