Review of Reservation Policy in India
Introduction
I would start my paper by pointing out the historical reasons for giving reservation. The reservation policy in India is nothing new, as it had existed in our society from the time of the British rule and the princely states. The motive of having reservation then was the eagerness to modernise through the promotion of education and industry and maintaining unity among themselves. Reservation continued in India even after having achieved independence from the British. But there is an interesting fact that needs to be seen, that is the inclusion of provisions of reservation in the Constitution of India based on caste in educational institutions was after the intervention of the Supreme Court in the case of State of Madras v. Champakam Dorairajan where the court struck down the classification for reservation being based on caste, race and religion for the purpose of admission to educational institutions as unconstitutional.
How far has this reservation policy succeeded is a question that always lingers in my mind. The easiest possible criticism of the existing reservation policy is the creamy layer among the backward classes having benefited by availing the reservation while the actual benefits have never percolated to the needy. So my argument would be the strengthening of the government schools which are in a very bad shape, which in itself would enable the providing of a level playing field to the backward classes.
Why is it that the government tries to evade its duty of providing quality education in government schools, and take that as an excuse for providing reservation to the backward class, which is a populist policy thereby garnering votes for themselves. After reservation being given in higher education and having reserved jobs for the backward classes in the public sector now the debate is for giving reservation even in the private sector. So why is it that it has reached this stage, thereby proving that it is an ineffective system and my
I would start my paper by pointing out the historical reasons for giving reservation. The reservation policy in India is nothing new, as it had existed in our society from the time of the British rule and the princely states. The motive of having reservation then was the eagerness to modernise through the promotion of education and industry and maintaining unity among themselves. Reservation continued in India even after having achieved independence from the British. But there is an interesting fact that needs to be seen, that is the inclusion of provisions of reservation in the Constitution of India based on caste in educational institutions was after the intervention of the Supreme Court in the case of State of Madras v. Champakam Dorairajan where the court struck down the classification for reservation being based on caste, race and religion for the purpose of admission to educational institutions as unconstitutional.
How far has this reservation policy succeeded is a question that always lingers in my mind. The easiest possible criticism of the existing reservation policy is the creamy layer among the backward classes having benefited by availing the reservation while the actual benefits have never percolated to the needy. So my argument would be the strengthening of the government schools which are in a very bad shape, which in itself would enable the providing of a level playing field to the backward classes.
Why is it that the government tries to evade its duty of providing quality education in government schools, and take that as an excuse for providing reservation to the backward class, which is a populist policy thereby garnering votes for themselves. After reservation being given in higher education and having reserved jobs for the backward classes in the public sector now the debate is for giving reservation even in the private sector. So why is it that it has reached this stage, thereby proving that it is an ineffective system and my