---
title: "Jati: Caste Group Explained | Model Diplomat"
description: "Jati is the endogamous, regional sub-caste that governs marriage and occupation in India, distinct from the four-fold varna. Key for UPSC GS1 society prep."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/jati"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- Jati is the endogamous, occupation-linked local kinship group that constitutes the operative unit of caste in everyday Indian social life.
- What is the difference between jati and varna?
- Why does jati matter for reservation policy?
- Is jati the same as gotra?
- Why is there no recent comprehensive jati census?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

Jati is the endogamous, occupation-linked local kinship group that constitutes the operative unit of caste in everyday Indian social life.

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Bihar's state government published its caste survey in October 2023, enumerating the population by individual jati and recording that Other Backward Classes and Extremely Backward Classes together comprised roughly 63 per cent of the state.

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