The COVID-19 pandemic has been not only a public health crisis but also a major economic and social disruptor. Across the world, the pandemic has revealed and exacerbated pre-existing disparities in income, wealth, labor markets, education, healthcare, and social protection. This research paper critically examines how COVID-19 influenced economic inequality and the pursuit of social justice, focusing on global and national scenarios, structural causes, policy responses, and long-term implications. Drawing on empirical evidence and scholarly studies, the paper demonstrates that the pandemic’s economic impacts were unevenly distributed, disproportionally affecting vulnerable groups and deepening inequalities across multiple dimensions. The study concludes with policy recommendations aimed at reducing inequality and enhancing social justice in the post-pandemic world.
Smt. Deepali Shridhar Shinde (Mon,) studied this question.