Akansha Tanwar
When I first stepped into an elite private school in Delhi as a part of my work, I was immediately struck by its grandeur. The sprawling campus, modern classrooms, and digitalized learning tools depicted progress and excellence. It seemed like the perfect environment for any child to receive an education free from barriers. However, as I spoke to students and parents, a different, more troubling reality began to unfold.
While conversing with middle school students and their respective parents, I came across a term I had never heard before—‘photocopy students.‘ At first, it sounded like a harmless reference, but as I dug deeper, I realized it was much more than that. It was a label, a marker of segregation, a powerful indicator of how caste bias continues to shape experiences in private schools. I learned these students received their study materials in printed handouts while their more privileged peers accessed the same materials digitally through WhatsApp or email.
What seemed like a simple administrative decision was a symbol of deeper exclusion. Through these interviews, it became clear that being a ‘photocopy student’ was not just about receiving paper notes—it was about being singled out, made to feel different, and subtly reminded of one’s place in the hierarchy of privilege. This label exposed the stark inequalities woven into the fabric of elite education in India.
At first glance, this distinction may appear benign—but it is a mechanism that reinforces caste and class divides in an environment that is supposed to emphasise equality.
Labeling Dalit students as ‘photocopy students’ is not just an informal act of categorization—it is a reflection of broader, systemic caste discrimination deeply embedded in private educational institutions. Teachers with internalized biases associate these students with lower academic potential. Research on caste biases in education has shown that teachers tend to expect less from Dalit students, reinforcing a self-fulfilling prophecy where they are given fewer opportunities to excel (Deshpande, 2011).
Additionally, this discrimination extends beyond academics. Students report being sidelined from extracurricular activities, group projects, and leadership roles. Many face microaggressions—subtle but repeated messages that they do not belong and are ‘less capable,’ and need to be grateful for the opportunity instead of demanding equal treatment.
Caste bias does not remain confined to faculty members—it influences student interactions as well. Social capital, an essential element in educational success, is often denied to Dalit students due to ingrained prejudices. Friendships are dictated by caste lines and many privileged students, either due to inherited biases or social conditioning, hesitate to associate with their Dalit peers. This isolation has real consequences.
Psychological studies have demonstrated that social exclusion in adolescence can lead to anxiety, depression, and lower academic performance (Ghosh, 2017). For Dalit students, the alienation they experience in private schools further reinforces their sense of not belonging. In extreme cases, it can result in dropouts, reinforcing systemic barriers to social mobility.
A major argument against affirmative action is that it undermines ‘merit.’ Many claim that reservations allow ‘less deserving’ students to enter private institutions, diluting the quality of education. However, this argument ignores the historical injustices and the structural disadvantages that Dalits have faced for centuries. Merit is not an objective metric; it is shaped by access to resources, quality primary education, and social capital (Jodhka & Newman, 2020).
When Dalit students navigate immense odds to gain admission to private institutions, their achievements should be celebrated, not scrutinized. Instead, they are treated as intruders in spaces that continue to function as exclusive enclaves of caste privilege. The label ‘photocopy students’ is another reminder that they are seen as outsiders, unworthy of equal treatment.
The pressure of being identified as a ‘photocopy student’ can have long-term psychological effects on Dalit students. Studies on caste-based discrimination in private educational spaces reveal that the stigma associated with reservation leads to imposter syndrome, where students constantly doubt their worth and feel an overwhelming pressure to overperform to justify their presence in these institutions (Guru, 2018). This internalized anxiety can contribute to chronic stress, affecting not only their academic performance but also their overall mental and emotional well-being.
In addition, many Dalit students’ struggles are exacerbated by the persistent reinforcement of their ‘otherness’ within academic and social settings. This alienation is not limited to individual experiences but is compounded by institutional neglect. Private schools often lack culturally competent counselors or support systems that understand the unique challenges faced by marginalized students. Without proper intervention, these struggles manifest in heightened levels of anxiety, depression, and, in severe cases, suicidal ideation, as studies on marginalized students in competitive academic spaces have demonstrated (Satyanarayana & Tharu, 2021).
