Kerala and Karnataka Model
In terms of their policy of
reservation for backward classes, Kerala and Karnataka stand out for
having extended the benefits of reservation to their entire Muslim
population. This has been achieved by including Muslims (minus the
creamy layer) as a distinct group within the broad category of backward
classes and then provided with exclusive quota. This distinct feature of
their reservation policy dates back to the colonial period. In the
erstwhile princely state of Mysore, affirmative action began as early as
in 1874 when a government decision reserved 80 % of the posts in the
Police department for the non-Brahmins, Muslims and Indian Christians.
In Kerala, the demand for reservation for under-represented communities
was accepted as early in 1936 in the princely states of Travancore and
Cochin, and in Malabar, even earlier, in 1921. Quotas were fixed not
only for caste groups such as the Ezhavas, but also for religious
minorities, the Muslims and sections of Christians.
Post-Independence, on the re-organisation of State of Mysore as Karnataka, all non-Brahmin Hindu castes and all non-Hindu minority communities like Muslims and Christians were declared as backward classes. In 1960, on the recommendations of the Nagan Gowda Committee, the category backward classes was bifurcated into backwards (28%) and more backwards (22%). Together with the quota for SC/ST, the magnitude of reservation rose to 68 %. The Supreme Court in a landmark judgment, however, placed 50 % ceiling on the quantum of reservation. Muslims as a whole continued to be considered as among the backward communities. The Havanur Commission, 1972 recommended the creation of a distinct category of minority group with reservation not exceeding 6 %. The State classified Backward Classes into three categories: (a) Most backward; (b) More backward and (d) Backward. All Muslims whose income is less than Rs. 2 lakh per annum have been declared backward and placed exclusively in one of the sub-categories of 'More Backwards' with four per cent of the seats set aside for them. According to the information provided by the state government to this Committee, this measure has led to a substantive rise in Muslim share in the state government services. The number of seats Muslims get in professional courses like Medicine, Dental and Engineering has also increased to a considerable extent. Between 1996 to 2002, 346 Muslim students were able to secure seats in Medicine, 258 in Dental and 3486 in Engineering courses.
In Kerala, the reservation scheme introduced in 1952, fixed the quantum of reservation at 45 % (including 10% for SCs and STs)).The beneficiaries included the Ezhavas, Kammalas, the Nadars (Hindu and Christian), other Hindu backward castes and SC and OBC converts to Christianity. On the re-organisation of the State in 1956, the quota for backward classes was enhanced to 40 %. Later the scheme was modified to introduce sub-quotas for major backward groups. A separate
Muslim share was fixed at 10 % that later rose to 12 %. At present, the reservation system in Kerala is as follows: Backward Classes 40 % (Ezhavas 14 %; Muslims 12 %; Latin Catholics 4 %; Nadars 2 %; Christian converts from S.C.s 1 %; Dheevaras 1 %; Other Backward Classes 3 %; Viswakarmas 3 %) and S.C.s and S.T.s 10 %.
Tamil Nadu Model
Tamil Nadu offers a model of affirmative action for Muslims or Muslim OBCs that is slightly different from that offered by Kerala and Karnataka. Unlike Kerala and Karnataka, Muslims as a distinct category are not eligible for reservation, yet most of the Muslim biradaris are included either in the backward or in the most backward list. The state government has done away with reservation on ground of religion, yet nearly 95 % the Muslims have been included within the fold of backward classes.
To begin with, the Muslims who were educationally backward were given special treatment vide a resolution dated July 29, 1872. Later it was extended to the 'aborigines' and low caste Hindus. As the Brahmins were grossly over represented in high salaried jobs, a Government Order (1927) introduced compartmental reservation whereby the non-Brahmins were to have 42 % of the posts available and Muslims 17 %.
Post Independence, reservation was extended to only the constitutionally recognized deprived categories, such as the SCs, the STs and the Backward Classes. Separate quota for Muslims was also withdrawn; rather various communities among Muslims considered backward were included in the list of Backward Classes. The Sattanathan Commission (1970) endorsed the 1951 categorisation, it identified 105 castes/communities as backward, and recommended 31 % reservation, whereas 18 % was left for the SCs and STs. Tamil speaking Muslim groups, such as Labbais, Deccani Muslims and others were included in the backward list. In 1980, 31 % quota for backward classes was raised to 50 % taking the total to 68 %.
