Revisiting reservations

It is nobody’s argument that the reservation policy for jobs in government service as also in education has, over the past three-quarters of a century, significantly helped achieve its aim of uplifting the socially backward and downtrodden sections of the population. Most of the government jobs are vested in the hands of specific segments of the population and the scenario has not substantially changed between the time of Independence and now. In this context, Supreme Court Judge Justice Pankaj Mittal has called for a relook at the reservation system, saying that other methods are needed to uplift the downtrodden among the SC-ST-BC populations.
One cannot ignore the fact that smaller segments from these communities have benefited from the quota system and are occupying government jobs or even parliamentary and legislative positions. Accusations are that the entire system of recruitments and the criteria thereof have been tweaked in favour of the upper layers of the society. While there is substantial representation to SC-ST segments in parliamentary politics thanks to the quota system built into the Constitution by its main architect BR Ambedkar, they are hardly seen in the upper layers of the bureaucracy. As things stand, they will not be found in significant posts even 100 years after Independence. Justice Mittal also rightly noted that the benefits of reservations are appropriated by the emerging well-off segments of the SC-ST-BCs. As a result of the flaws in the quota system, it is noted that the judiciary is saddled with petitions. This “could have been avoided if a robust reservation policy was followed from the very beginning instead of making piecemeal changes.” The view is also that the reservation system revived the caste-based considerations, rather than the society seeking to move away from it.
It is submitted that “reservation can instead be on the basis of economic or financial factors.” In fact, the Centre has introduced 10 per cent reservations for Economically Backward Classes, meant exclusively for the forward castes. This reduced their resentment against the quota system. The other side is not amused at this. The reservations for BCs under the Mandal Commission recommendations led to massive protests, based on which the politics in the northern states changed phenomenally since the 1990s. The 10 years of the Narendra Modi-led government steered clear of socially hot topics and avoided confrontations. While this ensured peace except in the issue of CAA or NRC, most subjects that require urgent attention or periodic changes remain unattended. The first priority of this government is survival and winning of elections. This is resulting in a feeling that this government has no character. It survives on gimmicks and lip-service to the poor.