Abstract:  India’s reservation policy seeks to address historical caste inequalities by expanding Scheduled Caste representation in public employment and higher education. However, institutional representation may not translate into greater accessibility or reduced caste discrimination. This study examines the relationships among human dignity, inclusive growth, perceived representation of Scheduled Castes through reservation policy, accessibility, and perceived reduction of caste discrimination. We collected primary survey data from 525 Scheduled Caste respondents across nine districts of Madhya Pradesh, India, covering rural and urban settings. We used partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS‐SEM) to assess the hypothesised relationships among five latent constructs. Inclusive growth was positively associated with perceived representation through reservation policy (𝛽 = 0.253, 𝑝 < 0.001), while representation was positively associated with accessibility (𝛽 = 0.128, 𝑝 = 0.011). In contrast, neither the relationship between human dignity and perceived representation through reservation policy, nor that between perceived representation and perceived reduction of caste discrimination, was statistically supported. These findings distinguish institutional representation from substantive inclusion: Perceived representation is associated with greater accessibility, but not necessarily with perceived reduction of caste discrimination. The study contributes a multidimensional perspective on affirmative action by showing that representation, accessibility, dignity, and reduced discrimination constitute distinct dimensions of inclusion in public employment and higher education.

Keywords:  accessibility; affirmative action; caste discrimination; representation; Scheduled Castes

Published:   4 November 2026

Issue:   Vol 15 (2027): Dynamics of Inclusion/Exclusion as a Complex Problematic for Contemporary Topics (In Progress)