Utkarsh Kamal

Overview:
Dr. Utkarsh Kamal is an Assistant Professor in the area of Humanities and Liberal Arts at IIM Bodh Gaya. He holds a Ph.D. in Humanities and Social Sciences from the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IITR). His research focuses on the sociology of education, mobility and social policy. He has published several articles in peer-reviewed journals including Journal of South Asian Development, Development in Practice and Economic and Political Weekly. He is also a reviewer for two journals. Prior to joining IIM Bodh Gaya, he worked as a research assistant at Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee.

Academic Background:

• Ph.D. in Humanities and Social Sciences from Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IITR)
• MA in Sociology from Indira Gandhi National Open University

Experience:

• Research Assistant, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IITR) from May 2025 to February 2026.

Teaching Interest:

• Sociology of Education
• Research Methodology
• Social Theories

Research Interest:

• Artificial Intelligence and Education
• Meritocracy
• Educational and Occupational Mobility

Publications
Journal Articles

• Kamal, U., & Roluahpuia. (2025). “(In)Equality in Education: Caste Capital, Aspiration, and The Question of Mobility in India.” Development in Practice, https://doi.org/10.1080/09614524.2025.2573972 (SCOPUS Q2)
• Kamal, U., & Roluahpuia. (2024). “Digital Capital and Segregated Schooling: Addressing Educational Inequality.”Economic and Political Weekly, 59(11), 10-13 (ABDC B)
• Kamal, U., & Roluahpuia. (2024). “Educational Inequality and Household Dynamics in India: Exploring the Role of Caste Capital.”Journal of South Asian Development, https://doi.org/10.1177/09731741241291689  (SCOPUS (Q1); ABDC C)
• Kamal, U. (2023). “Does ‘Caste Matters’ in School Education: A Preliminary Study in Uttar Pradesh.” Contemporary Voice of Dalit, 2455328X231171509. (WoS)

 Workshops/Conferences:
Attended/participated

• Kamal, U. (2024). “From Inheritance to Performance: Does Merit Overcome Caste Background?" Association for Asian Studies (AAS) 2024 Annual Conference, Seattle, Washington, March 14-17.

• Kamal, U. (2024). “Unveiling Educational Disparities: Navigating Challenges in Conducting Fieldwork in Rural India."

4^th International and Interdisciplinary Conference on Spatial Methods for Urban Sustainability, Chulalongkorn University Bangkok, Thailand, July 26-28.

• Kamal, U. (2024). “Caste and Unequal Schooling: Does Accessibility Ensure Educational Equality?” under the session ‘Margin and Marginalities in India: Thinking across regions and communities’ at

13^th International Convention of Asia Scholars (ICAS 13) in Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia, July 28- 1 August.

• Panel Chair of the session titled ‘Marginality, Structure, and Reproduction of Inequality in South Asia’ at Association for Asian Studies (AAS) 2026 Annual Conference, Vancouver, Canada, March 12-15, 2026