Date: 30/03/2023

Relevance: GS-2: Government Policies and Interventions for Development in various sectors and Issues arising out of their Design and Implementation.

Key Phrases: reservation policy in India, Changes in the reservation policy of Karnataka, Scrapping of 4% quota for Muslims, Reallocation of reservation, Lingayats, Sub-categorization of Dalit communities, Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission.

Why in News?

• The reservation policy in India has been a matter of constant debate and discussion.
• The policy aims to provide equal opportunities and representation to historically disadvantaged communities.
• However, the recent changes in the reservation policy in Karnataka have sparked controversy and raised questions about the state's political motives.

Changes in the reservation policy of Karnataka:

• Scrapping of 4% quota for Muslims:
  • The Karnataka government recently announced the scrapping of the 4% quota for Muslims within the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category.
  • However, Christians, Jains, Sikhs, Buddhists, and converted Christians continue to remain in the backward classes category.
  • This decision has been met with widespread criticism from Muslim leaders and organizations.
  • The move has been seen as discriminatory and a way to exclude a minority group from the benefits of reservation.
• Reallocation of reservation:
  • The government has also decided that the 4 percent quota of Muslims will now be given to Vokkaligas (2 percent) and Lingayats (2 percent).
  • This decision has been seen as an attempt to appease these communities and secure their support in the upcoming elections.
• Increase in reservations:
  • The Karnataka government increased the reservation quota from 50 percent to 56 percent.
  • The Karnataka government has hiked reservations for Scheduled Castes (SCs) from 15 to 17 percent and Scheduled Tribes (STs) from 3 to 7 percent.
• Sub-categorization of Dalit communities :
  • The Karnataka government has also created four sub-categories to introduce internal reservations for different Dalit communities under the Scheduled Caste (SC) category.
  • Of the 17% reservation given to SCs in Karnataka, it has sliced up 6% to SC (left), 5.5% to SC (right), 4.5 % to SC (touchable), and 1% to SC (others).

The constitutional validity of reservation:

• The Constitution of India provides for reservation for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) but does not allow reservation on the basis of religion alone.
• Article 15(1) of the Constitution prohibits discrimination on the grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth.
• However, Article 15(4) allows for the special provision for the advancement of any socially and educationally backward classes of citizens or for SCs and STs.
• Therefore, reservation for religious minorities is possible only if they are identified as socially and educationally backward.

Reservation for minority communities in some states:

• Some States have been implementing reservations in educational institutions as well as public employment for Muslims by including them in the Backward Classes (BC) list and it is argued that large sections of Muslims still face significant social and educational backwardness that justifies their inclusion in reservation policies.

Implications:

• Being Legally Questionable:
  • According to experts, any addition or deletion of a community from the reservation matrix should be based on an empirical study by the Karnataka Backward Classes Commission.
  • No study was undertaken to exclude Muslims nor was the commission’s final report submitted to argue for enhancement of reservation for Vokkaligas and Veerashaiava-Lingayats.
• Increase in quotas for dominant communities:
  • Earmarking an additional 2% quota for the dominant Vokkaliga and Veerashaiva-Lingayat communities may lead to a perception of discrimination against other communities.
• Controversy around sub-categorization :
  • The sub-categorization of Dalit communities has led to controversy and protests from sections of the community who feel their interests are not being adequately represented.
• Inconsistency with national policy:
  • The changes to the reservation policy in Karnataka are inconsistent with the national policy of extending reservation benefits to all historically disadvantaged communities, including religious minorities.
• Impact on representation:
  • The changes may impact the representation of historically disadvantaged communities in educational institutions and public employment and may perpetuate existing inequalities.
• Unmet demands of other communities:
  • The splitting of the Muslim reservation equally among Vokkaligas and Veerashaiva-Lingayats does not meet the demands of the two communities.
  • While Vokkaligas had demanded 12% reservation based on population, the Panchamsalis had demanded 2A status that has a 15% quota.
  • This may lead to dissatisfaction among these communities and may lead to further demands in the future.

Conclusion:

• The reservation policy in India is a crucial aspect of ensuring social justice and equality.
• However, changes in the reservation policy in the run-up to elections can be seen as politically motivated and divisive.
• The Karnataka government's decision to scrap the 4% quota for Muslims and earmark additional quotas for dominant communities raises questions about its commitment to inclusive governance.
• As a responsible democracy, it is essential to ensure that changes in the reservation policy are made after careful consideration and not for electoral gains.

Source: The Hindu

Mains Question:

Q. Critically analyse the changes made to the reservation policy in Karnataka and their potential impact on the socio-political landscape of the state.