DAW 7th May 2026, Mains Answer Writting 2027

DAW 7th May 2026, Mains Answer Writting 2027

Question

Despite comprehensive policies for equity and social justice, underprivileged sections are not yet getting the full benefits of affirmative action envisaged by the Constitution. Comment. (10 marks 150 words)

Model Answer

Approach:

  • Introduction

  • Briefly mention that the Constitution promotes social justice through affirmative action measures such as reservation and welfare schemes for marginalized communities.

  • State that despite these efforts, many underprivileged groups still face exclusion due to structural and implementation challenges.

  • Body

  • Mention major constitutional provisions and schemes related to reservation, education, livelihood, and social welfare.

  • Then critically examine the limitations such as unequal distribution of benefits, poor education quality, limited employment opportunities, weak implementation, and continuing caste and social discrimination with relevant examples/data.

  • Conclusion

  • Conclude that affirmative action remains essential for achieving substantive equality and social justice.

  • Emphasize the need for better implementation, quality education, economic empowerment, and inclusive development to ensure benefits reach the most marginalized sections.

Introduction The Indian Constitution envisions a welfare state based on justice, equality, and dignity. To address centuries of social exclusion and discrimination faced by marginalized communities such as Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), Other Backward Classes (OBCs), women, minorities, and economically weaker sections, the State has adopted various affirmative action measures through constitutional provisions, reservations, welfare schemes, and targeted development programmes. Despite these efforts, many underprivileged sections continue to remain deprived of the full benefits envisaged by the Constitution. Body Constitutional Basis of Affirmative Action The Constitution incorporates several provisions to promote social justice and substantive equality:

  • Article 14 ensures equality before law.

  • Articles 15(4), 15(5), and 15(6) allow special provisions for socially and educationally backward classes, SCs, STs, and EWS.

  • Articles 16(4), 16(4A), and 16(4B) provide reservation in public employment.

  • Article 17 abolishes untouchability.

  • Article 46 directs the State to promote educational and economic interests of weaker sections.

Major Affirmative Action Policies and Schemes in India

  • Reservation Policies

  • The Constitution provides reservation in educational institutions and public employment for SCs, STs, OBCs, and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) under Articles 15 and 16 to improve representation and reduce historical discrimination.

  • Reservation in legislatures and Panchayati Raj Institutions under Articles 330, 332, and 243D has enhanced political participation of marginalized communities and women.

  • Educational Empowerment Schemes

  • The government implements Pre-Matric and Post-Matric Scholarship Schemes to support students from SC, ST, and OBC communities and reduce dropout rates caused by poverty.

  • The National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education of ST Students promotes access to advanced education and research opportunities for tribal students.

  • The PM-YASASVI Scheme provides scholarships for OBC, EBC, and DNT students to improve educational inclusion.

  • Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) aim to provide quality residential education to tribal children in remote areas.

  • Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan seeks to ensure inclusive and equitable school education through infrastructure development, teacher training, and digital learning initiatives.

  • PM POSHAN (Mid-Day Meal Scheme) improves school enrolment, attendance, nutrition, and retention among children from weaker sections.

  • Economic and Social Welfare Schemes

  • The Stand-Up India Scheme promotes entrepreneurship among SC/ST communities and women by facilitating bank loans for greenfield enterprises.

  • Financial support institutions such as the National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC) provide concessional loans and skill development assistance to marginalized communities.

  • MGNREGA guarantees wage employment and livelihood security for rural poor households, particularly benefiting SCs, STs, and landless labourers.

  • Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) seeks to provide affordable housing to economically weaker sections and vulnerable populations.

  • The National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) provides social security pensions to elderly persons, widows, and persons with disabilities belonging to poor households.

  • Tribal Development Schemes

  • The Van Dhan Yojana promotes tribal livelihoods through value addition and marketing of minor forest produce.

  • The Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006 recognises the traditional forest rights of tribal and forest-dwelling communities and seeks to correct historical injustice.

  • The Aspirational Districts Programme targets backward districts with poor socio-economic indicators, many of which have substantial tribal populations.

  • Schemes for Women and Vulnerable Groups

  • Beti Bachao Beti Padhao aims to improve the child sex ratio and promote education of girls.

  • Mission Shakti focuses on women’s safety, empowerment, and support services.

  • Reservation for women in local self-government institutions has improved their participation in grassroots democracy.

  • Welfare schemes administered by the Ministry of Minority Affairs seek to enhance educational and economic opportunities for minority communities.

Achievements of Affirmative Action

  • Improvement in Representation

  • Reservation policies have significantly increased the representation of SCs, STs, and OBCs in educational institutions, public services, and political bodies.

