Abstract: The caste has been a unique social institution in India. It has also emerged in a new form after the mandalisation of caste in the early 1990s resulting in the extension of reservation to Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in government jobs and also in admissions to colleges and universities. The relative size of population of various caste groups particularly of the OBCs is also a matter of debate. Census does not provide population data on OBCs, however, it is possible to assess it from nationally representative sample surveys. Further, the correspondence between caste categories and class has been a matter of debate. This paper presents an assessment of class within caste categories based on data from nationally representative sample surveys.
The author is professor and head, Department of Migration and Urban Studies, International Institute for Population Sciences, Mumbai. rbbhagat@iips.net. The article should be cited as Bhagat R.B., 2020. Understanding Caste and Class: Categories and Measurement, Geography and You, 20(4-5): 10-17 .
Air pollution is a pressing issue with profound health, climate, and policy-making implications. In this episode of the G'nY Live podcast series, The Air We Fear, Professor Sagnik Dey, an eminent expe...
The Himalayan glaciers face significant climate change and air pollution threats. In this episode of GnY-Live, Professor N C Pant, a renowned geologist and a cryospheric expert, discusses the impact o...
Air pollution in India is an escalating environmental and public health concern, contributing to a rise in respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. In this episode of GnY Live, Dr K J Ramesh, former D...
Our lungs, the first respondents to the air pollution crisis, are no longer pink. It is spottled black and grey. Learn how risky the air is from the eye-opening revelations of Dr Arvind Kumar, Chairma...