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General Studies 2024 GS Paper I 10 marks 150 words Compulsory Discuss

GS Paper I — Q9

Intercaste marriages between castes which have socio-economic parity have increased, to some extent, but this is less true of…

Intercaste marriages between castes which have socio-economic parity have increased, to some extent, but this is less true of interreligious marriages. Discuss. (Answer in 150 words) 10 marks

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

समान सामाजिक-आर्थिक पक्ष वाली जातियों के बीच अंतर्जातीय विवाह कुछ हद तक बढ़े हैं, किन्तु अंतर्धार्मिक विवाहों के बारे में यह कम सच है। विवेचना कीजिए। (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

Q9 of the 2024 UPSC Mains General Studies GS Paper I, as printed
The question as printed in the 2024 General Studies paper
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Model answer

Written by UPSC Answer Check against this question's marking rubric, to the 150-word length. UPSC does not publish answers for Mains — this is one way to score well, not an official key.

Urbanisation, higher education, and corporate mobility have facilitated intercaste marriages, particularly among the urban upper-middle class sharing socio-economic parity. In these unions, matched earning capacity and lifestyle reduce parental status anxiety and dilute caste-based ritual barriers under the common umbrella of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. Regionally, intercaste marriages show higher prevalence in southern states, whereas interreligious marriages remain consistently low (around 2–3%) nationwide.

Interreligious unions encounter far more rigid structural resistance:

  • Religious Endogamy and Conversion Anxieties: Unlike caste, religious boundaries involve distinct scriptural injunctions, deeply entrenched endogamy, and fears of religious conversion or cultural dilution.
  • Legal and Procedural Hurdles: Couples opting for the Special Marriage Act, 1954 face intrusive 30-day public notice requirements, inviting familial backlash.
  • Sociopolitical Pressures: Stringent anti-conversion laws enacted in states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat, coupled with the polarising "love jihad" narrative, exert a severe chilling effect, particularly on Hindu-Muslim unions.

Upholding individual liberty under Article 21 requires reforming the Special Marriage Act's procedural vulnerabilities and safeguarding constitutional autonomy over community vetoes.

What "Discuss" is asking you to do

Lay the issue out from more than one side — how it arose, what is claimed for it, what is held against it, and where it now stands. UPSC attaches discuss to broad topics with several live dimensions, so coverage of the dimensions earns more than the strength of your opinion.

Structure that answers it

Set the issue up → the case as it is made → the case against → the dimension both sides leave out → where the balance now lies

Where marks are lost

Listing facts with no thread between them, or arguing one side throughout and calling it a discussion.

All UPSC directive words, compared →

How this answer will be evaluated

Approach

Framework: GS1 Society: Continuity, Data, Intersectionality, Solution. discuss: intro > 3-4 dimensions > example > balanced close Full marks: Distinguishes economic parity from religious identity with specific legal/social examples.

Key points expected

  • Define socio-economic parity as the driver for intercaste rise
  • Identify religious identity as a distinct, non-economic barrier
  • Discuss the role of social stigma in interreligious unions
  • Provide a balanced conclusion on the persistence of religious boundaries

Evaluation rubric

Each sub-part is marked on its own, against the marks and word limit printed on the paper.

  1. The answer Analyze the divergence between rising intercaste and stagnant interreligious marriages. 10 marks · 150 words

    discuss— intro → 3-4 dimensions → example → balanced close

    Must cover

    • Define socio-economic parity as the driver for intercaste rise
    • Identify religious identity as a distinct, non-economic barrier
    • Discuss the role of social stigma in interreligious unions
    • Provide a balanced conclusion on the persistence of religious boundaries

    Loses marks

    • Narrating chronology of marriage laws without analysis
    • Using emotive language instead of sociological terms
    • Failing to distinguish between caste and religion as barriers

    Earns more

    • Mention the role of urbanization in facilitating intercaste ties
    • Reference the 'Hindu Code Bill' or legal framework for marriage
    • Cite the 'Special Marriage Act' as a legal mechanism
    • Contrast caste endogamy with religious endogamy

    Extra mark

    • Cite specific data on the percentage of interreligious marriages
    • Reference a specific Supreme Court judgment on marriage rights

Practice this exact question

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