PROJECT ON Origin and Development of Schedule Caste in India

Submitted To: Dr. Ayan Hazra (Faculty, Sociology, HNLU) Submitted By: TANNYA BRAHME (Semester III, Batch X), Roll No.-137 Submission Date: 16.09.2011

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Gratefulness is the noble response of ones soul to kindness or help generously rendered by another and its acknowledgment is joyous and is an obligation. So it is that I express whole heartedly to those who have made the creation of this project possible. First of all I thank the almighty, Lord on whom I believe and depend on. My each and every achievement is nothing but the showers of blessing he gives me, I also thank, Dr. Ayan Hazra for selecting me to work on this project and guiding me throughout. I extend my thankfulness to the IT Committee without which my project would have had no life. I am extremely grateful to all my friends and all my well wishers who had helped in the completion of this project. Last but never the least I extend my wholehearted thankfulness to the librarians & and the office staff. The views expressed in this project are purely that of the author and the same are not intended against any one personally, any suggestions, corrections and alterations would be treated with extreme obligations.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction...4 Origin of scheduled caste......5 Religious Theory And Scheduled Caste.5 Occupational Theory And Schedule Caste5 Indo Aryan Theory And Scheduled Caste.6 Scheduled caste..7 Development of scheduled caste...8 Anti caste movement...8 Political activity...9 Views of Gandhi and ambedkar9 Political parties...10 Constitutional safeguards..11 Conclusion.14 Bibliography..15

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INTRODUCTION
India is 7th largest Country (area wise) in the world. It has many states. It is impossible to know India without understanding its religious beliefs and practices. The religions have a deep influence on the personal life of most Indians. This is the main reason that India is known as the land of spirituality and philosophy and is the birthplace of some worldwide religions like Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, existing today also in the world. Those religions which started elsewhere found fertile development in India like Islam and Christianity. Indian religions have deep historical roots. The most leading and oldest religion in India today is Hinduism. About 80% of Indians are Hindus. Caste system is a unique feature of Indian life. It is believed that originally there were only four main castes but over the last two thousand years, these four castes have been astronomically sub-divided into thousands of castes and sub-castes. The origin of the caste system is in Hinduism, but it affected the whole Indian society The word Caste is derived from the Latin word castus and implies purity of breed. A caste may be defined as a collection of families or groups of families bearing a common name, claiming common descent from a mythical ancestor, human or divine; professing to follow the same hereditary calling; and regarded by those who are competent to give an opinion as forming a single homogeneous community. The name generally denotes or is associated with a specific occupation. A caste is almost invariably endogamous in the sense that a member of the large circle denoted by the common name may not marry outside that circle, but within the circle there are usually a number of smaller circles each of which is endogamous. Definition of caste by different scholars According to Bteille 1 A caste is a small and named group of persons characterized by endogamy, hereditary membership and a specific style of life which sometimes includes the pursuit by tradition of a particular occupation and is usually associated with a more or less distinct ritual status in a hierarchical system, based on concepts of purity and pollution. This definition highlights some of the characteristics of caste: its hereditary nature, the pursuit of traditional occupations, hierarchical rank, endogamy, and the practice of pollution rites2. According to C. H. Cooley When a class is somewhat strictly hereditary, we may call it a caste According to Ketkar A caste is a group having two characteristics;
1

1965 For a discussion of these characteristics see Kolenda (1986). However these characteristics need not have a universal meaning for all castes, or indeed in all parts of the country.
2

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i) ii)

membership is confined to the members and includes all persons so born, The members are forbidden an inexorable social law to marry outside the group.
ORIGIN OF SCHEDULED CASTE IN INDIA

Caste system in India has a long history dating back to the ancient past. To explain the mechanism of the creation and preservation of caste in India and its genesis is always an annoying question. There are different theories about the establishment of the caste system. 1. Religious Theory and Scheduled Caste:

