English

Pradip Chouhan

doi:10.5897/jgrp12.028

Abstract

Literacy level and educational attainment are vital indicators of development of any society. In spite of many socio-economic securities provided to scheduled castes in the constitution and by the government, scheduled castes are still comparatively illiterates and less educated than general category. This could be attributed to a variety of reasons such as early age marriage, high female illiteracy due to importance to male child, child labour, superstition, dominance of higher castes, and deprivation from socio-economic status etc. Education is an important variable affecting demographic behavior concerning marriage, fertility, mortality, migration as well as participation in labour force. In a number of research studies, a clear cut negative relationship has been established between the educational level of women and fertility. The age of females at marriage is also affected by the educational attainment of females. Even infant mortality is found to be affected by the educational status of mother. Thus there is a need to study on literacy and educational attainment of scheduled castes of Maldah district and to give suggestions for their educational development. Key words: Scheduled castes, literacy, and educational attainment.

Highlights

India is a laboratory of race religions and various cultures
In the year 1935, the British Government in India prepared for the first time a list of castes, which are referred to as scheduled castes (S.Cs.)
The Indian caste system based on the notion of purity and pollution believed that the scheduled castes were impure and polluted

Summary

Introduction

India is a laboratory of race religions and various cultures. The census of India 1901 identified some unclean castes suffering from disabilities and classified them as „Unclean Castes‟. In the year 1935, the British Government in India prepared for the first time a list of castes, which are referred to as scheduled castes (S.Cs.). Scheduled castes commonly known as „Untouchables‟, „Chamars‟, „Harijans‟, „Down Trodden‟, „Dalits‟, „Bhangis‟, „Sudras‟ etc. The scheduled castes were kept apart from the rest of the society due to the prevalent practice of untouchability. The Indian caste system based on the notion of purity and pollution believed that the scheduled castes were impure and polluted. The schedule castes are comparatively backward in occupational, educational, social, cultural, religious and political sector

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