Open AccessJourney with Rural Identity and Linguicism
Author(s) -
Deepak Kumar
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
caste
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2639-4928
DOI - 10.26812/caste.v2i1.285
Subject(s) - caste , identity (music) , sociology , face (sociological concept) , class (philosophy) , intersectionality , higher education , gender studies , social exclusion , task (project management) , pedagogy , political science , social science , law , management , physics , artificial intelligence , acoustics , computer science , economics
For a Dalit, especially from a rural background, it is not easy to survive in the higher education system in India because it is overwhelmingly dominated by the upper caste, class, and English-speaking people. It is not uncommon for Dalit learners like us to face multiple discrimination, and even exclusion in higher educational institutions. Intersectionality between these three factors abounds in institutions of higher learning. The transition from native language to English has not been an easy task for me, for in my educational journey, I have discovered that English is not just a language but also a commodity. It is becoming increasingly easy for economically well-off people to acquire education in English and dominate the spheres of educational institutions in India. They are usually considered as knowledgeable and intellectual persons. On the other hand, Dalit students also want to take education in English but, most of them are not able to do so because of their caste background and rampant discrimination. This study is based on my own experience and fieldwork at the University of Delhi through a semi-structured questionnaire.