According to a religious thought given in the famous Hindu Sacred book Rig-Veda, the four castes have been created from the body of the great god Brahma; it is the earliest of all accounts. The Brahman was his mouth, of both his arms was the Rajanya made; His thighs became the Vaisya, from his feet the Sudra was produced.3 As per this shloka Brahman, the Rajanya (Kshattriya), the Vaisya and the Sudra to proceed from his (Brahma) mouth, his arms, the thighs, and the feet respectively, and allotted to each of these their distinctive duties. The Brahman was enjoined to study, teach, sacrifice, and receive alms, the Kashtrtriya to protect the people and abstain from sensual pleasures, the Vaisya to tend cattle, to trade, to lend money, and to cultivate land, while for the Sudra was prescribed the comprehensive avocation of meekly serving the other three groups. The shloka further explains, consequently, any mixture of blood, or cross-marriage, or even any contact of the members of different caste to be the greatest crime, and the social status of every individual entirely determined by the blood of his parents. Twice-born men (of the higher castes) who, in their folly wed wives of low caste, soon degrade their families and their children to the state of Sudras.4.The sudras here are the present scheduled caste, their job was to serve the upper caste people.
2. Occupational Theory and scheduled caste:

In the Brief Sketch of the Caste System of the North-Western Provinces and Oudh, Mr. J.C. Nesfield puts forward the view that the whole basis of the caste system is the division of occupations, and that the social gradation of castes corresponds precisely to the different periods of civilisation during which their traditional occupations originated. Thus the lowest castes are those allied to the primitive occupation of hunting, Psi, Bhar, Bahelia, because the pursuit of wild animals was the earliest stage in the development of human industry. Next above these come5 the fishing castes, fishing being considered somewhat superior to hunting, because water is a more sacred element among Hindus than land, and there is less apparent cruelty in the
3 4

Rig-Veda, Chapter X, hymn 90, verses 11-12 Caste, Class and Race A Study in Social Dynamics by Oliver Cromwell Cox, Ph.D., Professor of Sociology, Lincoln University 5 Wilson, p. 363, quoting from Smriti of Angira.

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capturing of fish than the slaughtering of animals; these are the Kahrs, Kewats, Dhmars and others. Above these come the pastoral castesGhosi, Gadaria, Gjar and Ahr; and above them the agricultural castes, following the order in which these occupations were adopted during the progress of civilisation. At the top of the system stands the Rjpt or Chhatri, the warrior, whose duty is to protect all the lower castes, and the Brhman, who is their priest and spiritual guide. Similarly, the artisan castes are divided into two main groups; the lower one consists of those whose occupations preceded the age of metallurgy, as the Chamrs and Mochis or tanners, Koris or weavers, the Telis or oil-pressers, Kalrs or liquor-distillers, Kumhrs or potters, and Lunias or salt-makers. The higher group includes those castes whose occupations were coeval with the age of metallurgy, that is, those who work in stone, wood and metals, and who make clothing and ornaments, as the Barhai or worker in wood, the Lohr or worker in iron, the Kasera and Thathera, brass-workers, and the Sunr or worker in the precious metals, ranking precisely in this order of precedence, the Sunr being the highest. The theory is still further developed among the trading castes, who are arranged in a similar manner, beginning from the Banjra or forest trader, the Kunjra or greengrocer, and the Bharbhnja or grain-parcher, up to the classes of Banias and Khatris or shopkeepers and bankers. In occupational theory also the lower caste exists which is the scheduled caste.
3. Indo Aryan Theory and scheduled caste:

