Reservation, Rage and Resentment: In Light of the Politics of De-reservation

The debates around reservations have intensified yet again, with various modifications suggested, one of which is de-reservation. The backlog of vacancies in the reserved seats is a concerning trend, highlighting the failure of the ‘equality of opportunity’ approach in ensuring ‘equality of outcome’ as envisaged by the constitution. Reservation was a method strategically designed on the lines of substantive equality to correct historical injustice. However, based on the notion of formal rationality, the recent proposal of de-reservation reflects an illiberal understanding of the idea of substantive justice. The author contends that the idea of de-reservation will set a dangerous precedent that will have implications for the collective upliftment of the oppressed groups, rendering reservation for the oppressed almost ineffectual. Instead of safeguarding systemic mechanisms to empower marginalized groups to access the promised ‘equality of opportunity’, de-reservation will prove counterproductive to the constitutional guarantee of social equity.