Development of Scheduled Caste in India: Issues and Challenges

About the Development of Scheduled Castes in Issues and Challenges The term Scheduled Castes has a long historical origin. Prior tothe year 1935, when the Government of India Act was enacted, thecommunities suffering from the stigma of untouchability were beingreferred to as untouchables or exterior or depressed classes or byvarious caste names most of which were derogatory. As a part of thesocial and political changes sought to be introduced in 1935 thevarious castes, which suffered social disabilities, were listed ina Schedule and from that time onwards they came to be described asScheduled Castes / Dalits. The SCs live mostly in rural areas, withonly about 14 per cent of them living in urban agglomerations. Thehabitations of the SCs are scattered all over the Country generallyin parts of villages or small villages. They suffer from theinhuman practice of untouchability, which is the most extreme formof the denial of human dignity and social oppression. Theproportion of the SCs among the poverty groups is high and they areamong the poorest of those below the poverty line. The foundingfathers of our Constitution desired to secure justice, social,economic and political, for all citizens. To them "all citizens"obviously included scheduled castes, socially, economically andeducationally very backward. The State has been enjoined to secureequality of status and opportunities for all.This book deals withthe ways and means of salvaging the problems of the SCs in Indiaand hence it is highly useful for everybody involved in theupliftment of SCs in India.