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Social Issues In Issues, Causes, and Impacts in

India India Notes for UPSC Exam!

On August 15, 1947, India gained independence from British rule after nearly 200 years of struggle.
Despite our independence from foreign rule, some major social issues continue to plague India. Similar
to most cultures,

India has experienced widespread social exclusion and prejudice. Since ancient times, Dalits, or the once
untouchables, Adivasis, or "tribes," women, and people with disabilities have been marginalized and
excluded from society in India.

Society has not been able to give these groups their due in society, even though they have protested
against the exclusions and discrimination they experience at various periods in time. Even government
regulations and constitutional clauses have failed to fundamentally alter society or bring about long-
lasting social transformation.

Poverty, child labor, corruption, unemployment, drug addiction, overpopulation, pollution, crimes
against women such as rape, acid attack, juvenile delinquency, caste-based discrimination, and crimes,
to name a few.

In this article, candidates can learn about the Social Issues in India, their causes, and various social
issues faced by Indian society. Questions related to this topic can be seen in the Prelims as well as the
mains of the UPSC IAS examination. Testbook provides comprehensive notes and online classes for
UPSC including different competitive examinations.

Read about the Social System in India here!

Current Social Issues in India

India is the biggest democracy in the world, which has taken giant strides in the last few decades but
still, there are everyday issues that continue to pose threat to the progress of the nation. Listed below are
some

 Corruption - Corruption is the most widespread endemic in India, and it must be dealt with
swiftly and wisely. There is no telling how much money has been lost as a result of this. Though
most of us are concerned, when the time comes to act, we, the people of India, must not be
found wanting.
 Illiteracy - The rate of illiteracy in India is concerning. Even though 74.04% of people were
counted as literate in the 2011 census, there is a significant disparity between rural and urban
areas, as well as male and female populations. Villages are in worse condition than cities.
Despite the establishment of several primary schools in rural India, the problem persists. Many
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people who are considered literate are unable to read or write. As a result, educating only
children will not solve the illiteracy problem, because many adults in India are illiterate.
 Poverty - As per the Planning Commission of India the proportion of India's population living in
poverty has decreased from 37% in 2004-2005 to 22% in 2011-12. In 2011-12, 22% of the
population (one in every five Indians) was impoverished. According to the World Poverty Clock,
this figure is expected to fall to 5% by 2022. However, in India, villages house 80% of the poor.
The poorest areas are found in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand,
Orissa, and Chhattisgarh. According to World Bank data, 43% of the poor belong to a
Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe (2016). The government must address this disparity
immediately.
 Women's Safety - Even after several measures to uplift the standard of living of women in India
when it comes to freedom and safety of women India lags. Domestic Violence, rape, and the
portrayal of women in media among other issues should be addressed immediately.
 Unemployment- Unemployment is now very common among young people. This is also
referred to as joblessness. Furthermore, if you are looking for a job, the best place to start is
with a Google search. The Indian government must take the necessary steps to eradicate it,
including increasing government and public sector job opportunities. It must also support
private-sector industries that can provide jobs to those who truly deserve them. According to
data from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy, the unemployment rate reached 8.10% in
February 2022. This is a high rate of unemployment for a country like India. If it is not addressed
immediately, it will pose a challenge to our society and economy.

Read about the Corruption Perception Index here!

List of Social Issues in India

Let us understand the various social issues in India with facts and figures as per government data.

Social Issues in India - GENDER

Gender-based discrimination is not new in India. Since the inception of independence, women have been
treated like slaves and deprived of basic civil rights. Lately, the government of India has taken several
measures to uplift the miserable condition of women, especially in the rural and backward section of
society as a country can’t function at 100 % efficiency only when 50 % of its workforce i.e. males are in
operation. Some of the issues are discussed below.

Muslim Women’s Right to Initiate Divorce

 A recent decision by a Division Bench of the Kerala High Court clarified the right of Muslim
women to initiate divorce. A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court was hearing the issue of
conditions in a Khula divorce, which was initiated by the wife.
 The legal question before the Court was whether a Muslim wife has the right to unilateral extra-
judicial divorce through Khula against her husband if she decides to leave the marriage for
reasons she believes are appropriate.

Women’s Unpaid Work

 In their election manifestos, various political parties have recently promised wages to women for
unpaid household chores. As per a report by McKinsey, women contribute 75 % of the total

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unpaid population. Women's contribution in India is only 17 % of GDP which is less than half of
the global average
 Governments can recognize unpaid work in a national database through a thorough time-use
survey and use the data to inform national policies.
 It has the potential to alleviate women's burdens by improving technology and infrastructure,
shifting some unpaid work into the mainstream economy, and making basic services available
to women.
 It could also redistribute labor between men and women by offering men different incentives and
disincentives. This includes mandatory training for men in housework, childcare, and other
areas, as well as financial incentives for sharing housework.
 These measures will provide women with more free time and new opportunities.
 Pension payments to elderly women (60+ years) may be a better way to compensate them for
unpaid work.

