Reservation in India: 
Caste Based Vs Income Based

Candidate-1: Hello
friends, the topic given to us for group discussion is Reservation in India: Caste Based vs Income Based. Reservation in India was
mainly brought with the purpose of establishing social equality in India.
providing opportunities and better living standards to the lower class people
also was its another purpose.  It was Dr. B . R. Ambedkar who made
provision of reservation system into Indian constitution to uplift economically
and socially backward class people. They didn’t get ample opportunities for
growth. His major intention was to bring about social equality in the Indian
society. He thought that social equality could be established only if there is
economic equality in our country.

Candidate-2: Yes. It is
true. It was also brought to have a fair representation of the weaker sections
in all public institutions of the society. It was not the case till then. 
The lower caste people in India were deprived of a right for education,
government jobs and many other things. They were always treated as
untouchables. It led to caste based reservation. These castes were primarily
divided into Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other Backward
Castes (OBC). But it seems that caste-based reservation is not being
implemented properly. its real objective is not being realised.

Candidate-3: I agree that they were not having enough opportunities. So
there was need for reservation. But I think that caste based reservation
gradually led to much exploitation of the system both politically and socially.
Instead of bringing equality and growth in the economy this system has become
inefficient and uneasy to get away with.

Candidate-1:  Alright! that’s true. Presently, There is a lot of disparity
in the way the people have grown in these sections of the society. Irrespective
of their individual economic growth, these lower-caste people are getting
advantages which is not a good sign when looked from the people of open
category perspective.

Candidate-4: Yes. My opinion
is that there should be limitations in the beginning itself on implementing
caste based reservation for a certain period. It should also be ensured that
only the needy people get the benefits.

Candidate-2: I think, that is why
we need to think over income based reservation system in our India. It ensures
the balance in the society by helping people who are economically weak.

Candidate-5: That’s right. It ensures that the people with high income
are not given excess benefits. However, Income is not the only criterion to
look at who should be provided with reservation. There are many parameters like
social environment, literacy rate, accessibility to quality education that
defines who needs reservation.

Candidate-4: Given high income, all these criteria can be achieved as
they become affordable. We also see that people with higher income move to
other places where they can afford better facilities and economic benefits.
This should be a reason why the people with low income should be given
reservation.

Candidate-5: There is also a chance that though the income sources are
high, the level of education one can get in the area is less qualitative. It
obstructs the scope of growth for the people with high income as well. We can
see significant disparities in the growth rate between urban and rural areas in
education and standard of living though the income levels are the same.

Candidate-3: Yes, I agree with what you say. Rural areas lack awareness
and efficient resources which is an obstacle for healthy growth. But we face
the same problem with the caste-based reservation also. Income based
reservation helps the needy people for better opportunities whereas caste based
reservation allows the people who don’t really need help to have the extra
benefits. It is not fair at all

Candidate-2: Caste based reservation is misused politically as well.
Political parties create agendas considering their communities. They create a
biased environment. It is dangerous for communal harmony and national peace.
This became an instrument to polarise votes. It encourages casteism.

Candidate-4: That is a blatant truth. Recent elections in India are an
example to see how caste based reservation is exploited as a tool for getting
votes in elections. It has been creating communal and regional divisions at
many places in the country. It is dangerous for the progress of the economy.

Candidate-1: I think loss of the ruling position also became an issue.
The political parties and government are unwilling to change the reservation
policies at a large extent. They always have a fear of losing the power if the
caste-based reservation is scrapped. It is not efficient in the current
economic scenario. Other countries provide opportunities to the people who
deserve the chance unlike ours.

Candidate-2: I think that compared to caste based reservation, income
based reservation has better results.  It makes it preferable option from
the economic perspective. 

Candidate-5: I agree with your point. Politics makes caste based
reservation inefficient compared to income based reservation. Both the
reservation systems have their advantages and disadvantages. For the nation
like India where scrapping reservation doesn’t seem like a viablee option as
long as politicians are afraid of losing their power.

Candidate-1: In the society we find lots of talented people who don’t fall
under any reservation category. They miss opportunities. So, they leave for
other countries because of loss of opportunities to them here in their native
country. By encouraging caste-based reservation, we have also been creating an
environment where skilled and unskilled people are enjoying the same benefits.
As a result, we have many square pegs in the round holes.

Candidate-4: I think that this will happen as long as we want to provide
employment to all sections of the country, which is needed to reduce the
poverty and unemployment levels.

Candidate-1: Yes. But if real growth in the economy along with social equality
and quality life standards needs to be achieved, the Government should take
bold step of providing opportunities. Reservation should be given on the basis
of both caste and financial condition of the person. However, those who belong
to backward caste with economically sound should be treated to be in creamy
layer and they should be stopped from getting benefits of caste-based
reservation.  

Candidate-5: Conclusion:

Alright then friends, we can come to the conclusion that the issue
of reservation is quite complex one. In a country like India, to eliminate
poverty and social inequality the reservation should be given on the basis of
caste but the people of backward communities with financially sound condition
should be discouraged from enjoying benefits of the reservation.