Determinants of Property Ownership With a Proxy of Land and House Among Scheduled Caste Men in India: Evidence from NFHS-5

Abstract

In postmodern societies, social stratification plays an important role in determining access to economic resources, such as property ownership, as seen in many developing countries, like India. Indian culture subtly favours men when it comes to access to resources. For instance, questions arise about whether all men in Indian society are treated equally and have equal access to resources. Very few studies have examined the notable disparities in property ownership among different caste groups, particularly within the scheduled caste group of both men and women. This current study aims to evaluate the property ownership status among the male population from scheduled caste communities, considering their socio-demographic factors. Using data from the NFHS-5 (2019-21), a total of 20,548 men were included in the analysis of property ownership. A bivariate analysis was conducted before applying an interaction within the logistic regression model. The results showed that property ownership is significantly higher among scheduled caste men over 45 years old (OR: 4.91, 95% CI: 4.135.83), those living in rural areas (OR: 1.53, 95% CI: 1.41-1.66), and residents of the southern region (OR: 1.74, 95% CI: 1.56-1.94). Married men have considerably higher odds of owning a property (OR: 2.00, 95% CI: 1.76-2.27), as do those with more than one child (OR: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.25-1.60). The findings will aid policymakers by shedding light on the evolving patterns of property ownership across different socio-demographic groups, especially among males from the scheduled caste community.