Inter caste marriage is term used in South Asia

South Asia

South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...

 and Middle-Eastern countries for a marriage where the couple are from two different social groups, e.g. different races, clans or castes. It is relate to exogamy

Exogamy

Exogamy is a social arrangement where marriage is allowed only outside of a social group. The social groups define the scope and extent of exogamy, and the rules and enforcement mechanisms that ensure its continuity. In social studies, exogamy is viewed as a combination of two related aspects:...

, where marriage is allowed only outside of a social group, and opposed to endogamy

Endogamy

Endogamy is the practice of marrying within a specific ethnic group, class, or social group, rejecting others on such basis as being unsuitable for marriage or other close personal relationships. A Greek Orthodox Christian endogamist, for example, would require that a marriage be only with another...

, arranged marriage

Arranged marriage

An arranged marriage is a practice in which someone other than the couple getting married makes the selection of the persons to be wed, meanwhile curtailing or avoiding the process of courtship. Such marriages had deep roots in royal and aristocratic families around the world...

 and forced marriage

Forced marriage

Forced marriage is a term used to describe a marriage in which one or both of the parties is married without his or her consent or against his or her will...

.

Encouraging inter caste marriage

In India, inter caste marriages were publicly encouraged and supported by politicians such as C. N. Annadurai

C. N. Annadurai

Conjeevaram Natarajan Annadurai , popularly called Anna , or Arignar Anna was a former Chief Minister of the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu...

, the first Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...

, and social activists such as Periyar E. V. Ramasamy

Periyar E. V. Ramasamy

Erode Venkata Ramasamy , affectionately called by his followers as Periyar , Thanthai Periyar or E. V...

, Raghupathi Venkataratnam Naidu

Raghupathi Venkataratnam Naidu

Sir Dr. Rao Bahaddoor Sri Raghupati Venkataratnam Nayudu was an Indian social reformer who hailed from a Telaga Naidu family from Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh in India. His father Appayya Naidu worked as a subedar in telaga regiment in Madras Army. Their forefathers served as commanders in...

and Manthena Venkata Raju

Manthena Venkata Raju

Manthena Venkata Raju was an Indian politician and social worker from Manthenavaripalem, Bapatla, Andhra Pradesh. He participated in the non-violent resistance against the British rule in India.- Freedom fighter :...

.

Legal

According to Special Marriage Act, 1954

Special Marriage Act, 1954

The main reason behind passing the Special Marriage Act, 1954 was to provide a special form of marriage for the people of India and all Indian nationals in foreign countries, irrespective of the religion or faith followed by either party...

 Inter caste marriage is legal in India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

,Inter-caste marriages are performed under this Act.