Social Empowerment Mains Test
Mains Test Series
Social Empowerment
Q. The notion that reservation has led to new forms of discrimination against the people protected by it. In this context, suggest measures to address the issue of marginalisation in modern Indian society.
Answer:
Introduction: Reservation is a form of affirmative action for the socioculturally and economically backward classes. This is often viewed as reverse discrimination against the “general category”. Therefore, reservation often becomes the basis of new forms of discrimination.
The new form of discrimination against the people belonging to “Reserved Category”:
- Erodes spontaneous respect for merit: The merit of those who benefit from the reservation is often doubted.
- Strengthens New identities: The identities are concentrated around the legal categories of ‘SC, ST, OBC, EWS, etc. Recently, an IIT-B student killed himself due to such discrimination.
- Against personal Dignity: The feeling of inferiority due to the tag of ‘backwardness’ stigmatises individuals.
- “Reverse discrimination”: discrimination to counter another form of discrimination is not considered ‘just’ according to the liberal point of view.
- Only benefits the creamy layers: It is difficult for first-time learners to benefit from the reservation. Therefore, it is a perception that only those more advantaged within the community benefit from reservation.
Ways to address such marginalisation:
Immediate measures:
- Regulation against disclosure of Rank/Reservation category.
- Sensitisation of teachers: The education system must teach the reason and historical significance of the reservation.
- Comprehensive criteria to determine creamy layers.
- Regular Evaluation of the socio-economic status of the different sections of the society, bringing transparency based on affirmative action.
Long Term measures:
- The better education system in deprived areas: So that more people in the deprived section get the opportunity to take benefit of the reservations. This will also reduce the difference in the cut-off marks, reducing the perceived inequality.
- Gradual improvement in the status of deprived sections and subsequent removal of reverse discrimination. The original constitution introduced reservation as a temporary measure to attain equality, after which a fair, competitive system could be achieved.
Conclusion: While reservations are not the most effective way of achieving equality of opportunities and have many inbuilt limitations. Nevertheless, they are necessary measures to support the deprived communities.
However, in the longer term, social support by ensuring equal access to public education, health and social benefits are better means of providing equal opportunity for all.
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