Need for caste quota in pvt cos

Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) chairman Sukhdeo Thorat is one who delved deep into myriad socio-economic problems in the country and is known for his broad understanding of innumerable social issues. The leading proponent of reservation in private sector, Thorat believes that the economic liberalisation policy introduced in the 1990s had ushered in ‘backdoor de-reservation.’ According to him, there is strong evidence to show that hiring processes in the private sector are opaque and heavily pitted against the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Thorat spoke at length about issues regarding reservation to our correspondent Md Nizamuddin in an exclusive interview.

Leaders of India Inc say that they are not against reservations but it should be based on economics and not caste. Some others feel that investment will be more uncertain in an increasingly competitive world if jobs are given on the basis of caste rather than capability. What is your take?

Yes, indeed jobs should be given on merit. The issue is that some jobs are not given based on merit. If you have to take a meritorious person from certain caste or certain religion or certain group who are denied equal employment, then taking the meritorious student through reservation is necessary. By not doing so you are hampering the productivity and competitiveness. In order to avoid discrimination, you have to have a reservation policy. Our country's efficiency will increase.

Public sector has reservations for jobs according to constitutional provisions. But in the private sector, there is no such compulsion. Without amending the Constitution, how can it be implemented? Do you think the BJP government will amend the Constitution?

I think there is a need of some sort of affirmative action. In principle, private sector accepted reservations in the last decade, but it was voluntary and self regulatory. But it is not working properly. So, you require some kind of administrative decision, which has accountability. Whether this government will do or not, I have not seen any statement so far on reservation in private sector. So I can't say anything.

Even the government has not been able to fill its quotas for the oppressed – That being the case, how do you expect private firms to comply in the absence of laws mandating this?

Several efforts were being made in this direction between 2003 and 2008. The CII and ASSOCHAM had an agreement with PMO on Affirmative Action Policy that involved certain codes to be followed, some 15 to 30 codes. But acceptance was poor. It may not be accepted fully by all, which requires some kind of obligation, through an administrative decision. You also require monitoring authority so that you are accountable.

Don't you think that the private sector will lose its competitiveness and efficiency if people with less talent are hired only on the basis of caste?

The point is that today there is no competition. The current recruitment method, recruitment on campus, through website and through agencies is not transparent and there is huge scope for discrimination. There is a paper by Ashwini Despande and Thomas E Weisskopf which proves that it has only added to the efficiency in public sector like Railways. The SCs and STs are more efficient than others. I think the efficiency arguments are biased and stereotypes. As most of them get job for the first time, they are conscious and work with more discipline and they are dedicated.

During the Congress regime, only about 800 out of 8,000 organisations registered with CII signed for affirmative action. Do you think the BJP government will take this issue forward?

Yes, you are right. Out of 8,000 only 800 signed Affirmative Action by CII which means there was no compulsion. Those who signed do not know the policy of Affirmative Action. I do not know if the current government will take this forward. However, we have to make efforts to pressurise the government to create a movement in that direction.