Kedilezo Kikhi is currently Chair Professor, Dr. Ambedkar Chair, and Professor at the Department of Sociology, Tezpur University, Assam. He completed his post-graduate degree and PhD from North Eastern Hill University, Shillong. He is credited with several publications in national and international journals, dailies, texts and reference books for tertiary as well as school education. Two of his most notable books include India’s Northeast – Nagaland: Vibrant Ethnic Communities in Transition and The Dynamics of Development in Northeast India. Dharma Rakshit Gautam is currently Research Officer and Assistant Professor, Dr. Ambedkar Chair at Tezpur University, Assam. He did his post-graduation from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi, and completed research degrees (MPhil and PhD) at National University of Educational Planning and Administration (NUEPA), New Delhi. Some of his publications include articles, chapters and a book titled, Education Among scheduled Castes.

• List of Tables. List of Contributors. Acknowledgements. Foreword. 1. Introduction: Equity and differing contexts in Northeast India Section I: The Concept and Context 2. Social equity: A conceptual note 3. Understanding equity and equality: Some conceptual and pragmatic considerations 4. Equity: A crucial debate in contemporary India 5. Equity and ethnic politics in north east India Section II: Ethnicity, Development and Governance 6. Politics of identity formation in Sikkim: An insider’s view 7. Ethnicity, food security and deprivation: The marginalised hill people and distributive (in)justice in Manipur 8. When boundaries matter: Land, laws and territorial conflict in Manipur 9. Ensuring social justice in tribal society: Reservation of women in the local bodies of Mizoram 10. Equity, reciprocity and environmental ethics: Comparative study of agricultural practices vis-à-vis sustainable development among the tribes of northeast India Section III: Tangle of Subjugation: Women & Religious Minority 11. Demystifying sex work: Questions of social equity 12. Locating women within ethnic movements: A case of Assam 13. Pangals in Manipur: A community symbolising disadvantaged status in the state Section IV: Domain of Education 14. Financing of school education in north-eastern states of India 15. Classroom as a site of exclusion in massified higher education in India 16. Brewing knowledge in university: Just add northeast and stir. Index.

Kedilezo Kikhi is currently Chair Professor, Dr. Ambedkar Chair, and Professor at the Department of Sociology, Tezpur University, Assam. He completed his post-graduate degree and PhD from North Eastern Hill University, Shillong. He is credited with several publications in national and international journals, dailies, texts and reference books for tertiary as well as school education. Two of his most notable books include India’s Northeast – Nagaland: Vibrant Ethnic Communities in Transition and The Dynamics of Development in Northeast India. Dharma Rakshit Gautam is currently Research Officer and Assistant Professor, Dr. Ambedkar Chair at Tezpur University, Assam. He did his post-graduation from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi, and completed research degrees (MPhil and PhD) at National University of Educational Planning and Administration (NUEPA), New Delhi. Some of his publications include articles, chapters and a book titled, Education Among scheduled Castes.

• List of Tables. List of Contributors. Acknowledgements. Foreword. 1. Introduction: Equity and differing contexts in Northeast India Section I: The Concept and Context 2. Social equity: A conceptual note 3. Understanding equity and equality: Some conceptual and pragmatic considerations 4. Equity: A crucial debate in contemporary India 5. Equity and ethnic politics in north east India Section II: Ethnicity, Development and Governance 6. Politics of identity formation in Sikkim: An insider’s view 7. Ethnicity, food security and deprivation: The marginalised hill people and distributive (in)justice in Manipur 8. When boundaries matter: Land, laws and territorial conflict in Manipur 9. Ensuring social justice in tribal society: Reservation of women in the local bodies of Mizoram 10. Equity, reciprocity and environmental ethics: Comparative study of agricultural practices vis-à-vis sustainable development among the tribes of northeast India Section III: Tangle of Subjugation: Women & Religious Minority 11. Demystifying sex work: Questions of social equity 12. Locating women within ethnic movements: A case of Assam 13. Pangals in Manipur: A community symbolising disadvantaged status in the state Section IV: Domain of Education 14. Financing of school education in north-eastern states of India 15. Classroom as a site of exclusion in massified higher education in India 16. Brewing knowledge in university: Just add northeast and stir. Index.

Kedilezo Kikhi is currently Chair Professor, Dr. Ambedkar Chair, and Professor at the Department of Sociology, Tezpur University, Assam. He completed his post-graduate degree and PhD from North Eastern Hill University, Shillong. He is credited with several publications in national and international journals, dailies, texts and reference books for tertiary as well as school education. Two of his most notable books include India’s Northeast – Nagaland: Vibrant Ethnic Communities in Transition and The Dynamics of Development in Northeast India. Dharma Rakshit Gautam is currently Research Officer and Assistant Professor, Dr. Ambedkar Chair at Tezpur University, Assam. He did his post-graduation from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi, and completed research degrees (MPhil and PhD) at National University of Educational Planning and Administration (NUEPA), New Delhi. Some of his publications include articles, chapters and a book titled, Education Among scheduled Castes.

• List of Tables. List of Contributors. Acknowledgements. Foreword. 1. Introduction: Equity and differing contexts in Northeast India Section I: The Concept and Context 2. Social equity: A conceptual note 3. Understanding equity and equality: Some conceptual and pragmatic considerations 4. Equity: A crucial debate in contemporary India 5. Equity and ethnic politics in north east India Section II: Ethnicity, Development and Governance 6. Politics of identity formation in Sikkim: An insider’s view 7. Ethnicity, food security and deprivation: The marginalised hill people and distributive (in)justice in Manipur 8. When boundaries matter: Land, laws and territorial conflict in Manipur 9. Ensuring social justice in tribal society: Reservation of women in the local bodies of Mizoram 10. Equity, reciprocity and environmental ethics: Comparative study of agricultural practices vis-à-vis sustainable development among the tribes of northeast India Section III: Tangle of Subjugation: Women & Religious Minority 11. Demystifying sex work: Questions of social equity 12. Locating women within ethnic movements: A case of Assam 13. Pangals in Manipur: A community symbolising disadvantaged status in the state Section IV: Domain of Education 14. Financing of school education in north-eastern states of India 15. Classroom as a site of exclusion in massified higher education in India 16. Brewing knowledge in university: Just add northeast and stir. Index.