Scheduled castes are those castes/races in the nation and one of the most oppressed sections of the society. They experience extreme social, educational, and economic backwardness as a result of the long-standing practice of untouchability, as well as some others due to a lack of infrastructure and geographic isolation, and who require special consideration for the protection of their interests and for their accelerated socioeconomic development. According to the terms of Clause 1 of Article 341 of the Constitution, these communities were declared Scheduled Castes and given notification.

This article explains the Issues Faced by Scheduled Castes is important for UPSC IAS exam preparation.

Issues Faced by Scheduled Castes

Social issues

• Untouchables or Scheduled Castes have historically had a number of limitations or issues.
• These issues were related to the ideas of contamination and purity. In society, the untouchables were assigned a very low status.
• Hindus of high caste kept their distance from them on a social level. Numerous necessities of life were withheld from them, as opposed to high-caste Hindus. When it came to food and drink, they were reliant on Hindu custom.
• Untouchability is still a widespread practice in India even though the caste system has been formally abolished under the country's current laws.
• The majority of villages in Rajasthan forbid members of the Scheduled Caste from entering the temple or using the public well.

Political Issues

• The untouchables were scarcely involved in political activities.
• They were not granted a voice in India's politics, government, or general governance, and they were not permitted to occupy any public office. They were denied political representation and rights.
• They received the right to vote for the first time during the British era. Following independence, the Harijans/Tribes were also granted equal political opportunity and privileges.
• These Communities have not yet developed into a cohesive political force.

Economical issues

• They experienced several economic issues. They experienced a great deal of financial difficulty and were not adequately compensated for their service.
• Untouchables were historically denied access to their own lands. They were prohibited from operating any businesses.
• They were forbidden from working in any of the occupations that individuals from other castes were doing.
• The untouchables were required to perform heavy agricultural work, clean the streets, remove dead animals, and pursue any career in accordance with their abilities.
• Most of them were labourers who lacked land. They laboured in the fields owned by high caste Hindus.

Civic Disabilities

• Avoidance of using public spaces.
• For a very long time, the untouchable castes were not allowed to utilise any public spaces or amenities including village ponds, wells, temples, hotels, hostels, schools, hospitals, lecture halls, closets, etc.
• In the beginning, they were compelled to reside on the fringes of the cities and villages.
• They are still physically separated from other people. In South India, limitations were placed on the way people built their homes, the kinds of clothes they wore, and the decorative patterns they used.
• They were not allowed to cover the upper body with clothing made by tailors.

Educational Issues

• In the beginning, they were prohibited from enrolling in school. They were not allowed to study Sanskrit.
• Public schools and other educational facilities were shut down in their honour. The bulk of them are still illiterate and uneducated.
• They are required to clean the restrooms and frequently have to sit outside of the classroom at public schools where they are not permitted to serve meals to members of higher castes.
• Students frequently face discrimination, and this is true even at campuses when the majority of professor positions designated for them are empty.
• The recent suicides of Rohith Vemula and Payal Tadvi lend credence to the aforementioned allegations of discrimination against Dalit students.

Religious issues

• Even now, the SCs experience religious disadvantages. In many regions, they are not permitted to enter temples. The Brahmins who provide their priestly services to the lower castes are ill-equipped to preside over rituals for the castes considered to be "untouchable."
• They don't even submit to these castes' obligations as "untouchables." Due to taboos, the Harijans were unable to listen to or recite the Vedic mantras, which are said to be more pure.
• The Brahmins did not serve the untouchables, nor were they permitted access to the temples. They lacked standing to offer sacrifices to the Gods and Goddesses in the temple.
• Only the upanishad mantras, which are regarded as being less pure, were allowed to be used.
• Additionally, they were frequently refused access to burial grounds.

Crimes against Scheduled Castes

• According to data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), there were 223 crimes against Scheduled Castes in 2015, up from fewer than 50 (per million people) in the previous ten years.
• Rajasthan has the poorest track record among the states, despite Bihar consistently being in the top 5 states for crimes against Scheduled Castes.
• The idea that the economic growth of Dalits might lessen crimes against them has been contested by several social scientists.
• Due to factors including fear of retaliation, police notification, inability to pay bribes sought by police, etc., the majority of crimes against dalits go unreported.
• Compared to women from other castes, girls experience violence at a younger age and more frequently. The National Family Health Survey found that by the age of 15, 33.2% of scheduled caste women have been physically harmed. For women in the "other" group, the figure is 19.7%.
• The ongoing violence is primarily caused by the ruling castes' perception of impunity.
• Hate crimes frequently target women and girls from Scheduled Castes. With a pitiful 16.8 percent conviction rate, access to justice has been appalling. The conviction rate for offences against Dalits is typically just half that of other offences.