Following the recommendations of the Ambasankar Commission(1982) the backward classes were split into Backward Castes(BCs), Most Backward Classses(MBCs) and Denotified Communities. The quantum of reservation currently is 69 %; far beyond the Supreme Court limit of 50 %. The Tamil Nadu Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Reservation of Seats in Educational Institution and of appointments or posts in the Services under the State) Act, 1993 was included in the 9th Schedule through the 76th amendment of the Constitution.
Post-Independence, on the re-organisation of State of Mysore as Karnataka, all non-Brahmin Hindu castes and all non-Hindu minority communities like Muslims and Christians were declared as backward classes. In 1960, on the recommendations of the Nagan Gowda Committee, the category backward classes was bifurcated into backwards (28%) and more backwards (22%). Together with the quota for SC/ST, the magnitude of reservation rose to 68 %. The Supreme Court in a landmark judgment, however, placed 50 % ceiling on the quantum of reservation. Muslims as a whole continued to be considered as among the backward communities. The Havanur Commission, 1972 recommended the creation of a distinct category of minority group with reservation not exceeding 6 %. The State classified Backward Classes into three categories: (a) Most backward; (b) More backward and (d) Backward. All Muslims whose income is less than Rs. 2 lakh per annum have been declared backward and placed exclusively in one of the sub-categories of 'More Backwards' with four per cent of the seats set aside for them. According to the information provided by the state government to this Committee, this measure has led to a substantive rise in Muslim share in the state government services. The number of seats Muslims get in professional courses like Medicine, Dental and Engineering has also increased to a considerable extent. Between 1996 to 2002, 346 Muslim students were able to secure seats in Medicine, 258 in Dental and 3486 in Engineering courses.
In Kerala, the reservation scheme introduced in 1952, fixed the quantum of reservation at 45 % (including 10% for SCs and STs)).The beneficiaries included the Ezhavas, Kammalas, the Nadars (Hindu and Christian), other Hindu backward castes and SC and OBC converts to Christianity. On the re-organisation of the State in 1956, the quota for backward classes was enhanced to 40 %. Later the scheme was modified to introduce sub-quotas for major backward groups. A separate
Muslim share was fixed at 10 % that later rose to 12 %. At present, the reservation system in Kerala is as follows: Backward Classes 40 % (Ezhavas 14 %; Muslims 12 %; Latin Catholics 4 %; Nadars 2 %; Christian converts from S.C.s 1 %; Dheevaras 1 %; Other Backward Classes 3 %; Viswakarmas 3 %) and S.C.s and S.T.s 10 %.
Tamil Nadu Model
Tamil Nadu offers a model of affirmative action for Muslims or Muslim OBCs that is slightly different from that offered by Kerala and Karnataka. Unlike Kerala and Karnataka, Muslims as a distinct category are not eligible for reservation, yet most of the Muslim biradaris are included either in the backward or in the most backward list. The state government has done away with reservation on ground of religion, yet nearly 95 % the Muslims have been included within the fold of backward classes.
To begin with, the Muslims who were educationally backward were given special treatment vide a resolution dated July 29, 1872. Later it was extended to the 'aborigines' and low caste Hindus. As the Brahmins were grossly over represented in high salaried jobs, a Government Order (1927) introduced compartmental reservation whereby the non-Brahmins were to have 42 % of the posts available and Muslims 17 %.
Post Independence, reservation was extended to only the constitutionally recognized deprived categories, such as the SCs, the STs and the Backward Classes. Separate quota for Muslims was also withdrawn; rather various communities among Muslims considered backward were included in the list of Backward Classes. The Sattanathan Commission (1970) endorsed the 1951 categorisation, it identified 105 castes/communities as backward, and recommended 31 % reservation, whereas 18 % was left for the SCs and STs. Tamil speaking Muslim groups, such as Labbais, Deccani Muslims and others were included in the backward list. In 1980, 31 % quota for backward classes was raised to 50 % taking the total to 68 %.
Following the recommendations of the Ambasankar Commission(1982) the backward classes were split into Backward Castes(BCs), Most Backward Classses(MBCs) and Denotified Communities. The quantum of reservation currently is 69 %; far beyond the Supreme Court limit of 50 %. The Tamil Nadu Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Reservation of Seats in Educational Institution and of appointments or posts in the Services under the State) Act, 1993 was included in the 9th Schedule through the 76th amendment of the Constitution.
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