Unheard but Unyielding: Gujjar and Bakerwal Women’s Strategic Resistance in the Pursuit of Higher Education

The complex interaction of cultural constraints, patriarchal norms and ingrained power asymmetries often shapes the higher educational experiences of tribal women in India. Despite these systemic barriers, many women from these marginalized groups carve their way into academic spaces through strategic actions and calculated choices. However, these everyday acts of resistance and negotiation are often overlooked in academic discourse. This article critically examines the ways in which women belonging to the Gujjar and Bakerwal tribal communities of Jammu and Kashmir navigate the rigid patriarchal and cultural boundaries to establish their presence in higher education. The findings reveal that these women operate in highly patriarchal, hierarchical and oppressive power structures by engaging in subtle acts of rebellion, strategic silences and culturally sanctioned methods of negotiation to assert autonomy and pursue their academic goals. Engaging with Kandiyoti’s (1988) patriarchal bargains and Kabeer’s (1999) situated agency, the article contests the dominant narratives that portray tribal women as passive victims of oppression. It emphasizes the possibilities for transformative change embedded in everyday strategies in subaltern contexts, emphasizing a more layered and context-specific approach to understanding agency in academic frameworks.