Educational Sociology is the branch of behavioural science deals withsocial aspects of education. It is a sociological approach to education. It’s area is vast. The society facilitates the process of education. It contributes society to emerge educational institutions for the various kind of education, formal, informal and non-formal. It is a journey taken by education to reach society. Thus education is social necessity. It is the study of social interaction, social processes and social norms. Hence the subject of educational sociology has assumed a great importance. Education is seen as a fundamentally optimistic human endeavour characterised by aspirations for progress and betterment. It is understood by many to be a means of overcoming handicaps, achieving greater equality, and acquiring wealth and social status.

Nidhi Mishra is Associate Professor, Centre for Policy Research in Higher Education. She has previously served as the Director, Dalit Studies (DS). She has a PhD in geography from Jawaharlal Nehru University and has worked on inter-group inequalities across human development indicators, focusing on the role of caste and gender-based discrimination in market and non-market institutions; diversity and discrimination within higher educational institutions, Mid-Day Meal and Anganwadi programmes and social protection policies.