Med body for reservation in pvt colleges

Citing a statelegislation enacted in 2006 providing for reservation of seats for SC/ ST and backward class candidates in private medical colleges, a PIL has sought implementation of thequota regime now.

    The first bench comprising Chief Justice M Y Eqbal and Justice T S Sivagnanam has issued notices to the state and central government, returnablein four weeks.

    According to the PIL filed by theTamilNadustatebranch of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), the state had enacted the Tamil Nadu Backward, Scheduled Castes and ScheduledTribes(Reservation of Seatsin PrivateEducational Institutions) Act, 2006 and it was gazetted on June 7, 2006. The Act provides for reservation of seats in private educational institutions for candidates from SC/ST and backwardclasscommunities.

    Noting that it has become mandatory for all the private educationalinstitutionsto provide for reservation as specified in Section 3 of the Act, the IMA state secretary Dr J A Jayalal said that not only the admission, even the fee charged by them for reserved categories should be regulated as per theAct.

Source:The Times of India dt 11.09.12

Mayawatiaffirmspro-Dalitimage withsternmessagetoIndiaInc

Tata Motors stands to lose R150-cr subsidy for not adhering to affirmative policy Sendingoutastrong,pro-Dalit signal to India Inc, the Mayawati government in Uttar Pradesh has decided not to release funds meant as subsidy for Tata Motors because it did not adheretothestategovernment'saffirmative action policy.

However,aseniorofficialof Tata Motors' Lucknow plant said the company believes it already employs more than the stipulated requirement of the three specified categories among its workforce but refuses to be drawn into a formal reservation per se.

"We are an equal-opportunity employer and we do not make any distinction among our employees on any basis whatsoever. However, for all new recruitments being done by us, we are giving our employees the option to declare their caste. But with the government not releasing funds meant as subsidy on this ground, we have been rendered uncompetitive in the market and put at a disadvantage as our goods are costlier than that of the other states that are giving many incentives to the industry. As a result, the second phase of our expansion plans has also been put on hold. The management is reviewing the viability of the expansion in the light of the government not releasing funds for us," the official said on condition of anonymity, adding that the company stands to lose almost R150 crore on capital and infrastructure subsidies itself. "The tax and transport subsidy, however can take that figure to a whopping figure," the official said. The state government support flows in the form of infrastructure and capital subsidy, interest-free loans and transport subsidy for those investing R100 crore or more, and was introduced by the Mulayam Singh government in 2006 to attract industrial projects to the state. But soon after coming to power in 2007, the Mayawati government tagged the disbursement of the benefits to the private sector to her wider vision of social equality and justice. In doing so, industry was expected to reserve 10% jobs for SCs, 10% for OBCs (including religious minorities) and 10% for weaker sections of upper castes for all government-supported projects.

With this move, perhaps the first such, the Mayawati government has very firmly put its affirmative action initiative, envisaging job reservation for scheduled castes, other backward castes and the weaker sections among the upper castes for all government-supported projects, above economics.

Continued on Page 2 The Tata Motors plant in Lucknow,whichhadexpansionplans of R550 crore in the pipeline, was one12projectsthatwerefoundeligible for the sops. But, with the company refusing to give an inprinciple nod to the affirmative action agenda, the state government last week decided not to release funds for the company despite having the budgetary provisions and has, instead, surrendered the money . "The attitudeof theprivatesectorontheissueof `positive'reservationsofar has been ambivalent to say the least," said an official closely involved with the state's social schemes,"andtheytrytotakeumbrage under the argument that they are equal-opportunity , merit-basedandcaste-neutralcompa niesandthatthedreadedC-word, with all its dubious distinctions, should not be allowed to enter into the hallowed portals of corporate India." However, according to the state government, the old, passive approaches to uplift the disadvantagedsectionsof society have failed and the new approach istoincentivisethecorporatesector in doing so. "The government policyhasbeenissuedafteralotof deliberation and it aims at striking a harmonious balance betweensocialequityandeconomic growth. The corporate sector should not have any difficulty in implementing this policy ," said VN Garg, principal secretary (industry)."Itisperhapstimethein dustry rose and acknowledge the fact that in our country caste prejudices and inequalities not only exist but run very deep and cannot be wished away.C oncrete steps and a diversified pattern must be followed to set the wrong right.Andindustryhasthepower to do so more than anyone else can,” said political scientist Ramesh Dixit, adding that if industrydoesnotvolunteertodoso, a legislation to that effect will certainly make things smoother.

