My views on reservations are absolutely clear and have been consistent over the years: India’s future cannot be built on the foundation of reservations. It must be built on the foundation of merit. This is not just a statement; it is a conviction rooted in the belief that excellence, talent, and hard work should define the destiny of a nation, not quotas carved out by political compulsions.
At the same time, let me also be clear that ignoring the struggles of disadvantaged communities is not the answer. India’s greatness cannot be achieved by leaving behind vast sections of our people. What we need is balance. What we need is clarity. What we need is courage to speak the truth: India must move from reservation politics to empowerment politics.
When the framers of our Constitution introduced reservations, it was with the noble objective of correcting historic wrongs. Certain communities had been denied opportunities for centuries due to a rigid caste hierarchy. They needed a fair chance to enter the mainstream. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and the founding fathers saw reservations as a temporary corrective mechanism, not a permanent entitlement.
But what was supposed to be temporary has now become permanent. Instead of dismantling social barriers through education, skills, and empowerment, political parties found it convenient to expand reservations and convert them into a tool of vote-bank politics. Every election cycle, we see fresh promises of more quotas, more extensions, more appeasement. India’s reservation system today has moved far away from its original intent of justice—it has become a system of political bargaining.
The biggest casualty of this obsession with reservations has been meritocracy. When seats in premier institutions are allocated not on the basis of talent but on caste, we compromise excellence. When government jobs are filled not by the most qualified but by the most entitled under quota systems, we dilute efficiency. When young Indians see their hard work go unrewarded because of reservations, it breeds frustration, resentment, and a sense of injustice.
This is not about attacking any community. It is about questioning a system that punishes excellence and rewards entitlement. A nation of 1.4 billion people cannot afford to suppress talent. We are competing with the best in the world—in science, technology, business, and innovation. If we continue to weaken meritocracy, we weaken India’s global standing.
Yet, in saying this, I am not blind to the realities of India’s socio-economic fabric. Inequalities exist. There are communities that have been historically disadvantaged. They do not have the same access to quality education, healthcare, or economic opportunities as others. But the solution is not reservations. The solution is empowerment.
True social justice does not come from giving someone a reserved seat in a college or a job. It comes from giving them the tools to compete fairly. It comes from giving them quality schools, access to higher education, skill training, and healthcare. It comes from ensuring that the child of a poor farmer or daily wage worker has the same chance to succeed as the child of an urban professional. That is real equality.
What India needs is a massive socio-economic empowerment program that focuses on education and skill-building. Instead of expanding reservations, let us expand opportunities. Let us ensure that no child is denied a good education because of poverty. Let us ensure that every youth has access to skill development that makes them employable. Let us provide financial support where needed, but let merit decide who gets ahead. It should be measurable and not only on paper.
Unfortunately, our political class has mastered the art of dividing India along caste lines. Reservations have become the easiest way to secure votes. Leaders compete with each other to promise more quotas—sometimes even crossing constitutional limits. The Supreme Court has already capped reservations at 50%, but we see states pushing for more, lobbying for exceptions, and manipulating categories.
This is not governance. This is politics of division. It is easier to give reservations than to build schools. It is easier to extend quotas than to reform the education system. It is easier to create entitlement than to invest in empowerment. But this easy route has a heavy cost. It keeps India shackled in caste politics instead of freeing it into a future of meritocracy.
If we look at global examples, no developed country has built its success on reservations. Nations that have risen to greatness have done so by nurturing talent, rewarding innovation, and celebrating hard work. Whether it is the United States, Japan, South Korea, or Israel—the common factor has been meritocracy.
India cannot expect to become a global leader while weakening its own talent pool. We cannot aspire to be the world’s innovation hub if our best minds are demoralized by a flawed system. We cannot dream of becoming a $10 trillion economy if we continue to prioritise entitlement over excellence.
So what is the solution? India needs a two-fold approach.
1. Gradual Phase-Out of Reservations: Reservations must have a sunset clause. We cannot keep extending them endlessly. There should be a roadmap to gradually reduce and eventually phase out caste-based reservations, replacing them with targeted welfare schemes that address economic disadvantage across communities.
2. Massive Investment in Education and Skills: The government must make education its number one priority. Every child in India should have access to world-class primary and secondary education. Skill training must be aligned with the needs of the future economy—AI, robotics, green energy, healthcare, and more.
3. Socio-Economic Welfare Programs: Instead of caste-based entitlements, let us build poverty-based support systems. If a family is economically weak, regardless of caste, let them receive financial support, scholarships, and healthcare benefits. Poverty does not discriminate—neither should welfare.
4. Celebrate and Reward Merit: Let us create a culture where talent is recognized, hard work is rewarded, and excellence is celebrated. Whether in academics, business, sports, or governance—merit must be the ultimate equalizer.
This transformation requires political courage. It requires leaders who are willing to risk short-term vote banks for long-term national good. It requires policymakers who will dare to tell citizens the truth: that reservations are not the path to equality, they are the roadblock to progress.
Yes, this may upset some. Yes, it may challenge entrenched political narratives. But leadership is not about comfort—it is about courage. And if India truly wants to rise as a global power, this courage is non-negotiable.
Reservations were once necessary to correct historical wrongs. But today, they have become a tool of political appeasement and social division. India must move from a culture of entitlement to a culture of empowerment. We must ensure that every citizen has the opportunity to compete on equal footing—but let merit decide who succeeds.
This is not just an economic imperative; it is a moral imperative. A nation that rewards merit will always rise. A nation that compromises on merit will always struggle.
The choice before India is clear: do we want to remain trapped in the politics of caste and quotas, or do we want to soar as a nation driven by talent and excellence?
For me, the answer is clear. India must choose merit. Because only merit will make India strong. Only merit will make India just. And only merit will make India truly great.