Synopsis Indian society has undergone many rapid changes in the post-independence era. These changes have created their own pulls and pressures but one segment of Indian society that has been least affected is women. The social status of women in India is a typical example of the gap between position and roles accorded to them by the law and those imposed on them by social traditions. Scholars and politicians are unanimous in holding that Indian women are backward in general but scheduled caste women are backward amongst the backwards. The present study is an attempt to investigate the broad pattern and process of social change and the emerging pattern of status of the scheduled caste women as a person, as a family member and as a member of the society.