In India we have caste system and people are recognized from the caste they belong. This system became important due to policy of the government to bring all citizens of the country on par about their economic as well as educational status. In this the constitution has developed two categories; unreserved class and reserved class. Every caste allotted a category. That way, all castes are placed in either unreserved category or reserved category. This classification was developed and confirmed when the constitution was enacted. Reserved class gives some benefits to the people belonging to that class. Reserved class comprises of four parts and they are; SC (scheduled class), O.B.C. (Other backward class) and ST (scheduled tribes) and OT (other tribes). The benefits are in the form of educational facility and employment opportunity; whereas unreserved class has no such benefits. Unreserved class includes all those higher class castes that have been benefiting due to their special status in the society that always afforded to them many benefits in education and financial opportunities in the past. Primarily, this arrangement is applicable only to Hindu castes but we see that groups of other religions also want to benefit by similar arrangement and so, lately they began to demand parallel classification to benefit poor people from those religions.

By this arrangement our policy makers want to ultimately remove the differences in educational and financial status by offering the reserved category people special benefits to overcome their difficulties. Thus they expect to reduce the gap in these two categories. Our constitution suggests that this arrangement shall continue for fifty years and after that these special facilities offered to the reserved class will be withdraw. The makers of this policy in this regards had imagined that all differences shall be removed in fifty years. However, we see that, that has not happened. On the contrary, more castes formerly included in unreserved category are demanding to be included in reserved category from the original unreserved category. We see that, the benefits offered to unreserved class attract other groups to it.

All this clearly indicates that caste system shall continue to persist in India whatever be the visualization of policy makers. Under the circumstance any attempt to derecognize castes will be only detrimental to the economic as well as educational future of those people who dare do it. While our policy makers indulge in this arrangement of reserved and unreserved categories; also want to encourage intercaste marriages. They have recently announced that if a person from unreserved category marries person of reserved category the couple shall be rewarded with a cash incentive of fifty thousand rupees. They expect to trigger such mix marriages and through that dissolve the caste differences. In cities, we see some intercaste marriages taking place in spite of resistance to such marriages from the families concerned but at village level, such intercaste marriages is taboo. Many such couples have been killed and mercilessly destroyed by burning them alive by village chiefs for not honoring the caste order. This shows that the policy maker's visualizations are not appreciated by these village chiefs as well as the society in general. There are other reasons for not accepting the policy of intercaste marriages and we shall see them now.

To understand reasons for continuing caste system, we should first attempt to know why a caste system was created by our ancestors. Only after knowing that; we can work on this topic properly. Here we should note that even though caste system evolved by natural instinct for survival, it also has some favorable effects and they, best explained when we see this caste system by genetic angle.

We know that selective breeding in animals and birds give better species; having some specific qualities enhanced. This we know that selectively developed cow gives more milk than none developed breed. Same we see in birds, selectively bred hen gives more eggs than the ordinary one. Other examples include selective breeding of goats and lambs for better quality meat and wool. This principle when applied to humans we see that by selective breeding of humans we develop a race that has some special qualities. Selective breeding of smiths give us better skilled smiths and selectively bred scholars give us more intelligent persons. Thus, selective breeding of humans has helped create better gifted persons of the respective talent; our ancestors had experienced this by observation and that lead them to allow the practice of selective breeding in humans, this eventually created a caste system. In no other human society in the world we see this caste system; even though they do practice selective breeding of animals and birds they keep. That only means that what our ancestors had observed in the early civilization in our country no other society had observed. There is a general tendency that people of similar avocation prefer to give their daughter to each other for simple reason that the life style being similar due to the trade helps the girls in adjusting to the new home they go. This also led to a practice of selective breeding without deliberate efforts. All this finally resulted in development of castes based on the avocations of the people.

Over the period social structure changed due to political and other effects and people began to practice avocations other than the stipulated one for them as per the birth and that demanded that the caste system based on avocation be changed or demolished. This gave rise to movements to eradicate castes in the Hindu society but we as yet have a large population who, nevertheless, insist that caste system be retained. There are reasons for this tendency. Over the period, each caste has created its unique style of living, dresses, language, worships, festivals, religions, food, sects and many more habits and these habits make a unique culture of that caste. People of the caste are expected to show adherence to those things by way of a prestige point. This prestige is often seen to create a barrier between any two castes; where we see that each caste wants to say that their culture is superior to that of other. By introducing the idea of intercaste marriages, our policy makers want to destroy these caste based indigenous cultures and this many people, who are proud of their particular caste based habits or cultures, will not tolerate. Our policy makers belong to typical socialistic approach and in that, these separate cultures are not acceptable, this makes them behave the way they do. The whole purpose of this approach is to ultimately destroy individual identity of people so that the government can rule on them by imposing their artificially fabricated ad hoc culture on all people.

