While the Constitution of India provides for equality of status to all the citizens, it also recognises the neen for special provisions in favour of the socially disadvantaged groups with the objective of bringing them to a level comparable to the other communities. Based on the thesis of the author's doctoral research, the present volume examines the impact of the policy of compensatory discrimination and the various constitutional provisions aimed at giving preferential treatment to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes especially with regard to the provision of resevation of jobs in the public services. The author analyses the degree of social transformation achieved dure to the implementation of the policy of reservation in the public services among the SC's and ST's with particular reference to the State of Bihar. Many significant findings have emerged out of the study. The beneficiaries of reservation have not only broken away from their traditional occupations but have also become examples for members of their communities in view of their power, prestigve and self-confidence vis-ý-vis members of the upper castes. Induction in to the government services has given a fillip to these communities to contribute actively in the development process. The volume also examines the implementation of the policy of reservation and the change that has occurred in the semi-feudal society of Bihar. The book contains valuable suggestions towards ensuring effective administration of the reservation policy. These deserve the attention of policy-makers, academicians and administrators engaged in the task of bringing about social change through constitutional means.

This Book Relates To The Indian Debate On Reservations - A Legal Provision That Guarantees A Minimum Presence In Various Institutions To Social Categories Considered Considered As Victims Of A Historical Prejudice. It Focuses On The Implementation Of Electoral Reservations For Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes And Women. The Book Thus Offers A Collective, Though Partial, Stock-Taking Exercise, And Adds To Our Understanding Of Reservations As A Policy, Their Limitations And Their Principal And Secondary Effects.

If India has emerge as a prominent economic power in the 21st centaury, the SCs, the STs, the OBCs and other minorities have to be equally equipped as any sector of the society. A holistic approach recognising diversity in the multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multilingual society like ours can be entrusted to ensure nondiscrimination and equal access to opportunities. Reservation' although an effective measure can be taken as variety of measures designed to end the oppressive discrimination. A level playing field has to be created to not only facilitate empowerment for downtrodden but also social harmony for all in the segments. This book has been organized into twelve chapters and delves deep into the problem of social inequality and protective discrimination as a remedy to the profound evil existin in our society.

Caste-based reservations have existed in India for more than a century. Initially introduced by the British to bring about equal of opportunity in education, reservation was later extended to other sectors of the development process to overcome the economic inequalities attributed to caste. Even today, concepts like affirmative action and quotas are being debated to justify reservation. Caste-based Reservations and Human Development in India comprehensively analyses the impact of such reservations on the target groups, as well as on major human development indices, taking into consideration time series data. An alternative strategy of applying the democratic principle of caste-based reservation is also discussed.

The book is an outcome of a report of a major research project sponsored by UGC, New Delhi; entitled "A study of scheduled castes in two districts of rural Rajasthan" which was submitted by the author in March, 1995. It deals with the various dimensions of social change which are largely affected by occuptional mobility and/or continuity in the people of two major categories, viz .leatherworking and scavenging.

Affirmative Action, Commonly Alluded To As Reservation, Is One Of The Few Policy Instrumentalities Provided In The Indian Constitution To Peck A New Socio-Political Order Based On Equality And Justice. On The One Side, The Policy Seeks To Compensate For The Unprecedented Discrimination Heaped On The Marginalized Sections Of The Society, And On The Other Side To Empower And Integrate These People With The Mainstream Society, In A Sense To Oversee Their Transformation From The Status Of Subjects Under Ancient Regimen To That Of Citizens In A Modern Democratic Polity.This Book Traces With Brilliant Analytical Clarity The Impact And Consequences Of Reservation On The Scheduled Caste In Kerala.. What Is The Degree And Extent Of Their Social Mobility? Have These People Achieved Social Acceptance And Integrated With The Larger Society? Is There A Caste Differential In Mobility Among Them? What Is The Role Of Elected Sc Representatives In The Decision Making Process? What Is The Extent Of Their Political Mobility?These Are Some Of The Specific Issues Addressed In The Book. And This Makes It An Essential Reading For Those Who Are Interested In Understanding The Implication And Impact Of Reservation And, In A Sense, The Working Of The Indian Constitution For The Last Half A Century.