Interestingly, a January CII study found UP was among the top 10 states when it came to the proportion of SC/ST staffi n industry.

Built on 300 acre in 1986, the Lucknow unit began in 1992. It makes MCVs,HCVs and a few LCVs too, apart from buses.
Source: The Financial Express dated 24.03.2011

Look who's talking social justice now

A caste census by CII shows that India Inc is divided on affirmative action but the idea is catching on


Itwasawakeup call for India Inc, recalls Jamshed J Irani, director, Tata Sons, when in early 2006, the then ministerforsocialjusticeandempowermentandtheCongressparty's Dalit face, Meira Kumar, started meeting top CEOs to seek their support for a legislation on employment reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the private sector. Irani who leads the affirmative action plan in the Tata Group that employs some 3.75 lakh people--tacitly admits that the corporate sector had not quite consciously worked to mainstream the idea till five years ago.


To create more jobs for SCs and STs, Meira Kumar said there was no third way besides voluntary action by India Inc. or a legislation mandating reservation. The idea of a statute gained political traction in the first term of the United ProgressiveAlliancegovernment, particularlywiththeLeftdemandingthattheindustryplayaleading role in empowering the less privileged--the SCs and STs--who account for almost a quarter of the country'spopulation.

Almost five years later, the CII, India's largest industry chamber, undertook the first-ever caste censusof itsmemberfirms--numbering 8,250 and employing 35 lakh--across the country . This, arguably , is also representative of India Inc. The survey, at first glance, shows the private sector in poor light, especially in states like Maharashtra, Gujarat and Karnataka, if one looks at its re sults from a narrow prism of the share of SCs and STs in the workforce compared with their strength in the total population.

In these two regions, SCs and STs are just about 16% of the workforce.Inthenorthernandeastern regions,theyare22%and24%,respectively, reflecting the average national With the threat of a legislation looking real, the corporate sector's response, according to Irani, was two-fold, and he explained this in detail to the Prime Minister. "It (quotas) is not really going to help them. Corporate India could challenge it, but would like to avoid this situation. So, let us cooperate. The CII and others will cooperate with the government on affirmative action and this will bring more benefit to SCs and STs." The government saw merit in the argument, and in the last five years, India Inc has made progress, but just enough to keep the government off from passing a law.

According to the CII's caste census, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Ra jasthan and West Bengal, some of the most industrialised states, show a sharp mismatch between SCsandSTsasapercentageof the total workforce in the private sector and SCs and STs as a percentage of the state's population. In Maharashtra, SCs and STs make up 19.1% of the total state population,buttheirshareinprivatesectoremploymentisonly5%.InGujarat and Karnataka, SCs and STs constitute just 9% of the staff strength, but account for 22% and 23%,respectively ,of thestatepopulation. Ironically enough, these arethestatesthatrankhighinthe pecking order, both in terms of the number of factories and employment. The only exception is Tamil Nadu, which ranks number one in industrialisation and employment and where SCs andSTs account for almost 18% of the industrial workforce and 20% of the state's population.

The states in east India, where jobs are far and few, have the highest percentage of SCs andSTs. So, in Bihar, which has little to show intermsof industrialisation,SCs and STs constitute a fourth of the total workforce, much higher than their 16.6% share in the state's population. Similarly, the private sector in Chhattisgarh has almost half its workforce from the SCs and STs community , comparable to their strength in population (See map).

