Discrimination against individuals based on caste would seem to be a relic of the past. Even in India, where the caste system was most rigid, the practice has been officially banned since 1950.

FILE - Members of the audience listen to a speaker at a rally organized by National Conference of Dalit Organisations in New Delhi, India, Sunday, Dec. 5, 2005. Dalits, who belong to the lowest of ...

For millions across India, a rigid caste system thousands of years old still dictates much of daily life – from social circles to dating pools to job opportunities and schooling. The Indian government ...

Caste is an ancient system of social hierarchy based on one’s birth that is tied to concepts of purity and social status. Its history, evolution and current state are complicated. A move to outlaw ...

On August 23, a multi-party delegation of politicians led by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi to press the demand for holding a caste-based census in the ...

Vikki Velasquez is a researcher and writer who has managed, coordinated, and directed various community and nonprofit organizations. She has conducted in-depth research on social and economic issues ...

There are about 2.5 million people of Indian descent living in the United States today. While India’s rich food and dance are celebrated in America, the caste system which Indian emigrants came from ...

Why do people defend social systems that oppress them? Why do the marginalized sometimes work to uphold structures and arrangements that limit their potential? These questions are not just ...

Many of the patterns described in this report vary by caste. In India, castes are hereditary social classes. Historically, the caste someone was born into determined their status in the social ...

This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. Caste is an ancient system of social ...