Incentive for Inter Caste Marriage between Dalit and Non-Dalit: Challenges and Opportunities in the Context of Nepal

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Abstract
The findings of the study have explicitly demonstrated that inter-caste marriages with of Dalits, albeit characterized by immediate familial and social tensions, have the potential to trigger the reduction of caste-based discriminations in the long run. Similarly, hypogamous couples are more successful compared to hypergamous couples. However, almost all couples are bound to bear either physical or mental tortures inflicted by their families and communities in which they live in. Overwhelmingly, communities and families have been found to be still guided by the Old Legal Code of 1854 A.D. which dictates the degradation of non-Dalit status into Dalit status upon the completion of the marriage of the former with the latter. Relatively speaking, there is a higher incident of inter-caste marital cases among middle caste non-Dalits and Dalits who have been traditionally accorded higher status even among the Dalit sub-castes. Power and prestige are the main sociological factors to determine the success and failure of such marriages. However, social perception is also equally important factor in this regard. The study could not identify even one incident of the false act of inter-caste marriage guided by the malafide intention to grab government's cash incentive. Conversely, the couples of inter-caste marriages with Dalits have been found to be facing lots of hurdles to get the cash incentives on time even though they have met all the criteria set by government]