Restructuring Dalit identity: Intra-caste dynamics and psycho-social reflections on subcategorisation in rural Haryana

Caste remains the most significant factor in India's social stratification, operating as both a socio-economic construct and a deeply rooted psychological one. Ambedkar (1936) described caste as a "state of mind," highlighting its pervasive influence on individual and collective consciousness. In everyday life, caste identity is experienced and practiced as jati (Srinivas, 1976). Despite its centrality, intra-caste or jati -level dynamics have received limited scholarly attention. Recognizing the varying degrees of backwardness at the jati level, the Haryana government introduced the Deprived Scheduled Castes (DSC) subcategorization in 2020, creating a new institutional caste identity within the broader SC category. This study examines the psycho-social implications of this redefined identity among rural SC students ( N = 106) in Ambala district, Haryana. Using a mixed-methods approach, the quantitative phase identified respondents for the qualitative phase, which explored the perceived impact of this institutional identity shift. Guided by Social Identity Theory (SIT), the analysis reveals key themes related to the restructuring of caste identity and its implications for social belonging, self-perception, and intergroup dynamics within the SC community.