HANSRAJ JIVANDAS COLLEGE OF

EDUCATION
S.Y.B.ED
YEAR 2019 – 2020
SEMESTER VI

NAME : KRISHNA PITHWA

ROLL NO : 32

COURSE : CC5 CONTEMPARY INDIA

AND EDUCATION

ASSIGNMENT TOPIC : REPORT ON

THE EDUCATIONAL CHALLENGES OF
MARGINALISIED GROUP OF CHILDREN

ASSIGNMENT NO: 02

EXAMINER SIGNATURE
MARGINALIZATION

WHAT IS MARGINALIZATION ?
In general the term marginalization
describes the over actions or tendencies of human societies where people perceive to
under reliable or without useful fiction are excluded, i.e. marginalized. The people
who are marginalized are outside the existing system of protectionand integration.
This limits their opportunities and means for survival. The term defined
marginalization can be in the following ways,

 Peter Leonard defines -“Marginality as being outside the

mainstream of productive activity.”
 Latin observes - “Marginality is so thoroughly demeaning, for
economic well-being , for human dignity as well as for physical
security marginal peoples can always be identified by the members
of dominant society and will face irrevocable discrimination.”
 The encyclopedia of public health defines - “Marginalization as to
be marginalized is to be placed in the margins as thus excluded
from the privilege and power found at the center.”
 Merriam Webster’s online dictionary defines the term
marginalization as “To relegate to a un important or powerless
position within a society or group”.
 Ghana S Gurung and Michael Kallmair mentions,” The concept of
marginality is generally, used to analysis socio-economic, political
and cultural spheres, where disadvantaged people struggle to gain
access to resources and full participation in social life. In other
words marginalized people might be socially, economically,
politically and legally ignored, excluded or neglected and therefore
vulnerable to live hood change.

In India the women , children , schedule caste and schedule tribe

persons with disabilities , migrants and aged are regarded as
marginalised or vulnerable groups .These people are socially ,
economically ,politically and legally ignored and excluded in
Indian society.
In a country as diverse as India, there are many ways in which we
can identify ourselves. Our individual identities are made up of multiple
different identities, including race, caste, religion, gender, age and
economic status. While this diversity is a cause for celebration, the
multiple identities that we possess can cumulatively result in multiple
levels of discrimination. Which in turn, can make an individual more
vulnerable to hate crimes – criminal acts that are motivated by prejudice
and discrimination against an individual’s identity. 
More often than not, government statistics are guilty of either not at all
recording the element of discrimination in crimes that have been
committed, or only recording discrimination based on one form of the
individual’s identity. For example, the discriminatory motive behind a
hate crime against a woman might not only be based on her gender, but
also the fact that she is a Dalit, Muslim or Adivasi. However, the basis for
these discriminatory motives are rarely investigated and recorded.
Initially, this intersecting theory of discrimination was purported by
scholars in the context of the discrimination faced by African-American
people. However, the same theory could easily be applied in the Indian
context.

VARIOUS MARGINALIZED GROUPS AND THEIR

PROBLEMS
Most vulnerable marginalized groups in almost every society can be summarized as
below:

1. Women :

Under different economic conditions, and under the influence of specific historical,
cultural, legal and religious factors, marginalization is one of the manifestations of
gender inequality. In other words, women may be excluded from certain jobs and
occupations, incorporated into certain others, and marginalized in others. In general,
they are always marginalized relative to men, in every country and culture. Women
(or, men) don’t present a homogeneous category where members have common
interests, abilities, or practices. Women belonging to lower classes, lower castes,
illiterate, and the poorest region have different levels of marginalization than their
better-off counterparts.

2. People with disabilities :

People with disabilities have had to battle against centuries of biased assumptions,
harmful stereotypes, and irrational fears. The stigmatization of disability resulted in
the social and economic marginalization of generations with disabilities, and, like
many other oppressed minorities, this has left people with disabilities in a severe
state of impoverishment for centuries. The proportion of the disabled population in
India is about 21.9 million.
The percentage of the disabled population to the total population is about 2.13
percent. There are interstate and interregional differences in the disabled population.
The disabled face various types of barriers while seeking access to health and health
services. Among those who are disabled women, children and age are more
vulnerable and need attention.

3. Schedule Castes (Dalits) :

The caste system is a strictly hierarchical social system based on underlying notions
of purity and pollution. Brahmins are on the top of the hierarchy and Shudras or
Dalits constitute the bottom of the hierarchy. The marginalization of Dalits
influences all spheres of their life, violating basic human rights such as civil, political,
social, economic and cultural rights.

A major proportion of the lower castes and Dalits are still dependent on others for
their livelihood. Dalits do not refer to caste but suggest a group who are in a state of
oppression, social disability and who are helpless and poor. Literacy rates among
Dalits are very low. They have meager purchasing power and have poor housing
conditions as well as have low access to resources and entitlements.

