Affirmative action, Employment Equity, Reservation, different terms do not change the intent and spirit of the policy. Globally governments have always pushed the private sector to ensure workforce diversity in terms of ethnicity, local population, differently challenged, minorities and gender in their workforce. In few countries its mandated, and in most other countries it linked to tax benefits or incentives for the companies maintaining the diversity in its workforce.
Even as quota for locals and reservations for the marginalized and oppressed castes in private sector in India has been an uncomfortable debate for corporate India, the finding of first ever caste census in corporate India in 2011 over a decade ago can still put us to shame. It revealed that Schedule Caste (SC) and Schedule Tribe (ST) community employee strength in corporate India did not even closely reflect the actual population, and since then no concrete long-term measure have been to taken to rectify or even address the disparity.
The shrinking public sector and government jobs, and lack of interest among corporate India to implement the “CII’s Affirmative Action Plan” on a consistent basis has increased the gap of population to employed among the SC & ST) communities. Even in highly industrial states the gap is only increasing, there seems to be a thin hope in the services sector yet the jobs for youth from SC & ST community is far from satisfactory.
The SC & ST communities hold lowest of the nation’s wealth which is appx Rs 6.13 lac per household, leased land, low education rate, minimum access to loans and capital, hence the dependency on government schemes have been the best option.
International Labour Organization (ILO) - Institute for Human Development (IHD) India Employment Report 2024 shows that the SC & ST working ration to their population is higher but are restricted to unorganized sector, low education and no-skill jobs followed by the Other Backward Classes (OBC), whereas the General Category (GC) occupy the high-end jobs.
Hence, affirmative action and targeted policies for SC & ST has not really ensured better jobs or decent employment opportunities in the vast labour markets of India, discrimination and lack of access to education is clearly a major cause for lack of inclusiveness in a diverse caste ridden society.
Karnataka has a SC & ST population to employment gap in the private sector to an extent of 14%, behind Tamil Nadu and Kerala, so a lot more needs to be done proactively to reduce the gap. Few months ago Karnataka government in its wisdom announced reservation in all contract jobs across all government departments. Over 75000 people in Group C & D are hired under contract basis in various government departments, and reservation as per norms for SC & ST community and 33% for women is a welcome step. Over 2.5 lac posts that are vacant currently can help youths from SC & ST community and women to get employment directly with the government.
The ambitious “Ashadeepa Scheme’’ by Karnataka Labour Department that aims to encourage corporate India to hire more youth from SC & ST community through incentive program which should be taken advantage of and enable youth from SC & ST community to be job ready.
There are few states across the country who are promoting several other schemes to encourage corporate India to add more youth from SC & ST community to their workforce, and ensure access to training and employment. Given the strong measures taken by various governments corporate India has a responsibility to respond positively towards an inclusive society, and to reduce possible social unrest.
Society driven social construct deciding the destiny of one of the largest communities in India must end. If just 4-5% of corporate India CEOs are from SC & ST communities even as we complete 75 years of Independence from British slavery, then the question of when and how to end social slavery becomes pertinent. If Affirmative action and incentivization is the only way to make corporate India inclusive for every community then why evade the inevitable.
Kavitha
Reddy
Member,
Karnataka Building & Other Construction Workers Welfare Board