IMPACT OF CASTE BASED

RESERVATION POLICY
ON GENERAL CATEGORY
- Tanmai Mukku (20171145)
- Course: Intro to History
Origins of the Caste System in India

The origins of the caste system in India are not fully known, but castes seem to
have originated more than 2,000 years ago. Under this system, which is
associated with Hinduism, people were categorized by their occupations.
Although originally caste depended upon a person's work, it soon became
hereditary. Each person was born into an unalterable social status. The four
primary castes are Brahmin, the priests; Kshatriya, warriors and nobility;
Vaisya, farmers, traders and artisans; and Shudra, tenant farmers, and servants.
Some people were born outside of (and below) the caste system. They were
called "untouchables" or Dalits—"the crushed ones."
The caste system was not absolute during much of Indian history. From the
12th century to the 18th century, much of India was ruled by Muslims. These
rulers reduced the power of the Hindu priestly caste, the Brahmins. The
traditional Hindu rulers and warriors, or Kshatriyas, nearly ceased to exist in
north and central India. The Vaishya and Shudra castes also virtually melded
together.
About Reservation
▪ Reservation has become the topic of group discussion amongst us
over the years. As it has advantages, it does also have few
disadvantages. Disadvantages that are causing many kind of
problems in society.
▪ As it is helping many backward classes, it is also affecting forward
class people because of the quota system. At the present scenario,
not every backward class person is financially weak or
uninfluential and not every forward is rich.
▪ So, the concept of Caste based Reservation very dissolutional. This
way one rightful candidate may not be given the opportunity
he/she deserves.
Why Reservation?
▪ The Republic of India became independent on August 15, 1947. India's new
government instituted laws to protect the "Scheduled castes" and tribes which
included both the untouchables and groups living traditional lifestyles. These
laws include quota systems that help to ensure access to education and to
government posts. Because of these shifts, a person's caste has become
somewhat more of a political category than a social or religious one in modern
India.
▪ To an extent, reservation as a policy is pursued by the State to correct the
historical injustice done to certain castes by the so-called “upper castes”. The
caste system prevailed in India had alienated many “lower castes” from the
mainstream – hindering their development. reservation in India is all about
reserving access to seats in the government jobs, educational institutions, and
even legislatures to certain sections of the population.
Purpose of the Reservation Policy
The two main aims to provide reservation as per the Constitution of
India are:
Advancement of Scheduled Castes (SC) and the Scheduled Tribes
(ST) OR any socially and educationally backward classes of citizens
(Eg: OBC) OR economically weaker sections (EWS) – Article 15
(4), Article 15 (5), and Article 15 (6),
Adequate representation of any backward class of citizens OR
economically weaker sections (EWS) in the services under the State.
– Article 16 (4) and Article 16 (6)
Reservation Quota in India for
Government Jobs
What happened to the General Category?
▪ Condition of General Category has actually taken a drastic turn and is
deteriorating a several meritorious students/Candidates are not given the
opportunities they deserve.
▪ There are several reasons reservation is actually a curse for the General
Category as a high percentage of jobs and seats are reserved for the minorities
which aren’t even availed to the fullest. It becomes a hindrance and hurdle for
the deserving candidates from the General Category.
▪ General people affected by the reservation Quota hates people who are getting
benefited even if they don’t need reservation. Actually deprived people are not
getting their rights. This leads to a world which is not peaceful. You can’t
expect a country free of Caste-ism if it itself offers Reservation on the basis of
Caste.
▪  Students studying hard and from General category don’t have a bright
chance to grab the opportunity even if he/ she is from financially unstable
background. Time has come to amend the laws and change rules for the good.
▪ The real talented people of India, the one who truly deserve to be here are not
getting enough job opportunities, better career options making them migrate
to foreign countries where they are offered handsome amount for their skills.
We are letting other people use our talent rather than using it ourselves for
the development of country.
▪ This is an era of competition. Even the nature supports “ the survival of the
fittest” .
The drawbacks of the Reservation Policy
▪Reservation is similar to internal partition because in addition to being a
form of ethnic  discrimination, it also builds walls against inter-caste and
inter-faith marriages.
▪Reservations are the biggest enemy of meritocracy. By offering reservation
through  relaxed entry criteria, we are fueling inflation of moderate credentials
as opposed to the  promotion of merit based education system, which is the
foundation of many progressive countries. Meritocracy should not be polluted
by injecting relaxation of entry barriers,  rather should be encouraged by
offering financial aids to the underprivileged although  deserving candidates
only. Today the IITs and IIMs hold a high esteem in the global scenario due to 
their conservation of merit.
▪ Caste Based Reservation only perpetuates the notion of caste
in society, rather than  weakening it as a factor of social
consideration, as envisaged by the constitution.  Reservation is a
tool to meet narrow political ends, by invoking class loyalties and 
primordial identities.
▪ Affirmative Action can be provided at a more comprehensive
level taking into account various  factors of exclusion such as caste,
economic conditions, gender, kind of schooling received etc. A 
comprehensive scheme of Affirmative Action would be more
beneficial than reservations in  addressing concerns of social
justice.
▪ The benefits of reservation policy have largely been appropriated by the
dominant  class within the backward castes, thereby the most marginalized
within the  backward castes have remained marginalized. It has been observed
that mostly the beneficiaries of reservation have been the children of the
highest paid professionals and high rank  public officials.
▪ Poor people from “forward castes” do not have any social or economic
advantage over rich people from backward caste. In such a case,
discriminating against the “forward caste” goes counter to the logic of
reservation. It would create another “backward class” some years down the
line. This ‘perceived’ injustice breads frustration and apathy in the society.
The recent protests demanding quotas by some of the forward castes, in
Gujarat and Rajasthan, is the testimony to this fact. For example, in Tamil
Nadu, forward castes were able to secure only 3% of total seats (and 9% in
Open Competition) in professional institutions at Undergraduate level as
against their population percentage of 13%. This is a clear case of reverse
discrimination.
Newspaper Articles On Reservation
Thank You