16 MCQs on Caste and Tribe in India: Concepts, Features & Changes With Answers & Explanations

Test your knowledge of caste and tribe in India with these 16 multiple-choice questions. Learn about their concepts, features, and changes with detailed answers and explanations.

1. Which of the following is a primary characteristic of the caste system in India?

A) Social mobility
B) Endogamy
C) Absence of hierarchy
D) Equal social status

✅ Answer: B) Endogamy
📝 Explanation: The caste system in India is characterized by endogamy, meaning individuals marry within their own caste to maintain social hierarchy and purity.

2. Who is considered the main sociologist behind the study of caste in India?

A) Karl Marx
B) Emile Durkheim
C) M.N. Srinivas
D) Auguste Comte

✅ Answer: C) M.N. Srinivas
📝 Explanation: M.N. Srinivas made significant contributions to the study of caste, coining concepts such as "Sanskritization" and "Dominant Caste."

3. Which of the following is NOT a feature of the caste system?

A) Ascribed status
B) Social mobility
C) Hierarchical ordering
D) Occupational restrictions

✅ Answer: B) Social mobility
📝 Explanation: The caste system traditionally limits social mobility, as status is ascribed by birth rather than personal achievement.

4. What is "Sanskritization"?

A) The process of caste discrimination
B) The adoption of higher caste practices by lower castes
C) The exclusion of lower castes from education
D) The intermixing of all castes

✅ Answer: B) The adoption of higher caste practices by lower castes
📝 Explanation: M.N. Srinivas introduced the term "Sanskritization" to describe how lower castes adopt upper-caste customs to improve their social status.

5. Which constitutional provision abolishes "untouchability" in India?

A) Article 14
B) Article 15
C) Article 17
D) Article 19

✅ Answer: C) Article 17
📝 Explanation: Article 17 of the Indian Constitution abolishes untouchability and makes its practice punishable by law.

6. What is the primary difference between caste and tribe?

A) Castes have strict endogamy, while tribes do not
B) Tribes follow a rigid social hierarchy
C) Castes are egalitarian, whereas tribes are hierarchical
D) Tribes are only found in urban areas

✅ Answer: A) Castes have strict endogamy, while tribes do not
📝 Explanation: While caste follows strict endogamy, tribal societies often have more flexible marriage rules and are less hierarchical.

7. Which of the following is a key feature of tribal society?

A) Urban lifestyle
B) Kinship-based social organization
C) Occupational specialization
D) Rigid hierarchy

✅ Answer: B) Kinship-based social organization
📝 Explanation: Tribes are traditionally organized around kinship ties and often function as close-knit social groups.

8. The term "Dominant Caste" was introduced by:

A) B.R. Ambedkar
B) M.N. Srinivas
C) G.S. Ghurye
D) Louis Dumont

✅ Answer: B) M.N. Srinivas
📝 Explanation: The term "Dominant Caste" refers to a caste that holds economic, political, and numerical dominance in a region.

9. Scheduled Tribes (STs) in India are identified based on:

A) Economic backwardness only
B) Social and geographical isolation
C) Religious identity
D) Political representation

✅ Answer: B) Social and geographical isolation
📝 Explanation: Scheduled Tribes are identified based on their distinct cultural traditions, geographical isolation, and social marginalization.

10. Which law provides for the protection of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes against atrocities?

A) The Indian Penal Code
B) The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989
C) The Civil Rights Act
D) The Hindu Code Bill

✅ Answer: B) The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989
📝 Explanation: This act seeks to prevent atrocities against SCs and STs and provides special protection and legal remedies.

11. Which tribal movement was led by Birsa Munda?

A) Santhal Rebellion
B) Tana Bhagat Movement
C) Munda Rebellion
D) Kol Rebellion

✅ Answer: C) Munda Rebellion
📝 Explanation: Birsa Munda led the Munda Rebellion (1899-1900) against British oppression and feudal landlords in tribal regions.

12. Which of the following is NOT a factor affecting caste-based social change in India?

A) Industrialization
B) Sanskritization
C) Religious orthodoxy
D) Urbanization

✅ Answer: C) Religious orthodoxy
📝 Explanation: Modern factors such as industrialization, urbanization, and Sanskritization have contributed to changes in the caste system.

13. Tribes in India are primarily concentrated in which areas?

A) Coastal regions
B) Urban centers
C) Hilly and forested regions
D) Desert areas

✅ Answer: C) Hilly and forested regions
📝 Explanation: Most tribal populations reside in hilly, forested, and remote areas with limited access to mainstream development.

14. The Constitution of India recognizes Scheduled Tribes under which Article?

A) Article 46
B) Article 342
C) Article 326
D) Article 30

✅ Answer: B) Article 342
📝 Explanation: Article 342 provides for the identification and listing of Scheduled Tribes by the President.

15. Which of the following is an example of a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) in India?

A) Bhils
B) Gonds
C) Sentinelese
D) Rajputs

✅ Answer: C) Sentinelese
📝 Explanation: The Sentinelese are one of the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) with minimal outside contact.

16. Who wrote the book "Caste in India: Its Nature, Function, and Origins"?

A) G.S. Ghurye
B) B.R. Ambedkar
C) M.N. Srinivas
D) Louis Dumont

✅ Answer: B) B.R. Ambedkar
📝 Explanation: Dr. B.R. Ambedkar critically analyzed caste in his book "Caste in India: Its Nature, Function, and Origins."

Conclusion

These 16 MCQs provide a deep dive into Caste and Tribe in India, covering key concepts, features, and social changes. Understanding these topics is crucial for competitive exams, sociology students, and general knowledge seekers.