Bridging the Gender Parity Gap

 In the recently released WEF Global Gender Gap Index for 2021, India drops 28 spots to 140th
place.
 As per the report, the pandemic has hit women more than men. There is a need for policies in
sectors where women participate significantly, such as healthcare, information technology,
education, and agriculture, as well as in emerging areas such as artificial intelligence and
blockchain.
 Skill India should create programs for girls and women that address systemic and behavioral
issues. Recognizing and investing in the informal and vulnerable segments of the labor market
can have a positive impact on the women's workforce.

Read about the Global Gender Gap Index here!

Social Issues in India - CASTE

 Many people are victimized because of their caste. This occurs because people have been
classified as touchable or untouchable. This type of discrimination occurs because the so-called
higher caste does not consider others to be fellow humans.
 They are unaware that everyone is created equal. Lack of education, adherence to old
traditions, aversion to change and a lack of consciousness are at the root of such discrimination.

Caste-Based Census

 The procedure of systematically acquiring and recording the caste-wise tabulation of India's
population is known as a census.
 To justify the continuation of caste-based affirmative action programs to improve the planning
and targeting of welfare programs. To provide quantifiable data to back up the existing levels of
reservation mandated by the Supreme Court for groups such as OBC.
 To favor political parties if certain groups become dominant in specific geographies. To discuss
issues such as disproportionate benefits from the reservation by specific groups within each
category. To address the societal inequities

Inequality within Intermediate Castes

 The Maharashtra law granting reservation to the Maratha community in admissions and
government jobs was recently overturned by the Supreme Court.

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 In this context, it is critical to recognize the growing socioeconomic differentiation within the
dominant castes.
 The Marathas belonged to a powerful caste in terms of politics and wealth. The court
determined that it was inappropriate to classify Marathas as a socially and educationally
disadvantaged community.

Social Issues in India - POPULATION

In demography, the total number of people that are alive now is referred to as the world population. Due
to the world's rapidly expanding human population over the past several decades (UNFPA, 2011). In
April 2017, the estimated population of the planet was 7.5 billion. Unprecedented rapid demographic
change is occurring over the world, and the most obvious manifestation of this transition is the
enormous population growth.

Declining Fertility Rates in India

 The National Family Health Survey 2019–20 (NFHS–5 empirical )'s data, which was just made
public, demonstrates a dramatic drop in fertility rates in States and UTs.
 The fertility rates have fallen below the replacement norm of 2.1 children per woman, except in
Bihar, Manipur, and Meghalaya.
 With 1.4 children per woman, the TFR in Lakshwadeep and J&K has fallen well below the
replacement level.
 Except for Manipur (2.2) and Meghalaya, all seven of the northeastern states have fertility rates
that range from 1.1 in Sikkim to 1.9 in Assam (2.9).
 In West Bengal, one of the most populous states, the TFR has decreased to 1.6 children.
 Maharashtra, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh barely have 1.7 each.
 The fertility rate is stabilizing at 1.8 children per woman in Telangana and Kerala.
 There has been a relative drop in fertility even in Bihar, where the TFR is 3, from 3.4 in NFHS-4
(2015-16).

Read about People, Population, and Demographics here!

Social Issues in India - EDUCATION

In a situation analysis, issues were divided into eight categories, ranging from "lack of money" to "too
many Indian experts."

 The poverty of Money.

 Lack of quality Indians in Indian Education.
 School personnel with incentives.
 Differing education program expectations.
 The absence of participation in and control over educational matters.
 Students’ difficulties In higher education.
 An abundance of instant Indian Education Specialists.

Several efforts are taken to make the Indian education system better

Higher Education in Regional Languages

 Analysis of Indian policy's goal of empowering the underprivileged by making higher education
multilingual must be done through the lens of educational internationalization.
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 Regional language instruction in primary and higher education was prioritized under the
National Education Policy (NEP).
 It caused 14 engineering institutes to begin offering technical courses in five Indian languages
for the upcoming academic year.
 Vernacular-language educational content has seen a lot of demand on websites like YouTube.
 Also tapping into this sector are several edtech businesses.

Foreign Language Learning in Government Schools

 Amarinder Singh, the chief minister of Punjab, has ordered the department of education to
investigate all options for offering foreign languages as electives to pupils in public schools.
 Amarinder has previously declared that senior secondary courses in public schools would have
access to Mandarin Chinese instruction.
 It was imperative to learn their language because "China was emerging as the most significant
neighbor" at the time.
 Even though the Education Department began seeking competent instructors, the project was
unable to get off the ground.

Read about New Education Policy Here!

Performance Grading Index

 The Performance Grading Index was most recently updated by the Education Ministry (PGI)
 For the reference year 2017–18, the Education Ministry released the inaugural PGI in 2019 to
assess how well each state is doing concerning educating children.
 The goal is to assist the states in prioritizing school education intervention areas.
 States are merely evaluated, not ranked, to prevent the practice of one improving primarily at
the expense of another and stigmatizing some as underperformers.

Social Issues in Rural India

Generally speaking, rural development refers to the socioeconomic advancement of those who reside in
rural areas. A geographical area that is located distant from towns and cities is referred to as a "rural
area." These places typically have fewer facilities and are sparsely populated.

