The present debate is the culmination of the ideas of the anti- reservationists and their hostility towards reservation. The Indian upper caste middle class is becoming restless because of the reservation issue. It feels that private industry is exclusively its domain and others should not be allowed to enter this sphere. It perhaps thinks that it has the exclusive rights for employment in the Indian industry and that the SCs/STs are untouchable even though they are equally qualified and competent. It overlooks the fact that the private sector is thriving today mainly because of the creation of infrastructure by the government.

On the flip side, those who oppose reservation in the private sector do not realize the fact that the Indian industry at no point was socially responsible. Though the SC/STs and the OBCs constitute the major group in the country's population, their share in the industrial ownership is negligible. The Indian industry needs to be progressive and shoulder the responsibility of ensuring equitable development of all sections including the depressed classes. They should wake up to the call of the day and offer reservation to the SC/STs voluntarily to fulfill the socio-economic obligations. Reservation in the private sector could stoke hope and optimism for them.

The Indian industry chambers are opposed to any form of compulsory reservations in the private sector. Instead, they have suggested the government put in place a system of fiscal incentives to encourage corporates to voluntarily follow a prescribed degree of representation of the disadvantaged communities in their workforce. According to PHDCCI president KN Memani, in the era of globalization, nation's effort to get integrated with the global economy would be compromised if reservations are brought in the private sector.

What's your say on this sensitive issue….?

Views-in-Favour and Counter-Views on this conflagrant battle are solicited. Your views should reach us at b_cognizance@iiita.ac.in latest by the end of August 2005.