Social exclusion is a form of discrimination. It occurs when people are wholly or partially excluded from participating in the economic, social and political life of their community, based on their belonging to a certain social class, category or group. In India, social exclusion occurs based on identities including caste, ethnicity, religion, gender and disability.

Features Of Social Exclusion

Social exclusion as a concept has three distinguishable features:

1. It involves culturally-defined social categories, with associated cultural perceptions, values and norms that shape social interaction.
2. It is embedded in social relations.
3. It affects people’s rights and entitlements, denying them the opportunities they need to attain and maintain a universally acceptable standard of living and to fulfil their potential.

The Correlation Between Education And Social Exclusion

A.How Lack Of Education Leads To Social Exclusion

1. Educational exclusion is closely associated with social exclusion, Since education is essential if people are to access resources and use them effectively, denial of educational opportunity causes social exclusion.
2. Since education is intricately linked with the capability to use resources, exclusion from the education of certain groups creates a society with massive inequality and further the deprivation of poorer classes.
3. Children who are excluded from education may suffer due to lack of other capabilities too. For example, they may find it difficult to get gainful employment due to lack of adequate skills or they may suffer from a lack of proper development of their mental capabilities. These factors will further reinforce their social exclusion.
4. Lack of access to education will affect women and girl children more severely. Education helps to gain employment and adequate financial independence for women. In a patriarchal society like India, financial independence is the only way to ensure their participation.
5. Education creates awareness among people. As long as this awareness is not generated, meaningful participation in the societal processes is not possible. The good example of this fact is reservations provided for women, SC and ST in local bodies. Despite these reservations, we are still failing to meaningfully incorporate these sections into our political process.

B.How Social Exclusion Leads To Lack Of Education

In India communities such as Dalit, Adivasis, and Muslims are suffering from social exclusion. Effects of this social exclusion are visible on socio-economic indicators including that of education of these communities. Along with these communities, women, transgenders etc are also not able to get quality education due to social exclusion. Caste-based social exclusion

1. Caste is one of the oldest illnesses Indian society is suffering from. Even though the Constitution of India abolished untouchability under Article 17, and provides for affirmative actions in favour of marginalised sections under Article 15 and Article 16, social exclusion is still visible from statistical studies of these communities.
2. Average literacy rate in India is 74.04%, whereas literacy rates of SCs and STs are approximately 66% and 59% respectively. There is a gap of 8 to 15% between literacy of the average Indian and that of an Indian belonging to the SC or ST community.

Gender-based social exclusion

1. Discrimination against women is not only an issue in India but also a global cry. But the situation in India is worse compared to its counterparts in the world. 2.
2. According to census 2011, male and female literacy rates in India are 82.1% and 65.5% respectively. This shows the gap of almost 17ppts between the literacy rates of the two genders. 3.
3. Similarly, the participation of women in higher education is very low. Most of the girls drop out of their school at the higher secondary level due to domestic responsibilities and early marriage.

Religion-based social exclusion

1. Before wounds of partition would heal, the rise of right-wing extremism further pushed the Muslim community into social exclusion. Social boycott, economic exclusion, fear of lynching and mob violence pushes them away from mainstream society. 2.
2. The literacy rate of Muslims is 57.3 percent as against the national average of 74.04%.

Class-based social exclusion Rich vs Poor

1. According to a recent NSSO survey, only 6% of young people from the bottom fifth of the population attend educational levels above higher secondary in urban India whereas 31% of the young people from the richest fifth of the population attend educational levels above higher secondary.
2. Privatisation and commercialisation of education and declining quality of education in public schools have also widened the gap between rich and poor for access to quality education.
3. Coaching culture and private tuitions are making competition tougher for poor students to get access to premier higher educational institutions of India.

Why Do We Need Equal Opportunities In Education?

1. Education is directly related to the development of an individual and the community. It is the most important single factor for economic development as well as social emancipation.
2. Experiences in many countries demonstrate that persistent social and economic inequalities and exclusion can lead to disaffection, social fragmentation and even conflicts.
3. Lack of quality education keeps the communities trapped in a vicious cycle of poverty.

Measures Taken By Government

1. Article 21A is inserted into the constitution as Right to Education and it is being implemented by the Right to Education Act 2009. The principle of equal educational opportunities is at the core of the right to education.
2. SarvaShikshaAbhiyan (SSA) addresses issues of access, equity and quality and makes schools open and inclusive. The coverage of the Scheme has been concurrently extended to recognize volunteering Madrasas/Maktabs.
3. The Mid-Day-Meal (MDM) Scheme has been extended to cover all children studying in classes I-VIII of Government and Government Aided schools.
4. To establish quality residential schools for the promotion of education in all areas and habitations in the country, the Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) for ST students are along the lines of the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, the Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas and the Kendriya Vidyalayas. Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) are set up in States/UTs with grants under Article 275(1) of the Constitution of India.
5. Padho Pardesh is yet another Scheme of interest subsidy to students of minority communities on educational loans for overseas higher studies.

Social exclusion creates an inability to participate effectively in economic, social, and cultural life. It leads to alienation and distance from mainstream society. Education is increasingly seen as a key to the inclusive and sustained development of a society. For a New India, we must achieve an egalitarian society which is possible by providing equal access to quality education. Social exclusion can only be eradicated by eliminating exclusion in access to education at all levels.