JAMIA MILLIA ISLAMIA

New Delhi -110025

Department of Political Science

ASSIGNMENT

Course – B.A History Hons

Semester- IVth

Session - 2023-24
Paper – Contemporary India

Topic: "Define The Concept Of Social Justice And Critically Discuss Its Relationship With
Social Mobility In India's Context With Suitable Examples"

Submitted to: Dr. Azhar Ali

Submitted by: Mohammad Saqueeb Alam

(202208519)
 “Define The Concept Of Social Justice And Critically Discuss Its
Relationship With Social Mobility In India’s Context With Suitable
Examples”

Content
1. Introduction
2. Social Justice
*Concept
* India’s Context
3. Social Mobility
*Concept
* India’s Context
4. Relationship Between Social Justice And Social Mobility
5. Conclusion

Introduction
India, a land of vibrant diversity, grapples with the complex issue of social stratification. The

ideal of social justice, a cornerstone of a just society, intertwines with the concept of social

mobility, shaping the nation's progress. Because of India’s vast diversity, it is very important

to understand the concept of social justice with the idea of social mobility. Given the

prevailing social inequalities in contemporary India, it is crucial to recognize the significance

of understanding and effectively implementing these concepts.

Social justice, the ideal of a fair and equitable society, seems perpetually out of reach when a

significant portion of the population faces barriers based on factors like caste, gender, or

socioeconomic background.

This essay delves into the essence of social justice, exploring its relation to social mobility in

India. Social mobility, the movement of individuals or groups within the social hierarchy, is

often seen as a marker of a progressive society. However, in India, the rigidities of the caste

system and gender biases create a situation where birth predetermines life opportunities.
In this essay, we will talk about the Indian Constitution and governmental policies that shape

the idea of justice, subsequently impacting the social mobility of India's citizens. Throughout

our analysis, we will maintain a critical stance to examine the relationship between these

concepts.

Social Justice

Concept
Social justice is a concept that aims for fairness and justice in the way resources,

opportunities, and privileges are distributed throughout a society. It's about creating a world

where everyone has an equal chance to succeed and thrive, regardless of their background or

circumstances. This can include things like access to quality education, healthcare, and good

jobs.

Social justice also focuses on dismantling barriers that prevent people from reaching their full

potential. These barriers can be based on race, gender, sexual orientation, disability,

socioeconomic status, or other factors. Social justice movements work to challenge these

inequalities and create a more just and equitable society for all.

Achieving social justice requires collective action and reforms at the societal, institutional,

and policy levels. It involves dismantling discriminatory structures and practices, promoting

inclusive policies and programs, and empowering marginalized communities to advocate for

their rights. By fostering a society that upholds principles of social justice, we can strive

towards creating a more equitable and inclusive world for all individuals.

India’s Context
When we talk about India, a nation characterized by its immense population and long-

standing history of embracing various religions and castes, the contemporary landscape
continues to showcase remarkable diversity. This diversity underscores the persistent

presence of social inequality within the country.

The caste system has historically been a significant determinant of social hierarchy in India,

with deep-rooted inequalities based on birth and occupation. Despite constitutional provisions

outlawing caste discrimination, marginalized groups such as Scheduled Castes (SCs),

Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) continue to face social and

economic exclusion. Initiatives such as affirmative action policies, including reservations in

education and government jobs, aim to address these disparities and promote social justice by

providing opportunities for historically disadvantaged communities.

The Indian constitution, recognized as the largest written constitution worldwide, enshrines

the objective of achieving social equality and upholds Social Justice as its core spirit and

vision. The maker of the Indian constitution “DR. B.R. Ambedkar” itself is proclaimed as the

champion of Social Justice since he was also from a low strata of the society and has

witnessed social equality from very close. The constitution not only embraces social justice

but also includes economic justice and political justice which eventually comes under a wider

sense of social justice thus the aim of social justice is to attain a substantial degree of social,

economic and political equality, which is the legitimate expectation of every section of the

society.

Social Mobility

Concept
Social mobility refers to the movement of individuals or groups within a social hierarchy. It's

about the ability of people to change their socioeconomic status over their lifetime or across

generations. High social mobility means that opportunities are widely available, and people
are not limited by their background. For example, someone born into a low-income family

might be able to achieve a high-paying career through education and hard work.

