Caste disparities and affirmative action in India.

This article examines contemporary caste-based disparities in India using data from the National Family and Health Survey (NFHS) for 2019–21, focusing on three broad groups: Scheduled Castes–Scheduled Tribes (SC–ST), Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and Others (a proxy for higher-ranked castes). It documents persistent gaps in education, occupational distribution, and wealth, while noting some convergence in asset ownership between OBCs and Others from 2015–16 to 2019–21. Using a difference-in-differences estimator, the study identifies a positive impact of the 2006 extension of affirmative action (AA) in tertiary education on the likelihood of OBC individuals entering higher education. The findings highlight that despite affirmative action improving access for beneficiary groups, caste-based inequalities remain entrenched, suggesting the need for broader policy measures beyond AA to address these disparities.