Question

The concept of 'Dominant Caste' in Indian sociology was given by :

• A. B.R. Ambedkar
• B. M.N. Srinivas
• C. G.S. Ghurye
• D. Louis Dumont

Hint:

When asked about specific concepts in Indian sociology, associate them with the most prominent sociologists known for their work on caste and village studies. M.N. Srinivas is critically important for his contributions, including the 'Dominant Caste'.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The question asks for the sociologist who introduced the concept of 'Dominant Caste' in the context of Indian sociology. This concept refers to a caste that wields significant economic, political, and social power in a village or region.

Step 2: Recalling Key Sociologists and Their Contributions:
M.N. Srinivas (Mandapalli Venkata Narasimha Srinivas) is a highly influential Indian sociologist. He is renowned for his fieldwork and conceptual contributions to understanding Indian society, particularly caste, village studies, and social change. He coined and popularized the concept of 'Dominant Caste' based on his research in villages in Mysore (now Karnataka). A caste becomes dominant if it is numerically strong and has significant land ownership and influence over village affairs, often including political and economic power.

Step 3: Evaluating Other Options:
(A) B.R. Ambedkar was a towering figure in the fight against caste discrimination and a key architect of the Indian Constitution. While he extensively analyzed the caste system and its oppressive nature, the term 'Dominant Caste' as a specific analytical concept is attributed to Srinivas.
(C) G.S. Ghurye was another pioneering Indian sociologist who studied caste extensively, focusing on its religious and structural aspects, but 'Dominant Caste' is not his primary concept.
(D) Louis Dumont was a French anthropologist who made significant contributions to the study of caste, particularly through his concept of 'hierarchy' and 'holism', but he did not originate the concept of 'Dominant Caste'.

Step 4: Final Answer:
M.N. Srinivas introduced and developed the concept of 'Dominant Caste'.