Page 1 of 12

Journal for Studies in Management and Planning

Available at

http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/

ISSN: 2395-0463

Volume 03 Issue 10

Setember 2017

Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 370

Globalization and Its Impact on Dalits

Dr. Manda Suresh

Dept.of Political Science- Osmania University,Hyderabad,Telangana,India

ABSTRACT

Globalization appears to be the buzzword of 1990s which has penetrated many academic debates. The

process of globalization has made deep inroads into India’s social, economic and cultural life. It has not

only affected all aspects of human life but also influenced the social institutions to a great extent. In order

to promote the socio-economic justice many affirmative measures were introduced in the Indian

Constitution and a lot of welfare schemes were initiated for the uplift of the underprivileged dalits. But

globalization has not only threatened it but also made it very weak. In fact socio- economic justice and

social welfare which is an integral part of Indian Constitution is slowly getting eclipsed because of

privatization and globalization. It has created a new situation where dalits are pushed again in a state of

anxiety. This paper seeks to investigate the implications of globalization in the arena of education, access

to land, poverty, health care facilities, food securities etc. from the dalit perspectives.

Introduction

Globalization is the new buzzword that has

come to dominate the world since the nineties of

the last centuries. It is the most widely debated

and discussed phenomenon in all over the world.

It is based on the principle of unrestrained

functioning of the free market economy. In the

paradigm of globalization, state is reduced into a

sort of security mechanism to protect its citizens

from internal disruption and external threats.

State is not supposed to care for social and

economic interests of its citizens. The world

opinion is divided on what constitutes

globalization and whether globalization is good

or bad. The fact is that today almost every nation

state is forced to become a part of a global

economy.

Globalization as a new world economic order

imposed on the world with a promise of more

prosperity, progress and freedom for all. On the

contrary, evidences show that globalization

affected negatively in all these aspects for some

communities particularly the dalit

communities. (Dalits are a group of people who

faced social discrimination in the worst form

i.e. untouchability. It is used to connote the

untouchables known as avarnas, pariahas, out- castes, exterior-castes etc. In the present work

it has been also used to connote the Scheduled

Castes.) More than two decades of

implementation of these policies pertaining to

globalization have severely affected the welfare

and development of dalits. In this paper we will

try to examine the magnitude and direction of

Page 2 of 12

Journal for Studies in Management and Planning

Available at

http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/

ISSN: 2395-0463

Volume 03 Issue 10

Setember 2017

Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 371

the impact of these policies on the dalits in

India.

Dalits are very distinct social groups in the

caste-ridden Hindu society. They are the victims

of social disabilities and oppression.

Economically, most of them are still the poorest

of the poor. Due to some affirmative actions,

dalits have made a significant progress on

almost all parameters during the 65 years of our

independence. However, they are not

empowered enough to face the challenges of

competing equality. The backwardness of the

dalits will be evident from their illiteracy,

unemployment, dependence on agriculture and

social segregation. In terms of residence,

housing, poverty and health conditions the

condition of the dalits is precarious (Karade

,2008:11-12). All these issues have historically

been related to dalit deprivation and these have

been aggravated by globalization over the last

two decades.

However unsatisfactory the results of the

implementation may be, the importance of

reservations from the dalit view point cannot be

undermined (George, 2013). But after the

introduction of free market economy in the early

90’s the welfare stance of the Indian State have

become gradually ineffective. One of the main

tasks of this new paradigm is to force the roll

back process of the welfare state and to allow

the market forces to operate in an unrestrained

manner. The pro-market stance of globalization

has led to the widening of the gap between the

privileged few and the large mass of the

marginalized sections of the society.

Globalization further led to marginalization of

the already marginalized sections of the society.

In other words, globalization process severely

affects the dalits and other underprivileged

sections that are deprived of jobs, and face

enormous difficulties in accessing education,

employment, housing, food, healthcare etc. Thus

the way globalization affects the lives of dalits

differs significantly from that of the non- dalits(Ram: 3). So, we have to give a serious

thought to the consequences of liberalization,

privatization and particularly globalization on

the socio-economic conditions of dalits.

Globalization has seriously affected the socio- economic conditions of dalits over the last two

decades in terms of education, employment,

access to land, poverty and other welfare

programmes. Now we will try to give a picture

to consequences of liberalization, privatization

and particularly globalization on the socio –

economic conditions of dalits in India in the

following discussion.

Education

Education is the most important pre-requisite for

Page 3 of 12

Journal for Studies in Management and Planning

Available at

http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/

ISSN: 2395-0463

Volume 03 Issue 10

Setember 2017

Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 372

achieving the goals of personal, social, political,

economic and cultural development. In other

words, education is the most effective

instrument for meeting the challenges that dalits

are facing. Historical evidences in this regard

indicate that dalit community has been excluded

from the whole process of education since

centuries. So, vast inequalities exist within the

education system in India.

Although Article 21A of the Indian Constitution

stipulates that the State shall provide free and

compulsory education to all children of the age

of six to fourteen years it still remains an elusive

goal. However, owing to reservation and

affirmative action in the arena of education,

substantial progress has been made in the field

of education of dalits during the last few

decades. The literacy rate of the Scheduled

Castes (SCs) has increased from 10.27 per cent

in 1961 to 54.7 per cent in 2001 and for the

country as a whole has increased from 28.3 per

cent in 1961 to 68.38 per cent in 2001. Available

data also reveal that there has been substantial

increase in the enrolment of children belonging

to the dalits at all stages. So reservation in the

educational institutions and the financial

assistance in the form of scholarships constitute

perhaps the most important factor in the

development scheme for dalits

(George,2013:14). It is a well known fact that

without education other constitutional

safeguards, reservation in services would be

meaningless. It would also be hard for dalits to

send their wards to the temple of learning. But it

is to be kept in mind that the enrolment alone

does not give any substantial amount of

educational achievement when the rate of drop

out is also substantially high among the dalits.

Despite several kinds of State assistance, the

dropout rate is also alarming at the primary,

middle and secondary stages of education in

respect of dalits.

In spite of that the sphere of primary and

elementary education could not remain

unaffected from globalization.

Commercialization of education is continuously

increasing. The system of primary and

elementary education in rural and urban settings

has been subverted almost totally. Since

majority of the rich upper castes send their

wards to the private/convent schools,

government schools have been reduced into

dysfunctional centres of learning for the

marginalized sections of the society (Ram: 2).

Dalit children do not have access or the

opportunity to attend high-cost and presumably

‘good-quality’ private schools. These schools

are primarily located in urban areas and are,