Educational Backwardness of 'Teli' Caste in Jammu Region
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Educational Quest: An Int. J. of Education and Applied Social Science: Vol. 8, Special Issue, pp. 363-369, June 2017 DOI: 10.5958/2230-7311.2017.00077.0 ©2017 New Delhi Publishers. All rights reserved Educational Backwardness of ‘Teli’ Caste in Jammu Region: Exploration of the Factors Behind Shabir Ahmed* and Kiran Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Studies, Central University of Jammu, J&K, India *Corresponding author: [email protected] ABStract The word Tel means oil (cooking oil) and Teli means person dealing with manufacture and sale of cooking oil in Urdu. The word Teli comes from Tel, which means oil in Marathi, Hindi, and Oriya languages. Traditionally, the Teli are an occupational caste of oil-pressers and the name Teli is given to them because of their profession of “Making Edible oil”. In old times, these people had their small oil mills known as Kolhu or Ghana driven by blindfolded oxen around the mill to make or extract edible oil from oil seeds like mustered and sesame. Teli caste is one of the most backward classes (as per Mandal commission) in the Jammu region of Jammu And Kashmir State. Their plights were never heard or addressed even after more than six decades of independence due to underrepresentation in both the houses of state legislature. Hence the investigator felt the need to explore the area which is yet to be explored. In this way efforts were made to study various reasons behind the educational backwardness of the community and to suggest remedies to improve their educational conditions. The sample for the present study comprised of the 15 community representatives selected by following snowball non-random sampling technique. All the representatives were interviewed to deeply understand and analyse the factors responsible for the undertaken phenomenon and to suggest remedies for the same. Community representatives revealed number of social, economic, educational factors which are collectively responsible for the educational backwardness of the community and also suggested suitable solutions or remedies for the same. Keywords: Education, Teli, community, caste, backwardness Justice K. Subba Rao, former Chief Justice of India, their social and educational development. For defined ‘backward classes’ as “an ascertainable ; example, the OBCs are entitled to 27% reservations and identifiable group of persons based on caste, in public sector employment and higher education. religion, race, language, occupation and such others, The reservation Policy can be studied at two levels, with definite characteristics of backwardness in namely at All-India level and at State-level. At All- various aspects of human existence- social, cultural, India level both the Kaka Kalelkar Commission in economic, political and such others.” We can 1955 and the Mandal Commission in 1980 depended generally define ‘backward classes’ as those social on the findings of the last detailed community based groups or classes or castes which are characterized census of 1931 to extrapolate on the population of by lack of education, poverty, exploitation of Backward Classes The Kaka Kalelkar Commission labour, non-representation in services etc. In used the term “Classes” as synonymous with simple words, the term ‘backward classes’ can be “Castes and Communities” and prepared a list defined as a social category which consists of of Backward Classes on the basis of caste. The all the socially, educationally, economically and Commission listed 2,399 castes as Backward Classes. politically backward groups, castes, and tribes. It chose 837 castes as Most Backward Castes for In the Indian Constitution, OBCs are described the purpose of development and upliftment. It as “socially and educationally backward classes”, also made various other recommendations. The and the Government of India is enjoined to ensure Mandal Commission used a Sample Survey to Ahmed and Kiran identify the social attributes of backwardness. The equality of all will be created through the core Second Backward Classes Commission (Mandal curriculum. Commission) used eleven indicators or criteria to determine social and educational backwardness. Programmes and Schemes of Union/J&K These indicators were grouped under three broad Government Regarding Educational heads, namely (1) Social (2) Educational and (3) Upliftment of OBCs’ Economic. In addition to two backward commissions and constitutional mandate, government of India Recommendations of Educational launched number of schemes from time to time Commissions and Committees for the OBCs to give exclusive benefit to the students belonged Indian Education Commission (1964-1966): The to OBC castes. Example of such schemes are Pre- commission