Dalit empowerment refers to the upliftment of historically oppressed communities through education, legal rights, political representation, and socio-economic opportunities. It aims to eliminate caste-based discrimination, ensure dignity and equality, and promote inclusive development. Constitutional safeguards, affirmative action, and social movements play a crucial role in empowering Dalits in India.

The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment is the nodal authority that deals with all the development programs related to Dalit empowerment in India.

Caste System

The caste system in India is a traditional social hierarchy that classifies individuals into rigid hereditary groups based on birth. Rooted in ancient Hindu scriptures like the Manusmriti, it originally divided society into four varnas: Brahmins (priests), Kshatriyas (warriors), Vaishyas (traders), and Shudras (labourers). Outside this classification were the Dalits or Scheduled Castes, who faced systemic exclusion and untouchability.

Over time, the caste system became deeply entrenched, affecting social status, occupation, marriage, and access to resources. Though the Indian Constitution abolishes untouchability (Article 17) and promotes equality (Article 14), caste-based discrimination persists in various forms—especially in rural areas and access to education, employment, and justice.

The government has implemented reservations, legal safeguards, and welfare schemes to uplift Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs). Despite progress, caste remains a challenge to India’s goal of social justice and inclusive development.

Dalit Empowerment

Dalits suffer from extreme social, educational, and economic backwardness arising out of the age-old practice of untouchability and certain others on account of a lack of infrastructure facilities and geographical isolation, and need special consideration for safeguarding their interests and for their accelerated socio-economic development.

How do we determine which is the Scheduled Caste?

Determination: the President of India, after consultation with the Governor, may specify, “the castes, races, tribes or parts of groups within castes or races, which shall be deemed to be Scheduled Castes”.

Issues Associated with Dalits

• Dalit women: A significant proportion of India’s Dalit women face verbal abuse, physical assault, sexual harassment and assault, domestic violence and rape.
• Bonded labour:  The use and abuse of Dalit bonded labourers remains endemic within a range of occupations. Children are particularly vulnerable.
• Forced prostitution: Young Dalit girls suffer systematic sexual abuse in temples, serving as ‘devadasis’ in south India, and some are forced into prostitution for men from dominant castes.
• Manual scavenging: An estimated 1.3 million Dalits in India make their living through the vile, inhuman and outlawed practice of manual scavenging.
• Political participation: Dalits are often limited from equal and meaningful political participation.
• Non-implementation of legislation: Legal mechanisms to protect Dalits are in place, but their implementation remains very weak. Consequently, atrocities against Dalits are almost inevitably committed with impunity.

Legal provisions for Dalit Empowerment

• Article 17 of the Indian Constitution Prohibits untouchability. In its pursuance, Untouchability (Offences) Act, 1955 was enacted.
• The Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955: The Act extends to the whole of India and provides punishment for the practice of untouchability. It is implemented by the respective State Governments and UT Administrations.
• Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989: Assistance is provided to States/ UTs for implementation of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. Financial assistance is provided to the States/ UTs for implementation of these Acts, by way of relief to atrocity victims, an incentive for inter-caste marriages, awareness generation, setting up of exclusive Special courts, etc.

Economic Empowerment

• National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC): Set up to finance income-generating activities of Scheduled Caste beneficiaries living below double the poverty line limits.
• National Safai Karamchari Finance and Development Corporation (NSKFDC): It is another corporation that provides credit facilities to beneficiaries amongst SafaiKaramcharis, manual scavengers, and their dependents for income-generating activities for socio-economic development through State Channelizing Agencies
• Venture Capital Fund for SCs: The objective of the fund is to promote entrepreneurship amongst the Scheduled Castes who are oriented towards innovation and growth technologies and to provide concessional finance to the scheduled caste entrepreneurs.
• The Stand Up India scheme – aims at providing people belonging to the scheduled caste or scheduled tribe or women of the country a loan between Rs.10 lakhs to Rs.1 crore, based on their requirements. The aim is to promote entrepreneurship among them.
• Ambedkar Social Innovation Incubation Mission (ASIIM) initiative – To promote entrepreneurship among the SC Youth with a special preference for Divyangs.
• Vanchit Ikai Samooh aur Vargon ki Aarthik Sahayta Yojana (VISVAS Yojana) – It is an Interest subvention Scheme at 5% interest per annum for the eligible SC/OBC community individuals and SHGs.

