| Introduction: Contextual Introduction Body: What are the challenges faced by marginalized communities and their impact on society? Conclusion: Way forward |
Marginalized communities in India, particularly Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs), face numerous socio-economic challenges in accessing higher education.
Key Challenges
- High Tuition Fees: Institutions like IITs and IIMs have witnessed steep hikes in tuition fees. For instance, IIT undergraduate fees increased by 200% in 2016, and IIMs recently raised fees by up to 30%. Marginalized students often cannot afford such costs, even with schemes like the Vidyalakshmi initiative, which remain insufficient to address the financial burden.
- Caste-Based Prejudice: Marginalized students often face social isolation and discrimination in elite institutions. Judgments based on clothing, language, and caste markers perpetuate exclusion. Instances of caste-based harassment, as seen in suicides at IITs and medical colleges, highlight the emotional toll on students.
- Faculty Disparities: A 2019 report revealed that 95% of IIT faculty belonged to upper castes, leaving SC, ST, and OBC groups underrepresented in academic leadership roles. Such disparities create a non-inclusive academic environment.
- Intergenerational Poverty: The caste system historically relegated Dalits to degrading jobs, limiting economic opportunities. This perpetuates cycles of poverty, making higher education inaccessible.
Impact on Development and Inclusivity
- Underutilization of Talent: The exclusion of marginalized communities results in the loss of potential innovators and leaders.
- Reinforcement of Inequality: Persistent caste-based inequalities in education perpetuate socio-economic hierarchies, limiting mobility and reinforcing historical injustices.
- Economic Implications: Dropouts and underemployment among marginalized groups diminish workforce productivity. Limited access to quality education stifles the country’s ability to leverage its demographic dividend.
- Social Fragmentation: Discrimination and exclusion foster resentment and social divides, impeding efforts to create a cohesive and inclusive society.
- Barriers to National Progress: A society that marginalizes a significant portion of its population cannot achieve equitable growth. Inclusivity in higher education is essential for realizing the ideals of equality enshrined in the Constitution.
Conclusion
Addressing these barriers is essential not only for individual empowerment but also for fostering a more inclusive and equitable society. Proactive policy measures, coupled with societal efforts to combat caste-based discrimination, can ensure that higher education becomes a tool for empowerment rather than exclusion.
