Differences between caste and class:

1. Caste is different from class. A class is defined in economic terms, whereas a caste is understood as a hereditary unit, defined as a way of life. An individual is born in a class but he always has a chance to improve upon it. By comparison, in theoretical terms, the position of an individual in caste is fixed forever, unless his entire group tries particularly hard to move up. That is why sociologists say that the caste system is a 'closed' system. In comparison, class is an 'open' system, because of the general possibility of individual mobility.

2. The individual has not been dependent upon his group to move up. He may work hard, try newer avenues of improving upon his economic condition and move up from lower class to middle class and so on.

3. Also we should remember that caste derives its legitimacy from religion, which is not the case with class. Caste is based on the notions of purity and pollution, which assumes that an individual is born in a caste according to the merits earned during his previous incarnation. The Brahimins are ritually the purest and are at the top of the ritual hierarchy, at the bottom of the hierarchy are those who are considered least pure in the ritual sense. As one goes down the caste hierarchy, purity decreases while impurity increases and as one goes up, there is an increase in purity and decrease in impurity.

4. According to some sociologists, one of the hallmarks of the caste system has been the practice of untouchability, which was legally abolished in 1955. Such a practice is not found in any other system of stratification.