Previous Year Questions: Social Institutions: Continuity and Change - Class 10 PDF Download

Ans: (b) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, but Reason (R) is not the correct explanation of Assertion (A). 
Assertion (A): This is true. Historical and sociological studies show that many tribal groups in India have been absorbed into the caste Hindu society over time. This process, known as Sanskritization or assimilation, occurs as tribes interact with caste-based societies, adopting Hindu customs, rituals, and sometimes integrating into lower or middle rungs of the caste hierarchy depending on their socio-economic status and regional context.
Reason (R): This is also true. During the colonial period, tribal lands were colonized, and forests were extensively cut down for agriculture, infrastructure, and commercial purposes (e.g., British railway expansion). This led to displacement, loss of livelihood, and forced interaction with non-tribal societies.
Relationship: However, Reason (R) is not the correct explanation of Assertion (A). The colonization and deforestation disrupted tribal life and pushed tribes into contact with caste Hindu society, but the absorption into the caste hierarchy is more directly explained by social processes like Sanskritization, intermarriage, economic dependency, and cultural assimilation rather than just land colonization. The reason provides a contributing factor but not the sole or direct cause of the assimilation process.
Thus, the correct answer is (b).

Ans: The argument for distinguishing tribes from caste-based (Hindu) peasant society is based on the following key points:

1. Cultural and Social Organization: Tribes are typically characterized by egalitarian social structures, communal land ownership, and distinct cultural practices (e.g., animism, oral traditions), whereas caste society is hierarchical, with rigid divisions based on birth, occupation, and ritual purity.
2. Economic Base: Tribes traditionally rely on hunting-gathering, shifting cultivation, or forest-based economies, often isolated from mainstream agrarian economies. In contrast, caste-based peasant societies are integrated into a settled agricultural system with a market economy and caste-based labor divisions.

These differences highlight that tribes represent a unique socio-cultural entity, separate from the continuum of caste-based societies, rather than a mere extension of it.

Ans: The two sets of principles that theoretically define the caste system are:

1. Ascription (or Heredity)
2. Endogamy and Ritual Status

Definition of Ascription (or Heredity): Ascription refers to the principle by which caste identity is determined by birth. An individual inherits their caste from their parents and remains in that caste throughout their life, with no possibility of changing it. This hereditary nature ensures that social roles, occupations, and statuses are fixed, perpetuating the hierarchical structure of the caste system across generations. For example, a person born into a Brahmin family is expected to uphold the duties and privileges associated with that caste.

Ans:
The family is a fundamental social institution that shapes our lives in profound ways. Here’s an elaboration:

1. Primary Socialization: The family is the first social environment where individuals learn basic values, norms, and behaviors. From infancy, parents and siblings teach language, culture, and social etiquette, laying the foundation for an individual’s identity and interaction with the wider society.
2. Emotional Support: Families provide emotional security and a sense of belonging. The strong feelings we have for our family stem from the unconditional love, care, and support received during times of joy or crisis, making it a critical source of psychological well-being.
3. Economic and Social Role: Historically, families have been economic units where members contribute to survival through shared labor (e.g., farming). Today, they offer financial support and social networks, helping individuals access education, jobs, or marriage prospects, thus integrating them into society.
4. Continuity and Tradition: Families preserve cultural heritage, passing down traditions, rituals, and values across generations. This continuity strengthens social bonds and ensures the survival of collective identity, as seen in practices like joint family systems in India.
5. Life Cycle Support: From birth to old age, the family plays a pivotal role. It nurtures children, supports adults in their responsibilities, and cares for the elderly, making it an enduring structure that adapts to life’s stages.

In essence, the family is integral because it is the primary unit of socialization, emotional anchoring, and social organization, influencing our personal development and societal participation throughout life.