Scheduled Castes
The official designation in India (adopted from British terminology in 1935 and retained post-independence) for the group of castes formally recognized as historically āUntouchableā and, as such, entitled to affirmative-action protections and quotas in public employment, education, and representation. The term typically refers to a legally scheduled list of castes that remain marginalized and disproportionately landless.
Claims that use this term
- Official British terminology for Untouchables shifted from Depressed Classes to Scheduled Castes in 1935
- Scheduled Castes remain overwhelmingly landless decades after independence
- Central public enterprises fill records for Scheduled Castes at six points below quota.
- Landlessness among Scheduled Castes remains extreme and regionally concentrated.