'The institution of caste is both visible and invisible in many respects.‟ Justify the statement with suitable examples.

The institution of caste is visible in many respects:
(i) For the SCs, STs and backwards the caste has become visible. Indeed their caste has tended to eclipse the other dimensions of their identities.
(ii) As they have no inherited educational and social capital, and because they must compete with an already entrenched upper caste group, they cannot afford to abandon their caste identity for it is one of the few collective assets they have. Moreover, they continue to suffer from discrimination of various kinds.
The institution of caste is invisible in many respects:
(i) One of the most significant paradoxical changes in the caste system in the contemporary period is that it has tended to become 'invisible' for the upper caste, urban middle and upper classes.
(ii) The groups who have benefited the maximum from the developmental policies of the post-colonial era, Caste has appeared to decline in importance.
(iii) The upper Caste elite were able to benefit from subsidised public education with special reference to profession education in science, technology medicine and management.
(iv) In the beginning, their lead over the rest of society ensured that they did not have any tough competition. Their privileged status become consolidated in their second and third generation.