Everything You Need to Know About India’s Caste System and How it Hinders Education
You may think that India’s caste system is a thing of the past, but it is still present to this day. Unfortunately, it still exists and is well entrenched in society and still marginalizes communities in India, despite the Indian government’s efforts through changes to the Indian Constitution and laws. In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about India’s caste system and explain how it hinders education for many individuals.
India’s Caste System Explained
India’s caste system has been around for over two thousand years rooted in the Hindu religion and its traditions. Hinduism separates people by social hierarchy groups—known as castes—based on the community they are born into.
This categorization is often justified by the religious doctrine of Karma, which is the belief that an individual’s place in life and the caste hierarchy is determined by their actions in their past life. Throughout history, it’s also been believed that individuals and their families should remain locked within their own castes by marrying those within their caste. The caste hierarchy does not allow anyone to change their caste.
The caste system is broken up into five main categories: Brahmins (priests and teachers), Kshatriyas (warriors and rulers), Vaishyas (merchants, traders, and farmers), Shudras (laborers), and Dalits (“untouchables,” like street sweepers and restroom cleaners).
The most concerning part of the caste system in India is how those in the so-called “lower castes” - Shudras and those outside of all the castes —continue to be treated. Two important groups to know about are the Dalits and the “Other Backward Classes.”
● Dalits - The word “Dalit” means “oppressed,” and since the 1880s has been used to refer to those who throughout history have been referred to as “untouchables,” or those belonging to the “lowest caste.” They are sometimes viewed as “tainted” by the so-called “upper castes” and are not only treated unjustly but also deprived of equal
rights, including education. Since the ratification of the Constitution of India in 1950, Dalits have been referred to as Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, with the promise of equal opportunity and treatment under the law and affirmative action.
● Other Backward Classes - Other Backward Classes (OBCs) are communities in India that are also marginalized in the same ways as the Dalits, but do not fit into the categorization of Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes. These often include descendants of India’s indigenous communities. Hence, their categorization as “Other Backward Classes.” The Constitution of India includes an Article (340) that makes it obligatory for the government to promote the welfare of Backward Classes.
In 1978, the Government of India instituted The Mandal Commission to identify Backward Classes and recommend measures to improve their lives and living conditions. The Commission included 11 different criteria for identifying and classifying Backward Classes, which were encompassed in economic, social, and educational categories.
The Indian Constitution guarantees equal rights for all people—including Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes—for things like equal access to places of worship, financial resources, housing, education, and more. However, even though these rights are protected under the Constitution, many individuals in these communities still face inequality and entrenched societal discrimination.
How Do These Caste Classifications Hinder Education?
While the classification of these groups in the Indian Constitution was a significant step forward, it did not necessarily change much for many people in this category. Classifying these marginalized communities as “Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes” or “Other Backward Classes” gives them equality from a legal standpoint, but does little to change the social realities- of not being accepted as equals, poor living conditions, entrenched discrimination, inadequate access to education.
That’s why many individuals from these three groups and their communities are still unable to get a proper education, even though it is a right enshrined in the Constitution. Around 37% of individuals who identify as a member of a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe and 39% of individuals who identify as a member of a Backward Class have no formal education, In a country as large as India with a total population of 1.38 billion.
That’s why at Tiyara, we seek to provide educational opportunities to under-resourced young women and men from these communities that will make life-changing differences, equipping them to pursue professional and skilled employment. The majority of our scholars come from among one of these marginalized groups.
These groups have been discriminated against throughout history, and they often live below the poverty line. Recent constitutional designations are intended to institute affirmative action and change that by creating opportunities for the people in these communities to achieve a better, equal life. One of the ways to do that is by providing equal access to education so individuals can learn, better themselves, and change their situation.
Some of these young women and men have had their lives changed by crime, others’ families
are constantly struggling to get by, and some are from indigenous populations that are often discriminated against. You can help make a difference by providing technology for our students, other education-related costs, or by putting a deserving young person through college!