Access to Higher Education and Social Mobility of Nepali Dalits

• In Event: Friday Roundtable Session 3:05 pm
  In Roundtable Session: International Students Navigating Invisible Intersections, Social Mobility, and Cultural Differences (Table 24)

Abstract

Discrimination against Dalits is founded on the Caste-based hierarchical social structure in South Asia where people are divided into four Caste categories- Brahmans, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras. Placed below the four Caste categories is Dalit. The society has excluded Dalits in many areas including education; only 1.4% of Nepali Dalits have enrolled in higher education. The purpose of this study was to hear the stories of the small group who access higher education and explore its role in the possible social mobility of Nepali Dalits. The data collection method was an in-depth interview. The findings indicate that education plays a critical role in their social mobility, and social exclusion and economic hardship are the main challenges to access higher education.

Author

• Khem Sedhai, University at Albany - SUNY