OCCUPATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE SCHEDULED CASTE WOMEN IN KERALA

Kerala, which ranks first among the Indian States in terms of Human Development Index (HDI) and Gender Development Index (GDI), presents, however, a poor picture in terms of female work participation. This is paradoxical since the development experience of the State is universally acclaimed as a model for poor States to follow for transforming the living conditions of their people, through enlightened policies of promotion of health care and education. But, the most tragic failure of development in the State is the acute unemployment and low labour force participation rates of both men and women. Reckoned in terms of all the three measures of unemployment Ã‚Â– usual status, current weekly status, and current daily status - used by NSS, Kerala has the highest incidence of unemployment both for males and females and in rural as well as urban areas. Educated unemployment in the State is even more severe. This paper analyse the occupational structure of the scheduled caste women in the State.

In Kerala, Most of the educated women hold full time jobs in the unorganised sector and their proportion is increasing. But their work remains unrecognised and uncounted. Kerala is a female dominated state (52%, 2011 census). But the labourforce participation rate for women was 26% compared to 82% for men (2017). Because the women labour force disproportionately concentrated in the unorganised sector. Despite educational gains women occupations are multidimensional and not solid (WHO, 1999). Neo liberalism created a new version of occupational status, skilled and diversified division of labour.
The economy experienced the structural changes due to liberalisation, but this will not increase the quality of employment for rural women. Rural women occupation is still based on caste. In case of scheduled caste women, their occupational mobility is downward and even worse off.

Objectives:-
The study is an empirical investigation into the identification of factors that determine female labour force participation in the State. It tries to explain female labour force participation in terms of inter-linkages between education, employment, and job preferences. Specifically the objectives are: 1. To identify the factors that determine labour force participation of SC women in Kerala 2. To examine the relationship between female employment and other socio-economic variables

Importance of the study:
It is true that economic development has improved the lot of a few nations over the past decade or two. But at the same time, the period has also witnessed degradation in the lives of large numbers of people especially in the developing countries. And what is more surprising is the fact that economic development has shown a gender bias, i.e. as high as 70 percent of the world's poor, even today, are women. Besides, the socio-economic differentials between men and women continue to increase even in countries of the West; and the unemployment situation is worse for women than for men in both developed and developing countries. Moreover, economic restructuring is also affecting women everywhere, though its effects are much more severe in developing countries. The economic reforms introduced in India in 1991, consisting of both stabilisation measures and a structural adjustment programme (SAP) is neither gender neutral nor do they ensure a minimum fair status to women. The gender implications of these policies are difficult to be assessed using macro-level data alone. Analysis of the changes in the structure and pattern of employment alone would disclose their gender implications adequately. For this purpose, detailed data on household characteristics and their linkage with gender relations within the household need to be collected. It is in this context that the present study becomes important.

Scheduled Caste:
Scheduled caste is an official name for a group of oppressed, helpless, socially depressed and poorest of the poorest of the Indian society. Scheduled castes during the 70's as part of their political assertion called themselves Dalits. It means crushed or segregated or disconnected or separated from the mainstream. Their social and economic nature was the low income group, illiterate, low purchasing power, lack of assets and poor housing. They also face structural, social, cultural and economic discrimination in the social system of India and Kerala. Conventional Indian society experienced a close relationship with caste and occupation, scheduled caste person's occupation basically sanitation works, and it includes cleaning of streets, handling of upper caste human waste and dead animal waste, etc. As the economy liberalised the relationship of caste and occupation gradually changed but now also the low wage jobs and inferior jobs are reserved for the scheduled caste population. Constitution of India provides special provision to scheduled caste and Indian governments established reservation to scheduled caste in the area of education and employment. Employability of scheduled caste is not merely a livelihood, but a struggle for existential survival.

Scheduled Caste Women in Kerala:
Kerala economy has a unique feature in Demography, Social overheads and Economic overheads among other states in India. Demographic features like highest literacy rate, female favored population; Social overheads like highest health services, low birth rate, low death rate, low mortality rate, higherfemale education; Economic overheads like low work participation rate of females. These facts are common to all people in Kerala, especiallyscheduled caste. Scheduled caste included in the section 341 of the Indian constitution. The nature of scheduled caste people, especiallywomen, were economically, socially and educationally backward, so Kerala government implemented so many programsfor the upliftment of these people. Kerala government recognized 53 scheduled castes in Kerala (Amendment Act of 2006 to the constitution of India).

