Inter Caste differentials in select demographic aspects of Scheduled Caste population in Punjab

Abstract

The differentials between the SC castes those having high educational attainments and diversified occupational structure, and those castes having low literacy rate and agricultural occupations kept widening during the entire study period, 1971-11; the Kabirpanthi and the Ad Dharmi representing the former and the Mazhabi and the Bauria, representing the latter. This remained very wide during the initial two decades, 1971-81 and 1981-91 to get marginally reduced during 1991-01, but rise again during the latest census decade, 2001-2011. The demographic and socio-economic differentials between the SC and non-SC, which were very wide, narrowed down significantly during the study period, 1971-11, especially after 1991 decade. Quite interestingly, the majority of main workers belonging to SC population were engaged in non-farm occupations in 2011, while the reverse was true for non-SC workers. But, the situation was opposite in 1971. The govt. run welfare schemes and programmes policy have benefitted the SC population in the state. For instance, the Punjab govt. has identified educationally backward SCs in the state to make special provision for boosting literacy among such castes. Radicalization of the young generation among the SCs has also helped this process. Now, the SC youth in the Punjab villages especially in the Bist doab was not willing to worknow on the agricultural farms of landowning class. The higher degree of ruralization and agriculturalization of different SC castes in areas of their dominance than the areas of their low concentration was also confirmed. The castes, such as the Mazhabi and Mahatam/Rai Sikh, which were highly concentrated in districts of southwestern Punjab are highly rural, less literate and occupationally low diversified in comparison to those residing in the districts in the Northeastern and the Central Punjab.