The Reservation Issue

On August 30, 2006, a law was proposed by Human Resources Development minister Arjun Singh to
require central institutions to reserve 27 per cent higher education seats for the socially and educationally
backward within three years while adding seats to protect the prospects of unreserved candidates. The bill
was based on the recommendations of the Mandal Commission (2005).

Besides 22.5 per cent such seats already reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, the Central
Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Bill 2006 introduced in Parliament reserves 27 per cent
such seats for Other Backward Classes. If it is implemented, then it means that there would be a gross
49.5% reservation in all premier intuitions such as IIT’s, IIM’s etc.

It is very natural to have a strong protest on this burning issue. To understand the basis of the opposition
raised against the quota system and the various issues related to “Reservation”, we have to analyse this
issue with an egalitarian perspective.

Historical Background- India is a country of many cultures, religions, castes, etc. Earlier, people were
categorized into different castes on the basis of their vocation, talent and skill-set. Those who could write,
read and interpret law, for example, were called Brahmins, and those who defended boundaries were
called Kshyatriyas, and so on. The caste system in India was akin to professional distribution of labor of
modern society.

There are three objectives of a quota reservation system in jobs, education and other economic
opportunities: (i) Provide succor to the weaker sections of society (ii) Control or discipline masses in each
quota category through quota usurpers (iii) Distribute the national pie among elite in each category.

It is also true that the SC/ST reservation bill was passed in parliament when we as a nation were not even
counted amongst developing nations (in 1952). This bill was passed for a temporary time to uplift the
downtrodden & there was no timeline set for the validation of this bill (although no end period was set in
written in constitution or any other document but it did not mean eternity). Till date there has been no
amendment or abolishment of this rule. Reason? Because no ruling party wants to lose its votes. Simply
calling --"KISSA KURSI KA".

Other Reservations- As if Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and OBC’s were not enough, we had
some more categories such as the NRI quota, management quota, extra-curricular activities quota, sports
quota, then reservations for disabled army personnel and their kins/widows/divorced/physically
challenged, we even have reservation for ex-students of an institution from previous years who get seat
in higher courses despite scoring lower than the minimum required marks. So who is left?

Views in “favour” of Reservation- Generally, SC, ST, OBC or other reserved categories people are
financially weak. Major portion of this population lives in villages, for example, major part of SC population
lives in backward villages of U.P, Punjab, M.P, Bihar, Orissa, etc. and major part of ST population lives in
states like Mizoram, Assam, Tripura, M.P etc. Some of these backward villages do not even have proper
drinking facilities; electricity, school (education), hospitals, roads etc are just “dreams” for them. Their per
capita income is very low, cyclical employment is high, dependence on agriculture and allied activities is
high, and finally, productivity is very less because of lack of initiatives taken by state government. They
do need some help, yet it is also true that reservation is not the panacea but up to a certain
extent is very useful. Those needy people who get this golden opportunity and used it for their betterment
are now very successful and they are serving our mother country with the core of their heart. If we must
talk about “India Shining” in real terms, then we must consider people those who are living below poverty
line or have very less per capita disposable income, and their problems of lack of employment
opportunities and basic infrastructure.

The problem in India is far more complex considering the backwardness in most parts of India and the
diversity in religion and caste. India is a country where wealth distribution is highly unequal. Poor children
beseeching for alms at traffic signals where gleaming Marcs purr is still a common sight.

Many political parties support reservation (no doubt to increase their vote bank). But now the parties,
while supporting reservations, have called for excluding the 'creamy layer' from availing of its benefits.
The 'creamy layer' is used in reference to members of economically advanced population belonging to any
caste.
Reservation is not bad if it is really used for the purpose for which it was created. If a person belongs to
SC or ST or OBC category but his parents have a very good government job in any metropolitan city with
a good annual salary, then that person should not be eligible for the “reservation”, because he has all the
basic facilities to develop his intellectual level. Reservation is alright if it is for the needy persons.

Views “Against” Reservation- As students from some of India's most prestigious educational
institutions continue their protests against reservations, it becomes clear that the agitation has not been
spontaneous, but a highly organized and orchestrated phenomenon.

People believe that reservation is another partition of India and is a cure worse than disease, and does not
act to end discrimination. It acts as an antidote to an exploitative and unjust social structure known as the
caste system. It fosters discrimination and sow the seeds of division in people's minds -- all this in the
name of empowering and protecting the deprived sections of the society. Such division is against the
cardinal principles of democracy.

Reservation is not an atonement of our past sins and should not be used to compensate for the damage
inflicted in the past. It is still a bitter fact that certain sections of the society are exploited and deprived of
their rights. Although significant progress has been made in empowering the lives of such oppressed,
there are still many horrific incidents happening across the country. We are still living in a highly unjust
social structure.

However, instead of eradicating this injustice, we are further dividing the society and creating splits. We
are trying to heal our past wounds by inflicting new ones.

Unlike in the US, the reservation policy in India does not strive for equal opportunity. It rather acts as a
catalyst for further division. Giving special privileges to someone merely on the basis of their birth into
certain castes or tribes is unjust. People who have benefited from such biased treatment would advocate
for more and foster caste sentiments in the minds of others. Those who have lost the opportunity in spite
of having good credentials would start feeling bad about their upper caste credentials.

The benefits are so many and so palpable that the reservation policy has created a vested interest in
backwardness. It seems people want to be considered 'backward' rather than 'forward' in modern India!
The more backward you are the more advantages you get.

Reservation is now used as a tool for gaining more benefits. The area of reservation has been steadily
expanding and newer backward groups and sections of society are mushrooming.

Several castes and their leaders constantly strive to prove their backwardness in order to sneak into one
or the other reserved categories. Some political groups have even started identifying themselves with a
particular community or caste to garner their support. We have also started seeing demands for
reservation based on religion. The demand for separate reservation for Muslims and Christians is one such
example.

Some people believe that only the persons belonging to the there own community can protect their
interests and aspirations. Only a schedule caste leader can help another scheduled caste person, only a
tribe can help another and so on.

However, an important and notable aspect is whether these reservations actually reach the people for
whom they are really intended? Does reservation empower the deprived sections of the society or is it
being misused?

Since reservation is meant for the deprived, showing such privileged treatment to the 'creamy layer' from
among the 'backward' castes defeats the whole purpose. In fact, people from these creamy layers steal
the reserved seats from their other backward counterparts for whom these reservations would have
actually made a difference.

We should aim for a society where everyone is equal. For that, we need bold statesmen who can fight for
the cause of equality and make the people realize that division and discrimination based on caste, creed,
religion or sex is only going to harm their own interests.

Alternative Solutions- The United Progressive Alliance government has proposed increasing the number
of seats by 50 per cent across the board, thus ensuring that the actual number of seats in the general
quota does not fall. It is fine to say that government will add 50 per cent more seats, but it will really
incur an additional financial burden. Apart from the financial burden, do we have quality teachers or
trained staff? The Union HRD ministry should, of course, have been the nodal agency in finding a solution
to this logistics nightmare. But, as noted earlier, the government is seemingly more concerned with the
caste of the student rather than the quality of the teacher.

The arguments over reservations have, up to now, revolved around the issue of the quality and the
quantity of the students. Dr Manmohan Singh's preferred solution has raised another question -- on the
quantity and the quality of the teachers. Confronted by an increasing workload, how many teachers will
continue in their jobs, ill paid and overworked as they are? And as the better teachers look to greener
pastures -- or simply retire -- every student, whatever his caste or creed, shall suffer.

We appreciate, at some level, the call for reservations. But there is no justification at all for diluting the
quality of education by a thoughtless increase in seats.