Services today account for almost 60 per cent of the country's economy . In Maharashtra, according to the same CII survey, banks, financial institutions and information technology or software services companies con tributealmost18%tothetotalemployment. And within services, SCs and STs account for a quarter of the total workforce. "Most private sector is caste and religion agnostic," says K Ramkumar, executive director, ICICI Bank, who is responsible for human resources in the country's largest private sector bank. "In Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka,alotmorepeopleareeligible to apply for jobs because they are graduates," he says.

Down south, barring Karnataka, private sector in the other three states--Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala-can pull their collars up. Infosys board member Mohandas Pai, who is responsible for human resources in the most-celebrated software company, says, "If you look at fresh hiring at Infosys, much of it is from the disadvantaged section. Both the parents of 17 % of our fresh hires in Mysore arenon-graduates.Almost40%of these hires had only one graduate parent." A silent revolution seems to be happening from the bottom. "And this is happening in high-paying jobs, going right up to the top," says Pai.

Indeed, according to the CII survey , in all four southern states combined, the share of SC/STs among trainees in the IT and ITenabled services sector is 10 per cent of the total trainee strength.

If you look at the total employee stock across all levels of management, then it is only 5%. IT and ITeS account for 26% of the total employment in southern India and CII members alone employ about 1.5 lakh in the region.
Source: The Financial Express dt.24.01.2011

Political Parties and Social Organization Should demand for reservation in Outsourcing for Govt Jobs! as the outsourcing of Govt Jobs is order of the day!!

The Corporate affairs Ministry is planning to outsource the investigation of 7 Lakhs Registered companies’ accounts as the present 20 registrars of companies could not accomplish the work in time bound manner due to under staffing.  While considering the outsourcing by the ministry it should not forget to include the claims of SC/ST representation in the outsourcing.  The CII has opposing reservation in private sector, but govt outsourcing the work to private, ultimately the representation of the SC/ST in Govt got reduced because of outsourcing, to compensate this the govt should consider for representation of SC/ST in outsourcing by giving preference to the so called specialized chartered accountants firms owned by SC/ST or these firms may be asked to engage the qualified SC/STs in their firms.

            The news media like Financial Express which is enjoying the various concession from Govt for enlightening general public about the happening in corporate sector is advocating for corporate companies by conveniently forgetting that the outsourcing plans of govt will be at the cost of SC/STs reservation in Govt Jobs.  These Media/ paper neither support the reservation in private sector nor oppose the loss of jobs for SC/ST in Govt sector.  This is a sample for intellectual class of India running the news paper by availing various concessions from govt and boasting themselves as fourth pillar of democracy by not bringing the  glaring discrimination against 25% SC/ST population in India!    

Corporate affairs Ministriy plans outsource to probes into Companie’s books

Corporate affairs minister Salman Khurshid In order to expedite investigations into the books of companies, the ministry of corporate affairs is planning to outsource this job to specialised chartered accountant firms, reports Ronojoy Banerjee in New Delhi. Currently, this work is carried out by the Registrars of Companies.

To expedite investigations into the books of accounts of companies, the ministry of corporate affairs is planning to outsource the investigation related work to specialised chartered accountant firms.

Currently, the job is done by the Registrars of Companies (RoCs) but since it is highly understaffed it is unable to carry out probes in a time-bound manner.

The move to outsource the investigations came up for discussion at a meeting in Hyderabad last week where members of the Parliamentary standing committee on finance met the regional directors and RoCs for a stock taking exercise.“ Outsourcing investigation would guarantee the completion of the probe in a time-bound manner,”

a source who attended the meeting told FE.

An MCA official said the ministry was currently finalizing its views on the matter which would then be forwarded to the Parliamentary standing committee headed by the BJP leader and former finance minister Yashwant Sinha. "No decision has been taken yet. It is at a proposal stage at the moment we need to look deeper into the feasibility part of it," the official said.TheMCAofficial added that once the proposal becomes a law, though the investigation related work would be outsourced, the overall control would continue to  remain in the hands of the RoCs.

