Chapter 5 – Understanding Marginalisation Notes

Content structure

1. Marginalisation
2. Socially marginalization
3. Adivasis
4. Adivasis and Stereotyping
5. Adivasis and Development
6. Minorities and Marginalisation
7. Muslims and Marginalisation
8. Conclusion

1. Marginalisation

Marginalisation means treating some people unfairly or keeping them away from opportunities because of their skin colour, gender, poverty, disability, or other reasons. This can make it harder for them to go to school, get jobs, or be treated respectfully.

2. Socially marginalization

Some people are treated unfairly because they are seen as different. These groups do not get the same opportunities as others, making it difficult for them to stand up for their rights. As a result, they often feel powerless compared to wealthy, educated, and influential people who own land and hold important jobs.

3. Adivasis

Adivasis are groups of people who live in different parts of India, about 8% of forest in India’s population is Adivasi. They mostly live in states like Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, and the Northeastern states. Odisha has over 60 tribal groups. They are different from other Indian communities that follow the caste system.
Adivasis pray to their ancestors (like grandparents and great-grandparents), spirits of their villages, and spirits of nature, like those in mountains and rivers. They believe these spirits protect and guide them. Their traditions have influenced major religions, like the Jagannath cult in Odisha and Shakti traditions in Bengal and Assam.
Adivasis have their own languages that are different from Sanskrit. These languages have influenced Indian languages like Bengali. Santhali, an Adivasi language is spoken by most people and has books, magazines, and online publications.

4. Adivasis and Stereotyping

In India, Adivasi communities are shown in school programmes, government programs, books, and movies in the same way – wearing bright clothes, special headgear, and dancing his songs. Most people do not know about their real lives, so they think Adivasis are not modern and some people blame Adivasis for not developing, and saying they don’t accept the change. But these wrong ideas ignore the rich culture and strength of Adivasi communities in India.

5. Adivasis and Development

Forests were important for rulers because they provided valuable resources like iron, copper, gold, silver, coal, diamonds, timber, medicinal herbs, and animal products such as wax, lac, and honey. Elephants, which were essential for armies, also came from the forests. Because of this, Adivasis were not ruled by big kingdoms. Instead, the kingdoms depended on Adivasis to collect these important resources from the forests.
Many Adivasis lost their forests due to government rules, businesses, and money problems, and then they worked in farms, factories, construction sites, and as house helpers.
A report says that in states like Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Jharkhand 79% of people are forced to leave their homes due to projects like dams. India has 106 national parks and 573 wildlife sanctuaries, which are tribal lands. Adivasis are removed from these areas, and if they stay, they are called trespassers.
Adivasis lost their homes means they lost their source of income and culture so they moved to another city in search of food and shelter where they get very little money in industries or at construction sites. About 45% of rural Adivasis and 35% of cities live in poverty. This causes many problems. Many tribal children don’t get enough food, and many Adivasis can’t read or write.

They took our farming land. They left some houses. They took the cremation ground, temple, well and pond. How will we survive?” says Gobindha Maran, who was displaced due to a refinery project in Odisha.

6. Minorities and Marginalisation

The term minority means smaller communities compared to the larger population. It’s also about power, resources, and culture. The Indian Constitution protects smaller communities from unfair treatment and ensures equality and justice for all. If smaller communities feel unsafe or their rights are violated, they can go to court for help.

7. Muslims and Marginalisation

According to the 2011 Census, India’s population, 14.2% are Muslim and is seen as a marginalised group because many have low incomes. The three tables below, from different sources, show their situation in basic services, literacy, and public jobs.

I. Access to Basic Amenities, 2008–2009 (percentage)

Religious Community	Pucca House	Electricity	Tap water
Hindu	65.4	75.2	43.7
Muslim	63.8	67.5	35.8
Christian	69.3	86.2	48.0
Sikh	91.3	96.0	49.3

Which of these communities have the most and the least access to basic amenities?
(Most – Sikh; Least – Muslim)

II. Literacy Rate by Religion, 2011 (percentages)

All	Hindus	Muslims	Christians	Sikhs	Buddhists	Jains
74	63	57	74	67	71	86

Which of these communities have the highest and the lowest literacy rates?
(Highest – Jains 86%; Lowest – Muslims 57%)

III. Public Employment of Muslims (percentages)

population	IAS	IPS	IFS	Central Public Sector Unit (PSU)	State PSU	Banks & RBI
13.5	3	4	1.8	3.3	10.8	2.2

In 2005, the Indian government noticed that Muslims were falling behind in education, jobs, and development. To understand the problem, they formed a team led by Justice Rajindar Sachar. The team’s report found that Muslims face challenges similar to those of Scheduled Castes and Tribes. For example, many Muslim children (ages 7-16) spend only a few years in school. They often struggle with social and economic difficulties, partly because of their customs, such as wearing a burqa or fez.

8. Conclusion

In this chapter, we learned about groups that face unfair treatment in society. Adivasis, Dalits, and Muslims experience different challenges, such as discrimination, fewer job opportunities, and limited access to education and healthcare. Because of these difficulties, they have less power and fewer chances to improve their lives. Being excluded makes daily life harder for them, as they struggle to get the resources and opportunities they need. Some of these groups have been left out for generations, but many have fought for their rights, demanded equality, and worked to preserve their culture and traditions.