Concerns over inclusive education first emerged from within special education, primarily focusing on educational opportunity for disabled children. These concerns, which were initially considered niche, are now global policy concerns. Inclusive education is generally defined as policy-level attempts to remove social barriers (social status, class, caste, religion, and gender) to the realization of educational opportunities. In this article, I analyze inclusive education from a sociological perspective. In modern society, education opportunity is an illusion. I show that schools reinforce social division, marginalization, and inequality. In doing so, I use functionalist, conflict, symbolic interaction, and social reproduction theory. I also draw on capability approach theory to further argue that inclusive education is the only effective educational strategy for eliminating societal divisions. In India, there are social barriers, especially caste and class, that prevent people from achieving their potential in the educational system. The interplay between societal barriers and social inclusion policies in India is studied using research documents, analysis of legislation, and a variety of qualitative methods. In India, education continues to have the same old divisions as a society. For inclusive education to serve as more than just a cover-up, changes must take place in structural systems and pedagogic practices. Without those changes, efforts such as the Right to Education Act will never result in inclusion. To understand what can promote equality, this paper looks at pedagogies and practices.
inclusive education; social equality; social reproduction; cultural capital; capability approach; caste and education; social inclusion; equity
Dr. S. Abdul Thaha. Inclusive Education and Social Equality: A Sociological Perspective. Indian Journal of Modern Research and Reviews. 2024; 2(12):72-81
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