Consequences of reservation in India

This article describes the consequences of reservation in India.

Brief history (1500 BCE – 1990 CE)

The earliest evidence for the creation of Reservation in India was the Caste System which exists in Hindu religion since 1500 BCE to 1952 CE when it was abolished in the Indian constitution. In this caste system the people were divided into the four categories i.e. Brahmana, Kashtriya, Vysya, Shudra, where the Brahmana were the supreme one and the shudras were the most discriminated ones and are treated like untouchables.

Though Islam came to India in the early 7th century with the advent of Arab traders and the conquest of Sindh, it started to become a major religion during the later Muslim conquest in the Indian subcontinent, During this period Buddhism declined rapidly and many Hindus were forcibly converted to Islam. The caste system has been a matter of contention ever since the British occupied India and remains a point of conflict. Sati Pratha (Sati Custom) was abolished in the early 18th century by the British rulers.

The Post independence (1947) period comes with the great relief for the lower caste where the caste system was abolished under the constitution of India and Untouchability is declared as the crime under the law. In Constitution, India is declared as the Socialist state. During 1960 woman have also been included under discriminated community, but they more or less remain as under the culture of India. Many minority religious Universities & Institution (i.e. Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Jain etc) already have 50% reservation for their own communities in India. (50% - 85%) Reservation is also provided in the states of India on basis of Domicile status of the people. (5%-8%) Reservation is provided to the physically handicapped persons in india.

In 1982, the Constitution specified 15% and 7.5% of vacancies in public sector and government-aided educational institutes are a quota reserved for the SC and ST candidates respectively for a period of five years, after which the quota system would be reviewed. In 1990s the recommendations of the Mandal Commission’s 12 years study were implemented in Government Jobs by Vishwanath Pratap Singh as the Prime Minister of India.

Implications (1990–2013)

  • In 1990 higher education institutions, public sector units & Government Bodies, 22.5% of available seats were made reserved for Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) students (15% for SCs, 7.5% for STs) and rest of the 77.5% were remained under the unreserved category called “General category”. This reservation percentage has been raised to 49.5%, by including reservation for OBCs(Other Backward Category) in 2008. 5-10% of eligibility aggregate marks & 3-5 years of age relaxation and exemption from tution fees is given to SC, ST & OBC candidates who wish to take admissions in various Government and private Institutions.
  • The Central government's has given the 5% reservation to the physically disabled person who have 40% or more disabilities.
  • In 2010 Women get 50% reservation in gram panchayat (village assembly – a form of local village government) and municipal elections. There is a long-term plan to extend this reservation to parliament and legislative assemblies. For instance, some law schools in India have a 30% reservation for females, women also enjoys the separate Higher education institutions which are made only for women and no other is allowed for admission in those institutes.
  • In 2010 the creamy layer was introduced by the Government of India DOPT (also adopted by Supreme Court in recent judgment on civil writ petition no. 265/2006 on 27% OBC reservation in Central higher educational institutions) which restricted the OBC persons, i.e. the children of persons engaged in trade, industry and professions such as a doctor, lawyer, chartered accountant, income tax consultant, financial or management consultant, dental surgeon, engineer, architect, computer specialist, film artists and other film professional, author, playwright, sports person, sports professional, media professional or any other vocations of like status whose annual income is more than 450,000 will not be entitled for the privileges given by the government.
  • The CBSE has introduced examination reforms using Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) in its affiliated schools from the academic year 2009-2010. Under the new procedure, Children below class 10th will be evaluated under the 9 Grade system. Student must get D or higher grade to get promoted in next class. The rules for compartment and improvement will be same as previous year. No student will be declared fail even if he gets all E1 or below. He will get chances to improve. For class 10 exams, grades on final exam only be treated as done last year.
  • In 2012 Central government's announcement of a sub-quota of 4.5% for Muslim minorities within the existing 27% reservation meant for the Other Backward Classes (OBC).
  • In mid 2012 25% reservation is provided to the reserved category children in the Government aided & Private schools under the Right the Right to education act which was passed earlier by the parliament.

Consequences

Immediate consequences

  • People mainly the students of various education institutes were started protesting against the Mandal Commission in form of closed roads, highways, transportation services, government services, schools, and businesses of India. About 150 student were attempted self-immolation throughout India.
  • In the Higher Education institutes and Government Bodies reserved category people are given the relaxations, which results in admission of people who have lower aggregate percentage of marks both in academics & competitive exams.
  • The Financial and social status of the reserved category people is increased, and it is well supported by the government.

Short term consequences

  • The percentage of SC, ST, OBC in government institutions have risen sharply, today the total percentage of reserved category persons working in these institution is about 45%.
  • The exploited non reserved (General) category persons who missed the opportunity because someone else has taken his place have become deprived and miserable in the poor economic conditions of India.

Long Term consequences

  • The population of reserved category community has increased through the years since 1990, though the government still hasn’t made any policy and official statistics of Indian population based on caste, which are still pending to be released to the public. The combined population of Indians is increasing as always.
  • Several Unreserved or General category communities has started demanding reservation for them, these communities which include (Gujars, Brahmins of State of Haryana, Seers, etc.).

Rumors or individual theories about consequences

  • Some philosophers believe that Indian has lost its pace for the development due to the reservation in India, since more capable persons were not offered the positions which they deserved on the bases of acts done in past.
  • Some think that reservation in India is not good for society since the people were still remain divided among themselves due to the increase and decrease of Financial and Social status in the society.