Final answer:
The caste system affects India's social structure by assigning hereditary classes, stemming from ancient Hindu beliefs in karma and reincarnation. Established by the Aryans, it groups individuals into rigid social orders that still influence cultural norms and individual opportunities in contemporary India. The correct option is a) assigns everyone to a distinct class based on hereditary.
Step-by-step explanation:
The caste system impacts the social structure of India because it assigns everyone to a distinct class based on hereditary. The caste system, or jati, originates from Hindu religious beliefs and societal order principles, primarily ensuring people perform their societal functions ascribed by their caste.
The system's justification is deeply rooted in Hindu concepts of karma and reincarnation, where one's actions in past lives influence their position in the current social hierarchy. As such, it promotes the idea that one's social standing is predetermined by these past actions, thus perpetuating a hierarchy that has been resistant to change.
Based on the historical context, the caste system was formalized by the Aryans and related to one's profession, with different varnas set for priests and scholars (Brahmins), rulers and warriors (Rajanya or Kshatriya), workers and tradespeople (Vaishya), and servants (Sudra), including an additional group of outcastes or Dalits. Over time, this system has become deeply intertwined with Hindu culture and ideology.
While the caste system has officially been abolished, its effects on social order and stratification persist in modern India, with individuals often still adhering to traditional roles and facing social limitations based on their caste.