Salient Features of Indian Society — Practice Questions
UPSC-pattern practice questions on the salient features of Indian society: Census 2011 data, minorities, sociological concepts and Mains frameworks.
Questions
These are original UPSC-pattern practice questions. Attempt each one before revealing the answer.
According to Census 2011, which of the following is the correct descending order of religious communities by share of India’s population?
Solution
Census 2011: Hindus 79.8%, Muslims 14.2%, Christians 2.3%, Sikhs 1.7%, Buddhists 0.7%, Jains 0.4%.
- B is wrong — Christians (2.3%) are ahead of Sikhs (1.7%).
- C is wrong — Muslims are the second-largest community.
- D is wrong — Buddhists (0.7%) are below Sikhs.
Answer: A
Which of the following communities are notified as minorities at the national level under the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992?
- Jains
- Parsis
- Buddhists
- Lingayats
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Solution
Six communities are notified: Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis (Zoroastrians) and Jains — Jains were added in 2014. Lingayats are not a nationally notified minority, which rules out D; A and B omit notified communities.
Answer: C
Consider the following pairs:
| Concept | Sociologist |
|---|---|
| 1. Sanskritisation | M.N. Srinivas |
| 2. Universalisation and parochialisation | McKim Marriott |
| 3. Six features of caste | G.S. Ghurye |
How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
Solution
All three are correct. Srinivas coined Sanskritisation (and Westernisation, dominant caste). McKim Marriott, from his study of the village of Kishan Garhi, described universalisation and parochialisation. Ghurye listed six features of caste in Caste and Race in India (1932).
Answer: D
Which one of the following Fundamental Duties refers explicitly to the composite culture of India?
Solution
Article 51A(f) — to value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture.
- 51A(c): uphold and protect the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India.
- 51A(e): promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood; renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women — close, but it does not use “composite culture”.
- 51A(g): protect and improve the natural environment.
Answer: C
Mains
Has caste lost its relevance in understanding contemporary Indian society? Examine.
Solution
Introduction: Caste, in Ghurye’s description, combined segmental division, hierarchy, endogamy and occupational restriction. Constitutional equality, urbanisation and the market have weakened several of these features — but not all.
Body:
- Weakened: ritual purity and pollution in public spaces; hereditary occupation; commensality restrictions in cities; legal untouchability (Article 17, PCR Act 1955).
- Persisting: endogamy in most marriages; caste-based residential clustering; atrocities against Dalits (hence the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989); caste in electoral mobilisation.
- Transformed: caste associations as interest groups; demands for reservation and sub-classification; caste as an identity of assertion for historically excluded groups.
- Data debate: the decision (April 2025) to enumerate caste in the next Census shows caste remains central to policy.
Conclusion: Caste has lost much of its ritual meaning but gained political and economic meaning. It remains indispensable for understanding inequality, mobility and politics in India.
What are the bonds that have sustained unity in Indian society despite its diversity? Discuss with examples.
Solution
Introduction: India’s diversity — 121 languages and six major religions (Census 2011), regional cultures and thousands of jatis — has been held together by a combination of civilisational, cultural, economic and constitutional bonds.
Body:
- Geo-political: the idea of Bharatvarsha; the national movement’s pan-Indian appeal.
- Sacred geography: pilgrimage circuits such as the Char Dham and dargahs that draw pilgrims across regions.
- Cultural synthesis: Bhakti and Sufi traditions; shared music, architecture and festivals.
- Constitutional: one Constitution, single citizenship, integrated judiciary, all-India services, universal adult franchise; Articles 29, 30, 350A protect diversity within unity.
- Accommodative federalism: linguistic reorganisation (1956), Sixth Schedule autonomy, Article 371 special provisions.
- Economic: national market, migration and remittances.
Conclusion: India’s unity is not uniformity but a negotiated, institutional unity. Strengthening inclusive institutions and fraternity, as the Preamble envisages, keeps diversity a source of strength.