Scheduled Castes (SC) are officially designated groups of people in India who are among the most socio-economically disadvantaged. The term "Scheduled Castes" refers to the legal listing of specific castes in the Indian constitution, with the purpose of their upliftment and integration into mainstream society. The Scheduled Castes were given reservation status after Indias independence, which guarantees political representation, preference in promotion, quotas in universities, free and stipended education, scholarships, banking services, and various government schemes. The Constitution of India lays down the general principles of positive discrimination for SCs.
The Scheduled Castes are officially defined in the Constitution of India and are listed in the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, which lists 1,109 castes across 28 states. The Scheduled Castes are those considered the most socio-economically disadvantaged in India and are eligible for tiered affirmative action programs known as "reservations".
The Scheduled Castes were historically ostracized and relegated to "polluting" occupations like fishing, scavenging, and sewer cleaning. Many Scheduled Caste groups now prefer the name Dalit, which means "Crushed" or "Oppressed".
According to a survey, most Indians say they belong to a lower caste category, specifically Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), or Other Backward Class (OBC). In the survey, 25% of Indians self-identified as Scheduled Caste, which is higher than the 2011 census estimate of 17% .
In summary, Scheduled Castes are officially designated groups in India who are among the most socio-economically disadvantaged and are listed in the Constitution of India to aid equality initiatives and affirmative action programs.
