For millions across India, a rigid caste system thousands of years old still dictates much of daily life – from social circles to dating pools to job opportunities and schooling. The Indian ...

Bihar’s own caste survey in 2023 found there were far more people in marginalized castes than previously thought, sparking an ongoing legal battle to raise the affirmative action quotas.

Castes like the Nishads, estimated to constitute at least 10% of Bihar's population, have drifted toward the BJP in recent years. Alongside its traditional upper-caste base and growing inroads ...