The Reservation Scenario

The following paragraphs are just an answer I practised writing for my entrace exam at the Delhi Sschool of Economics. I wrote somewhat the same answer on the same topic in another entrance, and I didn't get through. So I guess you readers would have already figured out the quality of this answer, but hey, everybody has the freedom of speech! So here are my thoughts on...

The Reservation Scenario in India

Introduction

India, once upon a time, was a great civilization that boasted of equality and harmony. But, according to many modern social analysts, the caste system, and systems of oppression came to being because of the influence of the British and their inappropriate social laws on the villages.

Just after Independence, the new Indian Government, with its new principles of equality and democracy, decided to bridge the gap between the rich and poor, the privileged and the underprivileged. For this reason, the government came up with the idea of ‘positive discrimination’. Here, the government gives the underprivileged dalits a more than a fair chance to get back into society, as an apology for centuries of discrimination and ill-treatment.

Reservations were started under the leadership of Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru just after the emergence of the Indian Republic. Dr B.R.Ambedkar was also instrumetal in the passing of this Act. The Scheduled Castes and Tribes were reserved three percent of the seats in the Parliament, and the Administrative Service. They were also offered reserved seats in the panchayat. So were the women of the village, who, until then, had faced oppression from their male counterparts.

The reservations changed the mindset of the villagers towards the dalits and the tribals. As a result, there were positive changes in the mindset of rural India, while urban India, had long ago, lost their idea of discrimination on basis of caste.

This reservation policy also hoped to encourage equal growth and development, and avoid another new vertical relationship on basis of class.

It has been a few generations ever since the reservation act was enforced, and according to most social analysts, the reservation bill has served its purpose and needs to be removed. The scenario in the rural sector presents a clear point supporting these scientists. The present women leaders and tribal leaders are mere puppets in the hands of their husbands, or masters, who actually run the panchayat system. The poor tribals, dalits and women leaders usually don't have a say in any of the panchayat meetings.

Whereas, in the urban sector, one can see a downright exploitation of this act. The children of the dalits/tribals that have reached the creamy layer of society, in spite of the facilities provided, enter colleges and workplaces through the reservation quota. Thus this act of unsportsmanship lessens the chances of the dalit/tribal who really need the reservation quota.

Many marxist social analysts thus attack this system with gusto and claim that the system has served its purpose (however slightly) and needs to be scrapped, as it does not have a place in today's modern scenario. Especially in the cities. Pundit J.Nehru claimed that the Reservation Act was making Industrial India a 'second rate' nation.

When the Reservation policy turned its ugly head towards the private sector companies, it recieved a very hostile welcome. The internet was full of anti reservation just after the passing of the bill. Wipro Chief Azim Premji even wrote a small highly sarcastic passage on reservation in the Indian Cricket team. India would further lose its GDP if the government continues in this direction.

I would not object to the slowing of the country's social and economic growth as long as it is uniform. Until now, the rich have been raking in money, to the detriment of the poor. If a country wants to achieve stable development, it would do good if it develops slowly and uniformly. The United States developed at a rapid rate, and now, it can see the end of its growth, due to lack of human resources, leaving the economic and political power to the emerging players, India and China.

Yet, I would agree that the idea of positvie discriminaiton is getting old. However, it would not be wise to throw the idea away completely, but to slowly convert the caste as the deciding factor to class. It would also benefit the Indian government to make these changes slowly from region to region, starting from the most urban, and as the culture changes, to the rural areasa also.

Yet, like I always say, The Future of this Country is in His Hands. Why do i need to worry?