Anthropology of Weaker Sections (Introduction by K.S. Singh)

The Anthropological Survey of India in 1972-75 had conducted a survey of the weaker section of the populations in 24 villages located in 16 states. At one level, the study could be seen as a continuation of the studies of villages undertaken in 1950s, which covered a number of dimensions such as organisation of caste, relationship of castes, position of dominant caste, and a network of relationships centered in the village and beyond it. At the second level, this study could be seen as the first anthropological study of the weaker sections of populations in terms of their weak resource base, their low position in social hierarchy, their relative lack of access to facilities provided by developmental programmes and their inadequate participation in institutions. Most of the weaker sections belong to the Other Backward Classes and some of them are members of the Scheduled Castes. Twenty years later, the data was taken up for analysis and papers were put together for publication. The material being published has relevance today because the problems of the weaker sections of communities are still with us. Moreover, the material presented constitute a solid bench-mark for 24 villages. While our weaker sections continue to suffer from many disabilities, there has been change in socio-economic environment and many of them have been able to assert them selves and move forward.