Caste

It is a permanent group in which status of an individual is fixed through heredity alone that tend to be fixed and immobile.
The members of caste usually create Biradri in Indo pak societies.
Characteristics of caste:

Caste is a permanent group having its status ascribed at birth. It cannot be changed.

Caste is a system of stratification.
Caste is hierarchical divisions.
Caste is a closed social group.
Sub culture: every caste has its own norms which can be different from others.
Social control: every caste has its own informal methods of social control.

Merits of caste system:

Biradri system….with intermarriages belonging to one caste.
Social solidarity high.
Norms are forceful and offer social control if violated members are thrown out of biradri.
Castes are endogamous... means they marry within caste.
Demerits of caste system:
Ethnocentrism among the members of one caste
Norms of castes are rigid in nature
New elements of changes are rejected resistance to change.
Marriage out of caste is rejected considered violation.

Difference between caste and class system in Pakistan :


Class is flexible
Class can change
Class does not form biradri
Class can be exogamous
There is less ethnocentrism in class
Feeling of association is less strong in classes
There is less solidarity in classes
Class favors social change
Classes do not have norms

Caste is rigid
Caste cannot change
Castes form biradri system
Castes are endogamous
Caste are ethnocentric
Feelings of association are more stronger in castes
There is more solidarity in castes
Castes reject social change
Castes have their own norms

Biradri:
It is the group of people belonging to same caste, intermarryying together.
Two or more families related to each other are called biradri.
People of biradri do not necessarily live at the same place.
There may be different languages, styles, and customs in biradri.
Old biradries having same caste are still strong in Pakistan. They have more rigid norms.
Social violations in biradries are strictly condemned.
Endogamy is a strict condition in some of the biradries.