Caste, Affirmative Action and Employment in Contemporary India

Caste is a peculiar system of social hierarchy where people receive differential treatment according to the caste group into which they are born. India’s constitution contains broad affirmative action measures to fight caste-based discrimination and long-standing injustices. This paper examines the prevalence of caste-based inequality and discrimination in employment, occupation and wages in the labour market in contemporary India. It also examines the progress achieved through quota-based affirmative action programmes (i.e. reservation targets) in the sphere of employment in India and discusses the problems in implementing the affirmative programmes. We need policy innovation to address market and non-market discrimination and remove barriers, especially in the informal and private sectors, while ensuring caste has an appropriate position in global development policy debates.