Ambedkar Social Innovation Incubation Mission (ASIIM) initiative

ASIIM is a scheme launched by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), It has the following provisions: Support to 1,000 innovative ideas (start-ups) till 2024 through synergetic work with the Technology Business Incubators (TBIs) set up by DST;   They will be funded @ Rs. 30 lakhs in 3 years as equity funding so that they can translate their start-up ideas into commercial ventures. Successful ventures would further qualify for venture funding of up to Rs. 5 Crore from the Venture Capital Fund for SCs. Eligibility – The following SC/Divyang youth would be eligible for support under ASIIM: Youth who have been identified by the TBIs are being promoted by DST. Students who have been awarded the Smart India Hackathon or Smart India Hardware Hackathon are being conducted by the Ministry of Education. Innovative ideas focusing on the socio-economic development of the society identified in the TBIs. Start-ups are nominated and supported by corporates through CSR funds.

Vanchit Ikai Samooh aur Vargon ki Aarthik Sahayta Yojana (VISVAS Yojana)

It is an Interest subvention Scheme at 5% interest per annum for: SHGs comprising exclusively of SC and/or OBC beneficiaries with loans/borrowings up to Rs.4.00 Lakh SC and OBC individual beneficiaries with loan/borrowing up to Rs.2.00 Lakh. SHGs formed under NRLM / NULM or NABARD/ individual beneficiaries who have availed loans through PSBs, Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) and similar financial institutions. All individual members having annual family income less than Rs.3.00 lakh belonging to either SC or OBC get interest subvention. Implementing Agencies: National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC) (for SC SHGs/beneficiaries). National Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation (NBCFDC) (for OBC SHGs/beneficiaries). SHG members must have having annual family income of less than Rs.3.00 Lakh. Also, SHG must be registered with NRLM/NULM or NABARD.

Confronting marginalization 

As per the Social Justice Ministry survey, there are 67000 manual scavengers in India till October 2021.

The Problems faced by Manual Scavengers:

• Health Hazard: As per the 6^th Economic Census 2013, of the 1.7 lakh recorded businesses under Water & Sanitation & Hygiene, 82% are privately owned. 
  • Caste-based occupation roles: In India, Sanitation work is tied with caste-based occupational roles, where the bulk of such work is done by SCs/STs.
  • Discrimination: For long, they have been subjected to discrimination, stigma & untouchability for years. Among them, the manual scavengers are the most stigmatized section.
  • Legislative backing ineffective: Despite the Prohibition of Employment of Manual Scavengers Act 2013, the practice of manual scavenging continues.
  • Contract employment: At the grassroots level, the local self-governments subcontract the sanitation work to private businesses & informal labourers, where the manual scavenging practice has been increasingly taken up.
  • Lack of data: High informality of the sanitation sector, it is a challenge to arrive at an accurate estimation of sanitation workers mainly manual scavengers. The data from National Sample Survey 2019, shows that 65% of Indian households have toilets with septic tanks. However, these data underscore the need to augment the sanitation value chain mainly mechanized cleaning & treatment of waste.
  • Unplanned construction/urbanization: The Swachh Bharat Mission focuses on the construction of toilets. However, there is a narrow focus on inadequate sewerage networks & treatment plants, and the safe treatment & disposal of waste lags behind toilet construction.

Efforts taken by the government:

1. Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993: This law prohibits the employment of manual scavengers as well as the construction of dry latrines.
   1. In 2003, Safai Karamchari Andolan and 13 other organisations and individuals, filed a PIL in SC, complaining that manual scavenging still existed and it continued in government undertakings like the railways. The petitioners sought enforcement of their Fundamental Rights.
      • The court observed that the number of manual scavengers in India had increased since the 1993 law.
      • It directed every department/ministry of the union government and state governments to actively take up a time-bound programme for their liberation and rehabilitation.
      • Schemes: See Swachh Bharat Initiative.
   2. The Scheduled Casts and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989: Framed in response to demand by Dalits & tribal groups that the government must take seriously the ill-treatment & humiliation that they face. It had taken a violent character in the late 1970s & 80s. Parliament noted that when Dalits assert their rights, vested interests try to terrorise them.
   3. Rashtriya Garima Abhiyan: to eradicate the practice of manual scavenging & rehabilitate the manual scavengers.
   4. The revised Self-Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers (under the Social Justice Ministry) has been taking rehabilitative measures such as:
      • One-time cash assistance,
      • Loans at concessional rates,
      • Subsidy,
      • Skill development training.
   • National Safai Karamcharis Finance & Development Corporation has been building capacities at the local govt, equipping them with mechanized de-sludging trucks & providing financial assistance to sanitation workers.
   • National Action for Mechanized Sanitation Ecosystem proposed to set up units at the district & local self-government to monitor sanitation services.
   1. New Programs:
      • 2^nd phase of Swachh Bharat Mission & AMRUT: prioritization of safe treatment & disposal of waste along with building sanitary toilets.
      1. Sujalam Mission.

