Out of the different classifications indicated above India should fall under which category. We have to see the composition of the Indian population and the influence of different religions and cultures on the Indian social structure.
In the immediate past the most momentous and significant development that took place was the framing and adoption of the Constitution of India which came into force on 26th January, 1950.The majority of the present generation of the Indian population has been born since the enforcement of the above Constitution. After due deliberation for over two years, the Constituent Assembly of India framed the various salient features and the directive principles for the governance of the nascent republic. It is very interesting to read the debates on each of the provisions of the Constitution that took place in the Assembly for some of the most mundane provisions of the4 Constitution.
It resulted in the provision that the State shall not have any religion. At the same time elaborate provisions have been made to ensure that the Citizens shall have the full liberty to practice any faith of their liking. As a result of such a provision the activities of propagators of each faith obviously enjoy certain freedom of action. This has obviously affected the social system of the country.
Secondly, in the last sixty years there has been increase in the rate of literacy and consequently more and more people are getting higher education. This education is under the English education system, and they get exposed to the liberal and other thoughts of the West. At the same time very few of the students get exposed to Hindu and other Indian thoughts and customs to the same extent as they are exposed to the thoughts of the West. Very few parents today will venture to ask any of their children to do Masters in Sanskrit, which will make him capable to read and properly understand Hindu scriptures.
In fact, soon a time may come when one will fined more Sanskrit scholars in the EU well versed in the provisions of the Hindu religion and ancient Indian customs than the number of such experts in India. Today, an average Indian child has no exposure to many of the basics of Indian culture and ethics. The mad rush for IT and assorted other courses have ensured that only discarded fellows land up in the faculty of theology ,art and culture. All parents who can afford do send their children to English Medium schools whether run by Convents or otherwise.
Thirdly, the influence of the Western Culture through increase in travel, Western Education, exposure to the Culture of the West are all contributing factors in the framing up of the current social structure of India. So it appears to me that India falls under the melting pot category, somewhat similar to the USA.
In the immediate past the most momentous and significant development that took place was the framing and adoption of the Constitution of India which came into force on 26th January, 1950.The majority of the present generation of the Indian population has been born since the enforcement of the above Constitution. After due deliberation for over two years, the Constituent Assembly of India framed the various salient features and the directive principles for the governance of the nascent republic. It is very interesting to read the debates on each of the provisions of the Constitution that took place in the Assembly for some of the most mundane provisions of the4 Constitution.
It resulted in the provision that the State shall not have any religion. At the same time elaborate provisions have been made to ensure that the Citizens shall have the full liberty to practice any faith of their liking. As a result of such a provision the activities of propagators of each faith obviously enjoy certain freedom of action. This has obviously affected the social system of the country.
Secondly, in the last sixty years there has been increase in the rate of literacy and consequently more and more people are getting higher education. This education is under the English education system, and they get exposed to the liberal and other thoughts of the West. At the same time very few of the students get exposed to Hindu and other Indian thoughts and customs to the same extent as they are exposed to the thoughts of the West. Very few parents today will venture to ask any of their children to do Masters in Sanskrit, which will make him capable to read and properly understand Hindu scriptures.
In fact, soon a time may come when one will fined more Sanskrit scholars in the EU well versed in the provisions of the Hindu religion and ancient Indian customs than the number of such experts in India. Today, an average Indian child has no exposure to many of the basics of Indian culture and ethics. The mad rush for IT and assorted other courses have ensured that only discarded fellows land up in the faculty of theology ,art and culture. All parents who can afford do send their children to English Medium schools whether run by Convents or otherwise.
Thirdly, the influence of the Western Culture through increase in travel, Western Education, exposure to the Culture of the West are all contributing factors in the framing up of the current social structure of India. So it appears to me that India falls under the melting pot category, somewhat similar to the USA.