The Stream

Is India going ‘backward’ with #NoMoreReservation?

To qualify for social quotas, privileged classes push to be called ‘backward’.

One of India’s more well-to-do communities says if it can’t qualify for quotas, they should be abolished. Many Patels are clamoring to be considered an officially “backward” class so they can get easier access to government jobs and education. If that doesn’t happen, they say #NoMoreReservation. India’s reservation benefits are designed to ease inequalities from the long-abolished but deeply entrenched caste system. Young middle class Indians say capitalism and entrepreneurship are pulling people out of poverty, so quotas aren’t needed. But members of the Dalit and “Other Backward Classes” say far more must change before reservation can go away. 

In this episode, we speak to: 

Jayant Ramteke
Financial consultant, Oracle 

Rajat Tandon @BuzzDrivers
Professor, Business economics

Yashwant Deshmukh @YRDeshmukh
Journalist

Saral Patel @iSaralPatel
Political science student, aspiring businessman

What do you think? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.