INDIAN RESERVATION SYSTEM AND ITS IMPLICATIONS ON EQUALITY: ASSESSING THE POTENTIAL FOR REFORMS
INDIAN RESERVATION SYSTEM AND ITS IMPLICATIONS ON EQUALITY: ASSESSING THE POTENTIAL FOR REFORMS
WRITTEN BY: ARADHANA KUMARI
4th
Year BA LLB
FAIRFIELD INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT & TECHNOLOGY
EDITED BY: VAISHNAVI
PARATE
3rd Year LLB
SHRI. NATHMAL GOENKA LAW COLLEGE
INTRODUCTION
India's
reservation system has been in place since 1902, and its impact on society has
been far-reaching. This reservation system has been used to create a more equal
society, by providing them equal opportunities for those from who are
traditionally disadvantaged or marginalized backgrounds to access education and
jobs in India. It has undoubtedly improved many people’s lives, but it has also
been the subject of much debate and controversy. Critics of the system argue
that it is unfair and that it undermines the principle of the right to equality
among people, while others argue who are the supporters of this system that it
is a necessary tool to bring about real social change. The purpose of this
article is to examine the Indian reservation system through the lens of
equality and to discuss potential reforms. Through this article, we will look
at the history of this reservation system as well as its current status.
The
History of India's Reservation System
·
William Hunter and
Jyotirao Phule created the caste-based reservation system for the first time in
1882.
·
The reservation system
that is in use today was formally introduced in 1933 when British Prime
Minister Ramsay Macdonald presented the "Communal Prize" in India.
The MacDonald Award, as it is often called, established distinct electorates
for Muslims, Sikhs, Indian Christians, Anglo-Indians, Europeans, and Dalits.
·
Many Indian, including
Mahatma Gandhi opposed this award and protested against it because they felt
that the British Administration was dividing the Indian people along social
lines with this clause. However, it has the support of numerous minority
leaders in India such as Dr B. R. Ambedkar. After months of negotiations,
Mahatma Gandhi and Dr Ambedkar signed the 'Poona Pact,' which established a
single Hindu electorate with certain reservations, in September.
·
When Morarji Desai was
the Prime Minister of India in 1979, the Janta Party, led by B.P. Mandal,
constituted a commission. This commission mandates the identification of the
society's social and educationally backward classes of people. In India, this
commission is known as the Mandal Commission. The Mandal Commission's
recommendations led to the addition of OBC to India’s reservation list in 1991.
·
In the well-known case of
1992, Indra Sawhney v. Union of India, or Mandal case, the Supreme Court
invalidated the government notification reserving a 10% quota in the government
jobs for economically backward classes but upheld the 27% quota for Other
Backward Classes (OBC).
·
The Constitutional (103rd
Amendment) Act of 2019 introduced a 10% reservation in the government positions
and educational institutions for "economically backward citizens" of
India. The Act modulates Articles 15 and 16 of the Constitution by adding
provisions that permit the government to make reservations based on economic
backwardness in the country.
Constitutional
provisions related to Indian Reservation System
·
Socially and
educationally disadvantaged sections are given reservation benefits under Article
15 of the Indian Constitution. According to this, the State is not allowed to
discriminate against any of its citizens on the grounds of their religion,
caste, creed, sex, or place of birth.
·
In terms of public
employment, equality of opportunity is guaranteed by Indian Constitution in Article
16(4). Article 16(4) prohibits the State from making any provisions for the
reservation of postings in favour of any disadvantaged class of citizens that,
in the State's opinion, are not appropriately represented in the services under
the State, according to the law.
·
The Scheduled Castes and
Scheduled Tribes of India are defined in Articles 341 and 342 of the Indian
Constitution about each State and Union Territory.
·
According to Article 335
of the Indian Constitution, while making appointments to services and positions
in offices, the claims of members of the SC & ST must be taken into account
for maintaining effective administration.
The
Impact of the Reservation System on the Right to Equality
·
The reservation system
does not benefit those minority castes who should benefit from it; instead,
other groups are getting benefits from this system.
·
Even among traditionally
wealthy and economically powerful castes of India like Patidar of Gujarat, Maratha
of Maharashtra, Kupa in Andhra Pradesh, and Jats of Haryana, demand for
reservation is rising day by day and the idea of the reservation is becoming
popular. After the success of other communities in getting reservations for
their people, more and more communities are now demanding reservations. Because
many of these communities are politically and economically stable, putting the
entire community on the reservation list is unethical.
·
The agitation on the reservation
resulted in several casualties, transportation issues, numerous employees from
various workplaces, and school students. The Jat agitation that happened in
Haryana is one instance.
·
In recent years, the
reservation system has evolved into a weapon used by many politicians or
political parties to win over these voters.
Arguments
for the Reservation System
Supporters
of the reservation system argue that it is required to effect real social
change. The system was implemented to address an issue of inequality that was
leading to discrimination and injustice, and it has certainly been successful
in that regard. Some groups which are disadvantaged or marginalized backgrounds
need to be provided with special help to bring them equal to other economically
stable groups, and this is what the reservation system provides to make society
fair and just. It gives people who are from underprivileged backgrounds the
chance to pursue education and jobs of their choice, to improve their lives. A
system is also a necessary tool for real social change, given that it is only
in the short term that it might hurt the right to equality. Long term, it is
expected to bring about a more equal society.
Arguments
Against the Reservation System
The
arguments against the reservation system are based on two key points. Firstly,
it is not a long-term solution to bringing about a more equal society. For this
to occur, lower standards for certain groups need to be in place for a long
time, which is not desirable. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, the
system undermines the principle of the right to equality by setting lower
standards for some people. Those who are against this reservation system
suggest that a fairer alternative would be better to implement affirmative
action, setting higher standards for everyone, rather than lower standards for
some. They contend that doing so would be more productive in addressing
inequality and would not undermine the right to equality.
The
Solution & Future of the Reservation System
The future of the reservation system will largely depend on whether or not the criticism against the system leads to change. There doesn't seem to be any movement to get rid of the system or to abolish it, but there has been a lot of debate or discussions about ways in which it could be reformed. One suggested reform is to introduce a ‘graded’ reservation system, whereby the percentage of places reserved for people from different communities is varied depending on their social and economic status. Another reform is to replace the current system with affirmative action, setting higher standards for everyone, which would be a more equitable way to address inequality. Whatever the fate of the reservation system, it is clear that it has made a significant impact on India and its society.
Make
a reservation system based on economic status-
In India, a reservation
system based on someone’s caste rather than the economic status of an
individual is unethical or unacceptable.
Those people who live in poor or inadequate living conditions, such as those who lack sufficient food, clothing, education, or a place to live should be provided with fair and equal reservations to help them in their worst conditions.
Conclusion
The
reservation system was introduced to create a more equal society, but it has
been criticized for going against the principle of the right to equality by
setting lower standards for certain groups. The system has been able to provide
an opportunity for those from disadvantaged backgrounds to get an education and
job. The approach has generated a lot of discussion and criticism despite being
successful in many aspects. In the future, the system will likely be reformed
in some way, but regardless of the changes, it has a huge impact on Indian
society. It has undoubtedly contributed to a more equal society by providing
opportunities for many people to improve their lives.
References
https://www.iasexpress.net/reservation-system-in-india-upsc-ias-gk/
https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/Paper2/reservation-in-india
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