The direct correlation among caste, poverty and social status implied that 1. with improvement in economic status, one could claim higher social status 2. caste hierarchy was immutable 3. lower castes were the only ones to be pushed into menial labour 4. with improvement in social status, one could claim higher caste status

The correct answer is Option 2 (1, 3 and 4). This question explores the historical and sociological relationship between the caste system and socio-economic mobility in India.

• Statement 1 and 4: Historically, the correlation between caste and status was not always static. Through "Sanskritization" or economic advancement (e.g., land ownership), lower or intermediate groups often attempted to claim a higher social and caste status. This proves that while the system was rigid, it allowed for shifts in status based on improved material conditions.
• Statement 3: The traditional Varna system and the "purity-pollution" concept ensured that menial, "impure" tasks were exclusively relegated to the lowest rungs of the caste hierarchy, reinforcing the link between caste and poverty.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: The very existence of social mobility (as mentioned in points 1 and 4) proves that the hierarchy was not entirely immutable (unchangeable). Groups frequently contested their positions to rise within the local hierarchy.

Therefore, statements 1, 3, and 4 accurately reflect the dynamics of the caste-poverty-status correlation.