Thursday, March 08, 2007

Questioning the OBC Reservation Act


The recently enacted Central Educational Institutions (Reservations in Admissions) Act (2006) has been contested in the Supreme Court. As a part of the proceedings, the government was asked to provide a justification for, among other things, the quantum of OBC reservation and for not excluding the 'creamy layer' from quota benefits.

The response from the government was pretty weak (to put it mildly). In particular, it chose to present the 1931 census (the last census to have collected caste-wise data on our population) as its main 'evidence'. (I linked to this story over at HtOHL).

Yesterday, the government lawyer (Gopal Subramanian, the Additional Attorney General) came in for some tough questioning by the Justices Arijit Pasayat and L. S. Panta. Here are a few reports: ET, ToI, Indian Express, and DNA.

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In related news, you might also recall that the Indian industry looked into the the question of reservation in private sector jobs, and came to the unsurprising conclusion that voluntary (non-mandatory) affirmative action is the best route for our companies. In an interesting move, the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion has asked Indian companies to "incorporate data of SC/STs recruited from January 1, 2007 onwards in their annual reports for the financial year ending March 2007. "

2 Comments:

  1. crisscross said...

    Reservation based on caste is immoral. Period.

    The SC's decision has everything to do with logic and nothing to do with animosity towards a section of community. People should realise calling one-self as 'backward' is insulting.

    Since 1931 India has progressed enough to have lifted some percentage of 'backward' caste population out of poverty. This Iam afraid is not being acknowledged by present reservation policy.

    I infact think reservation was a remarkable social tool used in India for the upliftment of an entire society. Anyhow it's significance was lost many years ago, when the 'creamy layer' started enjoying the benefits more and more.

    We should continue reservation! not based on caste's but based on economic standard of the person claiming to be backward.

    Many know how a good friend among us, coming from same type of family backgroud, going to same school would eventually claim to be 'SC/ST/OBC' and secure a seat or job even though he/she got same or less score than you!! I would'nt hate that friend, instead look up the sky and ask "please justify this"

    Just my 2cents!!
    Narasimha

  2. Anonymous said...

    Reservations based on caste is bull$*&%. Enough is enough. I don't like the reservations. Period. If one needs help, government should help financially rather than providing the reservations. If this reservations continue, India will definitely lose the creamy layer of top people to other countries and its growth is though is good now, will be lost. STOP reservations NOW. I hate this. I got 4000 rank in EAMCET and someone from BC who got 10000 rank got the seat in engineering and when I had to restudy and waste my year to get better rank. What a blessing to one and what a curse to others.I truly wish that government take an initiative to identify and define as what is BACKWARD?