"Private f firms have developed a sound net work. A model wherein they join hands with he government would be beneficial to both," the source said. Currently, there are about 20 RoCs spread across the country that look into affairs of over 7 lakh registered companies in India.
The RoCs are both the repository of company information as well as preliminary investigation bodies that are authorized to look into company books once directed by the MCA as outlined in thesection234of the Companies Act. In September, the Parliamentary standing committee on finance had recommended that the RoC probe should be conducted in a ‘time-bound’ manner. The PSC also suggested that in a bid to strengthen compliance mechanisms the RoCs should conduct a probe into every company’s accounts at least once a year, which has been opposed fiercely by CII.

“The standing committee, through its recommendations, has sought to empower investigative agencies to keep a check on erring corporate houses,” a source said. The PSC has also recommended that statutory powers be given to Serious Fraud Investigation Office, an arm of the MCA. Corporate affairs minister SalmanKhurshidhad earlier said that the Companies Bill, 2009 should be tabled in Parliament in the Winter Session.

Source: The Financial Express dt 01.11.2010

Limits to Outsourcing /RoCs can't outsource their governance function

On the face of things, the corporate affairs ministry's reported plans to begin outsourcing investigation-related work to CA firms seems a good idea--the idea was discussed during a meeting of the parliamentary standing committee in Hyderabad with various regional directors and registrars of companies (RoCs). With 20 RoCs across the country to look into the affairs of 7 lakh registered companies, the task is a mammoth one and there is no way, as the parliamentary committee wanted, the RoC can probe every company's accounts once a year. It is in this context that the move to outsource some basic investigative work into account has been suggested.

But that said, several things need to be kept in mind. For one, if an audit is outsourced as it was in the case of telecom firms, and the name of the company is leaked, this causes its own set of problems--one of these audit firms complained it was being harassed by the company whose accounts it audited. Also, keep in mind that all these firms already have audited accounts--so what's being done is to ask another one of the same tribe to do the same audit again. Surprise checks and cross-checks can be a good idea, though industry would say it puts an unjustified burden on the audited firms, but the onus of making it work is on the corporate affairs ministry ­ you can get temporary policemen on hire, but it the job of the policing agency to make them work according to its standards. In any case, it is useful to keep the old 80:20 rule in mind: 20% of the companies account for 80% of the revenues. So why not concentrate on them? And, most important, when a company has been selected, do the audit fast and make the punishment equally fast--how many companies can you think of that have been caught by the RoCs and had the book really thrown at them? That, more than anything else, will ensure the other firms start behaving themselves.

Source: The Finanacial Express dt 02.11.10

Dr. Ambedkar Academy Organising Meet on Employment Opportunities in Private Sector for SCs/STs

Dr.Ambedkar Academy and The People’s Eductional Trust

Dr.A.Padmanabhan Mansion

L-73,Kavery Colony,24 Th Street,Annanagar East,Chennai-600 102.

Cordially invite you with your spouse for the monthly meeting on

Tuesday the 2nd of November 2010 at 6.30 PM at the above Prmises

Sub: Employment Opportunities in Private Sector for SCs/STs in the presence

Of Dr.A.Padmanabhan IAS(Rtd)

Former Chief Secretary,Govt of Tamil Nadu

Former Governor of Mizoram

Chief Patron and Advisor of Dr.Ambedkar Academy

Chief Guest

Thiru A.Ayyakkannu

Director Board of Apprentiship Training

Southern Region,Govt of India

Prsident:Mr.C.Chellappan IAS(Rtd)

Former Member SC/ST Commission

Managing Trustee,People’s Eduction Trust

Welcome: Mr.J.Ramalingam

Former FAO/UN Expert

General Secretary,Dr.Ambedkar Academy

Vote of Thanks: Mr.T.Rajendran

Excutive Engineer,TNEB(Rtd)

Mr.C.ChellappanIAS (Rtd) Mr.M.Viswanathan IAS(Rtd) Mr.J.Ramalingam

Managing Trustee Joint Managing Trustee General Secretary

The plight of Dalits and the news media

In the sky, there is no distinction of east and west; people create distinctions out of their own minds and then believe them to be true.
Buddha 

