Cover; Title Page; Copyright Page; Dedication; Table of Contents; Acknowledgements; List of abbreviations; Abstract; Brief overview of book chapters; 1 Introduction; The caste situation; The 'Dalit' caste; Indian education: pre- and post-independence; Theoretical framework; Locating research studies; Critical analysis; Case study; Sample; Conclusion; 2 Critical exploration of the Quota System policy and related social justice issues; Introduction; Quota System: legal position; Quota policy and social justice; Forms of justice; Merit: arguments 'for' and 'against'; Cultural injustice
Outcomes of Quota policy in practiceDiscussion; 3 Faculty voices: Quota, caste and discrimination; Introduction; Faculty and the Quota System; Power, dominance and corruption; Discrimination; Strategies for coping/survival; Discussion and conclusion; 4 Students' perceptions and experiences of the Quota policy; Introduction; Perceptions of the Quota System; Students' experiences in higher education; Formal and informal encounters; Discussion and conclusion; 5 Being a 'female Dalit' student; Introduction; Women's status in Indian society; Access and participation; Views and experiences
Inclusion and exclusionConclusion; 6 Positioning caste relations and the Quota policy: a critical analysis; Introduction; Tension between Dalits; Characteristics of their lives; Caste divisions; Emerging concerns in higher education; Conclusion; 7 Conclusion; Introduction; Issues to consider; Need for political involvement and upliftment; Prospective strategies; Concluding remarks; Bibliography; Index
Summary
This book illuminates the experiences of a set of students and faculty who are members of the Dalit caste - commonly known as the 'untouchables' - and are relatively 'successful' in that they attend or are academics at a prestigious university. The book provides a background to the study, exploring the role of caste and its enduring influence on social relations in all aspects of life. The book also contains a critical account of the current experiences of Dalit students and faculty in one elite university setting - the University of Shah Jahan (pseudonym). Drawing on a set of in-depth semi-st
