Ten per cent reservation of seats and jobs in government educational institutions and offices for economically weaker forward classes is an affront to the constitutional goal of an egalitarian and casteless society, petitioners argued in the Supreme Court on September 14.
By excluding Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes from claiming benefits under the 10% quota for 'economically weaker sections' or EWS, the government, through its 103rd Constitutional Amendment, has condemned the members of backward classes for belonging to the religions or caste they are born into.
The EWS quota stops people from freeing themselves from the shackles of their caste and religion. Even people who do not see themselves as SC/ST/OBC are compelled to identify themselves on the basis of their castes and claim quota from within the 50% available to them.
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