Shri S.Viswanathan-Reader's  Editor of  The Hindu

The new chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC), P.J. Punia, has begun his tenure by making a spirited appeal to the Central government to provide job reservation for Dalits in the private sector. He did not agree that reservation in private sector was a “misnomer.” He argued that the “private sector depends on the government, nationalised banks and state-owned financial institutions for its survival and thus cannot insulate itself from reservation.” Besides, he contended during a recent meeting with journalists in Hyderabad that the private sector also had a “social responsibility” to uplift the weaker sections of the people.
The next item on the NCSC chief's agenda is to streamline the implementation of the Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan (earlier known as the “Special Component Plan for Scheduled Castes”) in respect of budget allocations and put an end to the diversion of funds allotted to the plan. The Commission has prioritised its tasks: ensuring reservation for Dalits in the private sector and maximising the benefits of sub plans to Dalits.
Major concern It is not surprising that in a country in which a substantial section of the people, accounting for one-fifth of the population and segregated for centuries, remain poor, ill-treated, humiliated, and discriminated against, state intervention is the only antidote even after six decades of democratic governance under a republican Constitution. A major concern for the state is how to address the alarmingly rising unemployment among this section of society.
The Constitution provided for reservation in education and government employment for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes in proportion to their share in the population. This provision was made as part of the social strategy of affirmative action (or positive discrimination) to offset extreme historical discrimination and social oppression. If reservation, despite its existence for over 60 years, has failed to improve the lot of Dalits, the fault is to be seen not in the reservation system, but in the tardy way it has been implemented by the state. Disturbingly, there has been no concerted effort to take quality education to this section of the people.
The state's failure in this respect along with a flawed reservation system restricted to the entry point only helped ‘ caste-Hindu' bureaucrats to fill most of the higher posts on the ground that “qualified, eligible and fit” persons were not available among the Dalit claimants. Yet, if the establishment claims that Dalits have been appointed in government service in greater proportion than their share in population, it is because vacancies at the lowest levels are filled with Dalits, because, perhaps, no one else might be willing to offer himself for such jobs. It is surely a scandal that despite developments in technology, and in violation of a Supreme Court order, the central and State governments have failed to bring to an end the practice of manual scavenging and to rehabilitate those engaged in it in decent alternative employment.
While reservation has benefitted Dalits in general, it has not done much to elevate the majority of them to any higher position in society, mostly because of the state's failure on other fronts such as education and public health. And it must be remembered that a considerable number of these people remain outside this safety net. Over 70 per cent of Dalits live in villages and are dependant on agricultural activities.
Government policies have put severe pressure on employment in scores of public sector undertakings. Disinvestment, dismantling of public sector units and steadily falling state investment in employment-generating industries are posing serious challenges to the system developed after Independence. The policy trend of stopping or delaying recruitments has made matters worse. The policies of the governments welcoming foreign corporate bodies, very often on the investors' terms, have also contributed to the diminishing of job opportunities.
Time for another initiative It is in this context the NCSC Chairman's decision to press for extending reservation for Dalits to the private sector needs to be viewed. A few years ago, when a demand to that effect was raised, there was a positive response from at least some industrialists, but the global economic slowdown put an end to that. Now that the position has improved in many industrial and service sectors, it is time for another initiative by the government. It needs to remind private entrepreneurs, domestic and foreign, that they have a historic responsibility to help the state implement its social commitments. The question raised by the NCSC chairman is relevant: “When the deprived sections are taken care of, even in developed countries like the United States, why can't we have the same provisions here?”
The second item on the agenda of the NCSC is to get the Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan, which provides for each Ministry to allot special funds from its annual budget allocation for the benefit of Dalists, in proportion to their share in the population. The scheme, introduced in the early 1980s, has not been properly implemented for three decades. The Ministries are often charged with diverting funds under this head to other purposes.
The news media, which have recently been giving serious coverage to major Dalit problems and related issues in a complex situation, can make a real difference by bringing a new focus on the issues of reservation and the Sub-Plan. In addition to exposing atrocities against Dalits, the press, television, and radio should investigate systemic oppression, exploitation, and discrimination in greater depth.
Source: The Hindu dt 25.10.10

