With over seven decades passed after independence, the caste-based reservation system in the country is only going the same way, unchecked and with greater momentum. In fact job reservations were evident even before independence under the reign of maharajas and the British raj. Although these were once reasonable initiatives and actions, these have not moved with the times and nothing much has changed. On the contrary, the prospect of a job based purely on caste has only been increasing with politics and elections. For any family, a government job and all the benefits it brings along, could have anything from a huge impact to a negligible impact. It is a societal responsibility of governments to ensure that all its jobs are offered only to people for whom it can make a considerable implication in any way. The society has several downtrodden sections whose welfare is also an obligation of the state, and not using its job openings towards this end is unacceptable.
In over seventy years, we have come a long way and now it is important to stop and see where we have reached. Today, many among the castes identified as BC, OBC, SC, and ST, no longer live the way they were when they were first identified for preference. Also, many among the castes that were not listed for preference earlier, now no longer live the way they once were. The objective of our reservations has been achieved long back and continuing them today is in direct conflict with the same objective. The situation calls for a relook at our reservation policies and update them to current realities.
Caste-based leaders constantly demand increasing reservations and governments negotiated with them. Job reservations were the biggest credibility factor for these caste-based leaders who exploited this for their own political gains. The response of successive governments to such reservation demands also took into consideration its own prospects and tried to play a rationalizing role between the demands. At the end we had ‘healthy and wealthy’ get government jobs while the sections of people to whom it really mattered, didn’t get anything. The fact that the deprived sections were so deprived and unfortunate that they don’t even have a representation to seek, was something no one wanted to hear.
The job reservation demands of today’s caste-based leaders are a reflection of the fact that ruling governments had not emphasized to them the importance of unrepresented, economically, and socially deprived classes. Governments should emphasize to caste leaders that it was obliged to offer its jobs to more deserving people, which could include its own caste members too. Had successive governments identified the true economically and socially deprived sections and convincingly placed the situation of such people to the caste leaders, these caste leaders would not have had a political role today. It is high time we as a nation moved together to ensure the welfare of the deprived sections beyond the barriers of caste.
Governments should make it clear that it cannot reserve jobs for people beyond specified economic criteria and all people above these criteria will have to come under the general quota. Caste leaders must be encouraged to identify socially backward and deprived sections and speak for their welfare. The welfare of such people is a matter of concern and governments are obliged to care for them irrespective of reservations. Similarly the concept of forward community has a significant relevance in today’s society. Communities recognized as forward but have no socially reserved or exclusive jobs like temple jobs need also be considered for reservations based on the laid economic criteria.
Reservations had been predominantly across all posts and positions which need to be reconsidered. Today’s situation calls for a different-top up and bottom-down approach. We can have certain jobs with 100% reservation at the bottom of job hierarchy where skill sets required and job nature is more accommodative and where a little training can ensure compatibility. At the same time we must have 0% reservation for those positions that are crucial and where personal performance is important. Reservations should be made with objectives in mind to prioritize someone in the job race. Caste leaders must realize that it is not right on their part to seek welfare of their own clan members without any concern of the more deprived sections. They have a moral responsibility to pave way for reforms. They must consider the hardships of sections like the physically challenged, widows with children, slum dwellers, rent paying low-income population etc. Sections like these require help and caste leaders should not confront these deprived sections with their ‘healthy and wealthy’ stock. The aspirations of caste leaders should not be in conflict with that of the nation.
The task before the governments today is to identify these populations that are deprived like the physically challenged. The differently challenged people like the blind, dumb, and deaf have huge capability and scope in performing several roles that are routine in the government machinery. This population has very low employment prospects otherwise. People whose daily lives are supported on auxiliaries like crutches, wheel chair, and prosthetics are another section with huge talent and lesser employment opportunities. By correlating the tasks that these populations can perform, and by training them accordingly in their institutions, they can be effectively deployed in government institutions. When public get an opportunity to interact with such populations, they shall witness the unrealized potential these sections have. This in turn can contribute to a huge change in mindset in the private sector and revolutionize their opportunities in the private sector.
Sensible and well considered recruitment can not only bring rewards to the government but also revolutionize governmental functioning. Many governments have a stereotype way of functioning where the total hierarchy right from the minister to the fifth grade office assistant, take care of each other’s private interests. In an excellent teamwork, they facilitate and help each other in wrongful gains rather than ensuring state interests. Governments now need to consider opening its doors to corporate honchos. Corporate executives can bring immense value to governmental functioning by taking ownership, bringing in newer ideas, raising transparency, and seeking accountability. They can also help in reducing the gap between the government and private sector by transforming many tenders and organizational contracts to micro level or direct worker level partnerships. This would be a win-win situation for both, the government and private workers. Patriotic executives would be willing to provide their services to the bureaucracy either on a full time/ part time, or consultancy basis. These executives are capable of challenging wrongdoers, would be unsuitable for many in the traditional unholy framework, which is very desirable.
Governments are meant to serve their people. The quality and effectiveness of this service begins with selection of the people required for this service. Only those who are willing to give have a right to receive. When governments are willing to give its jobs to the rightly worthy, it stands to gain. Lets us begin a new mission, a mission with a vision beyond castes.
