Reservation
policy in India
Sir,
The
decision of the Chief Minister of
Rajasthan to provide 14 percent
reservations for economically weaker
section of upper castes prior to run upto
assembly election has let loose the cat
out of bag. The Central Government led by
Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee was forced to
announce a similar type of reservation
policy in Central Government Services.
Article 16
of Indian Constitution guarantees
equality of opportunity in matter of
public employment and no citizen shall on
ground of religion, race, caste, sex,
descent, place of birth or any of them be
ineligible for any office under State.
But under article 16 (4) nothing in the
article 16 shall prevent the State from
making any provision for reservations in
favour of backward classes in matter of
employment which in the opinion of State
is not adequately represented in services
under State.
The
farmers of Indian Constitution felt the
need to give reservations to socially
backward section of Indian society such
as schedule caste and schedule tribes in
Government jobs and educational
institutions for a limited period of time
but due to political compulsions of vote
bank politics the successive Government
at Centre extended the reservation policy
from time to time. Adding fuel to fire
was the Government decision to implement
Mandal Commission Report of providing
reservations to other Backward Classes to
the tune of 27 percent in 1993 triggering
widespread agitation by student community
all over India.
The
reservation policy over the years has
further divided Indian society on caste
and religion basis with out achieving its
aim of elevation of socio-economic
standards of weaker section of society.
Instead every year the list of other
backward classes & schedule tribes in
increasing day by day. In fact Government
is always coerced to include a particular
class or section of Indian society to the
list of OBC/ST. Obviously there is
something wrong with the implementation
of policy or exploitation of loopholes by
vested interest. For example a person
appointed on coveted post like IAS or IPS
under the benefits of reservation policy
and giving quality education to his/her
children in best private school of India
shall again take advantage of policy at
the cost of deprived students. Like in
J&K Resident of Backward Areas (RBA)
get 20 percent job quota, but people
having only certificates but actually
residing in post city area always reap
the fruits of this policy.
Prevalence
of widespread corruption in matter of
implementation of reservation policy and
also scams in schemes for SC/ST/OBC in
India and presence of loopholes in policy
has failed to achieve the desired goal.
Other reasons are non-functioning of
Government schools, health centres and
lack of other infrastructures in areas
inhabited by backward sections of Indian
society has added to their woes. The
poverty alleviation programmes of Govt.
are always non-starter and subsidies are
plundered. The new proposed policy of
reservation for economically weaker
section of upper caste shall meet the
same fate under prevalent environment.
Yours
etc...
Dr. Ram Chander Sharma
Sunderbani
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