Caste and medical education : exclusion of Dalit and Tribal students in state medical colleges in five states in India

Abstract

India’s medical education system is one of the largest in the world. However, students from Dalit and Tribal (indigenous) backgrounds continue to face significant barriers to access and completion to medical education. This paper examines how caste-based discrimination takes place in undergraduate (UG) and post-graduate (PG) public and private medical colleges in India. Drawing on critical caste theory, we designed a qualitative research study to acquire an in-depth and situated understanding of the experiences of Dalit and Tribal students currently enrolled in medical degree programs in five states in India. Participants in our sample indicate that they continue to face different forms of caste prejudices and discrimination from peers as well as academics in these institutions. These findings contribute to an under-researched area and offers informed recommendations for stronger policies to prevent and respond to caste discrimination in medical education.