India is a democratic country where we’re blessed with the freedom of speech, expression, and the freedom to vote. Democracy is a gift for us given by our ancestors, where we are free to practice different cultures and know them.
Simultaneously, we proudly say, ‘We live in a democratic country, while people still talk about reservations. Today, Reservation is a concerning topic in India.
All of us are equal. But have you ever felt that equality in terms of seat reservation?
Firstly, there is a need to know what reservation is and its purpose in India. To know the whole idea behind the ‘system of reservation,’ we need to know its history.
In India, the British initiated the reservation system under their regime, and they also brought Quota System and division based on Caste and Religion. However, they did so to safeguard their rule in India.
They introduced the caste system based on people’s occupations like teaching and preaching (Brahmins), kingship and war (Kshatriya), and lastly, business (Vaish).
In the year 1882, Mahatma Jyotirao Phule was the one who demanded free education for all along with proportionate reservation in government jobs.
In the year 1902, Chatrapati Sahuji Maharaj, Maharaja of Kolhapur in Maharashtra, introduced reservations favoring backward classes to eradicate poverty and give them a chance to participate in the state administration. When the British left, they handed over India to those who didn’t try to bring changes in the British legacy; Indian leaders and politicians kept doing the same things, ruling India with the same rule and principles of the British King.
Under British rule, India lost its identity, but the British also gave us many great things like the railways.
The sections of society have been divided into OBCs, ST, and SC. Some newcomers in this section are Christians, Kashmiris, Jats, Tribals, etc.
Currently, as per the govt. Policy, 15% of the govt. jobs and 15% of the students admitted to universities must be from Scheduled castes, and for Scheduled tribes, there is a reservation of about 7.5%. Other than this, the state govt. also follows its own reservation policies, respectively. So nearly 50% of seats are reserved, and 50% is left for the entire General category of people.
Do you think reservation has ruined the education and job system in India?
Today, when we apply for admission to any university, we have to explicitly state our identity, whether we belong to General, OBC, or ST and SC? Why does it matter which category we belong to?
What should matter is merit.
A category can’t decide whether you’re eligible for admission or not. Many economically worse off students belong to the forward classes who cannot get the fruits of such reservation because they belong to the “general” category.
Sometimes, a student belonging to the backward classes does not even deserve and still possesses the necessary merit against a student who studied very hard for months to get a seat, thereby snatching away that seat just because he comes from a particular religious caste for which our govt. provides reservation.
My opinion on this issue is ‘Reservation’ should be purely made based on the economic conditions of the applicant and nothing else. The kind of reservation policy that our govt. currently, follows do nothing but divide society into different sections. It is also creating a difference amongst the people.
Reserving one category against another creates a feeling of division, resulting in turmoil within every small section of the society.
Originally posted 2015-12-07 18:43:32.
