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How did India’s Constitution address untouchability and caste discrimination?

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Painting depicting Hindu gods Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma with Ganesha standing and paying homage to Mahadevi, who is seated on a lotus and playing a stringed instrument. — Hinduism Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma (left to right) pay homage to Mahadevi (the great goddess, in white in the form of Saraswati), attended by the elephant-headed deity Ganesha, in a painting dated c. 1750.

The Constitution of India, which came into effect on January 26, 1950, took decisive action to dismantle the oppressive practice of untouchability and address systemic caste discrimination.12

The Constitution formally abolished the practice of untouchability and declared the social disabilities associated with it illegal. To support this, the government later enacted the Untouchability (Offenses) Act in 1955, which established legal penalties for those who prevent individuals from exercising their religious, occupational, or social rights based on their status as members of a Scheduled Caste.12

Beyond prohibition, the Constitution provides proactive measures to empower historically marginalized groups, including:

Legislative Representation: It grants Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes guaranteed representation in national and state legislatures.12
Privileges: It provides specific educational and vocational privileges to these groups to help overcome historical exclusion.2

While these constitutional mandates represent a fundamental commitment to equality and human rights, caste discrimination remains deeply rooted in some levels of society, making the process of full emancipation an ongoing challenge.23