Reservation in Indian law is a form of affirmative action whereby a percentage of seats are reserved in the public sector units, union and state civil services, union and state government departments and in all public and private educational institutions, except in the religious/ linguistic minority educational institutions, for the socially and educationally backward classes of citizens or the Scheduled Castes and Tribes who were inadequately represented in these services and institutions. The reservation policy is extended for the SC and STs in representing the Parliament of India & state legislative assemblies.
Caste is the predominant factor used for reservation in India, though reservation is also offered based on other parameters like religion, state of domicile, etc. The central government of India reserves 27% of government jobs and proposes to do similarly in higher education, but certain Indian states like Tamil Nadu, which currently reserves 69% seats, have followed caste-based reservations since 1921.
My question to all is that is it really necessary? I mean how do we define the caste system in India? Aren’t we more so economically segregated citizens? Mr. B.R. Ambedkar had introduced this system for a period of 10 years and not 60 years. Aren’t our leaders at fault and isn’t this system a way of covering up their failure? The fact of the matter is, as long as there are caste-based reservations, the caste system is bound to exist! How can it be otherwise? Today, the caste consciousness and animosity is more acute than everbefore! Needless to say, this is a direct fallout of the caste-based reservation system. In fact, the reserved categories themselves have a great deal of vested interest in keeping the caste system vibrant and alive, because reservations are only given on the basis of caste and NOT on economic factors.
When someone with less percentage, less marks gets the seat, or the job, how can anyone say it is due to the merit of the individual? These two simply do not co-exist. No one ever says that there are no talented people among the reserved categories! Far from it.The talented people, no matter what caste they belong to, will certainly reap a rich harvest which they fully deserve.They never need reservation at all!
More so, why isn’t there a quota for medical, transport and other facilities. The government can’t benefit from these restrictions and hence education seems to be the easiest way out. Ever thought, why brain drain is on a high rise? Think about this- will a student from SC/ST/OBC background ever mention that once he gets a MBBS degree? I doubt it. Of course, it is going to tarnish his image(as in showing that he wasn’t meritorious enough). There are various petitions against caste based reservations like this one here, but who is listening? What do u think? Is caste based reservation the need of this country in this era-Yes or No?
P.S: This is what Mr. Azim Premji had to say about reservations:
I think we should have job reservations in all the fields. I completely support the PM and all the politicians for promoting this. Let’s start the reservation with our cricket team. We should have 10 percent reservation for Muslims. 30 percent for OBC, SC/ST like that.
Cricket rules should be modified accordingly.
The boundary circle should be reduced for an SC/ST player. The four hit by an OBC player should be considered as a six and a six hit by an OBC player should be counted as 8 runs. An OBC player scoring 60 runs should be declared as a century.
We should influence ICC and make rules so that the pace bowlers like Shoaib Akhtar should not bowl fast balls to our OBC player.
Bowlers should bowl maximum speed of 80 kilometer per hour to an OBC player.
Any delivery above this speed should be made illegal.
Also we should have reservation in Olympics. In the 100 meters race, an OBC player should be given a gold medal if he runs 80 meters.
There can be reservation in Government jobs also. Let’s recruit SC/ST and OBC pilots for aircrafts which are carrying the ministers and politicians (that can really help the country…)
Ensure that only SC/ST and OBC doctors do the operations for the ministers and other politicians. (Another way of saving the country…)
Let’s be creative and think of ways and means to guide INDIA forward…
Lets show the world that INDIA is a GREAT country.
Let’s be proud of being an INDIAN…May the good breed of politicians like ARJUN SINGH long live…
