Reservation in India
Encyclopedia
Affirmative action
Affirmative action refers to policies that take factors including "race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or national origin" into consideration in order to benefit an underrepresented group, usually as a means to counter the effects of a history of discrimination.-Origins:The term...
designed to improve the well being of socially backward and underrepresented communities of citizens in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. There are laws in place, wherein a certain percentage of total available slots in Jobs and Education are set aside for people from backward communities. Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) are the primary beneficiaries of the reservation policies, while there are reservation policies for women in the legislature.
The reservation system has been a matter of unrest ever since the British occupied India
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
and still is a point of conflict. Many citizens who do come from the upper classes find this policy of the government biased and oppose it, since they feel it takes away their rights to equality. But not everyone who comes from the underprivileged communities support the system either because according to them, it makes them feel disadvantaged. The reservation system is controversial as discussed in the the media and among the citizens of the country.
Background of caste based reservation
A common form of discrimination in India is the practice of untouchabilityUntouchability
Untouchability is the social practice of ostracizing a minority group by segregating them from the mainstream by social custom or legal mandate. The excluded group could be one that did not accept the norms of the excluding group and historically included foreigners, nomadic tribes, law-breakers...
. SCs, STs and OBCs are believed to be the primary targets of this medieval practice, a practice, which is outlawed by the Constitution of India
Constitution of India
The Constitution of India is the supreme law of India. It lays down the framework defining fundamental political principles, establishes the structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions, and sets out fundamental rights, directive principles, and the duties of citizens...
. An untouchable person is considered, "impure, less than human." Scheduled Tribes are generally those who have been living in tribal areas, away from modern civilization and development. While the definition of Scheduled Caste and Schedule Tribes are primarily based on the history of oppression of the community, the definition of Other Backward Classes is more flexible and dynamic, and they are decided based upon the prevailing social status of those communities.
The main objective of the Indian reservation system is to increase the social and educational status of the underprivileged communities, so that they can take their rightful place in Indian society. The reservation system exists to provide opportunities for the members of the SCs and STs so as to increase their representation
Representation (politics)
In politics, representation describes how some individuals stand in for others or a group of others, for a certain time period. Representation usually refers to representative democracies, where elected officials nominally speak for their constituents in the legislature...
in the legislature, the executive of the nation and states, the labor force
Labor force
In economics, a labor force or labour force is a region's combined civilian workforce, including both the employed and unemployed.Normally, the labor force of a country consists of everyone of working age In economics, a labor force or labour force is a region's combined civilian workforce,...
, schools, colleges, etc.
The Constitution of India
Constitution of India
The Constitution of India is the supreme law of India. It lays down the framework defining fundamental political principles, establishes the structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions, and sets out fundamental rights, directive principles, and the duties of citizens...
states in article 15(4) that "All citizens shall have equal opportunities of receiving education. Nothing herein contained shall preclude the State from providing special facilities for educationally backward sections of the population.” It also states that “The State shall promote with special care the educational and economic interests of the weaker sections of society (in particular, of the scheduled castes and aboriginal tribes), and shall protect them from social injustice
Social injustice
Social injustice is a concept relating to the claimed unfairness or injustice of a society in its divisions of rewards and burdens and other incidental inequalities...
and all forms of exploitation
Exploitation
This article discusses the term exploitation in the meaning of using something in an unjust or cruel manner.- As unjust benefit :In political economy, economics, and sociology, exploitation involves a persistent social relationship in which certain persons are being mistreated or unfairly used for...
." The article further states that nothing in the Article 15(4) will prevent the nation from helping SCs and STs for their betterment.
In 1982, the Constitution specified 15% and 7.5% of vacancies in the government/public sector
Public sector
The public sector, sometimes referred to as the state sector, is a part of the state that deals with either the production, delivery and allocation of goods and services by and for the government or its citizens, whether national, regional or local/municipal.Examples of public sector activity range...
and government-aided educational institutes, as reserved quota for the SC and ST candidates respectively for a period of five years, after which the situation was to be reviewed. This period was routinely extended by the succeeding governments. The Supreme Court of India
Supreme Court of India
The Supreme Court of India is the highest judicial forum and final court of appeal as established by Part V, Chapter IV of the Constitution of India...
ruled that reservations cannot exceed 50% (which it judged would violate equal access guaranteed by the Constitution) and put a cap on reservations. However, there are state laws that exceed this 50% limit and these are under litigation in the Supreme Court. For example, the caste-based reservation fraction stands at 69% and is applicable to about 87% of the population in the state of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
. In 1990, Prime Minister V.P. Singh announced that 27% of government positions would be set aside for OBC's in addition to the 22% already set aside for the SCs and STs.
