In the Indian society for centuries caste system has prevailed, No matter the constitution has ordained zero discrimination on the basis of caste yet there are people who wear their caste on their sleeve or harbour caste prejudices. Any kind of reservation for the schedule caste, schedule tribe and backward caste must ameliorate the condition of that category of people however our caste based reservation policy has not stood the test of time and that is the reason there is hue and cry whenever new castes are incorporated in the reservation category.Our policy makers link caste with economic status and are of the opinion there is a direct nexus between caste and class.
Defence services and Judiciary have been kept beyond the ambit of caste reservation as in such institutions merit must be the order of the day at any cost. The government must focus on reforming and structuring the primary education and schools in India rather than bringing institutions of eminence like IIT and IIM within the realm of reservation. The Right to Education Bill must be implemented in letter and spirit. Caste 'consciousness' is rampant esp in rural India and there is atrocities on dalits but there are laws to tackle such issues.The creamy Layer among the backward caste has rightly been excluded by the Apex court from the purview of reservation.
Reservation at the end of the day is populistic and a vote bank gimmick, It doesn't bring a substantial number of backward class people who have been marginalised to the mainstream as ones who avail reservation are not the needy and ones who are needy dont have access to the facilities of reservation on account of ignorance and deprivation. The government must make economic status as the yardstick for reservation rather than caste as caste biases exist but class biases are more grave and severe than caste prejudices. Class not caste should become a criteria for reservation only then the objective of affirmative action will become a ground reality.
