Educational Advancements Among the Lower Castes of Andhra Region of Madras Presidency 1800–1930

Abstract

This study looks at the Dalit’s educational advancements in the Andhra region of the Madras Presidency between 1800 and 1930, when colonial control brought about a great deal of social transformation. Poverty, social segregation, untouchability and systematic exclusion are caste-based discriminations, which have led to educational backwardness of Dalit communities. Based on government documents, census data, missionary accounts and contemporary works, this study looks into how colonial educational policies, missionary activities, reform movements and labour department duties shaped educational access for marginalized sections. This study argues that while education did not immediately improve Dalits’ socio-economic condition, it did create the first generation of educated leaders and reformers by paving a path for subsequent social justice and political movements. At last, the study contributes to the historiographical understanding of education and social reform in South India with critical inputs on the intersections of caste, colonialism and modernity.