DOES CONVERSION ERASE CASTE? A GROUND-LEVEL CRITIQUE OF THE SUPREME COURT’S POSITION ON SCHEDULED CASTE STATUS
Abstract
This paper critically examines the March 2026 decision by the Supreme Court of India which means that, henceforth, religious conversion will result in the loss of ‘Scheduled Caste’ status. It interrogates whether conversion truly erases caste and argues for a re-evaluation of religion-based criteria in reservation policy on the basis that changing religious affiliation does not change the social reality facing deprived sections of society. The paper is based on fieldwork conducted in a village of Aurangabad, Bihar, where some scheduled caste families had reportedly converted to Christianity.
Fields of Study & Subjects
South Asian Studies and Diaspora
South Asian Studies and Conflicts
Indian History and Philosophy
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Asian Affairs
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Volume
- 57
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 569–579
- Publication date
- 27 May 2026
- Language
- EN