What is the caste and sub-caste of Jains?

• Jainism does not prescribe or assign spiritual status based on birth or caste. The path to liberation (moksha) is open to all, regardless of one’s social background. Jains emphasize ahimsa, anekantavada, and nishtikārya rather than birth.

• In practice, Jains come from many social communities (jati) and lineages (kul). Common lay jatis include Oswal, Porwal, Agarwal, Khandelwal, Maheshwari, and similar mercantile or regional groups. These are social groupings and marriagial customs, not religious requirements for spiritual progress. You can read more about how Jain communities are viewed as jatis and kuls here.

• There are also regional sub-structures. For example, in western Maharashtra (Kolhapur-Sangli-Belgaum area) some Digambar Jain groups historically recognized sub-castes like Pancama (Panchama) and Chaturtha (Chaturtha), among others, which reflect occupation and locality rather than a doctrinal caste. These sub-groups are endogamous and have their own local customs, but they do not define Jain spiritual worth. You can read more about these Maharashtra sub-groups here.

• If you want a concise summary: Digambar and Śvetāmbara traditions both reject caste-based spiritual superiority; caste and sub-caste are social identifiers, not tests of Jain spiritual progress. You can read a compact explanation of Jain views on caste here.

Note: If you’d like, I can share specific quotes from Jain texts that affirm equality of all souls and the irrelevance of birth for spiritual attainment.