Pushed on the backfoot after the recent electoral reverses, the Centre has whipped out a political ace — extending reservations for the economically weaker sections among the forward castes in all educational institutions (including private ones) and government jobs. The move to expand the quota cap by 10 per cent to include the new lot is aimed at winning over educated Middle India that is unable to secure a decent education or white-collar job, and has, therefore, traditionally been at the forefront of anti-quota agitations. By throwing this lifeline, the BJP may, for the time being, succeed in robbing the ‘jobs debate’ of its sting. The move is also meant to appease the dominant, resentful peasant castes, such as the Jats, Gujjars, Patels and Marathas who have been hit by rural distress but lack the wherewithal to fit in respectably in the industry and services sectors. How this proposed measure is perceived on the ground is anyone’s guess. However, a shift in the political discourse is on the cards.
The initiative is a remarkably ambitious one; it entails a Constitutional amendment to Articles 15 and 16 to include the ‘economically disadvantaged’ as a category entitled to reservations, in addition to ‘socially and educationally backward classes’. Expanding the scope of reservations is not a new idea. An approach to affirmative action that goes beyond caste to include gender, geographical disadvantage and income is, in fact, being implemented in certain institutions. But that entails adopting a weighted average approach — whereas the creation of a distinct category of ‘economically disadvantaged’ upper castes is an altogether different matter. Whether it resonates with the Constitutional theme of negating social discrimination to create equal opportunities for all is a moot issue.
The proposed exercise in inclusion is not backed up by an economic plan. The clamour for quotas stems from the inadequate supply of quality education and jobs. If a white collar government job still commands a premium over other options, it is (besides the caste system itself) because the latter have failed to materialise. The rural economy still supports more than half the population. Job creation in manufacturing has been hit by the lack of a skilled workforce, for which an education system that lacks reach or quality is to blame. The government jobs sector is simply not big enough to pick up the slack; quotas will slice it finer. While promoting reservations in private colleges, an extension of the Right to Education, is indeed a positive move, the key issue here is the quality of instruction imparted and the price charged for it. Government-run institutions, for all their shortcomings, have done better over the years. Despite the challenge of creating a skilled and intelligent population, education spend (Centre and States) as a share of the GDP has actually fallen from 3.1 per cent of the GDP in 2012-13 to 2.7 per cent in 2017-18. The politics of quotas serve to divert attention from this colossal failing.