According to general Indian legend, the Aryans arrived in north India somewhere from Iran and southern Russia around 1500 BC. There is a lot of controversy regarding the theory of the IndoAryan migration. It is believed that the Ayran came to India in different groups and migrated at different time periods due to climactic and demographic reasons and started disregard of the local customs and traditions. The local residents became the servants of the Aryans. Before the Aryans, the Dravidian people resided in India. The Bharata Tribe was the most powerful tribe of the Aryan who migrated somewhere from Central Asia and occupied the territory of Saptsandhu (Modern Hindustan) The Bharatas were an Aryan tribe mentioned in the Rigveda, especially in Mandala 3 attributed to the sage Vishvamitra. They appear to have been successful in the early power-struggles between the various Aryan and non-Aryan tribes so that in postVedic (Epic) tradition, the Mahbhrata, the eponymous ancestor becomes Emperor Bharata, conqueror all of India, and his tribe and kingdom is called Bhrata.The fair skinned Aryans who occupied northern part of India established the caste system, which allowed only themselves to be the priests (Brahman), aristocracy (Kshatria) and the businessmen (Vaisia) of the society. Below them in hierarchy were the Sudras, most of them were the original inhabitants of India. The Aryans disregarded the local cultures. They began conquering and taking control over regions in north India and at the same time pushed the local people southwards or towards the jungles and mountains in north India. Though there is a general faith that the earliest settlers on this land, the Aryans might have actually established the caste system and in this caste system also the lower caste people were the shudras i.e. the Scheduled Caste people.

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So there is controversy on the origin of untouchability with some accounts stating that it was a feature of ancient Indian society and others that it was introduced with the Aryan invaders in the third century BC. The philosophy of caste is contained in the Manusmiriti, a sacred Hindu text dating from the second century BC and is related to the theory of transmigration of the soul and of karma (rebirth) and dharma(duty). Untouchable outcast communities were forbidden to join in the religious and social life of the community and were confined to menial polluting tasks such as slaughtering animals and leatherworking. The introduction of Islam from the thirteenth century AD led to widespread conversions by many low caste and untouchable groups and by the mid-nineteenth century about one quarter of the population was Muslim.

Scheduled Caste
The Sudras were classified as inferior and the last varna to other three varnas, in ancient social system in India. Along with this several social, economic and political restrictions were imposed on them. This classified Sudras includes various caste groups, which have suffered social and economic inequity since ages. They had to stay outside the village. The concept of pollution was attached to them and they were treated as untouchable castes.6 These untouchables or castes were officially defined as depressed castes in 1932 and they were systematically listed in the 1931Census of India. Gandhi named the untouchables as Harijans. Hari means God and Jan means People, i.e. People of God. The meaning of this word in Hindi, Marathi and other languages is, a child, whose fathers identity is unknown.7 Therefore the name Harijan was opposed and hated by the untouchables. The Simon Commission in 1935 first coined the term Scheduled Castes. All the untouchable castes, which were listed in 1931-Census of India, came to be known as the Scheduled Castes (SCs) through the Government of India Act of 1935. In the mean time, the Government published a list of Scheduled Castes under the Government of India (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1936. The Government of India in post independence period carried the same idea. According to the Constitution of India, under article 341(1), the President of India, after consultation with the Governor, may specify, the castes, races, tribes or parts of groups within castes or races, which shall be deemed to be Scheduled Castes. Accordingly the President has notified the Scheduled Castes in the order called Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order-1950 and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes List (Modification) Order-1956. However, under article 341(2), the Parliament of India by law can include or exclude the above-mentioned groups from the list of the Scheduled Castes. In a simple way, in contemporary period, the Scheduled Castes are defined under article 366 (244) of the Constitution of India as, the Scheduled Castes means such Castes, Races, Tribes or
6 7

Kamble N.D.(1982) The Scheduled Castes, Ashish Publishing House, New Delhi. p.30 Ibid p.40

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parts of or groups within such Castes, races or tribes, deemed under article 341 to be Scheduled Castes for the purpose of this Constitution.8 Thus the Scheduled Castes are those castes which are listed as Scheduled Castes in the Constitution of India. The Scheduled Castes constitute a significant demographic strength in India. In the year 1935, the Scheduled Castes were estimated as about 5 Crores., in the year 1981, estimated as 10.475 Crores and in the year 1991, population was estimated as 13.822 Crores, which constitutes 16.48 percent of the total population.9 The decadal growth of Scheduled Castes in India over 1991 was 30 per cent, which is more than decadal growth of general population. 6 81 per cent of Scheduled Castes are living in rural area.10

