Untouchability in 21st Century India

This book examines caste-based discrimination in India through the practice of manual scavenging and exclusion within higher education. It analyses how Untouchability persists across these distinct yet interconnected sites, adopting a legal lens grounded in international human rights law. Drawing on empirical data, the book critically engages with legislation, governmental schemes, institutional mechanisms, and case law, with particular attention to affirmative action as enshrined in the Indian Constitution. By bridging lived realities with legal framework, it highlights both the limitations and transformative potential of law in addressing caste-based inequalities. This work will be of significant interest to scholars and researchers of law, human rights, sociology, and South Asian studies, as well as policymakers.