Question

Which one of the following statements is true regarding the population living below the poverty line in India?

• A. The upper castes in all religions enjoyed favourable position.
• B. Scheduled castes are in a better position.
• C. Other backward castes enjoyed higher status in society
• D. All of these

Answer 1

The correct option is A The upper castes in all religions enjoyed favourable position.

In a way, the causes of poverty in India partly rely on social structures and relations. This creates discrimination that generates “artificial” poverty: between castes and genders, between religions and tribes. It’s particularly for the Dalits (150 million people) – aka the Untouchables or Harijans – that things prove difficult. Being the out-caste “caste” (i.e. so low in the social hierarchy that technically they don't belong to any caste), they’ve never even got a chance to work in agriculture. Everyone from landowners to local farmers looks down on them and refuses them jobs on the ground of stereotypes such as “they don’t work, they steal”. The upper castes are thus the most favored. Hence, Option A is correct. The rest of the factors are not causative of poverty, hence, incorrect.