Mains Marathon

Approach

• Begin by briefly explaining the dual impact of globalization on Indian society.
• Discuss this with reference to the given social institutions and parameters.
• End with a scholarly remark.

Introduction

Globalization has been a powerful agent of social change in India. With its interconnected networks of economy, information, and culture, it has challenged conventional norms and created new pathways for individual autonomy and identity. However, while it has disrupted several traditional institutions, it has also repackaged and preserved older hierarchies in modern guises, especially in spheres such as marriage, family, and generational relations.

Body

Disruption of Traditional Institutions

• Marriage Practices: Globalization has increased exposure to liberal ideas through media, education, and digital platforms.
  • This has led to a rise in love marriages, inter-caste, and inter-religious unions, particularly in urban centres.
  • Matrimonial platforms like Shaadi.com now offer filters for preferences based on interests and education, not just caste.
  • According to a Lok Foundation survey (2018), nearly 15% of urban youth preferred inter-caste marriages, a sharp rise from earlier decades.
  • The Special Marriage Act enables interfaith unions, reflecting a shift towards individual choice over traditional norms.
• Family Structures: The joint family system has given way to nuclear households, primarily in urban areas due to career mobility, smaller living spaces, and economic autonomy.
  • Working women, delayed marriages, and dual-income households challenge older patriarchal controls.
  • Rise in single-parent families, live-in relationships, and adoption by single women reflect changing norms.
• Generational Value Shifts: Globalization promotes individualism, meritocracy, and consumerism among the youth.
  • Youth aspirations are shaped more by global markets than family legacy.
  • The popularity of entrepreneurship, gig economy, and flexible work is a break from the earlier idea of government job security.
  • Social media and pop culture have weakened the moral authority of elders on issues like clothing, relationships, and career.

Reinforcement of Hierarchical Underpinnings

• Caste and Matrimonial Preferences:
  • Despite disruptions, caste endogamy continues to dominate matrimonial preferences.
  • India Human Development Survey (2011–12) reported that 95% of marriages were still within the same caste.
  • Honour killings and caste-based violence highlight deep-seated resistance to social mobility via marriage.
• Gender Hierarchies in Families:
  • While women now participate in the workforce, the "double burden" of unpaid domestic care and patriarchal expectations persists.
  • Glass ceilings, domestic violence, and unequal inheritance laws reinforce structural inequalities.
  • Elders, especially male heads, still wield considerable power in rural households.
• Cultural Hegemony of the Past:
  • Even as value systems evolve, traditional norms are often repackaged in modern forms.
  • Reality TV marriage shows often reinforce heteronormative, caste-based stereotypes.
  • Consumerism promotes status-based competition, often echoing old class/caste divisions.

Conclusion

The impact of globalization on Indian society is thus ambiguous and layered. It is not a linear process of Westernization, but a negotiation between old and new, tradition and modernity. As sociologist Dipankar Gupta notes, “Modernity in India is not a rupture, but a reinvention of tradition.” To ensure true transformation, policy focus must extend beyond economic liberalization to social equity, especially for marginalized groups.