Relationship between the Formation of Dalit (Scheduled Castes) Identity and Politics of Recognition in India

Caste is an important demarcation factor of Indian society since the notion of purity and pollution is attached with the ascribed status of an individual born in a hierarchical structure that is regulated by the principle of 'graded inequality'. Annihilation of caste system is impossible as it requires its divorce with the principle of hereditary occupation which is the foundation of caste system. But regardless of the caste history, little do we know how the constant effort is made by the powerful caste groups in the neoliberal era by getting control over education. This control decides 'who', 'what' and 'how' of the accessibility to quality education. First, the access to education in itself seems to be distant dream for Scheduled Castes (S.C.) despite the existence of 'Positive Discrimination Policy' in India. Second, when they do get access to it, the narratives of education from the lens of the dominant high caste groups make it difficult for S.C. students to relate it with their culture and personal experiences. This forceful imposition of high caste group narratives on S.C.'s often leads to a lack of critical thinking skills and leadership qualities among them, hindering their ability to understand manipulation and combat the oppression they have been subjected to for years.

Against the backdrop of this issue, this paper sheds light on the systematic dominance of high castes on the S.C., which is not just difficult to see but it is ingrained in the minds of S.C. people in such a way that to challenge it seems to be a humongous task. This paper examines the formation of Dalit identity in India, focusing on various factors such as caste-based discrimination, cultural hegemony, exclusion of Scheduled Caste students from educational institutions, and the role of educational politics in shaping the consciousness of the Dalits.