India has a sizable amount of rural areas, and it might be difficult to equip these areas with the necessary
civic facilities. Medical facilities, transportation facilities, medical facilities, as well as communication
facilities like radio, TV, newspapers, telephones, etc., are among the most fundamental and essential
civic amenities.

The social and economic situations, other infrastructure issues, healthcare, education, and many other
issues are all issues that rural communities face. Due to India's large population and extensive rural
areas, managing and resolving these issues can be extremely difficult.

Lack Of Education Facilities

The severe lack of educational resources is one of the biggest issues facing India's rural communities.
Even in this day and age, a sizable segment of India's rural population lacks formal education. India's
educational infrastructure is incredibly weak, and many areas there don't even have schools.

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Not Enough Civic Amenities

As was previously said, India has enormous tracts of rural land, making it difficult to equip all of these
places with basic civic services. Medical facilities, transportation facilities, medical facilities, as well as
communication facilities like radio, TV, newspapers, telephones, etc., are among the most fundamental
and essential civic amenities.

Economical Issues

India's rural areas are economically very poor. Years of colonial authority have contributed to this, along
with several other aspects. Key elements include the country's rapid population growth as well as a lack
of education. In India, more than 40% of the population—mostly residents of the countryside—live
below the poverty line.

Other Issues

Other problems like caste prejudice and untouchability have made things very difficult in rural areas.
These simmering societal problems are a significant obstacle to India's rural development. Additionally,
rural residents' strong sense of tradition is a significant problem. It is a known truth that the vast majority
of Indians living in rural areas follow traditional customs.

Ineffective administration

Ineffective administration is the main issue preventing successful rural development in India. Rural
residents have additional complaints due to a corrupt or ineffective administrative structure, even though
there is a lack of political awareness and education in these areas. A significant barrier to the poor
development of rural areas in India is the ineffective operation of the rural administrative bodies.

Read about Types of unemployment here!

Causes of Social Issues in India

A condition known as a social issue or problem is objectively present in a society and is viewed as
undesirable by that society. Therefore, social concerns are related to or have a social context.
Understanding social circumstances are thus necessary for the study of social problems. Understanding
the Indian social context in which the issues exist is necessary for studying Indian social issues and
problems, as well as their emergence and persistence in Indian society. To comprehend social issues in
India, one must analyze the social variables that are pertinent. In terms of social issues, the following are
some of the main elements that make up the social context in India:

 Indian population heterogeneity: India is a diverse country with many different castes, religions,
languages, and tribal groupings. Numerous societal issues in India have their roots in the
heterogeneity of the Indian community.
 Population Explosion: The phenomenon of population explosion is another social aspect that
has ramifications for social concerns and difficulties in India. India's population has increased
astronomically over the past century. Mass development and welfare programs have not been
able to keep up with the population growth.

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 Patriarchal System: Like other societies throughout the world, the Indian civilization has always
been dominated by men and places women under their authority. In Indian society, a woman's
place is primarily as a wife and mother. In India, a woman's social rank is lower than a man's.
 The issue is made worse by the cultural requirement for having male offspring so that the family
can continue performing the rituals after one's death. It has helped to reinforce gender inequality
and the societal preference for male children. As a result, women were oppressed and subject
to discrimination in numerous facets of social life.
 Industrialization and urbanization: India has had a gradual industrialization and urbanization
process. Certain regions of the nation have experienced a concentration of industrialization.
 As a result, a few urban centers have experienced excessive population growth. The
overpopulation of a few metropolitan centers has led to several issues, including slums,
congestion, pollution, urban poverty, and unemployment.

Conclusion
Social issues are unfavorable condition that challenges society or a particular segment of it. It alludes to
an undesirable circumstance that usually causes issues and worsens with time. Many difficulties that
arise from social issues may be out of anyone's control. We shall discover the types of social difficulties
we deal with and the reasons why they are damaging through an essay on social concerns.

If a society is adamant, societal problems can be resolved. The advancement of society is hampered by
these social problems. We must thus unite to combat them and put an end to them for the greater good.

Read about Poverty Estimation here!

Previous Year UPSC Questions on Social Issues in India

Q1. How have digital initiatives in India contributed to the functioning of the education system in the
country? Elaborate on your answer. (Answer in 250 words) (2020)

Q2. Has caste lost its relevance in understanding the multicultural Indian Society? Elaborate your
answer with illustrations. (Answer in 150 words) (2020)

Q3. “Caste system is assuming new identities and associational forms. Hence, the caste system cannot
be eradicated in India.” Comment. (Answer in 150 words) (2018)

Q4. What are the two major legal initiatives by the State since Independence, addressing discrimination
against Scheduled Tribes (STs)? (150 words) (2017)

Q5. Why are the tribals in India referred to as the Scheduled Tribes? Indicate the major provisions
enshrined in the Constitution of India for their upliftment. (2016)

Q6. Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, despite having divergent approaches and strategies, had a
common goal of amelioration of the downtrodden. Elucidate. (2015)

Q7.Debate the issue of whether and how contemporary movements for the assertion of Dalit identity
work towards the annihilation of caste. (2015)

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