[randomguy2379]

I'm from the northern part of India. Well it actually hits you harder once you are better off. You could drive a BMW, live in a big house and have all the luxuries of being an upper class person, but hindus would still see you as an inferior lower caste. In terms of social hierarchy, a poor brahmin who flips burgers at a burger store is higher caste than a dalit doctor.

Converting is the only way to get rid of your caste. It's common amongst Hindus to ask each other's caste and the only way to say that you have none is to not be a Hindu. If you are a hindu then people will figure out your caste from your last name.

[kaybe]

So what would happen if, say, an Australian or Haitian converted to Hinduism? Or is that not possible?

[devdas]

Traditionally, you couldn't convert to Hinduism (Hinduism is literlly the set of religions followed by people in South Asia). In modern times, you can convert to Hinduism.

You would end up without a caste, but with higher or lower social status depending on your original country.

[TulliusCicero]

What about abandoning religion altogether as an agnostic or atheist? Does that not count?

[devdas]

You can be an atheist Hindu. Caste and religion have nothing to do with belief in a god, more than one god, or zero gods.