Selfstudy Content

# Meaning of Scheduled Caste Scheduled caste are those caste/races in the country that suffer from extreme social, educational and economic backwardness arising out of age old practice of untouchability and certain others on account of lack of infrastructure facilities and geographical isolation, and who need special consideration for safeguarding their interests and for their accelerated socio-economic development. Scheduled castes are those castes which were placed at the bottom in the traditional caste system. Usually, they used to perform unclean occupations. So they were treated as polluted and impure. The concept of polluted and impure made them untouchables.  Various names appears for them in literature dealing with scheduled caste. E.g., Shudras, das, chaandal, malechha, untouchables and harijans. In modern literature, the scheduled castes are sometimes referred to as Dalit, meaning ‘broken’ or ‘dispersed’. This term has been popularized by B.R. Ambedkar. Ambedkar preferred the

# Meaning of Varna System The Sanskrit word for caste is Varna which means colour. The caste stratification of the Indian Society had its origin in the Chaturvarna system. According to this doctrine the Hindu society was divided into four varnas- Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudra. The ideology is epitomized in texts like Manusmriti, which describes and ranks four varnas, and prescribes their occupations, requirements and duties or Dharma. (a) Brahmins: Vedic scholars, priests or teachers. (b) Kshatriyas: Rulers, administrators or warriors. (c) Vaishyas: Agriculturalists, farmers or merchants. (d) Shudras: Artisans, laborers or servants. The Varna system prevalent during the Vedic period was mainly based on division of labor and occupation. The caste system owns its origin to the Varna system. In India, communities which belong to one of the four Varnas or classes are called savarna Hindus. The Dalits and tribals which do not belong to any varna were called avarna . # Differenc