Impact of Caste System on Dalit Identity: Indian Perspective

The caste system in India has been a fundamental aspect of Indian society since ancient times. It’s not just that found among Hindus but also among Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and others. While it encompasses various dimensions, our focus here is on the hierarchical aspect, which distinguishes between high and low, touchable and untouchable, thereby legitimizing the unequal socio- economic conditions. The most egregious element of the caste system is its classification of certain groups as untouchables and outcastes, which has been exploited to deny them land ownership, access to temples, and common resources such as water from village tanks or wells. Dalits are a direct consequence of India’s caste system, and their existence is essential for the perpetuation of the caste hierarchy. It is important to note that Dalit’s are not a uniform group; they reflect a similar social hierarchy within their own communities. Numerous castes are listed in the scheduled castes for every state, and each one of these is further subdivided into the sub-castes that maintain the same hierarchical structure as the broader castes. The original schedule, created in 1936, identified various castes within each province.