Caste and class are two important concepts for understanding the social structure and spatial organization of Indian society. Both influence social status, occupation, access to resources, political participation and patterns of settlement. However, caste and class are fundamentally different in their origins, characteristics and mechanisms of social mobility. Caste is a hereditary system of social stratification traditionally associated with the Hindu social order. It is based largely on birth and historically involved occupational specialization, rules of marriage, food, social interaction and notions of purity and pollution. Caste groups are generally endogamous, meaning that marriage traditionally takes place within the group. The caste system has historically produced a hierarchical structure in which different groups enjoyed unequal social status and access to land, education and political power. Although the Constitution prohibits untouchability and guarantees equality, caste continues to influence social relations, electoral politics, employment, education and access to opportunities. Class, in contrast, is primarily an economic and social category. It is generally determined by income, occupation, education, wealth, property ownership and lifestyle. Unlike caste, class is relatively open and allows greater possibilities of mobility. Individuals may move from