Published Paper Details:

Purpose: Dalit women stand at the lowest strata of society. They have faced double wrath of being women belonging to Dalits. With the rise in the necessity of higher education, Dalit women are opting for it. But here they too face various challenges. Thus, this study aims to understand challenges faced by Dalit women in higher education with respect to Uttar Pradesh. Design/methodology/approach: The study is qualitative and descriptive in nature. A sample of 6 Dalit women has been chosen from the state of Uttar Pradesh using stratified random sampling. The data collected through personal in-depth interviews have been analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings: The study found that major challenges they face are related to lack of awareness of government schemes and fear of bullying. It was also found that family support helps Dalit women to opt for higher education. Also, the reservation system and various government schemes offered for girl education encourage them to pursue higher education. Originality/Value: The previous literature has a scarcity of studies dealing with challenges faced by Dalit women in higher education with respect to Uttar Pradesh. The present study aims to bridge the gap by conducting a qualitative study to understand these challenges.