Beneficiary Groups of the Reservation System
Enrollment in educational institutions and acceptances in jobs are reserved based on a variety of criteria. The quota systemQuota Borda system
The Quota Borda System or Quota Preference Score is a voting system that was devised by the British philosopher Michael Dummett and first published in 1984 in his book, Voting Procedures, and again in his Principles of Electoral Reform....
sets aside a proportion of all possible positions for members of a specific group. Those not belonging to the designated communities can compete only for the remaining positions, while members of the designated communities can compete for all positions (reserved and open). For example, when 2 out of 10 clerical positions in railways are reserved for ex-servicemen, those who have served in the Army can compete both in the General Category as well as in the specific quota.
Seats are reserved for people under the following criteria:
Caste
In central government funded higher educationHigher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
institutions, 22.5% of available seats are reserved for Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) students (15% for SCs, 7.5% for STs). This reservation percentage has been raised to 49.5%, by including an additional 27% reservation for OBCs. This ratio is followed even in Parliament and all elections where a few constituencies are earmarked for those from certain communities (which keeps rotating as per the Delimitation Commission
Delimitation Commission of India
Delimitation commission or Boundary commission of India is a Commission established by Government of India under the provisions of the Delimitation Commission Act. The main task of the commission is to redraw the boundaries of the various assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies based on a recent...
).
The exact percentages differ from state to state :
-
- In Tamil NaduTamil NaduTamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, the percentage of reservation is 28% for SCs and 8% for STs, being based on local demographics. - In Andhra PradeshAndhra PradeshAndhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
, 25% of educational institutes and government jobs for OBCs, 15% for SCs, 6% for STs and 4% for Muslims. - In West BengalWest BengalWest Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
, 35% of educational institutes and 45% of government jobs for SC,ST, and OBC.(25% SC, 12% ST, and 8% Muslim).
- In Tamil Nadu
Gender
Women get 33% reservation in gram panchayatGram panchayat
Gram panchayats are local self-governments at the village or small town level in India. As of 2002 there were about 265,000 gram panchayats in India. The gram panchayat is the foundation of the Panchayat System. A gram panchayat can be set up in villages with minimum population of 300...
(village assembly - a form of local village government) and municipal elections. There is a long-term plan to extend this reservation to parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
and legislative assemblies. For instance, some law schools in India have a 30% reservation for females. Progressive political opinion in India is strongly in favor of providing preferential treatment to women in order to create a level playing field for all of its citizens.
The Women's reservation Bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha
Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha or Council of States is the upper house of the Parliament of India. Rajya means "state," and Sabha means "assembly hall" in Sanskrit. Membership is limited to 250 members, 12 of whom are chosen by the President of India for their expertise in specific fields of art, literature,...
on 9 March 2010 by a majority vote of 186 members in favor and 1 against. It will now be forwarded to the Lok Sabha, and if passed there, would be implemented.
Religion
The Tamil NaduTamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
government has allotted 3.5% of seats each to Muslims and Christians, thereby altering the OBC reservation to 23% from 30% (since it excludes persons belonging to Other Backward Castes who are either Muslims or Christians).
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
's administration has introduced a law enabling 4% reservations for Muslims. (contested in court) Kerala Public Service Commission
Kerala Public Service Commission
The Kerala Public Service Commission is a body created by the Constitution of India to select applicants for civil service jobs in the Indian state of Kerala according to the merits of the applicants and the rules of reservation....
has a quota of 12% for Muslims. Religious minority status educational institutes also have 50% reservation for their particular religions. The Central government has listed a number of Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
communities as backward Muslims, making them eligible for reservation.
State of Domiciles
With few exceptions, all jobs under state government are reserved to those who are domicilesDomicile (law)
In law, domicile is the status or attribution of being a permanent resident in a particular jurisdiction. A person can remain domiciled in a jurisdiction even after they have left it, if they have maintained sufficient links with that jurisdiction or have not displayed an intention to leave...
under that government. In Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh, earlier 85% of seats were reserved for Chandigarh domiciles and now it is 50%.
