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| Reservations in India | | | Gurmeet Kaur Allinangal Pathankot (Punjab) Contact No.: 09888442319 | 4/6/2011 11:44:22 PM |
| RESERVATIONS in India find prominent place in the agenda of any political party. They are widely used by the political parties to catch maximum votes. The Fundamental objective behind the policy of reservation was to bring the weaker sections of society at par with others. Unfortunately, the policy of reservations seems nothing but a populist policy of the government. Nevertheless, it has been as an attractive vote Bank item. Now it is used as a political tool to meet the narrow ends.
The policy of reservations has been followed in India since the Formation of the constitution. When it was introduced with the noble objective of helping the particular class of society who were neglected for a long time and were worst victims of caste discrimination. Though the practice of caste-based reservations can be traced back to pre-independence time when most of the higher offices were held by Brahmins themselves. It was intended to restore the equality among the neglected sections of society. In fact, reservations in India imply a policy whereby certain number of seats are reserved in Parliament, State Legislative Assemblies, Central and State Civil Services, public Sector Units, Central and State Government departments and in all public and private educational institutions, expect in the minority and religious educational institutions for socially, economically and educationally backward classes of citizens. They are the people who are perceived by the government to be underrepresented in these services and institutions. Reservation was a form of affirmative action, being in existence with the constitution being in force. However, it was restructed from time to time to help people in this regard.
In India, casts has been the pre dominant factor for reservation, through other parameters like religion, State of domicile, gender are also followed. The Fundamental theory behind this caste-based formula is that the under-representation of the identifiable groups is a legacy of the India caste system. The Constitution of Independent India listed some erstwhile groups as scheduled casts and scheduled tribes and laid down that 15 per cent of 7.5 per cent vacancies to government aided educational institute and jobs in the government and public sector, as reserved quota for the SC and ST Candidates respectively. Later, reservations were introduced for other sections as well. But certain Indian states like Tamil Nadu follows this caste based reservation since 92 and currently reserves 69 per cent seats, which exceeds the Supreme Court ruling the reservation cannot exceed 50 per cent.
Reservation policy is reviewed from time to time, often to appease certain community, to win their votes. In 1979, Mandal Commission was established to assess the situation of the socially and educationally backward classes of society. The Commission didn't have eract figures for a Sub-Castee which has been categorized as other Backward Classes. Et, however, used the old data and estimated the OBC population at 52 per cent. The commission in its report recommended changes in existing quotas, increasing them from 22 percent to 49.5 per cent. This was an increase of 60 percent in the Community list prepared by the Mandal Commission.
In 1990, Mandal Commission recommendations were implemented in government jobs. It caused nationwide mass protests and agitations which claimed many innocent lives. In 1991, Narasimha Rao Government introduced 10 percent of saparte reservations for Poor among forward castes. In 2007, reservation to other backward classes, scheduled castes and scheduled tribes in private educational institutional institutions were introduced. Reservations were introduced to other backward classes in Central Government educational institutions in 2006, thus total reservations went up to 49.5 percent. As a Consequence, antireservation protests intensified in all parts of India. Even the chair person of the National knowledge Commission, Dr. Sam Pitroda had to come out in opposition to the proposed scheme to extend caste-based reservations to OBC in institutes of higher education. Later, Supreme Court upheld constitutional amendments for providing reservations in promotions for scheduled castes and tribes. It reiterated 50 per cent limit and exclusion of creamy layer from enjoying reservation benefits.
India is a Country with backward classes population ranging from one per cent in some North-eastern states of 66 per cent in Tamil Nadu while in many major states they constitute below 27 per cent of the total population. So, extending the limit of reservations, all over India will deprive chances of other sections of population greatly. The reservation of SC and ST is available in all the states equivalent to their percentage in population. In states like Punjab, West Bengal, Haryana, Maharashtra, etc. admitted students belonging to forward castes will be much less than their population in reservation era even if they secure hundred per cent seats in open competition.
Casteism is the root cause of the suffering of the Masses. To eliminate casteism we need to help underprivileged people to do well in their education and share the same social states as the upper caste people. Tamil Nadu is a brilliant example of this where reservations have worked well. The backward sections of society are able to outshine the forward castes and the overall performance of the students has equally increased. The confirms the fact that reservation helps in bringing the weaker sections to the main stream of society. Reservation only on the basis of caste tends to perpetuate caste and promote casteism in society rather than eliminate it as a factor of social consideration, as envisaged by the Indian constitution. It adversely impacts the basic notion of democratic citizenship of evaluating a person and his performance not only on the basis of merit but on the basis of casteism. No doubt to provide social justice to marginalized and under-represented sections of society is our moral responsibility as also their human rights. But since casteism is a predominant factor in Indian politics, it is widely used by all political parties to serve their ends, irrespective of ideologies and party lines. It is, therefore, necessary that reservations should be made subject to social and political audit. Before extending reservations to more groups, the entire policy needs to be properly examined.
In recent years there have been discussions about providing reservations to women in government jobs and democratic institutions like Legislative Assemblies and Parliament as well. Sometimes one feels that basically, the reservation issue is nothing but a populist policy of a government, still it is necessary to discuss the rationate behind such a policy. This basically intends to provide them opportunities in a male-dominated society, besides ensuring their representation is very low. However, the 73rd and 74th constitutional Amendments are milestones in this regard which provide 33 per cent reservation to women in Local institutions while the women's Reservation Bill is still lying pending with the Parliament. For women having potential but lacking in proper opportunities such a policy would be highly beneficial.
It would not be wrong to say that reservations should be based on economic status, instead of being caste-based. The policy should be based on the objective to ensure the benefit of the reservation to reach the poorest of the poor. This will help in bridging the gap of social inequality and help in attaining social justice. Besides, emphasis of reservations should be given to proper primary education so that groups under-represented in higher educational institutes and work places become natural competitors. Reservations can be temporary sort of relief, it cannot be long-term solution. To ensure a lasting solution to existing inequalities between various sections of society a much broader, political, social and economic policy must be drawn.
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