Finally, some data to chew on

THE NATIONAL Sample Survey Organisation’s (NSSO) count of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) has confirmed two facts. First, the various guesstimates regarding the proportion of OBCs, including the Mandal report’s figure of 54 per cent, have been incorrect. Second, the policy of across the board reservation is flawed. With the exact proportion of OBCs in the population of the country unclear, the government’s attempts to reserve seats in jobs and educational institutions for OBCs have been tantamount to putting the cart before the horse. After all, only when you know the extent of the problem can you fix it. Earlier this year, this had prompted the Supreme Court to seek an explanation from the government on three issues: the basis for fixation of 27 per cent reservation norms for OBCs, the rationale for determining who does or does not belong to an OBC, and the modalities for implementing the reservation policy.

Now the NSSO’s 2004-05 survey puts the OBCs’ share of population at 41 per cent. It also presents a varied and nuanced picture of the status of the SCs, STs and OBCs vis-à-vis the rest of the population. For instance, it finds that the literacy rate among the STs is 52 per cent, among the OBCs, 65 per cent, and among forward communities, 78 per cent. However, the buying power among OBCs and forward communities in rural areas is about the same. In rural areas, the proportion of the chronically unemployed is the highest among the forward communities, while in urban areas it is among the SCs.

By bringing to light the nature and extent of the problem, the survey fixes one part of the question. The other part is: given that some form of affirmative action is required, what form is the most suitable? Clearly, a one-size-fits-all reservation formula is not the solution. The survey points out many gradations among and within the various castes and classes with respect to literacy, employment and income. Therefore, the problem cannot be macro-managed. What is required is a series of targeted, context-specific and result-oriented policies that provide a helping hand where needed.