Intergenerational Educational and Occupational Mobility across Caste Groups in West Bengal

Abstract

Intragenerational and intergenerational mobility are two important parameters of social mobility. The study of educational and occupational mobility across caste groups will help to understand how caste affiliation influences the pattern of intergenerational mobility. The data from India Human Development Survey 2012 has been used in this study which collects data on fathers’ and sons’ educational and occupational information. This study uses mobility matrices and aggregate measures based on them to understand the son’s position with respect to the father’s position. It is evident from this study that educational and occupational mobility in Bengal is associated with the social position of the caste groups. In comparison to the other castes, the Forward caste has a higher proportion of sons who have completed higher education. In comparison to the other caste groups, the sons of the Forward caste experienced the least downward mobility in education. On the other hand, upward mobility is highest among the Forward caste and lowest among the OBC. The caste-based pattern is also prevalent in downward mobility, immobility and upward mobility in occupation. The sons of the Forward caste had the greatest upward mobility, followed by SC and OBC. On the contrary, down mobility is highest for the SC’s son followed by the OBC and Forward caste. It is quite clear that caste does matter and matters deeply in Bengal’s socio-economic landscape.