Quota Conundrum

The reservation policies and quota norms which the leaders of yesteryears provided in our constitution were targeted at the upliftment of the underprivileged and downtrodden ones. But it is being painfully seen and experienced that the present breed of politicians has sinfully used such norms as tools of fulfilling their political desires and ambitions only. The essence of such policies and norms has totally been neglected and overlooked. The kind of political and social scenario getting developed in our country does not seem to project any positive hint, as the leaders of today know that in order to rise in the present political setup they have to appease the masses who seem to be interested only in their personal gains. The vested interests of leaders and individualistic approach of masses are making things worse and the nation continues to suffer.

Our country bore the brunt of quota politics in 1991 but the persons at the helm of affairs seem not to have learnt any lesson what so ever. They continue nurturing their vote banks, through alluring people with needed or not needed reservations in jobs and other chores. The castes which can reciprocate through their vote strength are strategically targeted for such allurements. Such allurements from the persons at the helm of policy framing have very naturally bred the seeds of shameless greed and lust in every caste and community for undeservingly getting access to various positions and places. On the other hand unfair treatment to the deserving class by not addressing their concerns and not providing them the level playing field in competing with the rest brews frustration and revolt against the political and social system and becomes one of the prominent reasons for discontentment and detachment.  Every segment of society irrespective of the means it possesses, the privileges it enjoys, seems eager to grab more and more and that too at the cost of economically weaker sections. The recent agitations by Jats in Haryana and Gujjars in Rajasthan demanding quota and reservation for their people irrespective of their economic status clearly show that nobody wants to lag behind as for as the matter of grabbing easy access and short cut route to finding the destination is concerned even if it deprives the deserving ones of the means, resources and the opportunities, society owes to them.   

The reservation and the quota regulations in the present form and shape are undoubtedly breeding inefficiency and incompetence. Our country today needs only the economic basis for reservations and quota norms irrespective of the caste factor. Even the castes which have been underprivileged with regard to means of development and have been exploited by the upper castes in one way or the other, but have somehow endeavoured to become economically self reliant need pats for their efforts but to continue offering them jobs and places on platter would be unjustified as they would unjustifiably be grabbing the places deserved to held by the people who are still fighting the economic constraints. The creamy layer syndrome in reservation norms is a step in the right direction which can work effectively in fair and effective channelization of resources. The policy makers need to think more on such lines and come out with decisions which can really protect the interests of the economically weaker sections of the society as they are the ones who have been deprived of the necessary means of development. It is further suggested that the benefits of reservations in jobs should be provided to the economically weaker sections but that too only once in the vertical ladder of the family. If a person has been provided with a job, making suitable and adequate use of the benefit of reservation and quota regulations, he is very naturally bestowed upon the responsibility of nurturing the development of his children. The Govt. has given him the benefit, now it is his duty to make means available to his family members and make them privileged ones. Only this way he can repay the debt which he owes to society and society in turn can look forward to addressing the needs and concerns of others in line for such protection and grooming.

How strange and absurd it sounds that the children of beaurocrats and others holding coveted positions on the basis of their caste continue enjoying their ‘under privileged’ status and with that they undeservingly enjoy protection and benefits of the illogical reservation policies too. If people, who have grabbed such lucrative positions on the basis of quota norms, cannot even provide adequate means of development to their family members, how can one expect them to contribute towards upliftment of the society and its constituents? Maintaining the reserved status for such persons who enjoy and exploit every mean of development because of their position and stature and continue enjoying the benefit and protection of reservation policies for their children would not only be unjustified but would sinfully be encroaching upon the rights of poor who look forward to the help and means for their development.

The caste based reservations in earmarking constituencies in the elections is also sans any economic considerations. The constituencies which have been reserved for SCs and STs are represented only by economically affluent and privileged persons. Such persons continue to enjoy their reserved status and fight elections on their respective party tickets, election after election. Can they still be considered underprivileged ones who need reserved places for their political survival? The necessary changes in the Representation of peoples Act are also envisaged to streamline things in this regard. Would political parties and their leaders who claim to be the messiahs of poor and underprivileged ones dare to come forward and enact such changes which pave way for the entry of economically weaker section in the Parliament and other forums?

The greed of having easy jobs and opportunities on the platter would never end and would continue to nurture inefficiency which has already taken its toll on the overall development of the country. Let the better sense prevail on the persons at helm of country’s affairs and the other think tank whether it is the opposition, the civil society and they should dare to rise above the vote banks, the vested interests and come out with such renewed reservation policies which would benefit only the deserving lot in a logical way and thus foster renewed growth and look.

  The paradigm shift in reservation norms needs a strong political will, a bold and daring urge and a heartfelt concern on the part of persons holding the reins of our nation. Our Prime Minister who has been showing such concern at least in his speeches is expected to deliver on ground too. The country has given him the massive mandate and much needed strength to make policies and programmes which our country and under privileged countrymen need and such faith and trust reposed by the masses vies to be reciprocated in same spirit and sentiment. 

DR. SANJEEV TRIKHA