Abstract
Beggary, defined as the practice of soliciting alms in public spaces, reflects structural vulnerability, rather than individual choice. This study examines the conditions and challenges faced by beggars in India through an analysis of national census records and six purposively selected qualitative case studies. Utilizing a mixed-methods, retroductive approach, the census data identify demographic and geographic clusters with elevated prevalence, while in-depth narratives elucidate household-level processes—such as sudden livelihood loss, chronic ill health and disability, limited educational attainment, and exclusion from formal labor markets—that lead to reliance on alms. The findings indicate that poverty, job loss, health insecurities, and inadequate social protection are the principal drivers, and that begging often functions as an adaptive survival strategy when viable alternatives are lacking. Weak family support, disrupted household structures, and constrained community networks further exacerbate vulnerability, and adult–child economic interdependence often integrates children into household coping strategies rather than reflecting isolated exploitation. By mapping qualitative mechanisms onto census distributions, this study demonstrates how individual actions emerge from pervasive systemic constraints. The study concludes that beggary in India is primarily shaped by structural poverty and policy failures and calls for integrated responses focused on labor inclusion, disability support, accessible education, and strengthened social safety nets to reduce the reliance on alms.
Keywords: Beggary, Poverty, Public Spaces, Structural.