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Every society ranks people into different layers based on wealth, power, prestige, birth, education or gender. This ranking is called social stratification. In India, stratification is commonly studied through caste, class and gender. Sociology also studies social mobility—movement of individuals/groups from one layer to another. This unit is very important for exams because “caste vs class” and “types of mobility” are frequent questions.
Social stratification is the division of society into different layers (strata) based on unequal access to resources, power and status.
Common bases:
Caste is a hereditary social group into which a person is born. Traditionally it decides status, occupation and social relations.
Social class is a group of people who share similar economic position and lifestyle. Class is generally based on income, occupation, education and property.
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Every society ranks people into different layers based on wealth, power, prestige, birth, education or gender. This ranking is called social stratification. In India, stratification is commonly studied through caste, class and gender. Sociology also studies social mobility—movement of individuals/groups from one layer to another. This unit is very important for exams because “caste vs class” and “types of mobility” are frequent questions.
Social stratification is the division of society into different layers (strata) based on unequal access to resources, power and status.
Common bases:
Caste is a hereditary social group into which a person is born. Traditionally it decides status, occupation and social relations.
Social class is a group of people who share similar economic position and lifestyle. Class is generally based on income, occupation, education and property.
Gender stratification refers to unequal status and opportunities based on gender. Examples:
Improving gender equality requires education, legal protection and change in attitudes.
Social mobility means movement of individuals or groups from one social status/class to another.
In modern India, caste influences are reducing in many areas due to:
However, caste and gender inequalities still exist in different forms, so continuous reforms and attitude change are needed.
Stratification affects access to education, jobs, income, power and dignity. Sociology studies it to understand inequality and solutions.
When education and jobs are open, mobility increases and society becomes more flexible and merit-based.
From this topic
Social stratification has the following features:
(Any three features can be written.)
Caste and class differ as follows:
(Any three differences can be written.)
Social stratification refers to the division of society into different layers based on inequality. In every society, people do not enjoy the same opportunities and rewards. Some groups have more wealth, power and prestige, while others have less. This creates social ranking and social distance.
Social stratification is based on different factors. One important base in India is caste. Caste is a birth-based group and traditionally fixed a person’s status, marriage rules and often occupation. Because caste is ascribed by birth, mobility is limited, so it acts as a closed system of stratification.
Another base is class. Class is mainly based on economic position such as income, property, occupation and education. Class system is comparatively open because individuals can improve their position through education, skills and better jobs.
Gender is also a major base of stratification. Gender stratification refers to unequal power and opportunities given to men and women. In many cases women face discrimination in education, employment, wages and decision making. Traditional gender roles can restrict opportunities and create inequality.
Thus, caste, class and gender create different forms of stratification and influence a person’s life chances such as education, occupation, income and social status.