ABSTRACT
Educational development in the state of Kerala has been the outcome of a long and arduous historical process, involving the activities of state, the missionaries and various social groups. Since the 19th century, different social groups in Kerala accessed modern education at different times, harbouring varying perceptions of the usefulness of modern education. However, the relative educational backwardness of Dalits in Kerala has been a matter of concern since long (Sivanandan 1976). While there have been studies that explore the dimensions of this backwardness, not much has been done to probe the broader historical contexts which may have shaped such a situation, and the precise manner in which such a disadvantaged status continues to be reproduced despite a considerable number of interventions by the government. The latter kind of inquiry is important precisely because it would allow us to reflect on the confluence of different factors that are possibly leading to a perpetuation of such social disadvantage.
