Final answer:
The caste system in India is an example of social inequality, where people are born into a social status they cannot change. This system determines various aspects of life and is intertwined with Hindu religious beliefs.
Step-by-step explanation:
Social inequality is exemplified in the caste system of India. A caste system is a system of social inequality based on the circumstances of birth, where individuals cannot move out of the social group they are born into. This system affects various aspects of life, including occupations, marriage partners, and housing, with individual talents and interests having no bearing on the opportunity to improve one's social standing.
The Hindu caste system, also known as jati, historically assigned people their roles in society via four primary castes or varnas: the Brahmins, the Kshatriya, the Vaishya, and the Sudra, along with the outcastes or 'untouchables' now called Dalits. Because this system is intimately connected with religious beliefs about karma and reincarnation, a person's social position is considered a result of their past actions carried over from previous lives. While today, legal discrimination based on the caste system is no longer permitted, social remnants of this system persist, indicating its long-term impact on Indian society. Furthermore, sociologists note that closed systems like the caste system limit social mobility, maintaining established social orders.