The Scheduled Casts and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989:

The SC/ST act was framed in response to demand by Dalits & tribal groups that the government must take seriously the ill-treatment & humiliation that they face. It had taken a violent character in the late 1970s & 80s. Parliament noted that when Dalits assert their rights, vested interests try to terrorise them.

• It lists modes of humiliation that are physically horrific & morally reprehensible, and seeks to punish those who:
  1. Force a to drink or eat any inedible or obnoxious substance;..
  2. Forcibly remove clothes from the person.
  3. Or painted face or body or commits any similar act which is derogatory to human dignity…
  4. Wrongfully occupies or cultivates any land owned by, or allotted to,.. SC or ST or gets it transferred.
  5. Assaults or uses force on any women belonging to SC/ST etc.
  • Current Scenario:- In the last 10 years, there has been a 66% growth in crime against Dalits.

Changes in interpretation in 2018

Recent SC judgement (2018) gave guidelines and sought to protect public servants & private citizens from arbitrary arrests under the SC/ST Act, 1989:

1. Removed bar on anticipatory bail: SC says that the Provision of the bar on Granting anticipatory bail is not absolute in  Sec 18.
   • A preliminary enquiry into complaints before an FIR can be registered.
   1. It barred any immediate arrest of the accused unless approved by:

• A higher authority in the case of public servants[Already existing provision]
• SSP in the case of private citizens.

The intent is not to dilute the act but to protect innocent citizens from arbitrary arrests.  Police need to conduct a preliminary enquiry before arrest only in cases where they feel a complaint filed is outright “absurd” or “absolutely” frivolous.

Premise: The decline in conviction rate has created an impression that this may be driven by rampant false filing of cases. – Based on NCRB Data.

• SCs: From 38% in 2010 and fell to just 16% in 2016.
• STs: it fell from 26% in 2010 to 8% in 2016.

SC&ST Amendment Act, 2018:

It nullified the March 20, 2018 judgement, which allowed anticipatory bail to those booked for committing atrocities against members of those communities.

Government Position: There is no decrease in the atrocities on these communities, despite the laws to protect their civil rights, & 195 special courts in 14 states.

Provisions of the Bill:

• The investigating officer will not require the approval of any authority for the arrest of an accused.
• Preliminary enquiry will not be required for the registration of an FIR against a person accused.
• Anticipatory Bail cannot be applied by the person accused.

Related FAQs of Caste-based Marginalization and Dalit Empowerment in India

1. What is Dalit empowerment and why is it important?

Dalit empowerment refers to uplifting historically marginalized communities through education, legal rights, and economic opportunities. It’s vital for achieving social justice, eliminating caste-based discrimination, and promoting inclusive development.

2. What are the key legal provisions for Dalit rights in India?

Major legal safeguards include Article 17 (abolishing untouchability), Protection of Civil Rights Act (1955), SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act (1989), and constitutional reservation policies to promote equality.

3. What government schemes support Dalit empowerment?

Schemes like Stand Up India, ASIIM, NSFDC, and VISVAS Yojana support entrepreneurship, financial inclusion, skill development, and self-employment among Scheduled Castes.

4. Why does manual scavenging still persist despite legal bans?

Despite the 2013 Act prohibiting manual scavenging, it continues due to contract labor systems, poor enforcement, caste-based occupational roles, and lack of mechanized sanitation infrastructure.

5. What was the SC/ST Amendment Act 2018 about?

The SC/ST Amendment Act, 2018 nullified a Supreme Court ruling that diluted protections under the 1989 Act. It re-strengthened the law by removing provisions for anticipatory bail and requiring no preliminary inquiry before filing FIRs.