Reservation policy in India
The Reservation policy is profoundly offensive for the Indian social structure throughout history should obviously be expelled. For this purpose, the interests of social justice of scheduled castes (SCs), scheduled tribes (STs) and other backward classes (OBCs) have been sufficiently safeguarded by our Constitution.
Article 46 of the Constitution specifically mentions that the state shall promote educational and economic interests of SC, ST and weaker sections of the people. Before the recommendations of Mandal Commission were announced, there was already provision of 22.5% of reservation for SCs and STs in union and state govt. services. Besides reservation in jobs article 334 of the Indian Constitution makes a provision for the reservation of seats for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes and nomination of Anglo-Indians to the Lok Sabha.
In 1990 the then PM V.P Singh made 27% reservation applicable for other backward classes (OBCs) through notification. By Mandal Report it’s clear that 27% of the total population of India as other backward classes (OBCs). They are over and above 22.5% who are SCs and STs. The Mandal Commission recommendations apply to all jobs in the government, all public and private sector enterprises and also to admission and appointment in universities and colleges. Mandal Commission's recommendations also apply to all level of promotions and in all areas.
In 1991 Narsimha Rao govt. adopted the notification of V.P. Singh Govt. but except two amendments-
- The 27% reservations preference should be given to the candidates belonging to the poorer sections of the backward classes.
- An extra 10% reservation should be given to economically backward classes.
Supreme Court Decisions
On Nov. 16, 1992, the Supreme Court pronounced its decisions on the Mandal case. The Supreme Court rejected both the notifications of V.P. Singh and Narsimha Rao. The most welcome aspects of the verdict are-
- The reservation will not impose to get promotion in service.
- The quota system shall apply irrespective of faith and gender so that the backward sections among the non-Hindu communities can also be the benefits of the reservation.
- The reservation should not exceed 50%
- That a family could get the benefit of reservation only once.
- The Supreme court laid down minimum qualification for taking advantage of the reservation policy of the govt. by excluding creamy layer from the list of beneficiaries.
Creamy Layer
The Supreme court defines the creamy layer among the OBCs. By the ruling, an employee of central or state government but above a certain level, member of armed(above the rank of colonel) or para-military forces but above a certain level and other professions whose gross annual income is more than Rs 2.5 lacs which has not been raised to Rs 4.5 lacs. In 1993 the annual income ceiling was fixed at Rs 1 lac which was increased to Rs 2.5 lacs in 2004. However, at present, there is no annual income ceiling for SCs/STs reservation and hence there is no creamy layer exists in there case.
EWS Reservation of 10%
The Central Government of India as of late presented EWS(Economically Weaker Sections) Reservation. 10% reserve quota is accommodated the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) among General Category competitors in government employments and educational organizations. This is carried out by including provisions for the equivalent in the Indian Constitution (103rd Constitution Amendment Act, 2019).
Reservation In Indian History
Originally, reservation to the Dalits was granted for fifteen years. But it has managed to continue for over sixty years. A noble ideal has become an irreparable casualty in the hands of wily politicians. It has become very necessary to review the entire system of reservation policy since the third generation in a single-family has come to enjoy the fruit of reservation policy. A family should be restricted to one chance for availing the benefits of reservation policy.
Let us make a beginning by excluding creamy layer among the Dalits. Now reservation should be made applicable to only those that are economically backward irrespective of caste and community. No religious or linguistic group can claim to be economically backward in entirety.
The review of the policy on the reservation cannot be overlooked because despite the Reservation Policy continuing for more than sixty years the problem of social and economic inequality has deepened. The solution lies somewhere else, not in the reservation. Equal educational opportunities at school level would ensure the upward mobility of the socially and economically backward that the new elite class among the Dalits is still enjoying the benefits of the quota system is a matter of grave concern.
Reservation Policy in a worse form as it is today, cannot be allowed to continue If considered from the national point of view the politics of reservation has created division in between peoples. It has not served the purpose which it was supposed to have served. As a matter of fact, the weaker sections should denote that class of people who are economically poor, but no such protection is available to the poor section of higher classes.
Poverty is not endemic to a particular class. It is a joke of the reservation to stretch out the advantages of the reservation to a class overall. Many states have exceeded the limit of 50% fixed by the Supreme Court. It is rightly said that our politics has been vandalized and the interest of the poor forgotten. A chance of noble service to the poor has been sacrificed and killed at the altar of mean and petty politics.
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