NAMITA RAJE

ADVOCATE FROM JHARKHAND HIGH COURT

Abstract

Whereas the caste-based discrimination in India that thrives under the cloak of religion itself suffers fallacies, Indian Constitution as a tool, has served as a beacon for those who dared to trace their occupational standing beyond the compartmentalization of caste structure prevalent in India. The chapter traces the history of caste-based occupational representation in India and how it is adapting to modern day circumstantial changes with slight encouraging trend of such compartmentalization slowly withering away. The tools under Indian Constitution designed to flatten the divide and promote occupational mobility across castes in India have been critically examined.

The challenge remains unconquered, more so in the private sector, for they are not bound by affirmative policies of Indian Government and constitutional mandates most of which is obligatory on the part of state only and ours is a socialist nation.

The so-called lower caste people who, due to several reasons, Indian societal structure inter alia mostly work in unorganized sectors and not much to fall back upon faced the brunt of covid-19 pandemic more than others for their economic standing was already jeopardized, pulling us a little backward in our journey to combat the prevailing caste-based occupational structure that leaves less room for occupational mobility hampering one’s occupational aspirations, hitting the ethos of Indian Constitution which provides for ‘equality of Opportunities’ inter alia.

Keywords: Caste, Untouchability, Affirmative Action, Constitution of India