Structural discrimination against these groups takes place in the form of physical,
psychological, emotional and cultural abuse which receives legitimacy from the social
structure and the social system. Physical segregation of their settlements is common
in the villages forcing them to live in the most unhygienic and inhabitable conditions.
All these factors affect their health status, access to healthcare and quality of life.
There are high rates of malnutrition reported among the marginalized groups
resulting in mortality, morbidity, and anemia. Access to and utilization of healthcare
among the marginalized groups are influenced by their socio-economic status within
society.

Caste-based marginalization is one of the most serious human rights issues in the
world today, adversely affecting more than 260 million people mostly reside in India.
Caste-based discrimination entails social and economic exclusion, segregation in
housing, denial, and restrictions of access to public and private services and
employment, and enforcement of certain types of jobs on Dalits, resulting in a system
of modern day slavery or bonded labor. However, in recent years due to affirmative
action and legal protection, the intensity of caste-based marginalization is reducing.

4. Scheduled Tribes –

The Scheduled Tribes like the Scheduled Castes face structural discrimination within
Indian society. Unlike the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes are a product of
marginalization based on ethnicity. In India, the Scheduled Tribes population is
around 84.3 million and is considered to be socially and economically disadvantaged.
Their percentages in the population and numbers, however, vary from State to State.
They are mainly landless with little control over resources such as land, forest, and
water.

They constitute a large proportion of agricultural laborers, casual laborers,

plantation laborers, industrial laborers etc. This has resulted in poverty among them,
low levels of education, poor health and reduced access to healthcare services. They
belong to the poorest strata of the society and have severe health problems.

THE PROVISIONS :
ARTICLE 15(4) : Clause 4 of article 15 is the fountain head of all provisions regarding
compensatory discrimination for SCs/STs.
This clause was added  in  the  first amendment to the constitution in 1951 after the
SC judgement in the case of Champakam Dorairajan V. State of Madra. It says thus,
“Nothing in this article or in article 29(2)  shall  prevent the state from  making any 
provisions for the advancement of any socially and economically backward classes of 
citizens or for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.” This clause  started the  era
of  reservations in India.
ARTICLE . 15(4) : Clause 4 of article 15 is the fountain head of all provisions
regarding compensatory discrimination for SCs/STs. This clause was added  in  the 
first amendment to the constitution in 1951 after the SC judgement in the case of
Champakam Dorairajan V. State of Madras. It says thus, “Nothing in this article or in
article 29(2)  shall  prevent the state from  making any  provisions for the
advancement of any socially and economically backward classes of  citizens or for
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.” This clause  started the  era of  reservations
in India.

The  Constitution  of  India ensures equality, freedom, justice and  dignity of all

individuals and implicitly mandates an inclusive  society  for  all  including  the 
persons  with  disabilities. The Constitution in the schedule of subjects lays  direct 
responsibility of   the  empowerment of  the  persons  with  disabilities on the State
Governments Therefore, the primary responsibility to empower  the  persons  with 
disabilities  rests  with  the State  Governments.

Under  Article  253  of the Constitution read with item No. 13 of the Union List, the

Government of India enacted “The  Persons  with  Disabilities (Equal  Opportunities, 
Protection  of  Rights  and  Full  Participation) Act, 1995”, in the  effort  to  ensure 
equal  opportunities  for  persons  with  disabilities  and  their  Full  participation  in 
nation-building. The  Act  extends  to  whole  of  India  except  the  State of  Jammu
and  Kashmir. The  Government  of Jammu &  Kashmir  has  enacted  “The  Persons 
with  Disabilities  (Equal  Opportunities,  Protection  of  Rights  & Full  Participation 
Act, 1998.”
INSIGHTS GAINED:
When a particular social group is forced to live on the fringes ratherthan in the
mainstream; this is called marginalization. A marginalized section of the society does
not get proper opportunity of socio-economic development. Adviasis are being
increasingly marginalized because of various reasons. Two of the reasons are as
follows
Changes in forest laws have deprived the Adivasis from access to forest
produce.Construction of factories and other projects in tribal areas has forced many
tribal people to migrate to other places in search of livelihood. Following are thetwo
reasons to necessitate constitutional safeguards to protect minority communities:
The majority community may impose its culture on minority communities. The
minority community may not get equal access to economic opportunities .A
particular religious section which has a low percentage inpopulation compared to the
major religious community is called minority. In India;Muslims, Christians, Sikhs,
etc. are in minority. Following figures suggest that
Muslims are a marginalized community:
Literacy rate among Muslims is 59%; compared to 65% among Hindus 80%among
Christians, 70% among Sikhs, 73% among Buddhists and 94% amongJains.Muslim’s
representation in the esteemed IAS (Indian Administrative Service) cadre is just 3%.
Following are the important things about the lives of Adivasis in India:They live close
to or inside the forest.Most of their needs are fulfilled byforest produce.Many of them
still live the primitive way of life. Hunting and food gathering is the main occupation
of many tribal people.Social marginalization forces a social group out of the
mainstream.This results in lack of opportunities for education and skill
development.This alsomeans that the marginalized section does not have proper
access to qualityhealthcare.