Question

Why there should be no reservation on the economic basis.

Answer 1

Inequalities are of different types - if you read “Annihilation of Caste” by BR Ambedkar, you can see that he talks about three types of inequalities. Though not specified explicitly, it is easy to infer that from his writing.

1. Social inequality
2. Political inequality
3. Economic inequality

Social reform addresses social inequality. Likewise, political reform and economic reform respectively address political and economic inequalities.

BR Ambedkar argues how social reforms should precede political reforms. How social equality would increase participation and hence the collective growth of the populace.

Reservation/positive affirmation is a social reform that addresses social inequality. A rich, yet socially backward person does not need money or economic reform. He needs social reforms. He needs to be educated.

If you think that the general low levels of competition between the SC/ST people in their reserved quotas is an issue, it will mean that they are less intelligent or less hardworking or less willing, it by corollary also means that you are superior in intelligence and that you work harder. It will also mean that a poor upper caste person is poor because he simply is not intelligent enough or simply does not work hard. But this is not true. Simply not true.

Bringing about an equity in competition and enabling people to be their fullest is the primary objective of a egalitarian society. And India is striving to be one. India is not perfect but she is getting there.

With social equality in place, political and economic equality will follow suit.

Consider the table below that shows the proportion of Indian population by social strata (not economic or political)

So SC/ST account to approximately 28.2% of the population. That is approximately 35 Cr people.

Consider the following table that shows the current (2011) levels of literacy

There is a significant difference in literacy (just being able to read and write).

If you consider the same for graduates, the following is an excerpt from the Hindu -

Only 8.15% of Indians are graduates, Census data show[1]

The proportion of graduates among the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes is far lower than the national average; just over four per cent of the SCs are graduates or above, while for the Scheduled Tribes, it is below three per cent, and lower still for women.

And this is just for literacy.

From the definition of Human Development Index[2], the other two important factors are standard of living and life expectancy.

Let us consider them one at a time. From the SECC website[3], I have procured the following information. Each and every one of them show the apparent disparity in the the difference of quality of living between SC/ST and other households.

Answer 2

Reservation was introduced to give representation to those section of people who were not adequately represented in our society…The motive was to make them acceptable in society.

Reservation is NOT a mechanism to provide JOBS to the ones who are needed.

Reservation is a tool to make them equals. The ones who claim that there is no backwardness now, or we are no more practicing Untouchability, and it was an ancestral issue. I would ASK them to OPEN their eyes and see and answer…

Who are the people

Who work as manual scavengers??Who work as your sweepers and cleansers?Who are called upon when there is a blackage in your sewage line?

Are those people from Higher Caste?…No….because we still carry that stigma in us…..And so they need Reservation to come at par with the others.

The issue of Reservation is Highly politicised and everyone is made to feel that we are uselessly giving reservation. The Citizens are Victims of political games…. specially students.

Soo lets not fall into their traps….and study seriously for our upcoming exams.