Misuse of reservation categories leads to frustration and injustice

The introduction of categories like open-merit, social caste, scheduled tribe, and RBA (Reserved Backward Area) in the context of education and recruitment has long been a source of dispute These categories, which were created to alleviate social injustices and give disadvantaged individuals chances, nowadays cause confusion and frustration in the minds of many.
These categories were designed to allocate seats and positions according to regional and socioeconomic characteristics. Nevertheless, the implementation has deviated greatly from its original intent, discouraging and disappointing a great number of deserving open-merit students.
Think about the situation where a student with a 65 out of 100 score cannot get a job or a place in an educational institution while another one gets both with just 30 marks. This disparity emphasizes how irrational the current system is.
Reservation rules were created to help people who really needed them—those with low socioeconomic levels who lived in places without access to basic utilities like power and internet. However, reality sometimes differs. Rich students, with all the luxuries of contemporary life at their disposal, are able to get seats and jobs because they possess category certificates.
The issue also extends to social caste reservations, as the students from these households with several government employees continue to get quotas meant for the underprivileged. The fundamental intent of the reservation system has been compromised and injustice is sustained by the misuse of it. The government must review and reform the reservation system immediately. While it’s important to give underprivileged groups in society chances, it’s just as important to make sure that the process is fair and transparent.
It is imperative to conduct a comprehensive inquiry of the eligibility for reservation. Allocating reservations ought to be based on actual needs rather than social or familial status. Prioritizing people who genuinely lack access to opportunities and necessities is important, and those who take advantage of the system for their own gain need to be stopped.
In addition, a review of the quota allocation is required. Open-merit students are left out because there are currently a limited amount of seats available to them due to the allocation’s drenched favouritism of reserved categories. A truly inclusive system must restore a more balanced distribution where open-merit students are given equal opportunities.
In addition to these changes, the government should take into account different strategies to alleviate socioeconomic inequality. Equitable opportunities for all can be ensured by offering scholarships to deserving students, instead of depending exclusively on reservation quotas. This strategy not only encourages system uniformity but also equal opportunities for each person to achieve their goals. Regardless of origin, a nation can utilize the best resources for its advancement by fostering skill and potential.
Even though the reservation system was designed with the best of intentions, there are several unfair practices and loopholes in the way it is being implemented. To ensure that opportunities are accessible to those who need them the most, reforms are desperately needed to restore fairness and integrity to the recruitment and education systems.
The writer can be reached at [email protected]

Dr Fazl ul Haq Wani