Population and Literates of Scheduled caste in Kerala:
Indian constitution provides equal status to both men and women in the society. But our society is male dominated from independence onwards; whether the women are educated or occupied they have low status. The constitution also provides legislative protection to women who face social and economic discrimination.General nature of Indian scheduled caste women were illiteracy, social and economic backwardness, in Kerala the nature of scheduled caste women were slightly different. Demographic features are favored to scheduled caste women (Table 1).  Table 1:-The total scheduled caste population of India's 1.51 percent resides in Kerala; among this 1.6 percent is Female. Kerala's total population's 9.1 percent is Scheduled castes population; among this 9 percent is female population. Kerala is the only state to have more females than males among Indian states. Among the different sub caste of scheduled caste in Kerala majority caste shows females are more than male. One who knows read and write in any language becomes Literates. The scheduled caste's Literacy rate of India is 66.07% and Kerala's literacy rate is 88.73%. The scheduled caste literacy rate of Kerala is 80.37%, among this 77.41% is Female literacy rate. Among all sub castes of scheduled caste in Kerala shows an average of 75% of females are literates, which is above India's literacy rate.

Educational Level of Scheduled Caste Graduate and above in Kerala:
Education is the most accurate and efficient weapon for human development and social change. When women are educated, it leads to rift out the subordinate status and effective social change in the society. Education also provides knowledge and suitable skills, so higher education focused on economic independence. Higher education of women notched the Path to seek employment. Constitution of India provides equal rights to secure education to male and female (Table 2) Table 2:-Education develops each and every student's inner ability like confidence, aim, talent, Intelligent and discipline. That is why free and compulsory education becomes a fundamental right in our constitution. As educational level increases, its developmental perspective of life, knowledge, skill, character, values, beliefs and habits of students. Students are the pillars of our nation, so each and every student, especially scheduled caste and scheduled tribes must provide education. When depressed class, educated they can build up their own self confidence, capture the opportunity, improve socially and economically, empower women in the society and solve the problems faced by the nation. Attitude of acquiring higher education in a scheduled caste indicates female is more studious than male, 57% of total higher educated people are females. Among Kerala's total higher educated people, 53 % are females. Total higher educated scheduled caste in India, only 32% are of females. It shows scheduled caste people in Kerala know about their educational reservation and utilized their rights in a proper manner.

Female occupation of sub caste of Scheduled Caste in Kerala:
Occupation of scheduled caste women was based on customs, community, and caste, social and economic conditions. These factors suppress and oppress the scheduled caste women and it's liable to take unorganized services, because of scheduled caste women's subordinate status and social and economic responsibilities towards their family (Table 3).   Table 3:-Occupation known as Employment or Job which means one who works for wages or salary.Occupation also defined any paid work which means, of living. Certain work becomesoccupation as well as profession, people get jobs according to their qualification and desires become profession same time people work as underemployed it becomes occupation. Peoplewho work mainly for family needs, attain confidence, self -respect and acquire social status in the society. The scheduled caste female does work to meet the two ends of their life. Kerala society follows the patrilineal customs in all aspects of life.
Expect five castes, all other caste's female has occupation in the organized sector (only 15%), that is well reputed jobs like Engineers, Doctors, Associate and Assistant professors, senior officials, etc. 85 percent of female engaged in unorganized occupations like cooks, tailors, domestic cleaners, street vendors etc. Even today scheduled castes female are not up to the mark to dream about well secured jobs. When they face economic hindrance, initially they reduce their own consumption and live according to their male counterpart's behaviour. The situation has become pathetic they go for a job in their middle age, so they forcefully engaged in unorganized services. This can analyze in the above table. Expect five caste all other castes only an average of 20% of female engaged in organized occupation, but in an unorganized occupation more than 50% of females are engaged.

Conclusion:-
In Kerala except Nair and certain other castes in Ambalavasi (who render templeservices) castes, all other castes follow the patrilineal rituals in their life. Patrilineal society strictly resisted female occupation before the Renaissance. The Renaissance period gave priority to female education to all castes. This was trickling down to scheduled caste too. But the importance of female education is not accepted by the majority of scheduled castes. Beliefs of scheduled caste male towards their counterpart, females must do the work inside the home and outside home is not secure for their females. The majority of each and every sub caste of scheduled caste people resides in the colony and they are not willing to mingle with each other. Each sub caste has its own rituals, beliefs, and customs and behaves. As the economy modernized their beliefs and behaviour of scheduled caste people also changed. They know about the 99 importance of education, especiallyfemaleeducation and occupation.Educatedscheduled castes settled outside the colony and mingling with other castes again improved their concept of education and occupation.
In India so-called upper caste women believed that scheduled caste women were not women.They are just like products that to be used for their successful life. But in Kerala the situation of scheduled caste women is somewhat better, Even though the scheduled caste women have a little ambience to speak their mind. Presently scheduled caste women are more serious and accurate in securing education than male folk. But they are far behind to secure an organized job. Total female scheduled caste population, 79% secured higher educational level, but 22% secured occupation. Among this only 3% has economically and socially secured a job and 19% has forcefully engaged in unorganized occupation. There is no difference in men's education and women education, but the attitude of the people to secure the education and occupation. Female occupation is always depends on family matters.