There are also some seat reserved for Jammu and Kashmir migrants in every Government aided educational institute.
Other
Some reservations are also made for:- Sons/Daughters/Grandsons/Granddaughters of Freedom FightersResistance movementA resistance movement is a group or collection of individual groups, dedicated to opposing an invader in an occupied country or the government of a sovereign state. It may seek to achieve its objects through either the use of nonviolent resistance or the use of armed force...
. - Physically handicappedDisabilityA disability may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these.Many people would rather be referred to as a person with a disability instead of handicapped...
. - Sports personalities.
- Non-Resident IndiansNon-resident Indian and Person of Indian OriginA Non-Resident Indian is an Indian citizen who has migrated to another country, a person of Indian origin who is born outside India, or a person of Indian origin who resides permanently outside India. Other terms with the same meaning are overseas Indian and expatriate Indian...
(NRIs) have a small fraction of reserved seats in educational institutions. (Note : NRI reservations were removed from IIT in 2003). - Candidates sponsored by various organizations.
- Those who have served in the armed forcesIndian Armed ForcesThe Indian Armed Forces are the military forces of the Republic of India. They consist of the Army, Navy and Air Force, supported by three paramilitary forces and various inter-service institutions such as the Strategic Forces Command.The President of India is...
(ex-serviceman quota). - Dependents of armed forcesIndian Armed ForcesThe Indian Armed Forces are the military forces of the Republic of India. They consist of the Army, Navy and Air Force, supported by three paramilitary forces and various inter-service institutions such as the Strategic Forces Command.The President of India is...
personnel killed in action. - Repatriates.
- Reservation in special schools of Government Undertakings /PSUs meant for the children of their employees (e.g. Army schools, PSU schools, etc.).
- Paid pathway reservations in places of worship (e.g. Tirupathi Balaji]Temple, Tiruthani Murugan (Balaji) temple).
- Seat reservation for Senior citizenSenior citizenSenior citizen is a common polite designation for an elderly person in both UK and US English, and it implies or means that the person is retired. This in turn implies or in fact means that the person is over the retirement age, which varies according to country. Synonyms include pensioner in UK...
's/ PH in Public Bus transport.
Government Funding allowing Reservations in Colleges/Universities
There is a University Grants CommissionUniversity Grants Commission (India)
The University Grants Commission of India is a statutory organisation set up by Union government in 1956, for the coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of university education. It provides recognition for universities in India, and provides funds for government-recognised...
(UGC) set up that provides financial assistance to universities for the establishment of Special Cells for SC/STs. Their purpose is to help universities implement
Implementation
Implementation is the realization of an application, or execution of a plan, idea, model, design, specification, standard, algorithm, or policy.-Computer Science:...
the reservation policy in the student admissions and staff recruitment processes at teaching and non teaching levels. They also help the SC/ST categories integrate with the university community and remove the difficulties which they may have experienced. SC/ST cells like these have been set up in 109 universities.
The UCG provides financial assistance to universities and affiliated colleges for implementation of the Special Cells. It provides the universities with assistance worth "Rs.1, 00,000/- per annum for:
-
- Travelling Allowances & Dearness Allowances for field work
- Data Collection
- Analysis and evaluationEvaluationEvaluation is systematic determination of merit, worth, and significance of something or someone using criteria against a set of standards.Evaluation often is used to characterize and appraise subjects of interest in a wide range of human enterprises, including the arts, criminal justice,...
of statistical data - New Computer and Printer (once in a plan period)"
The UGC provides financial assistance only up to the end of the Xth Plan period ending on March 31st, 2007. The work undertaken by the SC/ST Cells is reviewed at the end of Xth plan. The Xth plan is proposed to ensure that there is an effective implementation of the reservation policy in admissions, recruitment
Recruitment
Recruitment refers to the process of attracting, screening, and selecting qualified people for a job. For some components of the recruitment process, mid- and large-size organizations often retain professional recruiters or outsource some of the process to recruitment agencies.The recruitment...
, allotment of staff quarters, hostel
Hostel
Hostels provide budget oriented, sociable accommodation where guests can rent a bed, usually a bunk bed, in a dormitory and share a bathroom, lounge and sometimes a kitchen. Rooms can be mixed or single-sex, although private rooms may also be available...
s, etc. Essentially, its goal is to to ensure that the SC/ST Cells are established in the universities.
