Technology and Social Stratification in India: A Case of Caste and Punjab

Technology is steadily reshaping the way social stratification operates in India, particularly in relation to caste. For centuries, caste determined access to education, land, employment, and even financial resources. With the spread of digital tools, some of these rigid boundaries have begun to loosen, though they have not disappeared entirely.

Digital education platforms, for example, have made it possible for students from historically marginalized communities to access the same learning materials as their peers, without relying on caste-dominated local networks of tutors and institutions. Similarly, mobile banking and digital payments have given households the ability to manage their finances directly, reducing dependence on local moneylenders who were often from dominant caste groups. The rise of gig economy platforms has further created opportunities in relatively caste-neutral spaces, where income depends more on performance and less on social identity.

At the same time, technology has not eliminated inequality; rather, it has layered over existing social hierarchies. In rural areas, access to smartphones, the internet, and digital literacy often remains concentrated in the hands of dominant castes. This digital divide reinforces existing disparities. Moreover, while technology can reduce visibility of caste in professional contexts, social practices such as marriage alliances, land ownership, and local political influence still reflect entrenched caste divisions.

Punjab offers a striking example of this duality. The state has one of the highest Dalit populations in the country, and traditionally, land ownership has been concentrated among Jat Sikhs. The use of technology in agriculture—through mobile applications for mandi prices or mechanized farming—has reduced Dalit dependence on landowners to some extent. Education and digital scholarship schemes have allowed many Dalit youth to pursue technical and professional education, often leading to overseas migration, particularly from the Doaba region. This has helped create a new Dalit middle class with global exposure and improved economic security. In Punjab’s urban centers such as Ludhiana and Jalandhar, Dalits have also found new roles in e-commerce, digital services, and the gig economy, which has given them opportunities beyond caste-bound occupations.

However, the persistence of caste is evident. While digital remittances and NRI networks enable Dalit families to purchase land or invest in businesses, the broader structure of landholding, social capital, and local political authority remains tilted in favor of historically dominant groups. Technology has thus enabled mobility, but it has not dismantled the caste system.

The broader lesson is that technology acts as a catalyst for social change. It can weaken caste barriers by creating new channels for education, employment, and financial inclusion, but it cannot erase them on its own. The impact of digital innovation is most visible in urban and globalized contexts, where caste identities matter less, while in rural Punjab, traditional structures still shape opportunities and outcomes. In this sense, technology dilutes caste boundaries but does not dissolve them, highlighting the need for complementary social and institutional reforms to achieve deeper transformation.#Technology

#CasteSystem

#SocialChange

#DigitalIndia

#Punjab

#DalitEmpowerment

#DigitalDivide

#Ecommerce

#Education

#SocialStratification