Nilli Batti : Why Economic Ceiling Is Imperative For Reservations

Anyone who aspires to become a public official in India dreams of owning that white ambassador car crowned with 'blue beacon' at its roof (nilli batti wali gadi)  The Blue beacon government vehicle is a symbol of authority, achievement and to the top of it, the pride. However I want to take this topic to another dimension which is the inaccessibility that a poor aspirant faces while pursuing such coveted profiles.

The exorbitant fee of the coaching centres that goes up to lakhs is one that most of us are aware of. Let's go deeper and analyse another perspective which is 'Reservation'. I can understand why frowns appear on the foreheads of the unreserved candidate belonging to a 'General Category' when the word 'reservation' encounters him. Reservations have disturbed the mental peace of a general category candidate and it has divided the youth of the country into those who have reservation and those that have-not, which obviously covers the rest of them.

I have a deep sympathy for the aspirants of backward community who due to their historical injustice and series of deprivation could not rise up to the ladder. Thus it warrants the responsibility of the state to give adequate reservations so to make jobs and quality education accessible for them. Also it is the responsibility of the so called 'have nots' to respect that mandate.

Having said that I fail to understand the rational behind exclusion of economic ceiling while allocating reservations to the beneficiaries. Our constitution recognises backwardness on the basis of social and educational criteria but it is silent with respect to an economic perspective. Probably the situation at the time of framing the constitution didn't warrant the inclusion of this very ceiling.

But the tables have turned now or they are seems to be turning. Now the economically sound reserved category aspirants are making up to the mark but the poor dalits or other backward communities including schedule tribes are still struggling for their dream of nilli batti. The situation has not much improved for these deprived section since independence.

In addition to this there are economically backward aspirants among the unreserved categories who also deserve some sort of hand holding to fulfill their dreams. Adequate reservations could be one such mesure.

I strongly feel that reservation policy in our country needs some recaliberation so as to enhance the upwards mobility of a poor aspirant in the mad race for government jobs.