Author – Dr. D. Surender Naik

The issue of reservation in India has always been a bone of contention between those who support it and those who don’t. The idea of reservation emerged as a consequence of the age-old caste system in India. Modern day reservation envisaged in the constitution can be defined as a democratic principle to provide representation to the castes that hitherto remained unrepresented in various spheres of life. The history of reservation in India is as old as the caste system. A caste system in simple words is a social system where different castes are placed in a hierarchical order. Brahmins and Untouchable castes are placed at the top and bottom respectively in this hierarchical order. In other words caste system approves respect, reverence, and honour to upper castes in general and Brahmins in particular. Out of this approved respect and honour, the upper castes get special status in society. This special status to upper castes can be equated with reservation. The difference between the reservation under the caste system and modern-day reservation provided under the scheme of the constitution is that the former was based on negativism and the latter is on positivism.  The caste system is the most divisive and discriminatory system. The discrimination and oppression under the caste system led to the social exclusion of lower castes that are now called Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes. They were denied basic rights like the choice of profession and education.

The caste system had prevailed for so long not because people of lower castes wanted it but the upper castes that benefited the most from it produced and reproduced the inequalities by and through the religious scriptures, cultural practices, discrimination, oppression, dominance, exploitation, and the state power at their disposal. The caste system provides abundant social capital to upper castes. Social capital refers to the privileges an individual receives by virtue of being a member of the upper castes, such as access to information networks, mentoring, and reciprocal favours. The gap, caste system creates between upper castes and lower castes, is projected as something natural. It is upheld as a natural system rather than a deliberately created system to maintain inequalities in society. The sense of being entitled, among upper castes, to be respected, acknowledged, protected, and rewarded is so much taken for granted that, they are often shocked and angered when denied. 

Finally when India got its independence in 1947, the issue of reservation to lower castes, that is, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes had once again a bone of contention among members of Constituent Assembly mostly dominated by Congress and Brahmins. Upliftment and empowerment of lower castes had always been the concern of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. He strongly felt that in view of India’s unequal and undemocratic social fabric, there should be a strong protective mechanism for the benefit and welfare of lower castes. In such a social context, the Indian Constituent Assembly was mandated to prepare a constitution for the future of India.

Expectations were very high from Constituent Assembly. The issues of democracy, equality, social justice, poverty, and a host of many other issues were to be looked at and dealt with. It was challenging to deal with such a plethora of issues and bring about a constitution that caters to the needs and live up to the expectations, aspirations, and dreams of millions. Given the age-old oppressive, discriminatory and exploitative caste system we have, there was unanimity among all members of the Constituent Assembly, though with variations, to take certain measures to bring about a level playing field in the society so that none is left behind. 

Why Reservation?

In view of the historical and social context of the caste, it becomes inevitable to have reservation in India. In addition to that, it is necessary to ensure productivity. In Manusmriti, a law book and the guiding force of the caste system, all laws were based on caste and no merit was ever considered. Wealth, political power, spiritual leadership, education, ownership of land and trade, and other lucrative aspects of life were reserved purely for the upper castes. 

‘Thousands of words were invented to uphold Brahminical supremacy and glorify Brahmins such as: brahmajnani, vedagya, acharya, upadhyaya, devavani, shastragya, pandit, manushyadeva, bhudeva and jagatguru, etc. On the other hand, many derogatory words were coined to abuse the Shudras: danav, daitya, rakshas, pishacha, chandala, mleccha, kshudra, nikrishta and dwijadasa, etc. The Manusmriti strictly instructs the Shudras to adopt names which should breed disgust, repulsion, and hatred’. Manu says that caste is the creation of God, and the Brahmins, who are at the pinnacle of caste hierarchy, are the living embodiments of God on earth. To use his words, ‘a Brahmin is a great god whether he is learned or imbecile’, and the Brahmins should be respected even if they commit a crime. Manu has nothing to offer Shudras and Women and places them on the same pedestal. He says that the greatest religion of Shudras and Women is to play the role of willing victims and slaves, ever ready to be manipulated and exploited without a murmur of protest. Manu places women of all castes on the same footing, expects them to surrender body and soul to men. 

Manu also instructs the king to safeguard the supremacy and prestige of Brahmins. He says that the supreme duty of the king is to uphold this unequal social order under the guidance of Brahmins. A king how mighty he may be is inferior to even a Brahmin child. The relationship between them is like that of father and son, of the two Brahmin children is the father. This is how the Caste system was enforced by Manusmriti with a special preference for Brahmins. 

The reservation under Manusmriti is negative in the sense that, it deprived a vast majority from having access to avenues of social and personal development. It was nothing but a social tyranny unleashed on lower castes. People were deeply divided along caste lines and had no sense of oneness and therefore, India had been subjected to numerous foreign invasions and aggressions, from Alexander to the British.

Despite having been enjoyed a hundred percent reservation for near about three millennia, upper castes that were at the top of the social ladder could not develop India but on the other hand, they made it hostage and vulnerable to foreign aggression and invasions. In spite of being one of the oldest civilizations India could not emerge as a power to be reckoned with on the global stage. India owes this tragic state of affairs to cent percent reservation provided to the upper castes in general and Brahmins in particular. In ancient India, merit had always been compromised. Selective reservation to only upper castes was at the expense of merit. 

The so-called warrior, of Mahabharata, Arjuna was also a product of reservation at the cost of extraordinary Ekalavya. Warriorship and valourship were imposed on Arjuna who in fact was not a natural warrior like Ekalavya. The reservation in ancient India was not meant to promote efficiency but to suppress real talent from being exposed.  Present-day reservation is about Social Justice and social change which is part of a comprehensive scheme of liberation- social, political, economic, and spiritual. It is meant to serve dual purposes of creating a level playing field and also enhancing efficiency and productivity. It is representative in nature. It ensures representation to all sections of society. Representation leads to diversity, diversity leads to talent, talent leads to efficiency, efficiency leads to productivity, productivity leads to progress and progress leads to prosperity. Today India, having implemented reservation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes since independence, is aspiring to become a superpower. It is one of the fastest-growing economies of the world. A state like Tamil Nadu is implementing reservations of more than Fifty percent, a limit stipulated by the Supreme Court, is doing well on all parameters. Most developed countries like the United States of America and China are looking forward to clinching agreements with India on a wide range of issues. Reservation proved to be a boon rather than a bane, to a nation as well as marginalized sections hitherto deprived of basic and minimum standard of living. It democratized Indian society as well as politics, though to a lesser extent.

But unfortunately, some anti-reservation forces in the country are polarizing people on the caste lines and fomenting the age-old caste divisions among the people. They portray reservation in such a way that it is killing merit and snatching away the due meant for non-reserved category people. They never talk of reservations being provided to the corporate sector in the form of tax concessions, land at cheaper rates, and electricity at subsidized rates which cost lakhs of crores to the state exchequer every year. The government often justifies these measures on the pretext of encouraging industry so that they can withstand competition with Multi-National Companies. Anti-reservation forces never question the admissions under the management quota in private educational institutions that compromise with the principle of merit. Unlike cent percent reservation under the caste system, now we have a reservation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Castes to the tune of only 49.5 percent, which is again disproportionate to their population. On top of that, this 49.5 percent reservation is also not being implemented properly. Had the reservation been implemented properly, Ambedkar’s dream of creating a social democracy would have been achieved by now. Still, thousands of backlog vacancies are to be filled in various departments. 

Given Indian society-specific conditions and situations in most of the parts, reservation is absolutely needed and it is the most efficient way to achieve social justice. It can be justified in the context of Indian society’s innate inabilities to be just and fair to its own citizens. Social transformation and economic equality are impossible without reservation as our country is so orthodox, so archaic in its thoughts and its social structure that very few could even attempt to think of it. Social justice doesn’t mean technical equality or formal equality but real and substantial equality. Caste is a vicious circle in which innocent human beings are trapped by birth over which he or she has no control and from which he or she cannot freely exit because the exit is blocked by a cruel and arrogant caste society. Past injustice done to the backward classes for centuries is still continuing and that injustice is required to be remedied. Therefore, reservation is the only way ahead for inclusive development.

Author is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Arya Mahila PG College (Affiliated to BHU)