Global Rights’ Participatory Action Research on
Primary Education
“Children of Lesser Gods”
Varsha Ayyar

In India, we are known as Dalits, the ex-untouchables. We are
160 million, forming 16% of the total Indian population and
over 250 million in the Indian subcontinent that suffer from
3000 years of the Hindu caste system (Pocha,2003).

We continue to suffer from discrimination which is an
obstacle to the fulfillment of our basic human rights (civil,
political, economic, social and cultural rights)
Reference: Khandare Lalit
(2006)

The caste hierarchy, which is central to the Hindu religion,
prescribes a gruesome punishment for the Dalits, who must
forever obediently serve the other, twice-born, varnas.
(Manusmriti )

This discrimination is legitimated by the spiritual, legal and
moral sanctions of the Dharmashastras.

Graded inequality regulated by the central values of purity
and impurity maintained by caste endogamy restricted food
sharing, as well as educational and occupational mobility.

“I consider the four divisions to be fundamental, natural and
essential” (Mahatma Gandhi, 1920)

“Hinduism does most emphatically discourage interdining
and intermarriage between divisions… Prohibitions against
intermarriage and interdining is essential for the rapid
evolution of the soul” (Mahatma Gandhi, Young India,
October, 1921)

Our fight is to claim our basic human rights
and dignity( 1932)

Educate- Organize- Agitate
Post Independent India:
Living as outcastes
Dalits are forced to live separately from caste Hindus in rural and urban areas.
Dalit slums are invariably the worst parts of any Indian city; they are rarely
recognized as formal settlements by the government and so lack basic services
like education, health, water, hygiene, and no legal means of forcing the
government to take action.

Sub-standard Schools: 99% of Dalit students come from
government schools which lack basic infrastructure, class
rooms, teachers, computers, library and safe drinking
water facilities. In a situation where the state is already
appallingly remiss in its duty to provide free, universal and
compulsory education for its citizens, the trend towards
privatization of education is only reinforcing the ongoing
neglect and deterioration of government schools. What
credible assurance can the state give to its Dalit citizens
that contrary to its past record, it is making a conscious
and concrete commitment to address the acute and dire
educational needs of Dalits?

Illiteracy: Forty years after the constitutional
mandate that advocates special care and
consideration for Dalits, illiteracy still plagues
almost two thirds of Dalits as compared to
one half of the general population. The
literacy gap between Dalits and the rest of
the population fell a scant 0.39% between
1961 and 1991.

Primary School Enrolment: Enrollment
among Dalit children in 1993 at the primary
level was an inexcusably low 16%, while
among non-SCs it was 84%. The Drop out
rate is highest among Dalit children,
especially girls, as compared to non –SCs.
Who want to be doctor?
Dalit children show their ambition in a program of local
organization in Dalit Community
Education and Atrocity Linkages
Education and Atrocities
Dangerous Societal Barriers
Source: NIC & Economic Survey
Caste
Atrocity
Cases
Education
Level
in SC/ ST
Level of education has a direct impact on caste based atrocity cases.
One reason is the backlash from the non-SC/ST community on seeing SC/ST
becoming empowered.
A second reason is because, as the graph indicates, there is an increased level of
awareness among SC/ST masses due to education, which is safeguarded in legislation,
so they come forward to register the complaints which would otherwise have been
difficult.
Claiming for Dignity
In the world of civilized society
Every day three Dalit women are raped.
Every hour two Dalits are assaulted
26,127 crimes
were committed
against SC/ ST’s including 1172 rapes
against Dalit women and 669 cases of
murder in 2005
Every day two Dalits are murdered & two
Dalit houses are burnt in India.”
(Crime in India, Govt. of India,1993,2005)
My Team

Surveys ( Sample Size, N=100)
 Equal representation from the marginalized
(Dalits) and dominant communities (Brahmins,
Kshatriyas, Vaishyas)
 Focus group discussions, 6 groups of 15 to 20
young Dalit participants
Cafeteria
Music and drama facilities
97%
25%
Sports facilities
97%
27%
Library
100%
23%
Internet access
10%
Permanent structure (A roof)
23%
Clean drinking water
23%
0%
Dominant
48%
19%
0
Marginalized
93%
27%
Computers
Toilets
97%
27%
20%
40%
93%
100%
60%
80%
100%
120%
Percentage of schools that lack these facilities
My culture is
respected by
students
52%
18%
My culture is
respected by
teachers
52%
10%
Marginalized
Dominant
My culture is
represented
positively in
textbooks
55%
16%
My culture is
represented
positively in classes
52%
18%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
Percetange of students who responded 'Never'
60%
Discriminative Discipline
Government schools around India promise open acceptance for all
students, but in reality many teachers refuse to teach Dalit
children. They cite them as 'unworthy of learning' or a 'waste of
teacher time'. Even if they are accepted, Dalit children are not
given equal opportunities in many schools.
“They have better facilities, they can afford
good books, quality education, clean
drinking water, sports facilities, and their
teachers love them, whereas our teachers
beat us, abuse us.”
- Dalit Focus Group Participant
90%
81%
83%
80%
70%
60%
How safe do you
feel in school?
50%
Dominant
Marginalized
40%
30%
20%
16%
14%
10%
3%
3%
0%
Very safe
Sometimes safe
Not safe
“Male
teachers
molested
us, sexually
assaulted
us and
because of
shame , I
stopped
going to
school.”

“Our schools provide us the kind of education
that will land us into low paid informal sector.
These schools either force to drop us out of
schools or become security guards or
servants. Their schools make them Doctors,
Engineers or professionals”
A High School student of Dalit Community

“Our teachers force us to behave like
submissive girls…. We cannot think beyond
our family jobs such as domestic servants and
as vegetable vendors. My teachers laughed at
me, when I said I wanted to be a Doctor”
- Rajni, a high school student
“What
use is school? It's a
waste of time and money.
Even if our children do get
an education, they will
never be allowed to use it.
If she starts sweeping and
garbage collection now,
at least she'll learn the
trade and be able to make
some money for us one
day.”
A Dalit mother explains why she
handed her daughter a broom when
she turned four.

Universalisation of Primary education programs that
are largely funded by the World Bank, USAID, DFID
should give special emphasis to the education of the
Dalit population

Starting International residential schools in India for
Dalit students

Protecting Dalit Girls, especially those living in rural
areas, to access education

Progressive educational policies
vocational skills for the drop outs
in
imparting

Dalit Girls should be given preference and
special treatment under existing and future
programs

Affirmative Action Policy for Dalits in
International agencies like the UN

All the development program must recognize
Caste as a form of oppression in India

Enabling Dalit women’s voices in decision
making processes especially in NGO’s where
we are always at the grass root levels
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to
justice everywhere."
Martin Luther King Jr
Varsha Ayyar
Email:
sharmishtaa@rediffmail.com
Nishant Lalwani gave permission to use his photographs in
this presentation. More evocative photos of the Dalit
community can be found at his website:
http://www.nishantlalwani.co.uk/.