Editing Sect (section)

{{short description|Subgroup of a particular religious or ideological doctrine}}
{{About|religious groups|other uses|Sect (disambiguation)}}
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[[File:Prevailing religious population by country percentage.svg|thumb|300px|Major denominations and [[religions]] of the world]]
A '''sect''' is a subgroup of a [[religion|religious]], [[politics|political]], or [[philosophy|philosophical]] belief system, typically emerging as an offshoot of a larger organization. Originally, the term referred specifically to religious groups that had separated from a main body, but it can now apply to any group that diverges from a larger organization to follow a distinct set of beliefs and practices. Sects often form when there is a perception of [[heresy]] either within the subgroup or from the larger group.

In an [[India]]n context, sect refers to an organized tradition.<ref name="sai.uni-heidelberg"/>