Development of Scheduled Caste in India

ANTI-CASTE MOVEMENTS Buddhism, founded in the sixth century BCE, held that status should be determined by action, not birth. The only people who were Brahmans were those who fulfilled the specific role of Brahmins. All castes were admitted into the Buddhist sangha , the order of monks or bhikhus . Although Buddhism was the most consistently egalitarian, there are suggestions of reform in the Siddhas, the Nath cult and the Mahanubhav religion, as well as others. The bhakti movement, which held that devotion to God was the key to salvation and happiness, not any sort of ritual or orthodoxy, began in the South in about the eighth century and moved slowly North, covering most of India by the eighteenth century. From Tamil Nadu, the bhakti idea moved to Karnataka where Basavanna became the most radical of religious leaders. From total equality to intercaste marriage, Basavanna preached a new way, but his followers, the Lingayats, soon became a caste themselves. In the Marathi area, in the fourteenth century, Cokhamela and his family, wife, sister, sisters husband, and son, all wrote songs of both bliss and humiliation, over four hundred of which are now credited to them. In the North, Ravidas, a Chamar of the fifteenth century, is still very influential as model, source of pride, and symbol of identity. The general consensus is that the bhakti movement was spiritually egalitarian, but had little social effect. Nevertheless, all the untouchable saints are remembered their legends told, their songs sung, and their places secured by proof of creativity and piety. The reform institutions of the nineteenth century, the Brahmo Samaj based in Bengal, the Prarthana Samaj of Bombay province, and the Arya Samaj of Punjab, the United Provinces, and to some degree throughout India, had various sorts of effects. The Brahmo instituted schools for the so-called depressed classes. The Prarthana Samaj admitted a few untouchables into its group, and the Arya Samaj instituted purification rites that theoretically removed untouchables from any
8 9

ibid Tenth Five Year Plan (2002-2007), Sectoral Policies and Programmes, Vol. II, Planning Commission (Govt. of India) publication, New Delhi , p.405 10 Ibid. p.419

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polluting category. All had some effect on the Indian mind, but none had any large effect on the depressed classes. A very radical group, the Satyashodhak Samaj (truth-seeking society) of the non-Brahman Jotirao Phule, flourished in the late nineteenth century and was influential in the area that became Maharashtra. POLITICAL ACTIVITY Political activity on the part of Dalits began as early as the 1890s with the attempt to create a petition for reenlistment of Mahars and other untouchable castes into the army. The participation of untouchables in the army had been important in the eighteenth and most of the nineteenth centuries, but the late-nineteenth-century British emphasis on martial castes barred untouchables from the army. Gopalnak Baba (Vittalnak) Walankar, a retired Havaldar (native officer in the British army) in Bombay province, created a long petition with the help of Hindu caste reformers, but the ex-army men were too timid to sign it. In the early twentieth century, Dalits from all over the country petitioned the various British commissions for rights and privileges, including the Minto-Morley tour for the 1909 reforms and the Southborough (Franchise) Commission in 1919. In the testimony before the Southborough Commission, a new and different voice was heard. Ambedkar had returned from his study at Columbia University in New York and had not yet departed for his study at the London School of Economics and Grays Inn. In long and sophisticated testimony, Ambedkar asked for a very low franchise for untouchables, few of whom were educated or land owning, and representation in such numbers as would enable them to claim redress. But the government allowed two nominated seats for untouchables in the Madras Legislative Council, and one each in the provinces of Bombay (a few years later increased to two), United Provinces, Bengal, Bihar, and the Central provinces. M. C. Rajah of Madras, who had served on the Madras Legislative Council and had written the first book on untouchables from within the group itself, was nominated to the central Legislative Council. With this unpromising start, the effort of Dalits to serve on legislative bodies and to create new laws was set in ever-increasing motion. Both Ambedkar and an untouchable from Madras, Rattamalle Srinivasan, were nominated to attend the Round Table Conferences of 1930 to 1932, which were to determine the nature of representation in India. In London, as Sikhs and Muslims pled for separate electorates, that is, electorates in which Muslims would vote for Muslim representatives, Sikhs for Sikh, and so on, Ambedkar also began to think that untouchable representatives in legislative bodies should be elected by their fellow untouchables. This view appealed to the British, and the Communal Award of 1932 gave such representation to the depressed classes. Mahatma Gandhi, however, who was in the Yeravda prison near Pune for civil disobedience, was so opposed to separate electorates for untouchables that he declared a fast unto death. Ambedkar gave in, striking the best bargain he could: enhanced numbers of depressed classes representatives.

