Exclusion and Discrimination in Schools: Experience of Dalit Children The working paper “Exclusion and Discrimination in Schools: Experiences of Dalit Children” draws focus to the position of the Dalits in the caste structure which historically led to their exclusion from knowledge and education in traditional Hindu society. The major issue dealt in this paper are to what extent and in what ways do the oppressive and unjust hierarchies of the caste system continue to ‘lock’ Dalit children out of full participation in education within schools The paper draws insights from classroom participation and analyses the levels at which caste as a defining feature of inter-personal and social relationships continues to have prominence. The study catapults children’s perspectives and experiences in relation to constraining and enabling factors at the institutional, familial (and communal) and individual levels. Indeed, so to say; educational institution seen as the critical platform for change becomes the medium and the very apparatus to insinuate humiliation and discrimination at the inception of caste identity. In other words, the discriminatory practices have been internalized by the higher caste groups, towards the Dalit (teacher, colleague, student, peer groups) in education and social networking on every day basis. More strikingly, education has not been significant to perpetuate awareness against nor ensured a value system that can resist discrimination at grass roots level. The strength of this study is that it maps the diverse spheres of school life where social relations and pedagogic processes fail to ensure full participation of Dalit children. Keeping abreast the socio-historical experience of disadvantage that these communities have experienced as a result of caste, discrimination it is important to bear in mind the manner in which caste, identity continues to impinge on their education and seeks for redressal of the same. This is part of a knowledge partnership between UNICEF and Indian Institute of Dalit Studies to unpack policy concerns of relevance to all children from the perspective of socially excluded communities. We hope this Working Paper will be resourceful and supportive to academia, students, activists, civil society organizations and policymaking bodies.