We like to believe that caste fades away in the halls of power – universities, bureaucracies, and courts. Yet, recent incidents serve as poignant reminders that it endures, even where meritocracy is loudly proclaimed. The suicide of a senior Scheduled Caste IPS officer in Haryana laid bare the burdens carried by those historically marginalised.

Such events are not isolated; rather, they reflect a society that condones hierarchies beneath the surface of merit. Caste does not vanish behind education, titles, or formal protocols; instead, it lingers subtly in expectations, unspoken norms, and the allocation of opportunity. Acknowledging this is the practical starting point for tackling the inequalities still woven into the fabric of India’s elite.

Articles 15 and 17 forbade discrimination a

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