In cities intercaste marriages can happen because, all so called cultural identities are affiliated with the village life to which these castes belong. In city that culture gets diluted as more mixed cultures are seen living together. After living in a city of many varied castes and their cultures, a person realizes the futility of the insistence on the indigenous culture. In city life people of varied culture, based on their castes, see many similarities in their culture and that of other castes. This gives tendency to forget the differences in the indigenous cultures of these castes and a desire, to merge together through intercaste marriages as simple humans, increase. This happens in case of broad minded people whereas for narrow minded people, they insist to maintain separate, refusing to merge with other communities. Intercaste marriages within these similarly cultured groups become a possibility since, by those marriages their cultures seem to not suffer. We also observe some give and take amongst different castes for their habits in food, dresses, religions, sects, language etc. Where this interchange reaches a certain level; marriages among them become feasible and socially acceptable.

Apart from other things we observe that there is a natural desire amongst women to encourage intercaste marriage, to put in more scientific terms, to crossbreed. This may be because nature wants to encourage crossbreeding while man's desire is for selective breeding. A woman is by her nature prefers to behave in more natural ways than remain loyal to the needs of her society. This tendency to look around for a foreigner as partner among women is found to be responsible for increase in intercaste marriages world over. Generally, a society is governed by men and so all what men desire becomes the law of that society (all religions are proposed by men) but where we see woman has freedom to take decision they encourage intercaste marriages or crossbreed. Where women are brainwashed by selective teaching from their childhood to follow man's law (through things like religious teachings etc.) they prefer to stay with marriages within the society or discourage crossbreeding. This shows that naturally, men prefer to avoid intercaste marriages and women prefer them. This is the reason why we find that women often encourage intercaste marriages wherever possible. Whatever resistance they show for such marriages is due to the fear of men in the society.

Intercaste marriages can create a homogeneous society at the cost of what the selective breeding has earned over many generations of that breeding. Genetic science suggests that by one such intercaste marriage effects of selective breeding can be totally lost. The progeny of that couple may not show those specific qualities for which the selective breeding was done. Skills, intelligence, and astuteness towards the particular activity will be lost. Generally the progeny of that couple may be devoid of all those special qualities.

When some scientists realized this they began to suggest that intercaste marriages are not the correct solution to create a homogeneous society of Hindus. Society is more likely to be a loser than gainer by this policy of intercaste marriages of arbitrary nature. They however, suggest that to retain the special qualities, selective breeding has developed, intercaste marriages may be allowed amongst castes having more or less similar genetic qualities. For example, communities having similar avocation if happen to marry; the genetic loss could be at the minimum, whereas marriages of dissimilar avocations can destroy genetically developed special qualities completely. That means marriages in two skilled castes such as a goldsmith and a blacksmith or carpenter may not be as dangerous as that in a Brahman and a blacksmith. There are many communities mentioned as SC, ST and OT, people in these communities do not have any specific quality in them and so a marriage within them can do no harm as there is no loss of quality possible. However, intercaste marriage in one skilled or intelligent and other SC or ST can be very detrimental for the well developed gene. A business caste marrying a non business caste can give progeny who would prefer not to do any business, creating problem for development of business activity.

At the same time, one argument suggests, based on observations that a crossbreed is smarter than a non crossbreed. Psychology observes that smartness is actually not intelligence, often these two words wrongly used as synonyms. They are not synonyms. Smartness is defined as a survival instinct whereas intelligence is that capacity with which a person can interpret and analyze observations and be prudent for future needs. Smartness being a survival instinct does not opt to think of future but only of present need. That is why all smart decisions are good for immediate needs but can be dangerous if continued in future; whereas intelligent decisions are good for future also. Short sightedness is the main characteristic of smartness and prudence is characteristic of intelligence. From the type of decision, one can point out whether the decision is smart or intelligent. This is why intelligence is valued as superior to smartness. Progeny of cross breed have that extra smartness because, as a crossbreed, their need for survival, need of the present, is more acute.

We shall see what causes intercaste marriages in a Hindu society. A careful study shows six reasons those make a person think of an intercaste marriage.