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VIEWS OF GANDHI AND AMBEDKAR Ambedkar had supported Gandhi as one of the few caste Hindus trying to change the untouchables situation with his Vaikom Satyagraha movement in the South. Ambedkar became quite critical of the lack of commitment to untouchables rights on the part of the Indian National Congress, however, and the outcome of the so-called Poona Pact of 1932 made him an implacable critic. Dalits continue to feel that Gandhi betrayed them with his denial of the right of separate electorates, which for them meant genuine political power. In 1933 Gandhi began to use the term Harijan (children of God) for untouchables, and until Dalit came to be widely used Harijan was the universal designation for untouchables, in spite of the objection of some. Gandhi was a caste Hindu, a Vaishya. Ambedkar was a Mahar and knew discrimination firsthand. Gandhi never repudiated the varna theory of four major groups, although he fought against the idea of a group below the varnas and he held all varnas to be equal. Ambedkar repudiated the entire caste hierarchy, dismissing what was a current effort among untouchables to sanskritize, that is, adopt upper-class customs in order to raise their status. Gandhi did not believe in political battles for untouchables rights or approve their attempts to enter temples unless the temple authorities agreed. Ambedkar felt political power was part of the solution to untouchability. Basically, Gandhis faith was in change of heart; Ambedkars trust was in law, political power, and education. Ambedkar went on to become the best-known voice of the untouchables, and also a powerful representative, serving both the government of India before independence and as law minister in independent Indias first cabinet. In the latter capacity he chaired the committee charged with drafting a constitution for India. POLITICAL PARTIES Ambedkar began the Independent Labour Party in 1936 and was successful in gaining eleven of the fifteen seats reserved for scheduled castes, plus seats for three Hindu caste legislators. The party was not successful, however, in gaining rights for Dalits and for workers. An effort to reintroduce the idea of separate electorates brought about the Scheduled Castes Party in 1942. Ambedkars Republican Party was the next try but did not come into being until after his death in 1956. Lacking a central figure, it was soon divided into various leaders components. But Dalits are politically very aware, and the lack of party success resulted in the Dalit Panther movement in Bombay, which was combined with a Dalit literary movement in the 1970s. After a strong initial impact, the Panthers split, and now constitute only minor parties in Tamil Nadu and some cities of Uttar Pradesh. The literary movement, however, has spread to almost all the language areas of India. The political momentum has been taken over by the Bahujan (majority) Samaj Party (BSP) founded in 1984 by Kanshi Ram, a Punjabi. In the North and to a smaller degree in Maharashtra it has considerable strength. Ram had established two earlier organizations, BAMCEF (All India Backward and Minority Communities Employees Federation) and a political
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party. BAMCEF claimed 200,000 members, including university-educated Dalits and Bahujans. Both these organizations gave way to the BSP, which has made real inroads into the politics of Uttar Pradesh. Its base is the Chamar community, and although Ram refused to talk about caste, he probably was from the Ramdasi Sikh community, recruited from the Chamars. In 1985 Mayawati Kumari, a single woman commonly called simply Maya-wati, emerged as an effective and powerful leader, and she has led the party single-handedly since Kanshi Rams death in 2006. An early partnership with the Socialist Party of Mulayam Singh Yadav, which promised enormous power, soon broke apart, and Mayawati has ruled Uttar Pradesh as chief minister three times within other alliances. Links with the Brahmanical party of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have been held suspect by some Dalits but welcomed by others. In the 2007 elections Mayawatis BSP party in combination with Brahmans won a clear majority, and she is now chief minister in Uttar Pradesh.

