Salient Features of Indian Society

Don’t miss: UPSC Prelims Paper Analysis 2024

Check here: UPSC Final Result 2023

Indian society is distinguished for its capacity for tolerance and acceptance, as well as its social cohesion, which makes it exceptional in its ability to preserve its culture. The preamble of the constitution places a strong emphasis on the importance of brotherhood, making it a responsibility that falls on every citizen.

Discover Unacademy UPSC Coaching Centres in the following locations 

• IAS Coaching in Mukherjee Nagar Delhi
• IAS Coaching in Karol Bagh
• UPSC Coaching in Prayagraj

Salient Features of the Indian Society

It is rather difficult to make pointers on what are the characteristics of Indian society because the essence of Indian society lies in the fact that it harbours a diverse and distinct assortment of identities, ethnicities, languages, religions, and preferences regarding food. The annals of history bear witness to the fact that societies that have laboured mightily to maintain their differences have been shattered in the process of doing so.

On the other hand, the essential components of Indian society can be broken down into the following categories in order to clarify the situation and make it easier to grasp:

1)Multi-ethnic Society

2)Multilingual Society

3)Multi-Religious Society

4)Multi- Caste

5)Unity In Diversity

6)Patriarchal Society

7)Tribes

8)Family

9)Kinship System

10)The balance between spiritualism and materialism

11)The balance between Individualism and collectivism

12)Co-existence of traditionalism and modernity

Multi-Religious Society

India is known as the “cradle of world religions” due to the fact that its ancestors have propagated and practised the majority of the world’s major religions, which has resulted in the development of various global institutions, beliefs, practises, rites, and rituals. It has been said that the definition of a secular state is “a state in which all religions and citizens, regardless of their faith, would be treated impartially.” 

1)Hinduism: One of India’s oldest and most widely practised religions is called Hinduism. Although it is practised by the vast majority of people, its beginnings cannot be traced back to a single pioneer.

2)Islam: It is believed to have originated in Arabia around the 7th century A.D. To “surrender” oneself to God is what the word “Islam” means in Arabic. This religion was established by the Prophet Muhammad, and its adherents believe that there is only one god, Allah. 

3)Christianity: The Bible is considered by Christians to be their most sacred book.

The followers of Christianity can be further subdivided into Roman Catholics and Protestants.

4)Sikhism: Sikhism was initially established by Guru Nanak. The Guru Granth Sahib is the holy book of the Sikh religion. It contains all of the hymns and songs that were written by each of the ten Gurus who founded the religion.

5)Jainism: Ethical behaviour alone forms the foundation of Jainism as a religion. It is believed that Vardhman Mahavira, who is credited with being the founder of Jainism, was the twenty-fourth Tirthankara. In addition to this, it is further subdivided into the Shwetambara and Digambara sects. 

6)Buddhism: One could say that Buddhism is a universal religion. Even though it originated in India, followers of this religion can be found all over the world. These followers are further divided into Hinayanas and Mahayanas.

Check out the complete UPSC Syllabus

Multilingualism- salient feature of Indian society

It is common for people in India to speak and understand more than one language or dialect, which may require the use of a variety of scripts as well. India is home to a large number of indigenous languages. According to the census completed in 2011, there are 121 languages that are spoken as mother tongues in India. A mother tongue is the term given to the first language that a person learns and uses.

The Constitution of India recognises twenty-two of these languages as official languages or as languages that are “scheduled” for use in the country. The following languages are recognised by the Constitution of India as official languages of the respective states of India according to Articles 344(1) and 351 of the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India:

Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.

Kannada, Malayalam, Odia, Sanskrit, Tamil, and Telugu are the six languages that are considered to be classical languages. A classical language is one that has been documented as being used for more than 1,500 years and has a sizable body of written work associated with it. In India, languages are grouped together into language families determined by their various linguistic origins. These origins frequently involve the use of different scripts as well.

Visit to know more about UPSC Exam Pattern

Caste System in Indian Society

There is something peculiar about the way society is divided in India. In contrast to the social hierarchies that existed in many other civilizations around the world, such as those based on race, ethnicity, or clan affiliation, Indian society is organised according to a caste system. The word “caste” originates from the Portuguese word “Caste,” which means breed and is intended to be used for the purpose of classifying people according to the degree to which their blood is untainted.

Caste is a social stratification system that is exclusive to India, in particular the traditional society and practices of Hinduism. It is imposed as a divine law, and it has wide-ranging sanction throughout the society.

The word “caste” in Sanskrit is “Varna,” which literally translates to “colour.” The chaturvarna system is where the Indian caste system got its start. Caste is a social stratification found in Indian society. During the time of the Vedas, there were four different social orders known as Varnas or castes. These were the Brahmins, the Kshatriyas, the Vishayas, and the Shudras.

This division was accomplished through the division of labour as well as occupations. Along with denoting occupation, it also referred to endogamy, which is when two people marry within their own caste, as well as the idea of purity and pollution in relation to dietary restrictions, clothing, and language.

Also read about Tips for UPSC Preparation

Conclusion

Indian society is distinguished for its capacity for tolerance and acceptance, as well as its social cohesion, which makes it exceptional in its ability to preserve its culture. The preamble of the constitution places a strong emphasis on the importance of brotherhood, making it a responsibility that falls on every citizen.It is rather difficult to make pointers on what are the characteristics of Indian society because the essence of Indian society lies in the fact that it harbours a diverse and distinct assortment of identities, ethnicities, languages, religions, and preferences regarding food. The essential components of Indian society can be broken down into the 12 categories  and few of them are described above.