Social Exclusion and Education: Analysing the Rights of Dalit Children Through the Lens of Democracy and Citizenship

Abstract

The educational concerns of the Dalit community must be addressed from a perspective of social justice, as the Dalit community has historically been subject to social discrimination and restricted access to education. ‘The social justice framework is significant because it emphasises worries about the meaning of one’s education on one’s sense of self and one’s prospects for the future, as opposed to focusing solely on concerns about educational equity, including issues of access, participation, and outcomes. It also sheds light on the pledges made by educational institutions to the most vulnerable people and how these promises are carried out in practice’ (Nambissian, 2006). The children of Dalit community have in the contemporary context come under analysis across the world. They always faced social exclusion by the majority, the state and its institutions; still, the strong law pertains. This has hampered their growth and development. In countries such as India, the social exclusion of Dalits is also a concern. Therefore, this article attempts to describe, in broad terms, Societies’ manifest behaviours and tendencies that exclude (i.e., exclusion as a citizen in a democratic country) those deemed undesirable or useless from the predominate systems of protection and integration, thereby limiting their opportunities and means of survival. It also attempts to investigate the educational disadvantages of Dalit children in India. It looks at social exclusion, concerning the idea of democracy and citizenship. Furthermore, it explains the development and use of the concept of social exclusion in the Indian context concerning Dalit children and how it is also a helpful policy concept for the integration of various philosophical conceptions like equality, justice, and emancipation on the primary purpose of the welfare state into a single social model. Lastly, it examines the impact of social exclusion in elementary education and its impact on the educational and social conditions of Dalit children in India.