How do caste systems fundamentally differ from class systems in terms of social mobility?

Caste systems and class systems are two different ways societies organize people, and they have very different rules about how people can move between these groups. In a caste system, like the one traditionally found in India, people are born into a specific group that defines their social status, job, and even whom they can marry. This means there is little to no social mobility; a person usually stays in the same caste for their entire life, regardless of their talents or hard work. In contrast, class systems, such as those in many Western countries, allow for more social mobility, meaning people can change their social status based on education, income, or achievements. For example, someone born into a lower class can work hard, get an education, and eventually move up to a higher class, something that is much harder to do in a caste system.