Guide 01
Caste system
How the caste system in Nepal was codified by the Muluki Ain of 1854, how the law changed in 1963 and why caste still shapes daily life.
Read the guide
Independent information on Dalit rights
Dalits in Nepal: caste discrimination, rights and the law
Dalits in Nepal are communities that were pushed to the bottom of the Hindu caste system for centuries and subjected to untouchability. Common Water is an independent information site with no organisational affiliation. We explain the history, law and movement for Dalit rights using verifiable facts, with respect for the people concerned.
Who could share the water
1854
A national legal code ranked every group. At the bottom stood people from whom others would not accept water, and whose touch was treated as polluting.
1963
A new code formally ended caste discrimination in the law. Custom, though, changed far more slowly than the text.
2015
The Constitution bans untouchability in public and private life and lists the rights of Dalits. The basin is meant to be one.
Who are Dalits in Nepal
Dalits are communities that occupied the lowest position in the traditional caste order and were treated as untouchable. The word Dalit took hold in Nepal in the 1960s as a shared political identity. It brought together communities that the Muluki Ain legal code of 1854 classified as castes from whom water was not accepted, known as pani nachalne. The term "untouchable" survives today only as a historical label.
According to the 2021 census, Dalits make up about 13.6 percent of Nepal's population. The National Dalit Commission recognises 26 subgroups. Dalit castes in Nepal fall into two broad groups: hill Dalits and Madhesi Dalits of the Terai plains.
Dalit caste in Nepal list: groups and traditional work
Hill Dalits include the Kami, Damai, Sarki, Gandarbha and Badi, among others. Madhesi Dalits include the Chamar, Musahar, Paswan, Tatma, Khatwe and Dom. Each community has its own history, so our guides do not treat Dalits as a uniform group.
Some groups were traditionally tied to particular occupations. The Kami were smiths, the Damai were tailors and musicians, and the Sarki worked with leather. Assigning occupations by caste helped maintain social divisions.
A water line through the law
Eight dates that mark how rank was written into law and then, step by step, written out of it.
Caste discrimination in Nepal: how it shows up
Caste discrimination in Nepal is most often seen in access to shared water sources and temples, in renting a home and in marriages between castes. These common examples of everyday untouchability show how discrimination affects both public and private life. We cover the subject factually, without graphic detail.
The law against untouchability: from 1963 to the Constitution
The new Muluki Ain of 1963 formally ended caste discrimination in law. On 4 June 2006, parliament declared Nepal free of untouchability. The 2011 Act on caste-based discrimination and untouchability then banned these practices in both public and private life.
The Constitution of Nepal of 2015 includes Article 24, which guarantees protection against untouchability and discrimination, and Article 40 on Dalit rights. Our guides examine legal protections and everyday practices separately to address whether caste discrimination persists in Nepal.
Guides on Dalits in Nepal
The site offers five guides: the caste system in Nepal, the 2011 untouchability act, Dalit rights in the Constitution, the history of the Dalit movement and inter-caste marriage. Each focuses on one topic, helping readers move from general background to legal detail.
Explore the guides for factual information about Dalits in Nepal.
Seven rings of Article 40
The 2015 Constitution lists the rights of Dalits in seven clauses. Each one reaches a different part of daily life.
- 1
Participation
Proportional inclusion in all state bodies.
- 2
Education
Free education with scholarships, from primary school to university.
- 3
Health
Special arrangements for health care and social security.
- 4
Skills
The right to keep and develop traditional crafts and skills.
- 5
Land
Land for landless Dalits, as set by law.
- 6
Housing
Settlement for Dalits without a home.
- 7
Fair share
Benefits shared fairly among Dalit women, men and all communities.
Five guides
Each guide follows one thread, from the history of caste to the law that now forbids discrimination.
Guide 02
Untouchability Act
What the Caste-based Discrimination and Untouchability Act of Nepal (2011) bans, how it treats public officials and victims, and why enforcement lags.
Read the guideGuide 03
Article 40
Article 40 rights of Dalit in the Constitution of Nepal 2015, Article 24 against untouchability and the role of the National Dalit Commission.
Read the guideGuide 04
Dalit movement
The history of the Dalit movement in Nepal: early associations, the 1954 temple entry campaign, 1990, the 2006 declaration and the 2015 Constitution.
Read the guideGuide 05
Inter-caste marriage
Is inter-caste marriage legal in Nepal? The history from the 1854 ban to today's law, and the social pressure couples with a Dalit partner can face.
Read the guideCrafts that carry a history
Several Dalit groups are linked with traditional crafts: Kami families with metalwork, Damai with tailoring and music, Sarki with leather. The Constitution now protects the right to keep and develop these skills, and asks the state to give priority to Dalits in modern work built on them.
- 26 Dalit sub groups are recognised by the National Dalit Commission.
- Hill Dalits and Madhesi Dalits of the Terai form the two broad groups.
- About 13.6 percent of Nepal's population, according to the 2021 census.
