The document discusses India's system of reservations or quotas for underrepresented groups in education and government jobs. It notes that a certain percentage of positions are reserved for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, and other backward classes to improve their well-being and representation. However, it questions whether the system has truly helped the downtrodden given that lower castes still face discrimination, and suggests that revolutionary education reform may be more effective than reservations alone.

2.  It is a form of affirmative action designed to improve
the well-being of backward and under-represented
communities defined primarily by their 'caste'.
 A certain percentage of total available vacancies in
educational institutes and government jobs are set
aside for people from backward communities and
others.
 Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and
Other Backward Classes (OBC) are the primary
beneficiaries of the reservation policies under the
Constitution.

3.  Our constitution gives us
the right to freedom
and most importantly to
exercise this freedom in
an equitable manner.
 The biggest question
that lies in front of us is
whether implementing
this reservation system
has really helped the
downtrodden? The
current scenario clearly
depicts that the ‘lower’
castes are still
discriminated in their
daily lives.

4.  Enrolment in educational institutions and job placements are
reserved based on a variety of criteria. The quota system sets
aside a proportion of all possible positions for members of a
specific group.
 Seats are reserved for people under the following criteria:-
1.Caste
2.Gender
3.Religion
4.Status Of Domicile
5.Other (Terrorist victims from Kashmir, e.g. in
Punjab.)

5. 
Single Girl-Child (in Punjab)
 Sons/daughters/grandsons/granddaughters of Freedom
Fighters
 Physically handicapped
 Sports personalities
 Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) have a small percentage of
reserved seats in educational institutions. (Note : NRI
reservations were removed from IIT in 2003)
 Candidates sponsored by various organizations
 Dependents of armed forces personnel killed-in-action
 Repatriates
 Reservation in special schools of Government
Undertakings/ PSUs, for the children of their own
employees (e.g. Army schools, PSU schools, etc.)
 Paid pathway reservations in places of worship
(e.g., Tirumala Venkateswara Temple, Tiruthani Morgan
(Balaji) temple)
 Seat reservation for Senior citizens and Physically
handicapped in public (bus) transport.

6.  There is a University
Grants Commission
(UGC) set up that
provides financial
assistance to
universities for the
establishment of Special
Cells for SC/STs.
 Their purpose is to help
universities implement
the reservation policy in
the student admissions
and staff recruitment
processes at teaching
and non teaching levels.

7.  They also help the SC/ST categories integrate with
the university community and remove the difficulties
which they may have experienced. SC/ST cells like
these have been set up in 109 universities.
 The UGC provides financial assistance to universities
and affiliated colleges for implementation of the
Special Cells. It provides the universities with
assistance worth "Rs.1, 00,000/- per annum for:
1. Travelling Allowances & Dearness Allowances for
field work
2. Data Collection
3. Analysis and evaluation of statistical data
4. New Computer and Printer (once in a plan period)"

9.  What is surprising is that our constitution
clearly is a reservation-friendly constitution
but nowhere in the constitution is the term
‘backward classes defined.
 What actually constitutes a backward class?
 What are the determinants of a backward
class? These questions remain unanswered and
it is only with the help of judicial
pronouncements that they have been given
some meaning. Question arises how can
reservations be made for something that has
not been defined?

10.  Today when a student applies for an admission
in any university, the admission forms are
filled with questions like ‘Are you SC/ST or
OBC or General Category?’
 How does it matter which category does he
belong to, what matters is his merit.
 A category cannot decide whether he is
eligible for admission or not. There many
economically worse off children belonging to
the forward classes but they cannot get the
fruits of such reservation merely by virtue of
belonging to the ‘general’ category.

11.  Instead of introducing
reservations for these
backward classes what is
required is to bring about
revolutionary changes in our
education system at the
grass-root level.
 When proper education is not
provided to children
belonging to such categories
during the primary stage
itself then on what basis are
the reservations provided at
a subsequent stage.

12.  Reservations are nothing but means to prosper the
vote banks of politicians. They are hindering the
country’s growth, development and competency in all
aspects.
 We don’t need reservations based on castes or religion
but only to actually provide aid to those who have
minimal resources; and merit should be given equal and
due importance in admission procedures as well
employment opportunities. This way we would be
successful in removing caste discrimination and unite
the economically rich together in helping the
economically poor, irrespective of their castes.