Employment opportunity in Tata Consultancy Service for SC/ST Graduate and postgraduate students

What you have lost others have gained. Your humiliations are a matter of pride with others. You are made to suffer wants, privations and humiliations not because it was pre-ordained by the sins committed in your previous birth, but because of the overpowering tyranny and treachery of those who are above you. You have no lands because others have usurped them; you have no posts because others have monopolised them. Do not believe in fate; believe in your strength.

Babasheb Dr.B.R.Ambedkar

Source: The Daily Thandhi dt 3.10.2010

Private companies refuses to give reservation for SC/STs

It is your claim to equality which hurts them. They want to maintain the status quo. If you continue to accept your lowly status ungrudgingly, continue to remain dirty, filthy, backward, ignorant, poor and disunited, they will allow you to live in peace. The moment you start to raise your level, the conflict starts. Untouchability is not transitory or temporary feature; it is eternal, it is lasting. Frankly it can be said that the struggle between the Hindus and the Untouchables is a never-ending conflict. It is eternal because the religion which assigns you the lowest status in society is itself divine and eternal according to the belief of the so-called high caste Hindus. No change warranted by change of time and circumstances is possible.

Babasheb Dr.B.R.Ambedkar.

Source: The Financial Express dt 4.10.10
SC/STs should boycott the products and services of these companies. Government should contemplate to withdraw concession extended to these companies in allotting land ,water ,power and subsides etc. The government of India should bring legislation for compulsory reservation and banning of  recruitment of companies by their own caste people.  Political Parties working for the upliftment of SC/STs should urge the Government of India to bring legislation not for 5% reservation in private sector but in proportion to their population .
Readers are requested to register their comments on the above subject.

RESERVATION IN PRIVATE SECTOR

"So long as you do not achieve social liberty, whatever freedom is provided by the law is of no avail to you". Babasheb.Dr.B. R. Ambedkar

MINISTER FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE MUKUL WASNIK HAS SLAMMED INDUSTRY BODIES AND CHAMBERS FOR BEING LAGGARD IN MAINTAINING EVEN BASIC RECORDS OF EMPLOYMENT FIGURES OF BACKWARD COMMUNITIES IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR

The green signal to caste-based census enumeration has also put the spotlight back on the whole question of reservations including affirmative action in the private sector.M inister for social justice and empowerment Mukul Wasnik has prepared a status report on the progress on that front and slammed industry bodies and chambers for being laggard in maintaining even basic records of employment figures of backward communities in the private sector.

It may be recalled that as far back as 2006, the issue of affirmative action in the private sector was taken up with industry bodies volunteering a code of conduct to help increase access to employment by backward communities.Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at that time had asked his principal secretary TKA Nair to look into the matter.

After being in cold storage for sometime Wasnikhadstirredthe

coals yet again by writing a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the matter in May this year.H e had been asked to prepare a status report on the issue thereafter.

The document, accessed by Financial Express states explicitly that, “the number of companies which have adopted a code of conduct on affirmative action remains limited. In respect of Ficci and PHDCCI this information is

not available.” The voluntary code also enjoined upon companies to initiate skill development among backward communities,w hich toohave beenfound to be lacking.

The report states,“ CII, Assocham, and Ficci have taken certain steps for skill development of the SC/ST youth, the actual training provided is quite marginal.” “The number of companies which are reporting data on appointment of SC and ST in their annual reports is also not available,”the report said.

The report makes it clear that, “there is no information available on the appointment of an Ombudsman by Industry Associations to monitor compliance with the voluntary code of conduct.” In the UPA-I, the issue of affirmative action in the private sector had been a big issue,but had gradually lost steam thereafter.

