Reservation Issues

Reservation Issues

Reservation according to Indian law is a form of affirmative action, whereby a percentage of seats are reserved in the parliament and other sections. Caste is a predominant basis for reservation in India,although there are reservations based on their parameters like religion. The Central Government of India reserves 49% of Government jobs and places in higher education but certain states like Tamil Nadu currently reserve 69% seats.

Reservations are all about representation. A group or groups deserve reservation in the mainstream education and job sif they are not well represented. Allocationg quotas on the basis of caste is a form of racial discrimination and contrary to the rights of equality. Most often only economically sound people from so called lower castes, makes use of the reserved seats, thus contradicting the spirit of reservations. Frankly, no efforts are being made to give proper primary education to the truly deprived classes, so that there is no need to reserve seats for higher studies. Critics argue that “reservation” merely in higher institutions and jobs cannot solve this problem. Reservations will increase brain drain in India. Undergraduates and graduates will start moving to foreign universities for higer education, which will have adevastating effect on the Indian economy.

On the whole, reservation is not a necessary factor as it opposes the right to equality. But it may favour some people and also make some to misuse it. Thus reservation is a boon as well as an evil.

by: Mangala Mohandas