Religious beliefs are deeply ingrained in Indian society. Hindus, Muslims, Jains, Sikhs, and Parsis are all represented. All of this contributes to the socio-cultural diversity of the country. Major social issues in India are also based on its people's religious rituals and beliefs. Religion and culture are essential in combating many social problems and crises in Indian society.
In India, there are a number of major social issues that have evolved over time and still exist in some form today.

Gender Issues: Gender is a major social issue in India, giving rise to a variety of crimes in our society. In all professions, men and women have equal rights under our constitution. Women now have the right to vote, inherit, and own property. They face discrimination in several areas of India, including health, education, and employment. Females are obligated to pay the dowry and must leave their parents' home after marriage. Furthermore, parents want male children to protect them in their old age.
Because they are females, many female newborns are still aborted, abandoned, purposefully ignored, and underfed.

Following independence, several pieces of legislation were enacted to advance the interests of women and combat this social issue in India. Marriage, asset inheritance, divorce, and dowry are all governed by these norms. Despite these constraints, women continue to face significant discrimination.

Examples of Gender Issues in Indian Society:
According to the Economic Survey report for 2017-18, India has 63 million missing women. Their deaths were the result of foeticide or infanticide. According to the World Economic Forum's "Global Gender Parity Report," India ranks 87th.

Instances Showing Gender issues in Indian Society:

• According to the 2017-18 Economic Survey report, India has 63 million missing women. Foeticide or infanticide caused their deaths.
• According to the World Economic Forum, India ranks 87th in the "Global Gender Parity Report.”

Though women are empowered to work in any profession, women still face sexual harassment at workplaces.

Government’s actions to overcome these Gender issues:

• To overcome the gender gap, the Indian government created the 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' initiative.
• By implementing behavioral change in society, the government conducts awareness programs to address these social issues in India.
• To provide equity and justice to women, the government of India approved the Triple Talaq Bill, which makes all talaq declarations, both written and electronic, null and invalid.
• A law was enacted by the government in 2013 that prohibits, prevents, and remedies workplace sexual harassment. It attempts to defend women's rights in any job, in whatever capacity.

Poverty occurs

when a household is unable to meet its basic survival needs, such as food, clothing, and shelter. It is one of India's major social issues and has been a source of concern since the country's inception. The country is still impoverished in the twenty-first century.

The disparity between haves and have-nots in India is enormous. While the economy has shown some clear signs of development over the last two decades, this progress has been uneven across various sectors or areas. Gujarat and Delhi are growing faster than Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

Almost half of the population lacks adequate shelter and sanitation, communities lack a reliable water supply, and villages lack secondary schools and proper roads. The government's designated agencies do not even keep a poverty list in some parts of society, such as Dalits. They are socially and economically disadvantaged groups. The government subsidy system, which has leakages in the distribution system, complicates and worsens the situation.

Instances Showing Poverty issues in Indian Society:

• According to a World Bank Brookings Institute analysis, only 73 million individuals are in the poorest of the poor ranking as of May 2018.
• According to the research, 44 individuals are lifted out of poverty in India every minute.
• In 2022, 50 million people will escape poverty if the current growth rate continues.

Government’s actions to overcome Poverty issues:

The Indira Awaas Yojna allows people from scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, emancipated bonded workers, and rural poor living below the poverty line to build houses (IAY).

The MGNREGA scheme in India went into effect in 2005. The policy guaranteed 100 days of paid work in the form of unskilled manual labor per fiscal year for each household.

Furthermore, in 2003, the government launched a food security program in which free food grains were distributed to priority and Antyodya households. This scheme covered 75% of the rural population and 50% of the urban population.

Health Issues:

The long-term success of a country is dependent on the availability of healthy human resources. With a deteriorating environment and an unhealthy lifestyle, health is rapidly becoming one of India's most pressing social issues. One of the recent social issues in India is the young generation's addiction to drugs and alcohol or drug abuse.

Drug abuse typically has a negative social impact on the community. The negative impact of drug abuse on the industry, education, and its involvement in violence, crime, financial difficulties, housing issues, homelessness, and vagrancy is significant. Alcoholism, on the other hand, is associated with excessive alcohol consumption. It is harmful to the health of the drinker and is classified as an illness by the medical community. Alcoholism can also cause depression and behavioral changes. This could affect his personal life as well as his interactions with friends and family.

Instances of Health Problems in Indian Society:

• According to a study from the India State-Level Disease Burden Initiative, air pollution causes approximately 26% of premature deaths and disease burdens worldwide.
• The primary cause of mortality in India is air pollution, which accounts for one out of every eight deaths.
• Approximately 6 crore Indians are alcoholics, according to a recent study conducted by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
• More than 3 billion Indians use cannabis products.
• In India, 8.5 lakh individuals use drugs.

Issues of Caste:

The Indian caste system is based on cultural traits like hierarchy, impurity, and cleanliness. It follows the principles of Karma and Dharma. The Scheduled Castes (SCs) category was added to the Indian constitution by the Indian government in 1935.

SCs currently account for 16% of Indians. The most significant challenges that Dalits face are discrimination in society and accountability.

However, the caste system continues to pose a threat to the country's national integration. The caste system exacerbates untouchability, child marriage, the sati system, prostitution, and other brutal and immoral societal behaviors.

Case Studies of Casteism in Indian Society:

• The majority of lynchings were carried out because of bovine-related issues.

Government’s actions to overcome the casteism issue:

• According to the directives of the Bombay and Madhya Pradesh High Courts, the Information and Broadcast Ministry has issued advice prohibiting the usage of the term "Dalit."
• Another mandate from the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment was to use only the phrase "Scheduled Castes."

2022 Current Social Issues in India

The aforementioned social issues have existed in India for a long time. The Indian government has taken a number of steps to address these issues. However, as time has passed, social issues have evolved. The following are the current social issues in India 2022:

Education System:

Our education system has a serious problem, which is why it is one of the most prominent social issues in India today.
Its effects are already being felt in our culture. In a less educated society, our perspectives are less conventional. Our educational system has already come under fire. Education has the potential to address the root causes of any societal crisis.
Without education, India, where the majority of children are still employed as child laborers, cannot rise to the top of the world.
This deficiency leads to criminals, a bleak future, and even suicide.

Corruption:

This infamous issue, whether beneath or above the table, is the germ in Indian culture. Competing on a global scale necessitates a strong system. Bribery and corruption are prevalent in both public and private enterprises. It wreaks havoc on society and halts the country's progress. This major social issue in India exacerbates other issues in the country. Because one community's weight is heavier, there is no equality in that society, and prejudice results.

Overpopulation:

Overpopulation has been a major impediment to the country's progress and is currently one of India's major social issues. India has 1.3 billion people, making it the world's second most populous country. A problem like this stymies a country's economic progress. Housing, employment, and resource availability all increase as the population grows.

Unemployment:

With India's population growing, unemployment has become a major social issue. This issue has yet to be resolved. The majority of people in our country work on private farms, and there have been many people with unusual occupations. As a well-educated person, you must deal with the issue of unemployment. People are falling into poverty as a result of a lack of funds.
Crime or suicide will both rise.

India's Social Problems UPSC

Social issues in India are covered in the UPSC syllabus under the topic "Indian Society."Corruption, overpopulation, unemployment, and other issues are among them. These topics are thoroughly covered in the UPSC books and notes.
Aspirants preparing for the IAS prelims and mains exams should gain a thorough understanding of the various social issues in India covered in the syllabus as well as current events.

Practicing these questions will give aspirants an idea of the types of questions that will be asked in competitive exams.
Check out one of the sample questions on Indian social issues.