Caste discrimination and its affective impact

Pages: 1726-1729
Preeti P. Masih (Department of Psychology, St. Johns College, Agra, Uttar Pradesh)

Nowadays, debate on caste is at once silenced and yet noisier than ever, and views on caste and caste-based discrimination are both diverse and socially dividing. It is true that practices of caste based discrimination which were formerly pervasive in rural India are now criminalized. Even though, those who continue to experience indignity, increasingly describe caste as an affect. Adverse childhood is associated with elevated rates of both acute and chronic psychosocial disorders in adult life. Caste-based assaults impact on emotional and mental well-being. Suicides of people from the oppressed communities should not just be looked through the lens of caste discrimination, but also as mental illness. Along with cognitive training, at social level deprived class should be more accepted and appreciated.