Table of Contents
Background
- The PV Narasimha Rao government in 1992 had provided 10 % reservation to economically poor from dominant categories in 1992.
- The Supreme Court in Indira Sawhney case 1993, held this as unconstitutional.
Background
- In 2006, SR Sinho commission on Economically backward classes was setup.
- The Sinho commission recommended that there is a need for ensuring the welfare of the poor belonging to general category.
- Commission highlighted that the non income tax payers from general category can be considered as economically weaker sections and can be held on par with the OBCs.
- However it did not explicitly support reservation for EWS.
- Commission supported for soft loans, scholarships for higher studies, free coaching for public services examinations, subsidised health benefits, government support in housing etc
Background
- In January 2019, Modi govt had approved 10% reservation in government jobs and educational institutions for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) in the General category.
- It was decided that this would be over and above the existing 50% reservation.
Criticism of 10% EWS
- The first criticism of this 10% EWS reservation was that, it will hamper the opportunities available to OBCs, SCs and STs.
Imagine there are 1000 seats
Criticism of 10% EWS
- It seems Modi’s 10% quota has come at a time when the OBCs, SCs and STs have been performing relatively better.
- Ex:
- SC secured the top rank in the 2015 CSE
- OBCs secured the top rank in the 2016 and 2017 CSE.
- The current trends have had many OBC, SC and ST leaders to perceive the 10% quota as a ploy to reduce their entry into government services.
- Ex:
- Added to it in the case of CSE, the number of vacancies have come down by 30%, from 1,291 in 2014 to 896 in 2019.
- Notably, the chief of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), MK Stalin and Member of Parliament M. Kanimozhi, also from DMK, have raised their concerns on this issue.
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