Constitutional Safeguard
The important Constitutional safeguards for SCs are mentioned below: (a) Directive Principles of State Policy Article 46 is a comprehensive article comprising both the developmental and regulatory aspects. It reads as follows: "The State shall promote with special care the educational and economic interests of the weaker sections, of the people, and in particular, of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, and shall protect them from social injustice and all forms of exploitation". (b) Social Safeguards Article 17: "Untouchability" is abolished and its practice in any form is forbidden. The enforcement of any disability arising out of "Untouchability" shall be an offence punishable in .accordance with law. To give effect to this Article, Parliament made an enactment viz., Untouchability (Offences) Act, 1955. To make the provisions of this Act more stringent, the Act was amended in 1976 and was also renamed as the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955. As provided under the Act, Government of India also notified the Rules, viz., the PCR Rules, 1977, to carry out the provisions of this Act. As cases of atrocities on SCs/STs were not covered under the provisions of PCR Act, 1955, Parliament passed another important Act in 1989 for taking measures to prevent the atrocities. This act known as the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, became effective from 30.1.1990.For carrying out the provisions of this Act the Govt. of India have notified the SCs and the STs (Prevention of Atrocities) Rules, 1995 on 31.3.1995.

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Article 23: Prohibits traffic in human beings and beggar and other similar forms of forced labor and provides that any contravention of this provision shall be an offence punishable in accordance with law. It does not specifically mention SCs & STs but since the majority of bonded labour belongs to SCs/STs this Article has a special significance for SCs and STs. In pursuance of this article, Parliament has enacted the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976. For effective implementation of this Act, the Ministry of Labour is running a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for identification, liberation and rehabilitation of bonded labour. Article 24 provides that no child below the age of 14 years shall be employed to work in any factory or mine or engaged in any other hazardous employment. There is Central and State laws to prevent child labour. This article too is significant for SCs and STs as a substantial portion, if not the majority, of child labour engaged in hazardous employment belong to SCs and STs. Article 25(2) (b) provides that Hindu religious institutions of a public character shall be thrown open to all classes and sections of Hindus. This provision is relevant as some sects of Hindus used to claim that only members of the concerned sects had a right to enter their temples. This was only a subterfuge to prevent entry of SC persons in such temples. For the purpose of this provision the term Hindu includes Sikh, Jaina and Buddhist. Educational and Cultural Safeguards Article 15(4) empowers the State to make any special provision for the advancement of any socially and educationally backward classes of citizens or for SC and ST. This provision has enabled the State to reserve seats for SCs and STs in educational institutions including technical, engineering and medical colleges and in Scientific & Specialized Courses. In this as well as in Article 16(4) the term 'backward classes' is used as a generic term and comprises various categories of backward classes, viz., Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, Denitrified Communities (Vimukta Jatiyan) and Nomadic/Semi nomadic communities. Article 330: provides for reservation of seats for SCs/STs in the Lok Sabha. Article 332: provides for reservation of seats for SCs/STs in the State Vidhan Sabhas (Legislative Assemblies). Article 334: originally laid down that the provision relating to the reservation of seats for SCs/STs in the Lok Sabha and the State Vidhan Sabhas (and the representation of the AngloIndian community in the Lok Sabha and the State Vidhan Sabhas by nomination) would cease to have effect on the expiration of a period of ten years from the commencement of the Constitution. This article has since been amended four times, extending the said period by ten years on each occasion. This provision was to expire in January 2000. Service Safeguards Article 16(4): empowers the State to make "any provision for the reservation in appointments or posts in favour of any backward class of citizens which, in the opinion of the State, is not adequately represented in the services under the State".
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Article 16(4A): Nothing in this Article shall prevent the State from making any provision for reservation in matters of promotion to any class or classes of posts in the services under the State in favour of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes which, in the opinion of the State, are not adequately represented in the services under the State". Article 335: "The claims of the members of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes shall be taken into consideration, consistently with the maintenance of efficiency of administration, in the making of appointments to services and posts in connection with the affairs of the Union or of a State". Article 320(4): provides that nothing in clause (3) shall require a Public Service Commission to be consulted as respects the manner in which any provision under Article 16(4) & 16(4) A may be made or the manner in which effect may be given to the provisions of Article 335. STATUTES AND LEGISLATIONS There are a number of laws, both Central and State, which provide for safeguards to SCs/STs. Some of these emanate from the various Constitutional provisions. An illustrative list of such laws is given below:

The Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955. The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. The Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976. The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986. Acts and regulations in force in different States to prevent alienation of land belonging to SCs/STs. In some States such provision exists in the Land Revenue Code. Acts in different States for restoration of alienated land to SCs/STs

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Conclusion
The development of weaker sections of the society particularly of scheduled castes and has been on the agenda of the government since the starting of planned development process in our country. Even it was realised by the framers of the Constitution of India that these socially, economically and educationally backward castes cannot compete with others without the initial push given by the State. Accordingly, some special provisions, besides fundamental rights have been incorporated in the Constitution to provide justice and equal opportunities to them. As a result of these protective discrimination policies, improvement in the social and economic conditions has been recorded among these categories of the society. Education, income and health are considered the pivotal anchors of development in every society. The present state of the conditions of scheduled castes on the above indicators reflects that still there is literacy gap of more than 14 per cent in case of scheduled castes in relation to other castes. The dropout rate is also on the higher side among the children of SCs/ STs. The health indicators reveal that infant mortality, neo-natal mortality, child mortality, peril-natal mortality, post-natal mortality and under five mortality is much higher among the scheduled caste population in comparison to general castes. Regarding institutional deliveries among the scheduled caste women, nearly 77 per cent of SC women women are forced to gave birth to their children at home due to acute poverty. As far as the work participation rate among the scheduled castes is concerned, it is found that around 80 per cent of them still remained essentially the agricultural/casual labourers and one-fourth among the working population of SCs/STs still have to struggle to get work even for a period of six month in a year. Moreover, their representation in top echelons of services of class A and B is very less than their stipulated share of 15.5 per cent. It is unfortunate that in the era of science and technology more than 21 per cent SC villages have no access to the electricity facility. More than 56 per cent of scheduled castes do not have access to electricity in their houses. Access to safe drinking water is essential for the good health and survival of the individuals. Only 27 per cent of scheduled castes have drinking water source within the premises, whereas 20 per cent of scheduled caste population have to go away outside their houses to meet their drinking water requirement. The status of the sanitation facilities in our country is reflected from the fact that only 23.7 per cent of scheduled castes households have latrine facility within the premises as compared to 42.3 percent of general category households. Moreover, majority of the scheduled caste and scheduled tribe population do not have a permanent house to live in. In terms of reduction in poverty the government seems to have done well particularly in the past decade due to liberalisation and privatisation processes but it is a matter of great concern that still more than one-third population of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes are living below poverty line with minimum or no access to economic sources, food, clothing, shelter, education and housing, the main indicators of prosperity. So education, housing, economic empowerment, health and safe drinking water are the main areas of concern which need urgent attention of the government and policy makers.

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Bibliography
Ghurye, G. S. (1961). Caste, Class and Occupation. Ghurye, G. S. (1969). Caste and Race in India Ambedkar, B.R. (1946). The Untouchables: Who Were They and Why They Became Untouchables? As reprinted in Volume 7 of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Writings and Speeches, published by Government of Maharashtra 1990; Complete Writings. Ambedkar, B.R. (1946) who were the Shudras M. N. Srinivas, Social Change in Modern India, Orient Longman, Delhi, 1995

Webliography
http://164.100.24.208/ls/committeeR/SCTC/2.pdf http://www.nird.org.in/OctLevel%209.pdf http://planningcommission.nic.in/plans/stateplan/scp_tsp/82ACTIONPOINTS.pdf http://encyclopedia.jrank.org/articles/pages/6144/Dalits.html file:///E:/sem%203/socio/History%20of%20the%20Caste%20System%20in%20India.ht m

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