Unpacking Caste and Intergenerational Occupational Mobility: A Novel Approach Through Occupational Prestige in West Bengal, India

Abstract

This research rekindles the examination of occupational mobility through the lens of occupational prestige, contributing significantly to the discourse on intergenerational occupational mobility in West Bengal. Employing robust statistical techniques including conditional probability matrices, ordinary least squares (OLS) regression and structural equation modelling (SEM), the study shows the profound influence of caste on occupational mobility. It found that intergenerational mobility rates significantly differ among caste groups, with the general caste (GC) category consistently displaying higher upwards mobility compared to the other backward classes (OBCs) and scheduled castes and scheduled tribes (SCs/STs). Furthermore, the research highlights caste-based variations in the impact of a son’s educational attainment on the son’s occupational success.