Conversely, low social mobility suggests a rigid social structure where people are born into a

certain class and are likely to stay there. In such societies, factors like a person's race, gender,

or parents' income play a large role in determining their life chances. Limited access to

quality education, healthcare, and social networks can hinder upward mobility.

Social mobility is an important concept because it reflects how fair and equitable a society is.

A society with high social mobility offers its citizens the chance to improve their lives and

reach their full potential.

India’s Context
Social mobility in India presents a complex picture. Despite economic growth in recent

decades, India struggles with relatively low social mobility. This means a person's

background heavily influences their life trajectory. Children from privileged castes often

enjoy better education, career opportunities, and wealth compared to those from lower castes

or disadvantaged groups like Dalits and Adivasis. I have attached some data below from the

studies of various researchers and scholars regarding the context of Social Mobility in India.
However, there are signs of progress. Affirmative action policies, aiming to level the playing

field for historically marginalized groups, have shown some success. Dalits, for instance,

have seen some improvement in mobility.

The caste system and social structures still act as barriers. Socioeconomic factors like access

to quality education and geographical location also play a significant role. A child in a rural

village might have far fewer opportunities compared to someone in a major city with better

schools and infrastructure.

There's growing recognition of the need to improve social mobility in India. Investments in

quality education for all, along with policies addressing social discrimination and

geographical disparities, are crucial steps. By creating a more equitable society where hard

work and talent, not birth, determine success, India can unlock the true potential of its vast

population.
Relationship Between Social Justice And Social Mobility
We have now reached the central focus of this essay, where we will critically examine the

interplay between Social Justice and Social Mobility, concepts that we have previously

defined and contextualized within India. To backtrack a bit, we acknowledge that within the

Indian context, the concepts of social justice and social mobility are closely intertwined.

However, their relationship is complex, marked by historical legacies and enduring

challenges in the country.

On the one hand, social justice movements act as catalysts for social mobility. The fight

against caste discrimination, for instance, aims to dismantle a rigid social hierarchy that

predetermines life chances. Affirmative action policies, a product of social justice struggles,

provide opportunities for historically marginalized groups like Dalits to access education and

government jobs, thereby facilitating upward mobility.

However, the effectiveness of social mobility as a measure of social justice in India is

debatable. While some progress has been made, India still grapples with low

intergenerational mobility. The deeply entrenched caste system continues to act as a

formidable barrier. Even within affirmative action programs, issues like social stigma and

lack of quality education in Dalit communities can hinder genuine social mobility.

Furthermore, a focus solely on individual mobility risks neglecting the need for systemic

change. While some individuals from disadvantaged groups manage to climb the social

ladder, the overall social structure remains largely unchanged. To provide an example, a

rickshaw puller’s son “Govind Jaiswal” cleared one of the most difficult exams in India that

is UPSC with a rank of 46 all over India is a perfect example of intergenerational social

mobility in India. However, as we speak it was a rare instance and we don’t see many of the

rickshaw pullers’ sons clearing the UPSC exam or any other notable things which again

questions the issue we are talking about. This raises questions about whether true social
justice is achieved if only a select few manage to break free, while the majority remains

trapped in a cycle of disadvantage.

Conclusion
Through this essay, we defined the concept of Social Justice as well as the concept of Social

Mobility particularly in India’s context and saw how social inequality is very prevalent in

India. We saw how the founding fathers of India made efforts to minimize these inequalities

by creating various articles in the Constitution related to equality and justice. We also looked

critically into the relationship of Social Justice with Social Mobility which gives a unique

insight into Indian society.

In conclusion, understanding social justice and its link to social mobility in India is quite

complicated. While social justice movements aim to make things fair for everyone, old social

systems like the caste system and limited access to resources still create big problems.

Sometimes, measurements of social mobility might look like things are getting better, but

they don't always show the ongoing inequalities. Real social justice in India needs a lot of

work from different angles. Social justice movements need to keep pushing for big changes

in the system, like stopping unfair practices and making sure everyone gets the same chances.

At the same time, we also need to help individuals move up in society through things like

education and policies that give them a leg up. Only by addressing both sides can India truly

become a place where social mobility reflects real progress toward fairness for everyone, and

not just a rare exception.

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