Srinagar, March 26 -- The caste system in Kashmir, often disguised as a cultural tradition, continues to act as a major social barrier, perpetuating inequality and delaying marriages, especially for women. Recent data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (2022) reveals that 27% of Kashmiri women aged 20 to 49 years remain unmarried. Furthermore, a 2024 survey conducted by an NGO states that nearly 50,000 girls in the Kashmir Valley are at risk of crossing the marriageable age due to various reasons, with caste-based discrimination being a significant factor. A Deep-Rooted Social Structure There is a prevailing myth that Kashmir is free of caste-based discrimination. However, the reality presents a rigid social structure divided ...