11/11/2017
Reservation – A Boon or Bane for the Development of Indian Society
Reservation is a hot topic today. From teachers to politicians, from students to employees, every profession is jolted by the reservation system. India, being a developing country is facing many challenges and presently Reservation System is one of them.
History
The system finds its origin soon after Independence. The main objective was to provide increased opportunities, enhanced social and economical status, and well being of the under privileged class popularly known as Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other Backward classes (OBC). Uplifting their lifestyle to make them a part of Indian mainstream society was a very good contemplation to eliminate discrimination. Dr. Ambedkar, at the time of framing constitution, had demanded 10 years for reservation system until the equality is enforced in the society.
Impact
caste-reservationImage Source
But today the meaning of reservation has changed drastically. Politicians continue to support it for their party’s benefits, students and parents continue to support it for the guarantee of a better college with lesser fees, employees continue to support it for a quicker promotion! The people suffering from reservation system are the one belonging to general category. Students having a better score and eligibility fail to get an admission in a prestigious college as a student with lesser score and a reservation fills that seat. A hard working employee is curtailed from promotion as it’s given to somebody having less qualification but being from a reserved category.
In higher Education Institutions (IITs,IIMs, AIIMS etc.) and government postings, 22.5% of available seats are reserved for SC and STs, 27% are reserved for OBCs and the remaining 51.5% for general category leading to exasperation among students, medical doctors, government employees and public in general. India must be the only country where people fight to call themselves as ‘Backward’ as they say!
Boon or Bane?
Economically and socially we can divide our Indian society in many classes. Among those medium income and upper caste, low income and upper caste are the sections that are suffering the most and remain frustrated about reservation system. It’s a bane for them. They neither have money nor reservation for basic amenities. For high income and lower caste, medium income and lower caste, reservation is a boon. They have all amenities; in fact many lead a luxurious life but still enroll themselves for reservation and make use of its benefits polluting the mere concept of reservation. Low income and lower caste are the ones who actually need it but most of them are either unaware or not bothered to make use of the facility.
Reservation is definitely required but not for the people with lower caste but for the impoverished. Handicap, soldiers’ family, senior citizens, Kashmir migrants, people with very low or no income are the ones who should be supported from their loved society by ensuring a seat reserved for them if they are inclined and adhered to work and study. It should not be enforced based on caste/religion, minority/majority as it is happening now and causing a major hitch in development.
Progress is impossible without changes. It’s time our government should bring in a big change in the reservation system ensuring India’s progress and we being the citizens of India should understand ‘It’s not our right, its just a privilege we are being endowed with’.
