UPSC selection process - reservations.
Posted by Irus Extremus on July 17, 2008
The UPSC system of selection is a good balance of merit and affirmative action.
What i feel is needed is
Firstly, a clarity on the definition of General/Open Category seats.
Available here refers to giving a choice to candidates at the beginning of the application process
and
Given here refers to the end of selection process where the final list is prepared
should these “open-seats” be “available”+”given” to everyone including reserved category? (As the standard of performance of Reserved candidates goes up continuously “giving” seats will lead eventually to zero selections from general category as they have no quota once we use the definition that “General seats” as “given” to “ALL”) Which is double reservation.
OR
Whether these “open seats” should be “available” to those who mention their category as “General” in their forms from the beginning (As these seats are already “available” to everyone while applying. these should not be “given” to “everyone” once the reserved candidate has forfeited his right of applying in the seats already “available” to all)
and
Secondly, the question of responsibility of state.
Is it to “enable” the backward category to be able to compete for jobs on the same footing as with general via reservations in higher education?
OR
giving reservation in higher education and jobs both? which is double reservation and dilution of the concept of “equality of opportunity”.
Personal Verdict
1. General category should be open to only those who apply as general since the option to apply as general is available to all
2. Reservation benefit should be available at one point, either jobs OR in higher education at the discretion of the candidate, NOT both.
August 15, 2008 at 3:23 pm
upsc does a good job & its the only organisation whose integrity is beyond challenge, offlate it has been vandalized by mandal politicians & student unions that it is discriminating them which is a cheap publicity stunt
in india we fallow a policy of positive affirmative action 2 represent the underrepresented classes in jobs & 49.5% is bench marked for them
regarding the 50-5%, it is open or unreserved which is open to everyone & needs to be filled purely by merit & if it is made open to ppl of of GEN,then 50.5% will become quota for GEN which violates the very principle of reservation as enshrined in our constitution.
the basic flaw in reservation policy is due reservation for OBC who are undefined by constitution unlike SC/ST whose criteria for reservation is just.
there many people in OBC category who really deserve reservation & really poor, but the agony is that under competitive vote bank politics many rich & politically assertive people like Sharad Pawar, Deve Gowda & not to speak about Tamil Nadu got themselves included as OBC’s.
these prosperous people benefitting out from reservation makes GEN cat person who competes under narrow competition feel frustrated against the policy of reservation & ultimately the reservation is turning out be divisive issue & its failing to fulfill the purpose it tends to serve
also these rich people ruin the chances & oppurtunities of poor legitimate OBC’s from rural india who really deserve reservation for upliftment