Intersectionality in Educational Access: How Caste, Class, and Gender Compound Disadvantage in Secondary Education

Abstract

This review paper examines how intersecting identities of caste, class, and gender create compounded disadvantages in secondary education access, particularly in the Indian context. Drawing from Crenshaw's intersectionality framework, this review synthesizes empirical evidence from 60 studies spanning 1983-2025 to demonstrate that educational marginalization cannot be understood through single-axis frameworks. Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe girls face multiplicative discrimination that exceeds the sum of individual identity-based barriers. The review analyzes enrollment disparities, dropout patterns, and institutional mechanisms that perpetuate inequality. Despite policy interventions including reservation systems and affirmative action, significant gaps persist: SC/ST female enrollment remains 15-20 percentage points below upper-caste males in secondary education. The paper identifies critical research gaps in understanding intersectional experiences within educational institutions and proposes comprehensive research agendas focused on institutional transformation, teacher training, and policy evaluation. Findings suggest that addressing educational inequality requires moving beyond single-identity interventions toward holistic approaches that recognize the complexity of intersecting disadvantages.