Caste and economic inequality: An evidence of Kaimur District, Bihar

Indian society is still caste based with privileges to a few advanced castes and denial of human rights to the down trodden. The most distressing aspect of the plight of the SCs is the stigma of untouchability which they have carried for centuries. Due to the traditional practice of untouchability, they have been recognized as educationally and economically backward section in our society. In the present work, an attempt has been made to examine the economic status of Scheduled Castes and Other Castes, and to analyze levels of inequality in the district within the context of caste-based discrimination. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) method of data standardization has been used, while ONE WAY ANOVA, Karl Pearson's Coefficient of Correlation and Coefficient of Variation statistical techniques have been applied in the study. The study reveals that graded inequality in ownership of wealth and income still persists despite various measures and policies taken to improve the SCs ownership share of wealth.