Why affirmative action means more than Just quotas

Economic Times

4 days ago

The notification for the conduct of the next population Census has been issued. While the schedule for the collection of data is yet to be finalised, the government has announced that the collection of caste details will be part of the operation. Ostensibly, it is to find the socioeconomic profile of castes so as to take suitable affirmative action. Unfortunately, in common parlance, affirmative action has come to mean 'providing reservations as per the socio-economic condition of a caste'.
While one should support any attempt to ameliorate the status of the marginalised communities, it must be noted that the 'provision of reservation' is not the only affirmative action. In fact, it should be the last resort to support the most deprived sections. Babasaheb Ambedkar has argued that reservations should not become the rule or apply to the majority, but rather be an exceptional measure to support the most disadvantaged. For Ambedkar, educating the marginalised is the surest way out of repression.
SR Sankaran, the legendary Indian bureaucrat often remembered as the "People's IAS Officer" and a champion of social welfare and justice, particularly for Dalits, tribals, bonded labourers, and other marginalised groups, recognised this fact and set up an affirmative system for all to follow. He argued that there has to be a context-specific model of support that aligns affirmative action strategies with the type of deprivation faced. The Deprivation and Affirmative Action Model (DAM), followed therein has used differentiated interventions as per deprivation levels: free education for the economically deprived, residential schooling for those geographically isolated and enriched mentoring and psychological support for the socially and emotionally marginalised.
SR Sankaran was instrumental in setting up the Social Welfare Residential Schools in Andhra Pradesh in 1983. The idea was to provide highest-quality education to the poorest children by setting up Social Welfare Residential Schools. Unlike social welfare hostels (which are present in all states and often badly managed), these residential schools offer an immersive educational ecosystem. A close-knit arrangement nurtures confidence and aspirations-two qualities historically stripped from the marginalised. With over 268 schools and colleges in Telangana and 308 schools in Andhra Pradesh, the social welfare residential schools provide enriched education to more than 2.75 lakh students, nearly all of whom come from highly disadvantaged backgrounds. An exclusive society has been created for managing the institutions, recruitment of teachers and for constant monitoring of the quality of education. Over time, the schools flowered into intermediate, degree and professional education through specialised institutions like Centres of Excellence (CoEs), Sainik Schools, Law and Pharmacy Colleges and Fine Arts Colleges.
Teachers in this system are not merely facilitators but pivotal agents of change. Recruitment is handled through a specialised board, and professional development is continuous through initiatives like the Professional Learning for Educators Series (PLES) in collaboration with Khan Academy. Programmes like IMPACT bring parents to schools for dialogues on social issues, while QUEST encourages teachers to visit students' homes, deepening the bond between school and society.The results speak volumes. These schools consistently outperformed the state average in both Class 10 and Class 12 board examinations. Moreover, their students have secured prestigious seats in IITs and medical colleges through NEET, often at nearly double the state average success rate. Some students have even been selected for international exchange programmes and scholarships, highlighting the global competitiveness instilled by the programme. The Society invests heavily in holistic development through programmes like Youth Parliament, sports competitions and adventure camps. Confidence-building activities such as public speaking, cultural festivals and exposure to national and international travel have been embedded into the curriculum.The support of the state governments for residential schools has been pivotal. Governments are convinced that fighting deprivation requires adequate investments; the cost per student has been more than Rs 1.5 lakh per year. Governments have consistently posted highly committed officers like RS Praveen Kumar as head of the Society and given them functional freedom.
The social welfare residential schools proved, over the past 40 years, that by providing enriched education, even the most marginalised can be empowered to compete with others. It shatters the myth that excellence is the domain of the privileged. States and educational policymakers must internalise this lesson: social justice in education is not just about access, or about reservations, but about the quality, dignity and the empowerment it ensures. If the goal is to undo centuries of exclusion in a single generation, low-cost, one-size-fits-all approach, it won't suffice. The marginalised deserve the best. The Government of India has recognised the merit of this model and chiselled Ekalavya schools for tribals in the same mould. As the country goes into caste-based Census 2027, affirmative models like this shall get the first nod for forging social justice.