Quota in promotion for SCs/STs in public employment

To satisfy their need for adequate representation a total of 22.5 per cent (15 for SC+7.5 for ST) posts are proposed to be reserved for promotion for SC/ST in public employment.

Why promotion quota for SCs/STs ?

It has been anticipated that the SC/ST communities are presumed backward, they have faced centuries of deprivation at the hands of society including deprived of access to temples, schools and the basic facilities of life.

Even today, dalit grooms cannot ride horses. The government should take steps to provide equality of opportunity to all socially deprived classed in society including SC/Sts.

Proposed promotion quota for SCs/STs in public employment will help in to shorten the gap and inequality between different classes of Indian society.

SCs/STs promotion quota

In 2006 a five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court, restricted the government to introduce a quota in promotion for its SC/ST employees unless they prove that the particular Dalit community is backward, inadequately represented.

Moreover, the opinion of the government should also be based on quantifiable data, where such a reservation in promotion would not affect the overall efficiency of public administration.

Constitution Bench observed that: "Even if the state has compelling reasons to provide such a quota, provisions does not lead to excessiveness so as to breach the ceiling limit of 50 per cent and such a reservation should not extend indefinitely."

Article 16 (4) and Article 16 (4B), deals with the State's powers for providing for appointments or posts for "any backward class of citizens" and unfilled vacancies of a year reserved for SC/ST, these provisions empowered the government to provide quota in promotion with consequential seniority to SC/ST communities.

Way ahead
As the constitution provides the "right to life and personal liberty", the government should took steps for upliftment of socially deprived classed including SC/STs.

But while preparing such policies the lawmakers should not forget to provide the "right of equal opportunity in public employment", that is guaranteed by the constitution irrespective of caste creed and religion .

A stable equilibrium between justice to the backwards, equity for the forwards and efficiency for the entire system, should be taken into account while enacting policies.