National Commission for Scheduled Castes (SCs)

• The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (SCs) is a constitutional entity in the sense that it is explicitly created under Article 338 of the Constitution.
• The National Commission for SCs was established in 2004. It is made up of a chairperson, a vice-chairperson, and three additional members.
• They are appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal. The President also determines their terms of service and terms of office.

Function of National Commission for Scheduled Castes (SCs)

• To examine and monitor all things relevant to the constitutional and other legal protections for the SCs, as well as to evaluate their effectiveness.
• To investigate particular complaints about the denial of rights and safeguards for the SCs.
• Participate in and advise on the planning process of the SCs' socioeconomic growth, as well as assess the status of their development under the Union or a state.
• To offer suggestions on the steps that the Union or a state should take to ensure the effective implementation of those safeguards and other measures for the protection, welfare, and socioeconomic development of the SCs.
• To carry out any additional tasks as the president may define in respect to the protection, welfare, development, and progress of the SCs.

Government Initiatives to Scheduled Caste Development

Protection of Civil Rights

• The Untouchability (Offences) Act, 1955 was passed in accordance with Article 17 of the Indian Constitution, and it stipulates that anybody who violates the untouchability laws faces a maximum term of six months in jail, a fine, or both.
• Infractions including prohibiting someone from visiting public temples or places of worship or from obtaining water from holy lakes, tanks, wells, etc. and other public sites are punishable under this Act.

The ‘Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013’ (MS Act, 2013)

• The government has given the elimination of dry latrines, manual scavenging, and the rehabilitation of manual scavengers into other occupations high importance.
• The act forbade the building of dry toilets as well as the use of human scavengers to physically clean dry latrines (that do not operate with a flush).
• prohibits the building or upkeep of unhygienic restrooms.
• Any person who violates the law's ban on hiring or engaging in manual scavenging work faces a year in jail, a fine of INR 50,000, or both.
• prohibits someone from taking on or working a hazardous cleaning job for a septic tank or sewer.
• The Act's offences are both cognizable and non-bailable.

The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989

• The Act's goals are to provide justice to these groups via proactive initiatives that allow them to live in society with dignity and self-esteem, free of fear, violence, or oppression.
• Punishment for atrocities committed by words, whether written or spoken, or by any other means that dishonour any late person held in high regard by members of the SC/ST is imprisonment for a term not less than six months but not less than five years, and a fine.

National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (NSCFD)

• The broad goal of NSFDC is to give financial support in the form of concessional loans to scheduled caste households, as well as skill-cum-entrepreneurial training to the target group's youngsters who live below the poverty line.

Post Matric Scholarship for Scheduled Caste Students (PMS-SC)

• The Scheme is the Government of India's single greatest intervention for educational empowerment of scheduled caste students.
• The government has approved a Rs 59,000 crore budget for a post-matric scholarship plan for students from Scheduled Caste communities.
• Almost 60% of the scheme's cost will be financed by the central government, with the remainder borne by the states.

Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAGY)

• The 'Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana' (PMAGY), a Centrally Sponsored Pilot Scheme, is being implemented for the integrated development of Scheduled Castes (SC) majority villages with a SC population concentration of more than 50%.
• Primarily by convergent execution of appropriate Central and State Schemes; by providing these villages with Central Assistance in the form of gap-filling money to the tune of Rs.20.00 lakh per village, which can be supplemented by additional 5 lakh if the State contributes.
• By offering a gap-filling component, activities that are not covered by existing Central and State Government Schemes would be undertaken under the 'gap filling' component.

