Vol. 3, Issue 1, Part G (2017)

Abstract
People across the world are discriminated against in the labour market based on their unproductive characteristics such as race, colour, gender, religion, etc. Caste is one such social attribute in Indian society. The present paper using primary field data and the National Sample Survey Organization’s data attempts to analyse differences in the nature of unemployment and occupation along with occupational stagnation across the caste groups in rural Punjab. The univariate analysis shows the presence of underemployment among the scheduled castes (SCs) workers in rural Punjab. Relative to the non-Scheduled castes (non-SCs), the majority of the SCs workers are employed as casual wage labour. Further, occupational stagnation for the SCs in low status and low rewarding traditional occupations in rural Punjab was observed.