The lack of representation of Dalit faculty in private schools further alienates these students. Without role models who understand their lived experiences, Dalit students find it difficult to navigate these spaces confidently. Faculty members from privileged backgrounds often fail to acknowledge the struggles of caste-oppressed students, dismissing their concerns as mere personal difficulties rather than systemic issues. This absence of representation affects mentorship opportunities, networking, and academic guidance which are crucial for success in competitive educational environments.
The cumulative effect of such alienation manifests in lower academic performance, mental health struggles, and higher dropout rates (Satyanarayana & Tharu, 2021). Research suggests that the absence of an inclusive environment leads to disengagement, where Dalit students withdraw from campus life, avoid leadership roles, and sometimes even leave their academic pursuits altogether due to the hostile climate. If left unaddressed, this issue will continue to reinforce the systemic cycle of educational exclusion, undermining the very principles of affirmative action and social justice in education.
The systemic exclusion of Dalit students in private schools demands urgent redressal. Unlike public institutions which are bound by affirmative action mandates and subject to public scrutiny, private schools operate with unchecked autonomy, creating an environment where discriminatory practices can persist without accountability. This unchecked autonomy has enabled caste discrimination to flourish under the guise of ‘cultural fit’ and ‘meritocracy,’ allowing private institutions to maintain their exclusivity.
In addition, private schools often justify disparities by citing financial constraints or the need to uphold ‘standards’ of academic excellence. These arguments, however, mask a deeper resistance to diversity and inclusion, wherein students from marginalized communities are treated as outsiders rather than rightful participants in these private educational spaces.
The issue is compounded by the fact that private schools, unlike government institutions, are not mandated to report or track caste-based discrimination complaints. This lack of institutional oversight means that incidents of caste-based exclusion, bias, and even overt discrimination often go unaddressed. Without clear accountability measures in place, the casteist structures within private schools remain deeply entrenched, making meaningful change nearly impossible. The absence of government-imposed checks and balances also means that private institutions can selectively enforce policies that disadvantage Dalit students, such as higher fees, rigid attendance requirements, or exclusion from leadership positions and scholarships.
To dismantle these barriers, there must be proactive efforts to regulate private institutions, ensuring that they implement reservation policies along with structural mechanisms for inclusion, protection, and equal access to opportunities. Without such intervention, private schools will continue to function as exclusive enclaves that preserve caste-based privileges rather than disrupt them.
The term ‘photocopy students’ may seem trivial to those who do not bear its weight, but for Dalit students, it is yet another reminder of the social hierarchies that continue to govern Indian society, even in its most private spaces. If education is to be the equalizer it claims to be, it must dismantle these hierarchies rather than reinforce them. Private schools, as institutions of privilege, must be held accountable for access and true inclusion. The fight against caste bias in education is not just about ensuring reservations in admissions—it is about ensuring dignity, respect, and true equality within academic spaces. Until these changes take root, the promise of education as a transformative force will remain an illusion, accessible only to the privileged few.
References
Deshpande, S. (2011). Caste and inequality in higher education in India. Economic and Political Weekly, 46(3), 25-30.
Ghosh, A. (2017). Social exclusion and academic outcomes: A study of marginalized students in private institutions. Journal of Educational Psychology, 55(2), 142-159.
Guru, G. (2018). Experience, space, and identity: Dalits in higher education. Oxford University Press.
Jodhka, S. S., & Newman, K. (2020). Inequality in Indian education: Caste, class, and meritocracy. Cambridge University Press.
Satyanarayana, K., & Tharu, S. (2021). Dalit studies: New perspectives and research directions. Routledge.
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Akansha Tanwar is a social science researcher with a Master’s in Sociology from the Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi. Currently, she is a Research Assistant at Amity University’s Department of Education. She is engaged in menstrual hygiene and sex education awareness among young girls. E-mail: tanwarakansha8@gmail.com
