Topic Of The Day:-“Quota Questions: On 10% Reservations”
Moves For Reservations On Economic Grounds Are More About Politics Than Social Justice
Rattled by the erosion in upper caste votes in the recent Assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, the BJP government has attempted to recover this traditional vote base through an unapologetic political manoeuvre. It has sought to provide a 10% quota for economically weaker sections in public employment and educational institutions. That this is more an election-time signal to upper castes than a genuine attempt to revisit social justice policy is clear for at least two reasons. The 124th Constitution Amendment Bill will have to be passed by two-thirds of the MPs present and voting, and the challenge will be to drum up the numbers in both Houses. And, it is doubtful if it will stand judicial scrutiny. If enacted, the 50% limit on total reservation laid down by the Supreme Court will be breached. (The court did allow for a higher percentage in extraordinary situations, but it does not apply in this case.) Even if it is arguable that such a move will create deserving opportunities to those outside the purview of caste-based reservations, in Indira Sawhney a nine-judge bench had struck down a provision thatearmarked 10% for the economically backward on the ground that economic criteria cannot be the sole basis to determine backwardness. Any attempt to amend the Constitution to extend what is limited to the “socially and educationally backward” to those economically weak is problematic.If the amendment is challenged, a question that will arise is whether financial incapacity warrants special treatment. With the income ceiling for eligibility likely to be fixed at ₹8 lakh a year — the same as the ‘creamy layer’ limit above which OBC candidates now enjoying reservations become ineligible — an uneasy parity has been created between socially and educationally backward classes with limited means and those who are socially and educationally advanced with the samelimitation. The other issue that has come up frequently when quotas are increased by State governments is that exceeding the 50% limit offends the equality norm. In Nagaraj (2006), a Constitution Bench ruled that equality is part of the basic structure of the Constitution. It said the 50% ceiling, among other things, was a constitutional requirement without which the structure of equality of opportunity would collapse. There has been a string of judgments againstreservations that breach the 50% limit. Another issue is whether reservations can go to a section that is already adequately represented in public employment. It is not clear if the government has quantifiable data to show that people from lower income groups are under-represented in its service. Reservations have been traditionally provided to undo historical injustice and social exclusion suffered over a period of time, and the question is whether they should be extended to those with social and educational capital solely on the basis of what they earn.
MEANINGS AND WORDS
1) Rattled
Meaning : make or cause to make a rapid succession of short, sharp knocking sounds(v).
Synonyms : shatter
Antonyms : appease
Example : “the roof rattled with little gusts of wind”
2) sought
Meaning : make or cause to make a rapid succession of short, sharp knocking sounds(v).
Synonyms : desired
Antonyms : outcast
Example : “the roof rattled with little gusts of wind”
3) scrutiny
Meaning : critical observation or examination.
Synonyms : analysis
Antonyms : glance
Example : “every aspect of local government was placed under scrutiny“
4) enacted
Meaning : make (a bill or other proposal) law(v).
Synonyms : achieve
Antonyms : hinder
Example : “legislation was enacted to attract international companies”
5) breached
Meaning : make a gap in and break through (a wall, barrier, or defence)(v).
Synonyms : contravene
Antonyms : receive
Example : “the river breached its bank”
6) earmarked
Meaning : designate (funds or resources) for a particular purpose(v).
Synonyms : designate
Antonyms : ignore
Example : “the cash had been earmarked for a big expansion of the programme”
7) determine
Meaning : cause (something) to occur in a particular way or to have a particular nature.
Synonyms : complete
Antonyms : commence
Example : “it will be her mental attitude that determines her future”
8) offends
Meaning : commit an illegal act(v).
Synonyms : aggrieve
Antonyms : assuage
Example : “a small hard core of young criminals who offend again and again”
9) exceeding
Meaning : very great(adj).
Synonyms : outstrip
Antonyms : fail
Example : “she spoke warmly of his exceeding kindness”
10) limitation
Meaning : a limiting rule or circumstance; a restriction(n).
Synonyms : curb
Antonyms : freedom
Example : “severe limitations on water use”
11) frequently
Meaning : regularly or habitually; often(adv).
Synonyms : often
Antonyms : rarely
Example : “they go abroad frequently”
12) contention
Meaning : heated disagreement(n).
Synonyms : conflict
Antonyms : accord
Example : “the captured territory was the main area of contention between the two countries”
13) consequential
Meaning : following as a result or effect(adj)
Synonyms : substantial
Antonyms : trivial
Example : “a loss of confidence and a consequential withdrawal of funds”
14) traded
Meaning : buy and sell goods and services(v).
Synonyms : restored
Antonyms : stored
Example : “middlemen trading in luxury goods”
15) involved
Meaning : difficult to understand; complicated(adj).
Synonyms : confusing
Antonyms : simple
Example : “a long, involved conversation”
16) amendments
Meaning : a minor change or addition designed to improve a text, piece of legislation, etc.
Synonyms : reform
Antonyms : harm
Example : “an amendment to existing bail laws”
17) ceiling
Meaning : the upper interior surface of a room or other similar compartment.
Synonyms : roof
Antonyms : floor
Example : “the books were stacked from floor to ceiling”
18) criteria
Meaning : a principle or standard by which something may be judged or decided(n).
Synonyms : precedent
Antonyms : conjecture
Example : “they award a green label to products that meet certain environmental criteria”
19) deserving
Meaning : worthy of being treated in a particular way, typically of being given assistance.
Synonyms : estimable
Antonyms : unworthy
Example : “the deserving poor”
20) collapse
Meaning : (of a structure) suddenly fall down or give way.
Synonyms : debacle
Antonyms : creation
Example : “the roof collapsed on top of me”
21) reservations
Meaning : the action of reserving something(n).
Synonyms : restriction
Antonyms : openness
Example : “the reservation of positions for non-Americans”
22) adequately
Meaning : to a satisfactory or acceptable extent(adv).
Synonyms : decently
Antonyms : unequally
Example : “the resources required to prepare adequately will be extensive”
23) exclusion
Meaning : the process of excluding or the state of being excluded.
Synonyms : discharge
Antonyms : approval
Example : “he had a hand in my exclusion from the committee”
24) solely
Meaning : not involving anyone or anything else; only(adv).
Synonyms : entirely
Antonyms : incompletely
Example : “he is solely responsible for any debts the company may incur”
25) extended
Meaning : made larger; enlarged(adj)
Synonyms : protracted
Antonyms : abridged
Example : “an extended kitchen and new balcony”
26) supremacy
Meaning : the state or condition of being superior to all others in authority, power, or status(n).
Synonyms : superiority
Antonyms : inferiority
Example : “the supremacy of the king”
