The growth and development of scheduled caste and scheduled tribe population in Gujarat and future prospects.

This study analyzes the growth and development of the scheduled caste (SC) and scheduled tribe (ST) populations in Gujarat. It attempts to fill some of the gaps in information related to these two disadvantaged communities using census as well as large-scale survey data for the state. It also analyzes several parameters to understand the developments that have occurred among the SC and ST populations focusing on their composition and growth their socioeconomic development their health nutritional and contraceptive status and the level and trends in their fertility and mortality. Overall results indicate that there have been improvements in the socioeconomic conditions particularly among SCs over the various plan periods. However such improvements are not adequate to offset the marginalization of these two disadvantaged groups or their assimilation with the community at large. The state needs to make concerted efforts to improve the social and economic conditions of the SCs and STs and there is a need to change certain prevailing sociocultural norms that have hampered womens development.