Identity and Education: Substantive Capabilities for the Scheduled Caste Community (A Case Study of Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society)

Abstract

Caste as an identity poses significant problems in the way of social mobility. The stereotypes and stigmas associated with the caste identity include low self-confidence, low motivation, lesser aspiration and inferiority, as mentioned in several studies. This has an impact on their social interactions and social emancipation even with the current affirmative actions.

Education is a significant vehicle in the process of social mobility. It has been recognised as a substantive capability for the emancipation of the oppressed communities. The scheduled caste communities can gain immensely through the effective utilisation of education. The current caste discourse has given significantly less focus on education as a mobility vehicle. The immense potentiality of education has not been explored by the state. Given the lack of incentive for the private institution in the social emancipation, state-run institutions have a significant role to play in this process given their resources and reach. Hostels and scholarships have been used as an incentive for the scheduled caste communities to access higher education. Along with this several state-run institutions have been established. But given the historical baggage of oppression and its impact on the psychology of the Scheduled Caste members, mere routine way of education would not suffice in the process of emancipation.

Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society (TSWREIS) has been a pioneer in utilising the power of education in social mobility and emancipation using novel pedagogical methods. The students are not merely given education in the formal sense but also a psychological capability in the process.

Along with the provision of education, TSWREIS has been instilling an alternative identity for the Scheduled Caste communities through which they can fight the stereotypes and stigmas associated with the Dalit identity. The ideals are prescribed for the identity and it has been internalised through the repeated invocation of the power of this identity. Thus, with education, the state-funded TSWREIS has been able to instil a new identity which is a novel reform movement that takes the shape of new ideological discourse in shaping the fight against the evils of caste structure.

In this thesis, I have studied the various pedagogical tools employed by the institution and the impact it on the students on their motivation, their approach, their aspirations, their confidence and their inferiority. The study includes the investigation of the idea of SWAERO identity, how it is being used by the institution and its impact on the students. To study it, the researcher has employed multiple methods to triangulate the data obtained. Observation is conducted of the students in the class and after-class, their interactions with teachers and fellow students and their attitude towards studies, and life. The author had informal group discussions and interactions with the students to know more about these aspects. The author conducted a qualitative survey of the students using a questionnaire. These data were corroborated with the observations and interactions with the students. Formal interviews were conducted with Dr RS Praveen Kumar, the Secretary of TSWREIS; Mr George Varkey, Chief Academic Officer; Mr Durga Prasad, Chief SWAERO Co-ordinator; Principals and teachers of the institutions. A focus group discussion was conducted with the Alumnus of the institution Mr Srujan and Mr Chotui Prabhakar on the issues faced by the scheduled caste community members. Data obtained from various sources was triangulated to arrive at a better analys