The Outlier Indian

Narendra Modi government passing 10% quota for the economically weaker section (EWS) in general category has raised the hackles of a number of people. It has been termed as a political ploy targeting the 2019 general elections. A whole lot of political commentators have raised the point if this move will pass the Supreme Court scrutiny. 10% quota bill is getting classified as a deception to the Indian constitution. The limit of Rs. 8,00,000 annual income for EWS is being made fun of as majority of the country falls in this. Finally, the point being raised is where are the jobs for 10% quota reservations?

With all these points being raised against the 10% quota, the question to ask is whether this a right or a wrong move?

Reservation as a privilege / entitlement

The reservation is undertaken to address the historic oppression, inequality, and discrimination faced by castes/tribes/classes. The purpose of reservation is for the uplift of the oppressed and downtrodden. However, in India, the reservation has attained a perverse objective. It is seen as a privilege – a fast-track to government jobs – an easy life with no strings attached.

Ever since reservation has been introduced, has even a single caste/tribe been taken out of the reservation umbrella? Leave aside, the caste/tribe, has even a single family from SC / ST / OBC shunned the reservation benefits?

The government asks the citizens to forgo the LPG subsidy, senior citizen discount in Indian Railways etc. Has the government asked anyone to give up reservation entitlement even after 70 years?

When this is the status of affairs, there is bound to be a clamour to be a part of the opportunity. So, we have Marathas, Jats, Patels and so on wanting to be classified as backwards, rather the other way round.

Reservation without merit

The government is right in enforcing the reservation in IITs. However, what should be the difference in the cut-off between the open category students and reservation category students? Similarly, for the medical admissions, there has to be some resemblance of sanity in the cut-off marks for the reservation students. But this is too much to ask for in the Indian state.

The non-reservation category population also sees this anarchy. Rather than trying to correct this situation, they would also want to be a part of this chaos. After all, it is easy to claim an admission with low cut-offs than to study hard and get high cut-offs.

Reservation as a show-off

Affirmative action has to have an expiry attached. In this case, the reservation policy has to have some kind of basic research as a back-drop and come up with conditions that can categorize a successful implementation and desired results. However, in India, none of these exits.

Reservation is considered as a bragging right, in perpetuity, for the community. With such a scenario, other communities also want to be a part of the game rather than inventing a new order.

The above arguments make it clear that unless the reservation system in India is rationalized, it does not make logical sense for any class to not be a part of it.

Supreme Court, Jobs, 8 lacs limit, 2019 general elections, Indian constitution

Let’s get this straight. 10% quota might be right or wrong, but the Supreme Court has no business getting into this. It has been passed by the Indian parliament and unless Supreme Court considers itself invincible, which it does most of the time, unfortunately, it has to let go of its 50% reservation rule, which is nowhere stipulated in the constitution.

There are no jobs. The non-eminent Indian educational institutions are filled to the brim. Where is the place for 10% quota candidates? 8 lacs income limit includes the majority of the population. So what? It is not about the actual benefit, but the perceived benefit of entitlement/privilege, low on merit, to show-off that the non-reservation category hankers for. Unfortunate, but that is the real scenario. So, no qualms here.

Media says that Narendra Modi has done the 10% quota move for 2019 general elections. Did they expect anything else / from anyone else? These are the Indian Politicians, just that this guy is biased against.

I read that 10% quota is the 124th amendment to the Indian constitution. Now, when the constitution itself is getting altered twice a year, what is left of the sanctity? Where was this hue and cry over the 123 amendments done till now?

Conclusion

The rich and powerful among the SCs / STs / OBCs have cornered the benefits of the reservation. The marginalized and oppressed among them still continue to clean the Indian sewers. Similarly, the rich and powerful among the general category will corner the benefits of the 10% quota. The economically weaker section will continue to be where they belong, being economically weak.

In nutshell, 10% quota is a wrong to right a wrong. 10% quota will further keep India in the wrong.