Do Evaluations Based On Caste Group Individuals Unfairly?

 

This author believes so. The Wall Street Journal has reported that India will be adding a caste-related query to their 2011 census. The origin of the term caste itself is best explained by the National Conference of Dalit Organisations as being “derived from the Portuguese word casta, meaning lineage, breed or race” adding that it is “the hereditarily imposed social status on an individual, family, group or community in a highly stratified Indian and South Asian Society.” This definition is important to the understanding of India’s caste system as it links the word caste to traits often beyond an individual’s control, traits such as ancestry.

As a former student in a class about World Religions, I remember learning about filial piety and how it equated to respect for one’s elders. Despite originating outside of India, respecting those older than you is or was a characteristic often embedded in children by their parents. Hence, the potential for a census to differentiate based on traits beyond one’s control would likely fuel the divide between castes in India. With that said, this information could be used to give a helping hand to lower income families and as The Wall Street Journal continues, “India does count those on the lowest rung—known as Dalits—for special programs and quotas in government jobs and education.” Ultimately it will be the management of that information once gathered that determines if the census is doing more harm than good but until that date it appears the controversy will pursue India’s caste system.

I started this blog entry saying how I believed evaluations based on caste group individuals unfairly if not for sole reason that it evaluates traits beyond their control. Yet, as I write this conclusion, I believe current programs in India reserved for those of a lower caste does help a family survive. Yet, is it right to make a distinction based on traits beyond your control? History is only too riddled with examples of states which followed that ideology to the extreme and hence this issue is truly global. As mentioned earlier, it will come down to management of that information, should the query addition be finalized.