Other Welfare Initiatives

• Babu Jagjivan Ram Chhatrawas Yojna
• National Overseas Scholarship for SCs
• Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship for SC Students
• Scheduled Castes Development Corporations
• National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation (NSKFDC)
• Special Central Assistance (SCA) to Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan (SCSP)
• Credit Enhancement Guarantee Scheme for Scheduled Castes

Way Forward

• Providing education and awareness to the scheduled castes in order for them to take use of the many privileges available to them.
• Workers who have been rescued from manual scavenging are being rehabilitated.
• A system for tracking the nutritional status of SCs and STs. The idea calls for the district administration to do the monitoring on their own or with the assistance of volunteer organisations.
• It is vital to recognise and develop talent among boys and girls from SC, ST, and other BC groups, and to train them in special talent schools. This will allow them to compete on an equal footing with the rest of society.
• Sensitization of public officials to the need of treating all people fairly.
• Huge expenditures would be required in upskilling and educating dalits, and the government will need to generate a large number of new employment in the official sector while also eliminating obstacles to job creation.
• It is vital to increase the availability of stable-wage jobs for women in order to prevent socio economic exploitation.
• Upper caste attitudes must be changed through the employment of local Panchayat level authorities who must distribute knowledge about rights, legal requirements, and ensure communal areas are available to all.
• Schools, college management, faculty, and students must be made aware that education and textbooks may successfully impact behavioural change.

Conclusion

The Simon Commission (1927) developed the phrase "scheduled caste". During the colonial period, the terms "depressed class," "exterior caste," and "untouchables" were frequently used to describe the scheduled castes. Gandhiji referred to them as 'harijans,' the more well-known scheduled castes. In 2016, there were 40,801 offences against SC/STs, according to the National Crime Records Bureau's annual report for 2017. They are beaten, killed, and shunned by society, yet the media ignores them. People with money and knowledge who have just read a few articles are persuaded to assume that casteism no longer exists in India.

FAQs

MCQs

1. Which constitutional article abolishes untouchability?

A) Article 15
B) Article 17
C) Article 21
D) Article 25

2. What percentage of reservation is provided for Scheduled Castes in government jobs?

A) 15%
B) 7.5%
C) 27%
D) 10%

3. Which commission is responsible for investigating SC-related issues?

A) National Human Rights Commission
B) National Commission for Scheduled Castes
C) National Commission for Minorities
D) Election Commission

4. What is the main purpose of SC reservation in the Indian Parliament?

A) Promote economic equality
B) Increase political participation
C) Improve employment rates
D) Provide free education

5. Which of the following acts provides legal protection against caste-based atrocities?

A) PESA Act
B) Forest Rights Act
C) SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act
D) Right to Education Act

GS Mains Questions and Model Answers

Q1: Examine the impact of untouchability on the social and economic status of Scheduled Castes in India.

Answer: Untouchability has entrenched social and economic inequalities for SCs by limiting their access to education, employment, and public resources. It has created a cycle of poverty and marginalization, where SCs remain confined to menial jobs and face social exclusion. Despite constitutional safeguards, the persistence of this practice undermines efforts for social justice and inclusive development. SCs continue to suffer from landlessness, discrimination, and low educational attainment, perpetuating their marginalized status.

Q2: Discuss the role of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) in protecting the rights of Scheduled Castes.

Answer: The NCSC plays a crucial role in monitoring the implementation of constitutional safeguards for SCs and ensuring their socio-economic development. It investigates complaints of discrimination, untouchability, and atrocities committed against SCs, offering legal recourse and policy recommendations to the government. Through its reports and actions, the NCSC works to bridge the gap between legislation and ground realities, promoting greater social equity.

Q3: Evaluate the effectiveness of reservation policies in uplifting the Scheduled Castes in India.

Answer: Reservation policies have been instrumental in improving access to education and employment for SCs, helping them secure positions in government jobs and educational institutions. However, challenges such as caste-based discrimination, underrepresentation in higher education, and rural marginalization persist. While these policies have enabled upward mobility for a section of SCs, large-scale social and economic inequalities remain. Continuous efforts are needed to expand reservation benefits and address systemic barriers to SC inclusion.

Previous Year Questions on Scheduled Castes

1. UPSC CSE Prelims 2018

Question: Which constitutional body is responsible for safeguarding the interests of Scheduled Castes in India?
A) National Commission for Scheduled Tribes
B) National Commission for Scheduled Castes
C) National Commission for Minorities
D) National Commission for Backward Classes

Answer: B

Explanation: The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) is responsible for safeguarding the interests of SCs.

2. UPSC CSE Mains 2020 (GS Paper 2)

Question: Examine the role of reservation policies in addressing social inequalities faced by Scheduled Castes in India.

Answer: Reservation policies have been critical in promoting social justice by enabling SCs to access education, employment, and political representation. These policies have helped reduce the socio-economic disparities caused by centuries of caste-based discrimination. However, they have faced criticism for not reaching the most marginalized within the SC communities and for fostering caste tensions. Despite these challenges, reservations remain essential for fostering inclusivity in India’s democratic framework.