Understanding Affirmative Action Policies and Objectives

Affirmative Action Study Material for B. A. Second Semester (Honours), Paper I By T.R. Baruah

Introduction: In every society there are some or several people who have suffered and are suffering from deprivation, domination ,discrimination ,exploitation ,socio economic inequalities and social exclusion due to some historical reasons or due to the existence of some evil social and cultural traditions and practices. Women and several other sections of society are still facing challenges resulting from un equal treatments in social relations which demand some actions and policies both for elimination as well as for ensuring equality for them in all dimensions of social relations, interactions and gains of socio economic political and cultural relations. Those policies and actions could be regarded as affirmative action policies. Affirmative action originally refers to a set of policies and practices preventing discrimination based on race, creed, colour and national origins. Now often it refers to the policies positively supporting members of disadvantaged or underrepresented groups that have previously suffered discrimination in areas such as education, employment and housing.

. Historically and internationally, support for affirmative action has sought to achieve goals such as bridging inequalities in employment and pay, increasing access to education, promoting diversity, and redressing apparent past wrongs, harms, or hindrances. The term "affirmative action" was first used in the United States in "Executive Order No. 10925"signed by President John F. Kennedy on 6 March 1961. According to Oxford dictionary of Politics- Affirmative Actions are the policies designated to correct the past practices of discrimination against minorities ,women, the disabled and other historically disadvantaged groups. In practice, Affirmative Action means a policy of making sure that the people or groups such as women ,minorities ,racial groups ,deprived or marginalized people ,disabled persons, people belonging to weaker sections of society get a fare share of the opportunities for education, employment, empowerment and active and due participation in the social, economic, political ,cultural and work life of the society. Affirmative action policies are so designed that it can counter the discrimination on any ground like caste, colour ,race ,ethnicity ,creed, religion , being members of any weaker sections of society living in a situation of social exclusion.

In very simple words we can say that it is the policy of taking special care of the weaker, disadvantaged ,discriminated ,deprived or marginalised people who have suffered or are still suffering discrimination ,inequalities, differential treatments and exploitation in the society. It is a policy which seeks to ensure inclusion of disadvantaged groups that were excluded from full participation in citizenship. In India there are the system of reservation of seats in educational institutions, professional bodies, jobs, seats in the legislature and other political institutions at different levels for persons belonging to SCs, STs, OBCs, Women and other similarly placed groups or sections of the society. These categories of persons are empowered by affirmative Action policies. Objectives: 1. First objective of Affirmative Action is to eliminate discrimination against any particular section or group of people such as women, minorities, tribals , rural ,SCs, STs etc. 2. Secondly affirmative action is a preferential policy aims to ensure the inclusion of disadvantaged groups in the full participation of citizenship acts. 3. Third objective is to bridge the inequalities in employment ,access to educational and training facilities, protection and promotion of diversity etc.

4. Fourthly to compensate the disadvantaged people who are the victims of discrimination, exploitation and dominance. 5. Fifthly, Affirmative Action seeks to redress the existing social, economic , political and educational inequality and under representation of some groups of people in the society. 6.Sixthly, Affirmative Action aims at promoting some defined social groups or classes of society for giving them special access to jobs, seats in educational institutions, promotions and some special concessions, facilities ,scholarships and incentives. Here we can give some examples also. Equality is one important principle of Indian Constitution and thus to establish equality Indian constitution has provided for equality of all citizens before law and prohibited discrimination on the ground of caste ,creed, religion, place of birth, sex etc. Constitution also provides for protection and promotion of the special needs and interest of people belonging to SC and ST by providing them a system of reservation in jobs, educational institutions, promotions and seats in all legislatures and Panchayati Raj and Municipal local government institutions working in the country.

Since late 1980s, the people of OBC have been also enjoying some reservation in jobs and educational institutions. Indian government has also given the benefit of 10% reservation in jobs to all persons belonging to the category of Economically Backward Class. This policy of reservation falls in the category of affirmative action. system but all contemporary states ,both developed and developing, western and non western are undertaking the Affirmative Action programmes for securing a desired level of equalization of conditions of living of all groups of people or sections of society for ensuring equality of opportunity among them. The equality before law, equal citizenship rule of no discrimination on the basis of any artificial grounds are the features of the constitutions of almost all countries. For the socio-economic- political- cultural development of the entire society and for the development of the country the state must act through affirmative action to make all groups equal and capable.It ensure an equal opportunity for social and economic advancement of some special groups of people ,it does not create racial or gender preferences rather it merely removes obstacles to fair access faced by those disadvantaged groups of the society. At present it has no longer a unique feature of any particular political Thank You