Reservation in India is a form of affirmative action designed to improve the well-being of backward and under-represented communities defined primarily by their 'caste' (quota-system based on 'gender' or 'religion'). These are laws (both Constitutional and statutory) or merely local rules/regulations/practices (not derived from any Act passed by the Parliament or State-Legislature) wherein 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 — with the object of ensuring a level playing field.
The reservation system has received a mixed response from Indians since its inception. It has been praised for diminishing the gap between the upper and lower castes by allowing the latter to enjoy the same oppurtunities as the former in jobs, education and governance. It has also been criticised for discouraging a merit-based system and encouraging vote bank politics.
Read more about Reservation In India: Background of Caste Based Reservation, Present Caste-based Reservation System of Union Government, Beneficiary Groups of The Reservation System, Government Funding Allowing Reservations in Colleges/universities, Excluded From The Reservation System, History of The Reservations System, Advances Under The Reservations System, See Also
Famous quotes containing the words reservation and/or india:
“Music is so much a part of their daily lives that if an Indian visits another reservation one of the first questions asked on his return is: “What new songs did you learn?””
—Federal Writers’ Project Of The Wor, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)
“There exists no politician in India daring enough to attempt to explain to the masses that cows can be eaten.”
—Indira Gandhi (1917–1984)