1. Financial compulsion,

2. Secret defects,

3. Bad reputation,

4. Parental desire to show broadmindedness,

5. Parental hatred for the society,

6. True love,

7. Because parents have done intercaste marriage.

Financial compulsion - In some castes such as Brahman and Marathas a marriage is not possible without payment of dowry. When that is not possible girls of those poor families are rather forced to think and finally commit an intercaste marriage. In that, parents also encourage for such intercaste marriage. This is because in such intercaste marriages dowry is neither paid nor taken.

Secret defects – some families have secret diseases such as madness or any other defect; children of such families are opting to do intercaste marriages as the other member does not know of the defect, a marriage becomes possible. In that, parents also encourage for such intercaste marriage. Within community, as every body may be fully aware of the defect, no body is ready for any relation with them. Nevertheless, this is a case of cheating other person and so amounts to a fraud.

Bad reputation – Some individuals are bad of reputation within the community for whatever reason. As a result children of that family do not get any offers from within the caste. In that case they opt to do intercaste marriage. In that, parents also encourage for such intercaste marriage. Nevertheless, this is a case of cheating other person and so amounts to a fraud.

Parental desires to show broadmindedness – In present days we see some parents want to show to other community people that they are very broadminded and they do not believe in narrow communal tendency. This mentality is often found in some city based parents and probably this attitude intends to show other community people that narrow caste thinking we all should discard. By that these parents want to impress other people, a show off their broadmindedness or bogus pride. To do most in this regards, they intentionally arrange intercaste marriages of their children even against the desire of those children. In such case parents prefer to get other partner for their ward from lower caste. These parents indulge in promoting intercaste marriages in other caste also.

Parental hatred for the society – Some parents have personal animosity for their own caste for whatever cause; to give went to that feeling of wrath on their caste they deliberately arrange intercaste marriages of their children even against the desires of the children. These parents indulge in promoting intercaste marriages in other caste also. Some parents show inexplicable sense of inferiority complex for their caste and so they encourage intercaste marriages of their children. In such case parents prefer to get other partner for their ward from higher caste.

True love – There are a few cases in the intercaste marriages where we may say that that intercaste marriage happened because of a true feeling of love, affection in the two persons. Even though, generally most marriages in intercaste category (mentioned above) pretend to be due to a love affair that is not the true cause for those marriages and that is why a case of true love marriage in intercaste, need be mentioned as a separate type.

Most of the love affairs are actually passionate marriages as this apparent feeling of passion ends after the marriage, most often, the couple begins to fight with each other to show the dislike for each other. Eventually, those marriages break up.

Because parents have done intercaste marriage – As more and more intercaste marriages we find happening in the urban society, the offspring of such crossbreed marriages are in the confused state as they do not have any particular caste to which they may adhere to. Eventually we see that they prefer to marry somebody other than castes of their parents.

What happens to the children of an intercaste marriage in view of reservation policy of our government? A study, case by case, of such intercaste marriages where one is reserved class and other is not. The question is to what class shall the children belong? To husband's class they belong because they carry his surname? Or to mother's class they belong because, they were actually born of her. This question remains to be cleared by the authorities who very vehemently introduce the incentives for intercaste marriages amongst reserved class and unreserved class. There seem to be totally unmindful about the future of children of such couple. In view of present situation where more and more unreserved category want to be transfered to reserved category for the benefits of those categories; this explanation becomes all the more important.

There are other questions rising out of this policy of encouraging intercaste marriages within reserved class and unreserved class; the questions are:

1) If husband is unreserved class will it mean that due to this marriage, the woman gets “converted” to unreserved class from her original reserved class? Prospects of his wife changed to unreserved class so that she cannot claim any benefits accruable because she is no more from reserved class?

2) If husband is reserved class will it improve prospects of his wife even though she comes from unreserved class so that she can claim any benefits accruable because she is now converted to reserved class?

3) Will the status of both husband and wife remain same even after the intercaste marriage? No conversion effected by such marriage.

4) By such intercaste marriage which class gets nullified; if at all?

5) What is the status of this couple and their family in relation to this reservation policy?

6) What is the status of their children in relation to this reservation policy?

7) Can children of such marriages claim their category to benefit from provisions of reserved class?

8) Will offspring of such couple be declared as reserved class ad hoc?

Possible misuse of the incentive policy need be looked into to understand the seriousness of the defects in this policy. There is every likelihood that two persons belonging to two classes decide to marry and benefit of fifty thousand rupees and after receiving money divorce and again do similar intercaste marriage with other partners and again demand reward; making it a sort of business; this type of fraud is possible in the present situation. The question is what provision there is to avoid misuse of this facility? There are no provisions in the law to avoid such exploitation of this provision.

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