Topic: Mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.
5) Discuss some of the common prejudices against reservation policies. Should reservation be based only on caste and not economic status? Critically analyse. (250 words)
Why this question:
The article discusses in detail the general prejudices among people about reservation, that is how people often think Reservations in Education, Jobs based on caste is destroying talent base of India. One must present a critical analysis of whether reservation be based only on caste or also on economic status.
Demand of the question:
The question is about discussing the what are the general prejudices of the reservation system among public. The answer must present arguments for and against the system and argue to what extent it is a justified one.
Directive word:
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you have to debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You have to give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Critically analyze – When asked to analyze, you have to examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them as a whole in a summary. When ‘critically’ is suffixed or prefixed to a directive, one needs to look at the good and bad of the topic and give a fair judgement.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction
Start with brief introduction of background of the reservation system.
Body
Discuss the following points in detail:
- Explain what are the prejudices about the affirmative actin of State – Losing out opportunities to the some undeserving and cast privileged minorities is a form of oppression too, loss of talent, collapse of merit based selection system etc.
- Highlight that the Anti-discrimination laws and reservation policies were brought in to ensure that Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) are protected from discrimination in the spheres of employment, education and political representation. The idea was to not just improve their economic status, but to address the denial of rights and oppression meted out to these groups over the years, and to work towards rectifying their utter lack of representation in public office.
- Discuss the merits and demerits of reservation based on economic status.
- Explain how discrimination usually occurs on the basis of a group’s social and caste identity, irrespective of financial status.
Conclude by arguing for both the points – caste vs economical status and give your opinion.
Conclusion
Conclude with fair and balanced opinion.