Excluded from the reservation system
The following people are not entitled to reserved seats. Meaning that people cannot take advantage of the reservation system if they fall under the following categories:| Categories for Rule of Exclusion | Rule of Exclusion Applies to the following: |
|---|---|
| Consitutional Posts | The sons and daughters of the President of India President of India The President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India, as well as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. President of India is also the formal head of all the three branches of Indian Democracy - Legislature, Executive and Judiciary... , the Vice-President of India Vice-President of India The Vice-President of India is the second-highest ranking government official in the executive branch of the Government of India, after the President... , Judges Judge A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open... of the Supreme Court Supreme Court of India The Supreme Court of India is the highest judicial forum and final court of appeal as established by Part V, Chapter IV of the Constitution of India... , the High Courts Chairman, the members of Union Public Service Commission Union Public Service Commission The Union Public Service Commission is the central agency authorized to conduct the Civil Services Examination for entry-level appointments to the various Civil Services of India. The agency's charter is granted by the Constitution of India... , members of the State Public Service Commission, Chief Election Commissioner Comptroller, Auditor-General of India or any person holding positions of a constitutional nature. |
| Service Category: Those who are considered Group ‘A’/Class I officers of the All India Central and State Services (Direct Recruits) or those who are considered Group 'B'/ Class II officers of The Central and State Services (Direct Recruitment) or those who are employees in the Public Sector Public sector The public sector, sometimes referred to as the state sector, is a part of the state that deals with either the production, delivery and allocation of goods and services by and for the government or its citizens, whether national, regional or local/municipal.Examples of public sector activity range... . |
Those who have parent(s) that are Class I or Class II officers, or both parents are Class I or Class II officers but one of them dies or suffers permanent incapacitation. For more visit Pgs 7-8 of http://ncbc.nic.in/Pdf/OfficeMemorandum.pdf. The criteria's used for sons and daughters of Group A and B are the same for the employees of the Public sector. |
| Armed forces Indian Armed Forces The Indian Armed Forces are the military forces of the Republic of India. They consist of the Army, Navy and Air Force, supported by three paramilitary forces and various inter-service institutions such as the Strategic Forces Command.The President of India is... including Paramilitary Forces (Persons holding civil posts are not included). |
The sons and daughters of parents either or both of whom is or are in the rank of colonel and above in the army or in equivalent posts in the Navy Indian Navy The Indian Navy is the naval branch of the armed forces of India. The President of India serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff , usually a four-star officer in the rank of Admiral, commands the Navy... , the Air Force Indian Air Force The Indian Air Force is the air arm of the Indian armed forces. Its primary responsibility is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during a conflict... , and the Paramilitary Force. But that will hold true provided that-
|
| Professional Professional A professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The traditional professions were doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and commissioned military officers. Today, the term is applied to estate agents, surveyors , environmental scientists,... class and those engaged in Trade Trade Trade is the transfer of ownership of goods and services from one person or entity to another. Trade is sometimes loosely called commerce or financial transaction or barter. A network that allows trade is called a market. The original form of trade was barter, the direct exchange of goods and... and Industry Industry Industry refers to the production of an economic good or service within an economy.-Industrial sectors:There are four key industrial economic sectors: the primary sector, largely raw material extraction industries such as mining and farming; the secondary sector, involving refining, construction,... |
If a person has a high paying job such as physician Physician A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments... , lawyer Lawyer A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political... , chartered accountant Chartered Accountant Chartered Accountants were the first accountants to form a professional body, initially established in Britain in 1854. The Edinburgh Society of Accountants , the Glasgow Institute of Accountants and Actuaries and the Aberdeen Society of Accountants were each granted a royal charter almost from... , income tax consultant, financial FINANCIAL FINANCIAL is the weekly English-language newspaper with offices in Tbilisi, Georgia and Kiev, Ukraine. Published by Intelligence Group LLC, FINANCIAL is focused on opinion leaders and top business decision-makers; It's about world’s largest companies, investing, careers, and small business. It is... or management consultant, dental surgeon, engineer Engineer An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,... , architect Architect An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the... , computer