The COVID-19 pandemic has further deteriorated the already-existing social inequalities in India, which disproportionately affected the underprivileged classes from all aspects: economic, healthcare, and educational services. This paper seeks to shed light on various implications of the pandemic by reviewing secondary data from government reports, NGO studies, and peer-reviewed literature. The research identifies how informal sector workers faced job losses and wage reductions, how rural communities faced issues of healthcare access, and how women and children suffered increased social and economic vulnerabilities as a result of the labor market situations in the region. The study results underpin the fact that caste, gender, and economic status mutually interact and intensify disparities. Reverse migration, digital divide, and policy response seemed to perpetuate inequality further. This paper focuses on the need for systemic reforms: strengthening social protection programs, bridging the digital divides, and issues relating to access to healthcare, to chart a more inclusive and resilient society. Addressing such issues will help India leap over the long-term effects of the pandemic into the sustainability of development.
Seema Gupta (Mon,) studied this question.