Social Network Analysis of the Caste-Based Reservation System in India

TL;DR

This paper uses social network analysis to examine the caste-based reservation system in India, revealing its role in reducing social divisions and promoting social integration through changes in social distance.

Contribution

It introduces a novel social distance parameter and applies network analysis to quantify the reservation system's impact on social cohesion in India.

Findings

Reservation system reduces social distance between caste groups.

Caste-based homophily influences cluster formation.

System promotes social integration, countering negative perceptions.

Abstract

It has been argued that the reservation system in India, which has existed since the time of Indian Independence (1947), has caused more havoc and degradation than progress. This being a popular public opinion, has not been based on any rigorous scientific study or research. In this paper, we revisit the cultural divide among the Indian population from a purely social network based approach. We study the distinct cluster formation that takes place in the Indian community and find that this is largely due to the effect of caste-based homophily. To study the impact of the reservation system, we define a new parameter called social distance that represents the social capital associated with each individual in the backward class. We study the changes that take place with regard to the average social distance of a cluster when a new link is established between the clusters which in its essence, is what the reservation system is accomplishing. Our extensive study calls for the change in the mindset of people in India. Although the animosity towards the reservation system could be rooted due to historical influence, hero worship and herd mentality, our results make it clear that the system has had a considerable impact on the country's overall development by bridging the gap between the conflicting social groups. The results also have been verified using the survey and are discussed in the paper.