Patterns of Social Inequality and Exclusion — Sociology STD 12 Humanities — Question
CBSE BoardEnglish MediumSTD 12 HumanitiesSociologyPatterns of Social Inequality and Exclusion4 Marks
Question
Discuss state and non-state initiatives addressing caste and tribe discrimination.
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Answer
The Indian state has had special programmes for the scheduled tribes and scheduled castes since before independence. The 'Schedules' listing the castes and tribes recognized as deserving of special treatment because of the massive discrimination practised against them were drawn up in 1935, by the British Indian government.
After independence, the same policies have been continued and many new ones added such as the extension of special programmes to the Other Backward Classes since the early 1990s.
The most important state initiative attempting to compensate for the past and present caste discrimination is to the one known as 'reservations'. This involves the setting aside of some places or seats for members of the SCs and STs in different spheres of public life. This includes reservation of seats in the State and Central legislatures, reservation of jobs in government service across.
All department and public sector companies have seats reserved for the SCs and STs which are equal to the percentage share of them in the total population.
For the OBCs, this share is decided differently. The same principle is extended to o ther developmental programmes, some of which are exclusively for the SCs and STs, while others give them preference.
In addition to reservations, there have been several laws passed to end, prohibit and punish caste discrimination, specially untouchability such as Caste Disabilities Removal Act of 1850, which disallowed the curtailment of rights of citizens solely due to change of religion or caste and 93rd Amendment Act of 2005 which became law on 23rd January 2006, both these laws are related to education. The latter is for introducing reservation for the OBCs in institutions of higher education, while the former was used to allow entry of Dalits to government schools.
Other laws are the constitution of India itself, the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act of 1989. The constitution abolished untouchability (Article 17).
The 1989 Act was revised and strengthened the legal provisions punishing acts of violence or humiliation against Dalits and Adivasis.
The fact that legislation was passed repeatedly on this subject is proof of the fact that the law alone cannot end a social practice.
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