Caste-based Violence in Contemporary India: Evidence from NCRB 2023,Affirmative Action and Dr Ambedkar’s Concept of Social Justice

Abstract

This article examines caste-based violence in contemporary India using data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) 2023 report. It interprets these patterns through the modern father of India, Dr B. R. Ambedkar’s concept of social justice. The study analyses state-wise distribution and crime rates of offences against Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) to identify regional concentration and structural patterns. The findings show that crimes are not randomly distributed but are concentrated in specific states such as Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh in the case of SCs, and in regions like Manipur and central India for STs. Furthermore, crime rate analysis reveals variations in the intensity of violence across states, highlighting deeper structural vulnerabilities. The article argues that such violence functions as a mechanism of social control rooted in caste hierarchy and unequal access to resources. While constitutional safeguards, affirmative action policies and legal frameworks such as the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, provide formal protection, their impact remains limited due to implementation gaps. Drawing on Dr Ambedkar’s framework, the study shows that the persistence of caste-based violence reflects the incomplete realisation of social justice in India.