Casteism and Education: Institutional Experiences of Muslim Marginalised Students in the Higher Education Academia

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to examine how caste ideology is prevalent in the Indian higher education academia, particularly among Muslim marginalised students. The study also attempts to explore how the caste discrimination leads to microaggression within the classrooms. The study is based on the experiences of the OBC (other backward class) students in one higher education institution in the Muslim-dominated state of India. For the present study, twelve female Muslim students belonging to OBCs were selected using the snow-ball sampling. To keep the identity of the participants and institution anonymous, pseudonyms have been used to introduce them. The findings of the study confirm that there are significant evidences of bullying, teasing, discrimination which leads to micro-aggression among Muslim OBC students at higher education level. The study also revealed that Muslim OBC students in India like Hajam, Turkham, Lohar, Tali, Kumar, etc., experience caste-based discrimination within and outside the classroom.