THE GIST of Editorial for UPSC Exams : 01 October 2018 (Time to review India’s reservation policies)


Time to review India’s reservation policies


Mains Paper: 2 | Polity 
Prelims level: United Nations Development Programme
Mains level: The challenge for India is that while many sections of the society remain disadvantaged (STs, for one), political action has shifted to relative discrimination within reserved groups

Context 

  • A report by the United Nations Development Programme titled Human Development for Everyone sets out in elegant prose the meaning and purpose of human development. 
  • It says “human development is all about human freedom: Freedom to realize the full potential of every human life, not just for a few, nor of most, but of all lives in every corner of the world—now and in the future”. 

Historical context of reservation 

  • The major category of policies used in removing restrictions on freedoms is affirmative action or positive discrimination i.e., called reservation.
  • The first such policy in independent India dates to 1950. 
  • Part XVI of the Indian Constitution deals with reservation for scheduled castes (SC) and scheduled tribes (ST) in federal and state legislatures, as well as with the constitutional authority of the president to establish commissions to examine and recommend remedies for the welfare of SC and ST groups. 
  • This reservations in politics has been extended to employment (Article 16) and to higher education. It was expanded to include other backward classes (OBC) in later decades. 

Features of reservation system in India 

  • India is unique in the world in that reservation policies address historically disadvantaged groups, defined primarily by a caste system (most other countries base it on ethnicity, religion, language, gender or sexual preference). 
  • In most large states have about 60 subcastes, each defined as SC and ST. It is further complicated by the fact that it is implemented at both the federal and the state levels, and sometimes in combination with religion, economic and gender classifications. 
  • There is reservation in some contexts for backward class Muslims (a compound of economic and religious groups) and there is much controversy about whether Dalit Christians (a compound of caste and religion) groups retain their affirmative rights. 
  • The extension of the reservation system to OBCs has triggered further reaction; those not defined as OBC want in. 

Present status 

  • The passage of a long period of time since independence and reservation has also now ensured that the previously advantaged castes, such as Brahmins, Rajputs and Chettiars, have begun to feel severely disadvantaged.
  • They want to include the economically disadvantaged among them in the reserved groupings. 
  • India will once again see affirmative action-related rioting like it did in 2006, when reservation for OBCs in education,
  • In accordance with the 93rd amendment it was significantly expanded in government institutions, and the idea of it being extended to private institutions was given legislative sanction. 

Challenges for Indian Society 

  • The challenge for India is that while many sections of the society remain disadvantaged (STs, for one).
  • The political action has shifted to relative discrimination within reserved groups. 
  • As the reservation pie grows larger, in effect, it becomes a method of exclusion rather than inclusion. 
  • The Supreme Court ruled that it was not mandatory for the government to give reservation for job promotions, but removed a requirement that asked for data to support disadvantage.
  • Paradoxically, it appears this judgment has handed the power back to the executive to create laws that would do just such a thing. 

Conclusion  

  • India made a critical assessment of its affirmative action programmes. 
  • Simplification, legislative sunsets and periodic reviews should be important principles in the redesign. 
  • It is a touchy, volatile subject but the time has come. 
  • It necessitates getting out of the old habit of reservations and particular privileges being given to this caste or that group.

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UPSC Prelims Questions: 

Q.1) Which of the following provisions of the Constitution reveal the secular character of the Indian State?
1. All persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience.
2. All minorities shall have right to establish and administer educational institute of their choice.
3. The state shall endeavor to secure for all the citizen Uniform Civil Code.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 2 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer:  D

UPSC Mains Questions:
Q.1) The challenge for India is that while many sections of the society remain disadvantaged (STs, for one), political action has shifted to relative discrimination within reserved groups. Give your arguments from the above statement.