Beyond the numbers: Reservation remains a cornerstone state policy

The citizens of a civilised society will get a sense of justice when they are entitled to equal opportunity in all the organs of the state. For every state to accelerate its development, it should ensure equal participation of all the citizens in all state organs irrespective of their gender, caste, ethnicity/race, language, religion, and geo/political status.

For any underdeveloped or developing state where there is no equal participation of all the citizens in all organs of government, reservations for backward and marginalised communities can be used as a tool to ensure equal participation. To achieve the intended goals, reservation policies must be part of a comprehensive strategy that addresses broader inequalities and undergoes periodic evaluation and refinement. So does reservation work?