recognized the necessity to pay Matric scholarship for OBC students, Pos-Matric considerable attention towards the education of scholarship for OBC students, Construction of OBC the children of backward classes. The commission boys and girls hostel, Dr. Ambedkar Scheme of observes: “One of the important social objectives interest subsidy on Educational Loan for overseas of education is to equalize opportunity, enabling for OBC, National Fellowship for OBC Students the backward or under-privileged classes and (NF-OBC), Assistance to Voluntary Organizations individuals to use education as a lever for the working for the welfare of OBC’s, Dr. Ambedkar improvement of their conditions. Every society Pre-Matric and Post-Matric Scholarship for DNT’s, that values social justice and is anxious to improve Nanaji Deshmukh Scheme of Construction of the lot of the common man and cultivate all Hostels for DNT Boys and Girls, Dr. Ambedkar the available talent must ensure progressive Scheme of Interest Subsidy on Educational Loans for equality of opportunity to all the sections of the Overseas Studies For Extremely Backward Classes population. This is only guarantee for the building (EBC’s), Dr. Ambedkar Post-Matric Scholarship for up of an egalitarian and human society in which EBC’s etc. the exploitation of the weak will be minimized” Social Welfare and Empowerment ministry of J&K The Commission very emphatically states, “The government is also not lagging behind in framing education of backward classes in general and the special schemes to benefit students belongs to tribal people in particular are a major programme of other backward section of state. Example of few equalization and of social and national integration. such schemes is Pre-Matric Scholarship, Post No expenditure is too great for the purpose” Matric Scholarship, Post Matric Scholarship for National policy on Education (1968): It recommend Minority, Pre-Matric Scholarship to Minority “Strenuous efforts should be made to equalize Students, and Post Matric Scheme of Merit Cum educational opportunities. More intensive efforts are Means for Minority Students etc. The Govt. of J&K needed to develop education among the backward has constituted two institutions on the nomenclature classes and especially among tribal people.” of Backward Classes: one as Backward Classes Draft National policy on education (1879): It Commission in the light of the Honorable Supreme observed considerable expansion in all sections of Court Judgment, Indra Sawhney Vs Union of India Education in India, Imbalances and inequalities still popularly known as Mandal Commission case and persist. Girls, Scheduled Castes and Tribes, Landless the other as Jammu and Kashmir State Advisory labourers, backward classes and urban slum poor Board for the welfare and Development of other generally lag behind in education. Special efforts Backward Classes. In addition to this govt. of J&K must be made to identify the problems in these cases provide hostel facilities to OBC students. and to bring all such people in the fold of education. RATIONALE OF THE STUDY Education (National policy on 1986): To promote Education plays an important role in human equality, it will be necessary to provide for equal development. Education is one of the most important opportunities to all not in access but also in means to improve personal endowments, build conditions of success. Awareness of the inherent capabilities, overcome constraints and in the process, Print ISSN: 0976-7258 364 Online ISSN: 2230-7311 Educational Backwardness of ‘Teli’ Caste in Jammu Region: Exploration of the Factors Behind enlarge available set of opportunities and choices Sample and Sampling Technique: The sample for a sustained improvement in well-being. The for the present study comprised of 15 community process of education and attainments thereof has an members spread in three districts i.e. Jammu, impact on all aspects of life. It is a critical invasive Udhampur and Samba of Jammu division. They instrument for bringing about social, economic were selected following the below mentioned and political inclusion of people (NHDR, 2001). In criteria: 2015 an RTI data showed that inspite of these 27% Age and gender reservations in jobs, at national level only less than Level of community contribution 12% OBCs are in these jobs (in some departments only 6.67% of OBCs were given employment Status in the community (relative positioning under these 27% reservations). The condition of in the community’s social scale) State OBCs’ in general and Teli community in Those members who fulfilled the three identified particular is worse than at national level. As the criteria became the part of the sample. However, part of the extended probing of educational and it is important to be mentioned here that out of 15 career status