Social Mobility Study: A Case of Intergenerational Educational Mobility by Caste/Ethnicity

Abstract

Intergenerational educational mobility, that measures the equality of opportunity and outcome in educational attainment and can be studied in many ways, is mainly focused in other regression models although log-linear modelling of ordinal categorical educational levels gives good measure of relative mobility. This study is focused in measuring intergenerational educational mobility in a small village of Parbat district in western Nepal historically inhabited by locally affluent Gurungs who are world famous as Gurkha warriors. Absolute mobility is studied using mobility table and nested log-linear and log-multiplicative models are considered for relative mobility. Increased absolute mobility rate with expansion of educational institutions common in all caste/ethnic groups favors the liberal theory of social mobility but on delving into relative mobility, we find direct relation between the hierarchy of caste/ethnicity and level of social fluidity in which nationally affluent Khas/Arya group is overtaking locally affluent Gurungs. Deprived groups are farther away in the mobility race. The findings do not support situation of equality of opportunity and outcome indicating need of policy reformation in education.