Dalit Christian Youth Called to Lead Campaign for SC Status

Pondicherry, November 14, 2026: Dalit Christian youth from four southern states have been urged to take a leading role in the campaign for Scheduled Caste status and work towards eliminating caste discrimination within the Church and society.

The call was made at the inauguration of a three-day Youth Leadership Development Programme organised by the National Dalit Christian Watch (NDCW) at the Gonzaga Animation Centre in Pondicherry on November 13. Young participants from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are attending the programme, which focuses on the Catholic Church’s Dalit Empowerment Policy and the demand for constitutional recognition of Dalit Christians as Scheduled Castes.

The opening session examined caste discrimination within the Church, the implementation of its Dalit Empowerment Policy and the legal barriers preventing Dalit Christians from accessing Scheduled Caste benefits.

Participants began the programme by reading the Preamble to the Constitution of India, reaffirming their commitment to constitutional values. Sonima Jacob, NDCW South Regional Coordinator, welcomed the gathering.

NDCW Chairperson Dr. Richard Devadoss, initiating the discussions, identified caste, gender and the misinterpretation of Scripture as major factors contributing to divisions within the Christian community.

A session led by Fr. Dr. Z. Devasagayaraj examined the Catholic Church in India's Policy of Dalit Empowerment. Describing the policy as an ethical imperative, he pointed out that Dalits constitute approximately 65 per cent of Indian Catholics but continue to experience discrimination and inadequate representation in Church structures.

Approved by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) in 2015 and released in December 2016, the policy seeks to promote Dalit empowerment through education, employment and entrepreneurship. It also identifies untouchability as a grave social sin and calls for a fundamental change of attitude within the Church.

Assessing its implementation nearly a decade after its release, Fr. Devasagayaraj questioned the extent of progress and cited continuing instances of discrimination, including restrictions on burial rights and insufficient encouragement of local vocations among Dalit Christians.

He also drew attention to the constitutional exclusion of Dalit Christians from Scheduled Caste recognition. Under paragraph 3 of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, SC status is restricted to members of Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist communities. Consequently, Dalits who convert to Christianity lose access to reservations in education and employment, scholarships and legal safeguards under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

The discussions highlighted the need for sustained legal intervention, wider public awareness and coordinated advocacy to challenge this exclusion.

In group discussions, participants proposed youth leadership initiatives, awareness campaigns, engagement with Church authorities, social media outreach and stronger networks among Dalit Christian organisations. They also stressed the importance of systematic data collection to support the legal campaign.

Concluding the session, Fr. Devasagayaraj called on the participants to pursue three priorities: sustain the legal struggle for Scheduled Caste recognition, build public opinion and exercise their constitutional rights to protest and demonstrate peacefully. He emphasised that discrimination against Dalit Christians was not merely an issue affecting one section of the community but a concern for the entire Church and society.

The programme continues on November 14 and 15, with sessions focusing on gender sensitivity, constitutional rights and youth advocacy.

About NDCW: Established in 2016, the National Dalit Christian Watch works to combat caste-based discrimination within the Church and society. Its guiding conviction is expressed in its motto: “Christ and Caste cannot go together.”

By Abishek Raja