specialist, film artist or other film professional, author Author An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:... , playwright Playwright A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder... , sports person, sports professional, media professional or any other vocations of like status. If the husband holds one of the above jobs and the wife doesn't then the husband's income will be taken into consideration and if the wife holds one of the above jobs then the wife's income will be taken into consideration.The income of the family as a whole will be taken into account because the whole point of the reservation system is to raise the social status of the people that belong to the SC's, ST's and OBC's and if a family's income is high already it is considered that it raises their social status as well. |
| Property owners- Agricultural, Plantations (Coffee,tea,rubber,etc), Vacant land and/or buildings in urban areas | Sons and daughters of those who have irrigated land area which is equal to or more than 85% of the statutory ceiling area will be excluded from reservation. They would only be under reservation if the land is exclusively unirrigated. Those with vacant buildings can use them for residential, industrial or commercial Commerce While business refers to the value-creating activities of an organization for profit, commerce means the whole system of an economy that constitutes an environment for business. The system includes legal, economic, political, social, cultural, and technological systems that are in operation in any... purposes, hence they are not covered under reservations. |
| Creamy layer Creamy layer The creamy layer is a term used in Indian politics to refer to the relatively wealthier and better educated members of the Other Backward Classes who are not eligible for government sponsored educational and professional benefit programs... |
Son(s)/daughter(s) of those who earn 1 lakh Rs. or more annually for three consecutive years are excluded from reservation. |
History of the Reservations System
The Reservation system has a long history and has been debated before and after Indian Independence from the BritishBritish Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
in 1947.
Reservations in favor of Backward Classes (BCs) were introduced long before independence in a large area, comprising the Presidency areas and the Princely states south of the Vindhyas. In 1882, Hunter Commission
William Wilson Hunter
Sir William Wilson Hunter KCSI CIE was a Scottish historian, statistician, a compiler and a member of the Indian Civil Service, who later became Vice President of Royal Asiatic Society.-Early life and education:...
was appointed. Mahatma Jyotirao Phule
Mahatma Jyotirao Phule
Mahatma Jotiba Govindrao Phule , also known as Mahatma Jotiba Phule was an activist, thinker, social reformer, writer, philosopher, theologist, scholar, editor and revolutionary from Maharashtra, India in the nineteenth century. Jotiba Phule and his wife Savitribai Phule were the pioneer of...
made a demand of free and compulsory education for everyone along with proportionate reservation in government jobs. In 1891, there was a demand for reservation of government jobs with an agitation (in the princely State of Travancore) against the recruitment of non-natives into public service overlooking qualified native people. In 1901,reservations were introduced in Maharashtra (in the Princely State of Kolhapur) by Shahu Maharaj
Shahu Maharaj
Shahu IV was the first Maharaja of the Indian princely state of Kolhapur between 1894 and 1922...
. Chatrapati Sahuji Maharaj, Maharaja of Kolhapur in Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
introduced reservation in favour of non-Brahmin and backward classes as early as 1902. He provided free education to everyone and opened several hostels in Kolhapur to make it easier for everyone to receive the education. He also made sure everyone got suitable employment no matter what social class they belonged. He also appealed for a class-free India and the abolition of untouchability. The notification of 1902 created 50% reservation in services for backward classes/communities in the State of Kolhapur. This is the first official instance (Government Order) providing for reservation for depressed classes in India.
In 1908, reservations were introduced in favour of a number of castes and communities that had little share in the administration by the British. There were many other reforms in favor of and against reservations before the Indian Independence itself. To get a list of pre-Indian Independence reservation policies visit.http://www.ili.ac.in/pdf/article_2.pdf
Even after the Indian Independence there were some major changes in favor of the STs, SCs and OBCs. One of the most important occurred in 1979 when the Mandal Commission
Mandal commission
The Mandal Commission was established in India in 1979 by the Janata Party government under Prime Minister Morarji Desai with a mandate to "identify the socially or educationally backward." It was headed by Indian parliamentarian Bindheshwari Prasad Mandal to consider the question of seat...
was established to assess the situation of the socially and educationally backward classes. The commission did not have exact figures for a sub-caste, known as the Other Backward Class
Other Backward Class
The Central Government of India classifies some of its citizens based on their social and economic condition as Scheduled Caste , Scheduled Tribe , and Other Backward Class . The OBC list presented by the commission is dynamic and will change from time to time depending on social, educational and...
