Opportunity Index - Alternative to caste based resevation

 Indian constitution provides "equality to opportunity " for all citizen. Following the policy of positive discrimination reservation to certain group of population for admission in educational institute and employment is provided by govt of India. Indian govt identifies caste and tribe as only impediment to equality of opportunity. Caste is one of barrier but not the only barrier. Their are many like gender, family income, rural accomodation, level of education and awareness of parents, etc. Their are people who have favourable position in caste hirarchy but not in other hirarchy and vice-versa. 21 st century india is diffrent from 20th or 19th century india. We cannot use early 20th century british narative to describe 21st century india. Caste is no longer class. Given the level of inequality , their is still need of providing reservation for upliftment of last man of line across every section of society.

For eg :- we can easily find students in IITs and IIMs of scheduled caste but it will be difficult to find student from family Which is Not economically sound given the though entrance examination which need coachings . These coaching charge high fee , unaffordable by poor family. Family educational background, rural-urban accomodation also have role to play.

Barriers are not simply caste, economic background, level of education /awareness of family , gender, access to ammenities etc acting individually . But They are funtion of all the above mentioned factor acting in totality. One cannot take one factor individually and make decision according to that but have to consider funtion of all factors in totality.


Their is need of index , where a certain weight is to be alloted to all factors and a weighted average is to be calculated that is to be called as - weight of opportunity. Based on this calculation a index is to be made and the candidate who have most disadvantaged postion is to be given preference.

 These prefence should not be only used mandatorily in the case of public employment but private employers should also be given option to recruite according to it. Private employer who follows such index for recruitment should be given tax benefits. Govt of india , should link this index to aadhar card which is to be revised after a fixed period of time , all the benefits should be given accordinglly.

This will bring more inclusive growth ,and contribute toward nation integeration and justice as Caste and religion based reservation are dividing society , they have done less gain than loss to indian society..