Skip to main content

Nehru and the OBCs

Nehru and the OBCs

By Netrapal 

Nehru, who was the first Prime Minister, probably sowed the seeds for OBC reservation in independent India.

Soon after the introduction of the constitution, a Brahmin student, Miss Dorairajan, was denied admission to medical college based on the quota formula that gave only two seats to Brahmins out of 14. The reservation was quashed by the Madras High Court and the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court held that there is no reservation possible under the new constitution for people other than the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes.

It was Nehru who brought amendment in Article 15(4) which reads
" Nothing in this article (Art. 15) or in clause (2) of Article 29 shall prevent the state from making any special provision for the advancement of any socially and educationally backward classes of citizens or for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes"

This clause was the first clause that enabled the executive to make "any special provisions" for the OBCs. The Mandal Commission used this clause to define OBCs as "socially and educationally backward classes," a definition the Supreme Court accepted. The Supreme Court decided that in Article 15(4), the phrase "socially and educationally backward classes" means that only social and educational backwardness can be used to identify backwardness, and both are important. Notice that educational backwardness alone or economic backwardness alone could not be the consideration for any relief from the state.

Also, Nehru introduced another powerful article, which enabled the supremacy of parliament, wherein the Ninth Schedule, Article 31B, was inserted to protect the interest of the parliament against judicial pronouncements.

This insertion of the ninth schedule has enabled many states, like Tamil Nadu, to increase OBC reservation beyond 50%.

Although Nehru was a great propounder of Merit, he was also a great advocate of OBC reservation. Historical facts cannot be twisted. We need to give the full picture.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Helen Mirren once said: Before you argue with someone, ask yourself.......

Helen Mirren once said: Before you argue with someone, ask yourself, is that person even mentally mature enough to grasp the concept of a different perspective. Because if not, there's absolutely no point. Not every argument is worth your energy. Sometimes, no matter how clearly you express yourself, the other person isn’t listening to understand—they’re listening to react. They’re stuck in their own perspective, unwilling to consider another viewpoint, and engaging with them only drains you. There’s a difference between a healthy discussion and a pointless debate. A conversation with someone who is open-minded, who values growth and understanding, can be enlightening—even if you don’t agree. But trying to reason with someone who refuses to see beyond their own beliefs? That’s like talking to a wall. No matter how much logic or truth you present, they will twist, deflect, or dismiss your words, not because you’re wrong, but because they’re unwilling to see another side. Maturity is...
Post a Comment
Read more

The battle against caste: Phule and Periyar's indomitable legacy

In the annals of India's social reform, two luminaries stand preeminent: Jotirao Phule and E.V. Ramasamy, colloquially known as Periyar. Their endeavours, ensconced in the 19th and 20th centuries, continue to sculpt the contemporary struggle against the entrenched caste system. Phule's educational renaissance Phule, born in 1827, was an intellectual vanguard who perceived education as the ultimate equaliser. He inaugurated the inaugural school for girls from lower castes in Pune, subverting the Brahminical hegemony that had long monopolized erudition. His Satyashodhak Samaj endeavoured to obliterate caste hierarchies through radical social reform. His magnum opus, "Gulamgiri" (Slavery), delineated poignant parallels between India's caste system and the subjugation of African-Americans, igniting a discourse on caste as an apparatus of servitude. Periyar's rationalist odyssey Periyar, born in 1879, assumed the mantle of social reform through the Dravidian moveme...
Post a Comment
Read more

India needs a Second National Capital

Metta Ramarao, IRS (VRS) India needs a Second National Capital till a green field New National Capital is built in the geographical centre of India. Dr B R Ambedkar in his book "Thoughts on Linguistic States" published in 1955 has written a full Chaper on "Second Capital for India" While discussing at length justfying the need to go for a second capital has clearly preferred Hyderabad over Kolkata and Mumbai. He did not consider Nagpur. Main reason he brought out in his book is the need to bridge north and south of the country. He recommended Hyderabad as second capital of India. Why we should consider Dr Ambedkar's recommendation: Delhi was central to British India. After partition, Delhi is situated at one corner of India. People from South find it daunting to visit due to distance, weather, language, culture, etc. If Hyderabad is made second capital, it will embrace all southern states. People of South India can come for work easily. Further, if Supreme Court...
Post a Comment
Read more