(OBC), and used the 1930 census data, further classifying 1,257 communities as backward, to estimate the OBC population at 52%. In 1980 the commission submitted a report, and recommended changes to the existing quotas, increasing them from 22% to 49.5%. number of castes in Backward class list went up to 2297 which is the increase of 60% from community list prepared by Mandal commission. But it wasn't until the 1990's that the recommendations of the Mandala Commission were implemented in Government Jobs by Vishwanath Pratap Singh. Many states wanted to change their reservation policies, and in 2010 the Supreme Court held that if the state wants to frame rules regarding reservation in promotions and consequential seniority, it has to provide quantifiable data that is there is backwardness, inadequacy of representation in public employment and overall administrative inefficiency. Unless such an exercise is undertaken by the state government, the rules in promotions and consequential seniority cannot be introduced.
The concept of untouchability
Untouchability
Untouchability is the social practice of ostracizing a minority group by segregating them from the mainstream by social custom or legal mandate. The excluded group could be one that did not accept the norms of the excluding group and historically included foreigners, nomadic tribes, law-breakers...
was not practiced uniformly throughout the country; therefore the identification of oppressed classes was difficult to carry out. Allegedly, the practice of segregation and untouchability prevailed more in the southern parts of India as opposed to in Northern India. Furthermore, certain castes/ communities, considered "untouchable" in one province were not in other provinces.
The continuous efforts of some of the social reformers of the country like Rettamalai Srinivasa Paraiyar, Ayothidas Pandithar, Jyotiba Phule, Babasaheb Ambedkar, Chhatrapati Sahu ji Maharaj and others, worked to eradicate "casteism".
Advances under the Reservations System
The public sectorPublic sector
The public sector, sometimes referred to as the state sector, is a part of the state that deals with either the production, delivery and allocation of goods and services by and for the government or its citizens, whether national, regional or local/municipal.Examples of public sector activity range...
jobs are divided into 4 categories:Class I (or Group A), Class II (or Group B), Class III (or Group C) and Class IV (or Group D). The Class I employees take up 2.2% of the public sector workforce
Workforce
The workforce is the labour pool in employment. It is generally used to describe those working for a single company or industry, but can also apply to a geographic region like a city, country, state, etc. The term generally excludes the employers or management, and implies those involved in...
, the Class II employees take up 3.3% of the public sector workforce,the Class III employees take up 66.8% of the public sector workforce, and the Class IV employees take up 27.2% of the public sector workforce.
Below are the percentages of the SC employees in the Central government :
| Class | 1959 | 1965 | 1974 | 1984 | 1995 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | 1.18 | 1.64 | 3.2 | 6.92 | 10.12 |
| II | 2.38 | 2.82 | 4.6 | 10.36 | 12.67 |
| III | 6.95 | 8.88 | 10.3 | 13.98 | 16.15 |
| IV | 17.24(excludes sweepers) | 17.75 | 18.6 | 20.2 | 21.26(excludes sweepers) |
The above table shows that over time as the new laws for the reservation systems were passed employment of SC's in Class I,II,III, and IV public sectors increased substantially.
