Question
(Q7) 'The caste system has no place in modern Hinduism.' Evaluate this statement. (12 marks)
Mark scheme (levelled):
Level 4 (10–12) — Both sides developed; reasoned conclusion.
Agree: India's 1950 Constitution outlawed caste discrimination; many modern Hindus (including Mahatma Gandhi) condemned the treatment of Dalits ("Harijans" — children of God). Reform Hindu movements (Arya Samaj, ISKCON) reject caste hierarchy as cultural rather than scriptural. Caste contradicts the Upanishadic teaching that all atman is Brahman.
Disagree: Caste appears in the Rig Veda's Purusha Sukta; it has been a part of Hindu society for millennia. Some argue it provides social structure; others note continued social/marriage practices in India and the diaspora.
Reasoned conclusion (most students argue caste should have no place — but acknowledge persistence).
Level 3 (7–9); Level 2 (4–6); Level 1 (1–3); 0 — no relevant content.
12 marks · take your time before peeking.
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Generated by TopMyGrade AI · cross-check official sources before relying on the mark-scheme phrasing.