22-10-2012, 12:25 PM
Reservation System
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Early start of Reservation
According to historians, the most important factor in the growth of caste system: were the occupations. Occupations were classified in order of their social status, initially based on Karma and the percentage of the Gunas; Sattav, Rajas, and Tamas the system became very rigid. During the British reign, it was proposed that the Scheduled Castes be treated as a separate community and granted separable representation under the Government of India Act 1935. After Independence, the Constituent Assembly Advisory Committee on Fundamental Rights and Minorities headed by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, recommended special privilege to the Schedule Caste and Scheduled Tribe for a limited period of 10 years. The privileges were meant for the upliftment of the lower castes, but it has become gross abuse in the hand of self-centered politicians and so called Dalit Leaders, Dalit Leaders argue that' higher castes have suppressed the lower castes for a long time, so now they will a have to suffer equally for long period. Some argue that Reservation is a political, social, economic and constitutional policy to accord justice by absorbing the SCs and STs in the social mainstream.
Who are the scheduled caste people?
The Scheduled Castes (SCs), also known as the Dalit, and the Scheduled Tribes (STs) are two groupings of historically disadvantaged people that are given express recognition in the Constitution of India. During the period of British rule in the Indian sub-continent they were known as the Depressed Classes.The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up around 15% and 7.5% respectively of the population of India, or around 24% altogether, The proportion of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the country's population has steadily risen since independence in 1947.
What is Reservation System?
The concept of reservation was enshrined in the Constitution to allow the so-called deprived classes to come at par with the so-called privileged ones. The Constitution of India allows this kind of positive discrimination in order to bring about equality of opportunity and status in the society. The founding fathers had never intended Reservation to be a temporary phenomenon. Reservations to the underprivileged were to be extended until they were uplifted socially and stabilized economically. Reservations with the view of helping the deprived classes to gain a better footing and avail equal benefits of an independent and free nation was introduced in the system. These are laws 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 also reservation policies for women.
Other
Some reservations are also made for:
Sons/Daughters/Grandsons/Granddaughters of Freedom Fighters
Physically handicapped
Sports personalities
Non-Resident Indians (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
Distribution
According to the 61st Round Survey of the NSSO, almost nine-tenths of Buddhists in India belonged to scheduled castes of the Constitution while one-third of Christians belonged to scheduled tribes. Major part of scheduled castes were Hindus by religion but belonged to castes and tribes having low population. The Sachar Committee report of 2006 also confirmed that members of scheduled castes and tribes of India are not exclusively adherents of Hinduism.
Failure of Reservation System
Yet, the various governments till now have failed to truly uplift the backward sections of the society and failed to provide them with equal opportunities even after 65 years of independence. Freedom and application of a reservation policy, has changed nothing. In reality, reservation has failed at all fronts. Not only has it failed to achieve the desired aim of bringing the non-privileged classes into mainstream, it has marginalized them all the more and deepened the caste system even more. Moreover, reservations are now used not as an effective means of eliminating discrimination but as a vile instrument of increasing the vote-bank. The intention behind reservations is not faulty at all but it is the implication and the application of it that has proved ineffective. The way reservation has been implemented all these years has deepened and aggravated the caste distinctions in the society, marginalized the poor and the needy and has benefited only the topmost layer of the so called Backward classes. The benefit of reservation has failed to trickle down to the lowest section of the society. Moreover, it has killed the spirit of brotherhood and healthy competition, the desire to surge forward and to work hard. Reservations based on the narrow concept of caste are thus, fundamentally wrong and hence has proved to be a failure. Many citizens who 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 because they say it makes them feel disadvantaged. Thus the reservation system is controversial
Main objective of Reservation System
The main objective of the Indian reservation system is to increase the social and educational status of the underprivileged communities, enabling them to take their rightful place in Indian society.[5] The reservation system exists to provide opportunities for the members of the SCs and STs so as to increase their representation in the legislature, the executive of the nation and states, the labor force, schools, colleges, and other social institutions.[4] The Constitution of India states in article 15(4): "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 and all forms of exploitation." The article further states that nothing in the Article 15(4) will prevent the nation from helping SCs and STs for their betterment
How to Improve?
We need to identify the ones who are really needy, downtrodden and under privileged. Then, we need to provide them with proper incentives such as education, opportunities and financial backing. After that real talent and hard-work should be awarded and accepted instead of blindly guaranteeing anyone a secure future merely on the basis of caste even though he/she is least deserving. Merit should be the criteria because the country needs the best of its people in order to develop and not those who are harnessing the unmerited and undeserved benefits just because they belong to a section of society which has been luckily marked in the Constitution as under-developed. It is so disheartening to see a well deserving candidate with a promising future to lose out to another less deserving candidate because he happens to be from a reserved section of the society-fortunately or unfortunately. Why should a deserving individual suffer only because he happens to be a part of the so-called privileged class of society-unfortunately or merely because of the faulty policy of the state?