24. Addressing Inequality in Education: Examining Caste, Class and Gender Dynamics
Dr. Manteswar Barman Assistant Professor of Sanskrit University B.T. and Evening College Gunjabari, Cooch Behar, West Bengal, India Email: barmanmanteswar@gmail.com
Abstract: Education is often celebrated as a liberating force, yet classrooms across the globe continue to reflect and reproduce entrenched social hierarchies. In India, the interplay of caste, class, and gender structures not only shapes access to education but also determines the quality of educational experiences. This paper, “Addressing Inequality in Education: Examining Caste, Class and Gender Dynamics” explores the classroom as a critical site where oppression can either be perpetuated or challenged. It argues that education for social transformation must actively dismantle hegemonic practices embedded in curricula, pedagogy, language, and teacher-student relations. Drawing from Paulo Freire’s critical pedagogy, B.R. Ambedkar’s vision of education as emancipation, and contemporary feminist and subaltern scholarship, this study examines how teaching practices can confront and resist systemic inequalities. The paper identifies three interlinked domains of classroom transformation: representation, ensuring marginalized voices and histories are included in curricula; participation, creating equitable spaces where all students can contribute meaningfully; and reflection, enabling both teachers and students to critically interrogate their own positions within structures of privilege and oppression. Through an analysis of existing literature, case studies from Indian schools and higher education institutions, and comparative insights from global contexts, the paper highlights pedagogical strategies that can reorient the classroom towards inclusivity and justice. Ultimately, the study emphasizes that teaching against inequality is not an ancillary responsibility but central to the democratic promise of education. Classrooms that challenge caste, class, and gender hegemonies do more than impart knowledge-they nurture critical citizenship, cultivate empathy, and foster the social transformation necessary for an egalitarian future.
Keywords: Education, Social Transformation, Caste, Class, Gender, Critical Pedagogy, Equality