Critiques of the Reservations System
A larger part of the Indian population does not fall under the categories of SCs, STs or OBCs. According to the 2001 census, the SCs and STs represent 24.90% of the population, out of which 16.20% are SCs and 8.10% are STs. Since these castes are a minority and yet hold more jobs than the rest of the Indian population, there is a debate over the system. The following arguments have been put forth by Anti-Reservationists and Pro-Reservationists.| Anti-Reservationists | Pro-Reservationists |
|---|---|
| Lower castes no longer accept that their lower economic status, lower position in the social hierarchy and lack of respect from members of higher castes are a “given” in their social existence. | Men should remain in the same occupation and station of their life as their forefathers was a part of religious precepts and social customs in India. |
| Opponents are unhappy because they believe that a moral injustice is being committed and equality of opportunity Equal opportunity Equal opportunity, or equality of opportunity, is a controversial political concept; and an important informal decision-making standard without a precise definition involving fair choices within the public sphere... is eroded because of the reservation system. They are against the reservations because appointments are made on the basis of membership in a caste not considering that the individual is socially or economically handicapped. They also believe that reservations are used for political benefits rather than social benefits. |
The OBCs should get a greater share in administrative positions because political power Political power Political power is a type of power held by a group in a society which allows administration of some or all of public resources, including labour, and wealth. There are many ways to obtain possession of such power. At the nation-state level political legitimacy for political power is held by the... resides in India’s administrative positions. They view political power as a way to get economic benefits, which they have been deprived of. |
| They believe that reservations do not take into account merits and achievements and those who do not deserve hold certain positions get those positions because of reservations and this could lead to deterioration of public services. | They believe they should get reservations because they have been victims of the Brahmin Brahmin Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self... -dominated caste system and reservations as a part of the struggle against the oppression and for changing India’s social structure away from hierarchy. |
| "India will remain trapped in the caste paradigm Paradigm The word paradigm has been used in science to describe distinct concepts. It comes from Greek "παράδειγμα" , "pattern, example, sample" from the verb "παραδείκνυμι" , "exhibit, represent, expose" and that from "παρά" , "beside, beyond" + "δείκνυμι" , "to show, to point out".The original Greek... ." The Reservation Policy is not helping out as much as it is harming. |
Supporters of quotas have argued that they have been successful in Southern state, where they have been used extensively. |
See also
- Court Cases Relating to India's Reservation SystemCourt Cases Relating to India's Reservation SystemIndian Judiciary has pronounced some Judgments upholding reservations and some judgments for fine tuning its implementations. Lot of judgments regarding reservations have been modified subsequently by Indian parliament through constitutional amendments. Some judgments of Indian judiciary has been...
- Women's Reservation Bill India
- Dhangar Scheduled tribe issueDhangar Scheduled tribe issueDhangar community in Maharashtra has been agitating for the implementation of Scheduled Tribe status. According to them Dhangar and Dhangad is one and the same and Dhangar community is included in the List of Scheduled Tribes in India#Maharashtra at Sr. no 36 Oraon, Dhangad. The only community...
- NationalizationNationalizationNationalisation, also spelled nationalization, is the process of taking an industry or assets into government ownership by a national government or state. Nationalization usually refers to private assets, but may also mean assets owned by lower levels of government, such as municipalities, being...
- SocialismSocialismSocialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
- Caste politics in IndiaCaste politics in IndiaThe politics of India, in various levels, has been influenced by the prevailing caste system in the country. The caste system is essentially a five-tier social standing apparatus that comes from Hindu culture. At the top of the social hierarchy are the Brahmins, who are typically priests. At the...
- Reservation policy in Tamil NaduReservation policy in Tamil Nadu-Historical perspective:The reservation system in Tamil Nadu is much in contrast to the rest of India, not by the nature of reservation but by its history. When the first reservation protest hit New Delhi in May 2006, a contrasting quiet serenity was noticed in Chennai. Later, as the...
External links
- CENTRAL LIST OF OTHER BACKWARD CLASSES
- Why reservation for OBCs is a must. By V. B. Rawat
- The Myth of Inefficiency. By Sheetal Sharma
- Radical Notes - Common School System and the Future of India. Anil Sadgopal. (28 Feb 2008)(On Right to Education)
- Radical Notes - Beyond the Judiciary - Reservation as Reparation. Saswat Pattanayak (19 April 2007)
- Critics slam India's education quotas - BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Article on Reverse DiscriminationReverse discriminationReverse discrimination is a controversial term referring to discrimination against members of a dominant or majority group, including the city or state, or in favor of members of a minority or historically disadvantaged group such as African Americans being slaves. Groups may be defined in terms of...
in the Indian Reservation System - Anti Reservation official website, AntiReservation.Com
- Supreme Court Upholds 27% OBC Quota
- Reservations: Towards a larger perspective
- Anti Reservation Protest
- Computing Backward Index
- Reservation as viewed by Indian industry
- Southern record - Frontline
- Government Jobs and Reservations in India
- Reservation policy forum article
- Examining reservation
- Reservation must for a healthy society
- Multiple Index Related Affirmative Action (An Alternative Proposal)
- Reservation as viewed by a backward class proponent
- Questioning Reservation
- Reservations as viewed by one OBC faculty member
- An Alternative Suggestion
- Reservations have worked in Southern States
- UP introduces voluntary reservation in private sector
- Rangnath Commission recommends 10% quota for Muslims
- Reservation will not help Muslims, will only open Pandora's box
- Bull's Eye
- Latest Govt Jobs
- Reservations in Indian Government Jobs at JobsIndiaOnline.info