Education Experiences, Career Preferences and Marginalised Groups: a Case Study from Kerala, India

Abstract: The caste system and gender are two factors that have been affecting what education a person is able to get and what possibilities a person has in regards to the labour market in India. Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) are three groups that have been marginalised in the Indian society. The aim of this case study is to attain an understanding of how SC/ST/OBC women from Kerala have been experiencing the educational system and what has been affecting them in their education and career decisions. In addition to this, interviews with teachers and scholars have been conducted in order to get a deeper understanding of the issue. The analysis will be based on the theoretical concepts of social exclusion, social capital, social inclusion and intergenerational contract. The conclusion of the study is that patterns of both social inclusion and social exclusion can be scrutinised among the interviewee’s experiences in educational institutions. The study also shows that social capital plays an important role when being enrolled in educational institutions and that the intergenerational contract and the social policy landscape in a country can be influential when determining what to study and what career to choose