Abstract

Caste remains one of the most defining features of Indian society shaping social identity access to resources and life opportunities. Despite constitutional guarantees of equality and affirmative action policies caste continues to influence social mobility in twenty-first-century India. Between 2018 and 2025 debates on caste-based reservations the impact of economic liberalization and the role of education and digital platforms in enabling mobility became central to public discourse. This period also witnessed renewed mobilizations by Dalit OBC and marginalized communities demanding justice equality and representation in various spheres of life. While globalization urbanization and technological progress have opened new avenues of mobility structural inequalities rooted in caste hierarchies persist. This paper examines caste dynamics and social mobility in contemporary India highlighting both progress and enduring challenges. It argues that while opportunities for upward mobility have