Reservations

This article highlights the main theoretical arguments given by the proponents and opponents of the reservation policy in India and the US. In the current era of neo-capitalism and globalisation, both countries are struggling to balance their humanitarian responsibilities with the demands of greater decontrol and private initiative, which are integral to the market economy. This has an effect on their affirmative action programmes.

In institutions of higher education, three principal social segments are generally identified: students, non-teaching staff and teaching staff. At each of these levels an institution of higher learning is faced with the issue of SC/ST reservation. The response of the institution to each of these levels is far from uniform and unambiguous. An attempt has been made here to discuss these issues in the context of the Delhi University.

Due to a lack of political will and sensitivity, implementation of the provisions for employment reservation for dalits has been far from satisfactory. In Tamil Nadu too, dalits have suffered from the lax approach of the state towards extending reservation benefits. If this situation has to be corrected several issues need to be urgently considered, including dalits' awareness of their rights, sensitising concerned groups, and above all investing in education so that dalits can reduce their dependence on the state in the quest for social equality.

The distinction between equality and universality is important theoretically as well as in matters of policy. With the example of education, the author shows the limits to which universality can be taken and beyond which inequalities are bound to come into play. Sometimes it serves the public interest or at least the interest of the most disadvantaged sections better if inequalities are allowed to increase instead of being artificially reduced. A strongly competitive system of higher education may be to the general social advantage rather than one that discourages competition on the ground that it encourages inequalities.