Marginalised by Caste, Marginalised in Education

What are the Challenges that Students From Marginalised Community Faces?

Financial Constraints

• High Tuition Fees: The steep rise in fees at premier institutions like IITs and IIMs makes education unaffordable for many marginalized students.
  • Eg., IIT undergraduate fees have surged from ₹90,000 to ₹3 lakh per year, while IIMs have increased fees by 5%-30%.
• Insufficient Financial Aid: While initiatives like the Vidyalakshmi scheme provide interest-free loans, they often fall short in covering the total costs, including living expenses, which compounds the financial burden.
• Inaccessibility to Loans: Many students from marginalized backgrounds lack financial guarantees or collaterals, making it difficult for them to secure educational loans.

Systemic Barriers

Dropout Rates: Financial difficulties lead to significant dropout rates among marginalized students:

• Eg., Over 13,500 SC, ST, and OBC students dropped out of central universities, IITs, and IIMs in the last five years.
  • Central universities saw 2,424 SC and 2,622 ST students dropping out, underscoring how systemic costs and pressures disproportionately affect these groups.
• Lack of Faculty Representation: Caste-based disparities extend to faculty roles, with only 5% representation from SC, ST, and OBC categories in IITs.
  • This lack of relatable role models and mentors negatively impacts the academic experiences of these students.

Social Discrimination

• Caste-Based Prejudice: Marginalized students often face overt and covert caste discrimination in classrooms, hostels, and peer interactions.
  • They are judged based on their language, clothing, and other markers, leading to alienation.
• Stigmatization: Historical biases label Dalits as “untouchables,” relegating them to menial roles and creating a psychological barrier that persists even in academic settings.
• Limited Social Integration: Marginalized students often struggle to assimilate with peers from more privileged backgrounds, resulting in social isolation and lack of support networks.

Emotional and Psychological Toll

• Mental Health Issues: The dual burden of financial pressure and caste-based discrimination leads to immense stress, anxiety, and depression.
  • g., 122 student suicides in IITs and IIMs over seven years highlight the emotional toll on marginalized students.
• Performance Pressure: Many students are overwhelmed by the expectations placed on them to alleviate their family’s economic challenges, creating a cycle of stress and self-doubt.
• Harassment and Bullying: Incidents of caste-based remarks, exclusion, and bullying further exacerbate feelings of inferiority and hopelessness.

Employment Challenges

• Unemployment Rates: Even after graduation, marginalized students face hurdles in job placements.
  • g., An RTI in 2024 revealed that 38% of IIT graduates remained unplaced, with caste identity amplifying the challenges in securing jobs.
• Caste-Based Disparities in Hiring: Marginalized communities often face implicit biases during recruitment, limiting their opportunities in competitive job markets.

Historical and Structural Disadvantages

• Intergenerational Poverty: Many Dalit families lack access to stable income sources, further restricting educational aspirations.
• Cultural Capital Deficit: Students from marginalized communities may not possess the same level of exposure or resources (like coaching or study materials) as their upper-caste peers, limiting their competitiveness in exams like JEE and CAT.

Conclusion

Marginalized communities in India face multifaceted challenges in accessing and sustaining higher education due to financial constraints, caste-based discrimination, and systemic inequalities. These issues highlight the urgent need for reforms in education and employment to provide an equitable environment for all students.

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