Occupational mobility and educational status of Kavara community in Kerala

Abstract

Occupational mobility means, change from one occupation to another. The most of the scheduled castes communities include Kavara communities are change their weaving work, their hereditary occupation to another occupation, like building construction worksite, blacksmith et 2l for their better social and economic positions. Another dimension of occupational mobility, simply means change of occupation of lower prestige to higher prestige vice versa. In social science research the study of occupational mobility, particularly highlight social mobility. Social mobility refers to the shifts in an individual’s social status from one status to another. Many indicators or determining factors of social mobility. Occupation, education, income, migration et al in this work | focused on occupation and education are the two variables, are tested. Migration is another indicator of social mobility, Kavara community are migrated from one place to another acquiring new skills, knowledge and occupy better positions and better opportunities for jobs. Using historical, descriptive and analytical methods, the study examines the evolution of occupational mobility and educational status of Scheduled Caste in general and Kavara community in particular. A comparative analysis situates the concept mobility with special care to occupation within broader theoretical frameworks, drawing from primary and secondary sources, including government documents, books, journals newspapers and online materials. Various theoretical interpretation postulates proper linkages between the concept of mobility and occupation and take education considered as an agent through which the mobility can be became possible. In the words of Sorokin, horizontal mobility in occupation (with special reference to the Kavara community as a Scheduled Caste) is a change of jobs or profession that does not result in a change of social status or class. Transformation from traditional occupation to non-traditional occupation does not create any upward mobility in the social status of Kavara community. An individual moving to a comparable position in a different company, such as a manager in one firm to a similar manager in another, or a doctor becoming a medical school professor, experiences horizontal mobility because their overall social standing, prestige, and class remain the same. This conceptual interpretation can be clearly manifested in the nature of occupational mobility of Kavara community. According to Sorokin, Vertical mobility in occupation describes an individual's movement up or down the occupational or social hierarchy. It may be resulting in a change in status, income or power. This can happen internally within a company, such as a promotion or through career changes that result in a higher (upward mobility) or lower (downward mobility) socio-economic position. Key factors influencing vertical mobility include education, skills, economic conditions, and government policies. Kavara community is historically marginalised section as Scheduled Caste in Kerala, and are even politically isolated within the Scheduled Caste people in Kerala in their population, occupation and economy, political participation and education. This people have no occupational mobility but occupation scarcity only. As far as the occupation mobility and educational status of Kavara community is concerned, their occupational mobility is not based on vertical because they have relatively very small occupational status that cannot help them to improve their position upward, and their weak educational status does not help them to find any vertical mobility for their social position. Ultimately, while considering the life of Kavara community as 2 Scheduled Caste in Kerala having no significant influence even within the Scheduled Castes in the state. Their limited access in traditional occupation, relatively small occupational status, relatively small educational status and social position constraints limit their potential. Meaningful reforms and hopeful interventions by state and civil society definitely redefining this people, addressing their social-economic disparities and fostering inclusive, transparent engagement for their socio-economic improvement and their social and political engagement in the mainstream sphere of society. This research contributes to broader the political discourses on the Scheduled Caste category like Kavara community, and thus, this study advocating for a more desirable transformation for Kavara community as a political isolated community in Scheduled Caste section in Kerala.