Social Networks in India: Caste, Tribe and Religious Variation

Using original data from a newly collected nationwide survey for 40,000 households in India, we examine variation in social capital in India across caste, tribe, and religion. Our primary measure uses a positional generator of social networks, counting how many ties the household has to persons in medical, educational, and governmental institutions. We find the expected hierarchy of Brahmins, high caste Hindus, other backward castes (OBCs), dalits, and tribals (adivasis) in access to these networks. Muslims score relatively low while other minority religions appear similar to high caste Hindus. We also assess the degree to which these group differences are explained by their socio-economic positions. After controls for wealth, education, and other household characteristics, the advantages of Brahmins and the disadvantages of adivasis and Muslims remain substantial.