Reservation Policy
Rationale, Types, and Religious Exclusion Debate
Reservation in India is based on the historical injustice of the caste system — a social stratification rooted in birth within the Hindu (and related) religious traditions. The constitutional rationale for SC reservations (Articles 15(4), 16(4), and 335) is remedying the specific disadvantages of caste-based discrimination. Critics of the religious exclusion argue that caste identity follows converts even after religious change — Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims face the same social discrimination as their Hindu counterparts. The Justice Rangnath Misra Commission (2007) recommended extending SC status to Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims; this recommendation has not been implemented.
- Article 15(4): Special provisions for socially and educationally backward classes
- Article 16(4): Reservation in public employment for inadequately represented backward classes
- Article 335: Claims of SCs/STs to be considered in appointments — consistent with administrative efficiency
- Reservation quantum: 15% for SCs (population-proportionate to 1950 census figures)
- Rangnath Misra Commission (2007): Recommended SC status for Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims — not implemented
- Sachar Committee (2006): Documented socioeconomic backwardness of Muslim community — recommended OBC inclusion but not SC
- Pending SC bench: A larger bench is examining the constitutional validity of Paragraph 3's religion-based exclusion
● Tracked since March 04, 2026 · last seen March 26, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes