Reservation Without Nuance: The Government's Misguided Stand on the "Creamy Layer" The government's recent affidavit to the Supreme Court has reignited debate over reservation policies in India, with the government arguing that economic considerations should not be the sole basis for excluding affluent members of scheduled caste and tribe communities from benefits of reservation.
This stance raises questions about the purpose of reservation policies: are they designed to address historical marginalization or merely perpetuate the status quo?
The Supreme Court's 2024 verdict on sub categorizing castes within SC communities based on socio economic backwardness aimed to ensure that the larger pie of 15% quota reaches the most marginalized.