From Affirmative Action to a Critical Analysis of Reservation Policy on Caste Basis in India under the Indian Constitution

MAROOF BASHIR; POOJA NEERAJ MARKANA; ADITYA PANDURANG MHATRE

From Affirmative Action to a Critical Analysis of Reservation Policy on Caste Basis in India under the Indian Constitution

Author(s)	Dr. MAROOF BASHIR, Prof. POOJA NEERAJ MARKANA, Mr. ADITYA PANDURANG MHATRE
Country	India
Abstract	The policy of caste-based reservation in India represents one of the most significant constitutional experiments in the pursuit of social justice and substantive equality. Rooted in the historical realities of caste oppression, exclusion, and systemic denial of opportunities, reservation was conceived as a form of affirmative action to uplift socially and educationally backward classes, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes. The Indian Constitution, through Articles 15 and 16, explicitly authorises the State to adopt special measures in education and public employment, thereby redefining equality as an enabling and corrective principle rather than a purely formal one. This research paper critically examines the evolution of caste-based reservation under the Indian constitutional framework, tracing its philosophical foundation, institutional development, and judicial interpretation. It analyses the historical context of the Indian caste system and explains why the Constitution makers consciously classified Indian society into different groups for affirmative action. The study further evaluates the role of backward class commissions, particularly the Kaka Kalelkar Commission, the Mandal Commission, and the Justice Rohini Commission, in shaping reservation policies and addressing emerging inequities within backward classes themselves. The paper also undertakes a detailed examination of landmark Supreme Court judgments such as State of Madras v. Champakam Dorairajan, Indra Sawhney v. Union of India, M. Nagaraj v. Union of India, and Jarnail Singh v. Lachhmi Narain Gupta, highlighting how judicial scrutiny has imposed constitutional limitations such as the 50% ceiling, the creamy layer principle, and the requirement of quantifiable data. These cases demonstrate the judiciary’s role in balancing social justice with administrative efficiency and constitutional morality. Through comparative charts and analytical discussion, the research highlights how the reservation framework has evolved since independence, particularly after constitutional amendments and commission-led reforms. While reservation has significantly improved representation and access for marginalised communities, the paper argues that challenges such as unequal benefit distribution, political misuse, and stagnation of criteria necessitate continuous review. The study concludes that caste-based reservation is not an exception to equality but a constitutionally sanctioned instrument for achieving real and inclusive equality. However, for the policy to remain effective and just, it must be periodically reassessed in light of changing social conditions, constitutional principles, and the broader goal of a welfare state.
Keywords	Caste-Based Reservation Affirmative Action Social Justice Equality Indian Constitution Backward Classes Supreme Court Judgments Constitutional Amendments.
Field	Sociology > Politics
Published In	Volume 8, Issue 1, January-February 2026
Published On	2026-02-13

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From Affirmative Action to a Critical Analysis of Reservation Policy on Caste Basis in India under the Indian Constitution

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