Looking at reservation 
Reviewed by P. K. Vasudeva

Reservation: A Quest for Justice 
by R. K. Kshirsagar 
Kalpaz Publications. Pages 326. Rs 975

the fundamental rights regarding social safeguards of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes under Articles 15 and 16 of the Constitution are mandatory, inviolable and irrevocable. Hence, these cannot be violated by anyone, including the judiciary. The anti-reservation activists argue that the reservation in educational institutions and jobs for the SC, ST and OBC has brought inefficiency and merit has been crucified, resulting in disappointment for those with merit and bright candidates and increased inefficiency in specialised jobs where only the merit is fundamentally required. The author has inquired into this complicated matter, which has attracted the attention of the whole nation. While taking into account the criteria of merit and efficiency of the administrators, the level of their compassion towards the poor masses and love for the nation takes precedence over merit and efficiency.

The arch-enemies of constitutionalism have now started to challenge the social and economic provisions of reservation for the SCs and STs. Even the taking over of the private property for public benefit and the provision of protecting minorities under the Constitution is also being challenged in the court of law. These activists are openly arguing for the amendment of the Constitution for equality to all.

Our Constitution has pledged to secure justice to all people, with special reference to backward classes (SCs, STs and OBCs) and this is specified in the schedules, which are amended from time to time. The author has discussed in detail the scope of sub-categorisation of castes and classes included in the said schedules. The author has argued that the Constitution orders promulgated by the President cannot be varied either on the pretext of rationalisation of the Schedules or sub-categorisation of castes and tribes. The country has neither adopted the capitalist system nor the communist system. However, it adopted the mixed economy with socialist leanings. The country’s new economic policy is characterised by globalisation, liberalisation and privatisation. It is therefore moving towards the capitalist system, which has a number of implications. The author has discussed the concomitants and the effects on general public and the backward classes based on country’s new economic policy. The author says, in view of globalisation, the environment of international competition has increased. Therefore the weaker sections of society have to rise to face this competition for which they need to be empowered by the government by providing them special packages. The government has a large number of programmes to empower the backward classes – SCs, STs and OBCs – but their socio-economic condition is still not at a satisfactory level. The author has dwelt on agencies involved in coordinating, monitoring and evaluating various programmes proposed. A well-researched volume with a vast data to support arguments that have been built up. This book is a must for all institutional libraries.

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