Wasnik’s report is to revive the process yet again.

Source: The financial Express dated 16.08.2010

 

Reservation in Private sector opposed by Financial Express Under the guise of merit and efficiency

“History shows that where ethics and economics come in conflict, victory is always with economics. Vested interests have never been known to have willingly divested themselves unless there was sufficient force to compel them.”Babasheb Dr.B.R.Ambedkar.

Reservations are inefficient in tackling inequity in opportunities

THE latest chapter of the Indian reservation saga involves the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), under the Union commerce and industry minister Anand Sharma, telling the corporate sector that companies benefiting from various government incentives may be asked to reserve about 5% of employment needs for the SCs and STs. This development has to be seen in continuity with the common minimum programme announced by UPA-1, wherein "a national dialogue with all political parties, industry and other organisations" was promised to figure out how affirmative action should be handled. Even at that time, the industry chambers--the Confederation of Indian Industry, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Associated Chambers of Commerce--expressed scepticism about quota legislation. And the pattern is being repeated in the present moment, where the chambers are once again arguing that reservations in the private sector will adversely affect merit and efficiency . Overall, this argument goes, India's comparative advantage will take a hit if reservations become de rigueur. We must note that the objecting parties are not against affirmative action per se.
The question is whether transmission losses between theory and practice are worth the gains. There is evidence suggesting that such gains will not really outweigh the pains.
Given India's demographic prospects and growth ambitions, we know that that urbanisation, development and skills enhancement are going to have explosive significance.
We also know that these prospects and ambitions are being addressed via public policy . But public policy must consider the efficiency principle as seriously as it likes to address the equity principle. Evidence from a range of sources points to the inefficiency of reservations from education to the labour markets. It isn't just about standards being lowered.
There is the issue of creamy layer cornering all available benefits, and then there is the question of whether the resulting ghettoisation is actually a desirable goal for a modernising nation. Does it merely reinforce caste categories instead of mitigating them?
Should the government not focus on addressing the inequalities in opportunity that arise out of a moribund education system, at primary, secondary and tertiary levels? The problem of differential access to education and skills cuts across caste barriers. Reforming that system is a lot harder than attempting populist gimmicks like job reservations. Overall, the proposal for caste-based reservation in the private sector appears extremely suspect.
Source: The Financial Express dated 04.08.2010

Response:
This is atrocious, the author instead of demanding reservation according to population of 2001 census of 25% in private sector opposing the reservation on the basis of merit and efficiency and insulting the SC/STs students. It is proved on many occasions on many fields that the SC/STs are excelled, if opportunities are given despite that these people are saying the same thing with ulterior motive, tries to corrupt the mind of the people with intellectual dishonesty.
The meritorious and efficient who have denied reservation for the past 60 years not able to abolish untouchability ,poverty  and crimes against SC/STs but they are closing their eyes and ear on 100% reservation given to priest community in temple without insisting any merit and efficient except their caste as qualification.
How dare he can oppose the reservation in private sector when 25 % of SC/STs are languishing utter poverty with raising inflation,  Every one knows  the so called national growth(GDP) benefits only people like him It is not beneficial to SC/STs ,Knowing well that the Government and private sectors are not giving equal education to all but at the same time applying uniform standard while selecting for employment. The poor village students have to compete with rich convent students. Whether uniform yardstick is followed for differently educated students. Have ever these people thought of it, The so called Merit and efficient at whose cost, If he continuously write like this he should be teached a good lesson.

It is right time to consider for reservation in news media also as they are also enjoying so many concession from the Government such as newspaper materials at confessional rates,state,central and public sector undertaking are spending crores of rupees on  advertisements in the news media , social security schemes ,postal concession rates ,Foreign tour with high dignitaries and accessibility to the Government ,The SC/STs representation almost nil in this field. Because of this non representation some people are writing against the SC/STs blatantly with irresponsible manner and following untouchability by opposing  Government policy of reservation in private sectors.