  • The emergence of a Dalit and backward-class middle class reflects the positive impact of affirmative action on social mobility.

  • Political reservation has enabled marginalized communities to participate more actively in governance and policy-making.

  • Expansion of Educational Access

  • Scholarship schemes and reservation policies have improved enrolment rates among disadvantaged communities.

  • Residential schools such as EMRS have enhanced access to education for tribal children living in remote areas.

  • According to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and NESTS, 728 EMRSs have been approved, of which 428 schools are completed, while 249 are under construction.

  • Welfare measures such as PM POSHAN have reduced classroom hunger and encouraged school attendance among poor children.

  • Under the PM POSHAN Scheme, the government provides nutritious mid-day meals to about 11 crore children studying in over 10.35 lakh government and aided schools across India.

  • Political Empowerment

  • Reservation in Panchayati Raj Institutions has strengthened democratic participation of women, SCs, and STs at the grassroots level.

  • Increased representation has improved visibility of local issues related to marginalized communities in governance processes.

  • According to the government, out of nearly 31 lakh elected representatives in local bodies, around 14.5 lakh (46%) are women, making India one of the largest examples of women’s representation in local governance globally.

  • Reduction in Extreme Poverty

  • Programmes such as MGNREGA and PMAY have provided livelihood support and social security to economically vulnerable households.

  • Welfare interventions have contributed to improving living conditions and reducing rural distress among weaker sections.

  • In 2025–26, the government allocated ₹86,000 crore for MGNREGA, the highest allocation since the scheme’s inception reflecting its importance in supporting rural livelihoods and social inclusion.

  • Under PMAY-G, the government has set a cumulative target of 4.95 crore rural houses, out of which over 2.82 crore houses have been completed by August 2025, improving housing security and living standards for vulnerable rural households.

Limitations and Challenges of Affirmative Action

  • Unequal Distribution of Benefits

  • The benefits of reservation and welfare schemes are often concentrated among relatively advanced sections within reserved categories.

  • The “creamy layer” phenomenon has resulted in unequal access to opportunities within OBC communities.

  • Many extremely marginalized groups, such as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) and certain Dalit sub-castes, continue to remain excluded from meaningful empowerment.

  • Socially and geographically isolated communities often lack the awareness and institutional support necessary to access government schemes.

  • Poor Quality of Foundational Education

  • Although reservation provides access to higher education, many marginalized students continue to suffer from poor-quality school education.

  • According to the AISHE 2021-22 Report released in 2024, the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) for SC students increased to 25.9, while GER for ST students increased to 21.2, reflecting improvement but still remaining below national averages.

  • High dropout rates persist among SC/ST students due to poverty, child labour, social discrimination, and lack of family support.

  • Language barriers and digital exclusion further hinder educational attainment among tribal and remote communities.

  • The digital divide became more visible during the COVID-19 pandemic, when economically weaker students lacked access to online education.

  • Limited Employment Impact

  • Reservation policies largely apply only to the public sector, whereas employment generation is increasingly concentrated in the private sector.

  • The shrinking size of government employment has reduced the practical impact of reservations in securing jobs for marginalized communities.

  • Many educated youth from disadvantaged backgrounds remain unemployed due to lack of quality skills and limited employment opportunities.

  • Informal sector workers, who constitute a large proportion of SC/ST labourers, remain outside the ambit of affirmative action protections.

  • Parliamentary responses in 2025 revealed that 377 people died between 2019 and 2023 during hazardous sewer and septic tank cleaning, reflecting continuing occupational caste discrimination and weak rehabilitation measures.

  • Weak Implementation of Welfare Schemes

  • Delays in scholarship disbursement and underutilisation of allocated funds weaken the effectiveness of welfare programmes.

  • Bureaucratic inefficiency, corruption, and leakages often prevent benefits from reaching the intended beneficiaries.

  • Lack of awareness regarding government schemes results in exclusion of deserving individuals.

  • Weak monitoring and evaluation mechanisms reduce accountability in implementation.

  • In several cases, poor last-mile delivery limits the actual impact of welfare initiatives in remote and backward regions.

  • Persistence of Social Discrimination

  • Despite constitutional safeguards, caste-based discrimination, untouchability, manual scavenging, and social exclusion continue in many parts of India.

  • Marginalized communities often face discrimination in educational institutions, workplaces, housing, and public spaces.

  • Crimes against SCs and STs continue to remain a major concern, reflecting deep-rooted social prejudices.

  • Social stigma and hierarchical attitudes continue to obstruct genuine equality and dignity.

  • According to the NCRB Crime in India 2023 Report released in 2025, over 57,000 cases of crimes against Scheduled Castes were registered, showing continuing social vulnerability and exclusion of marginalized communities.

  • Regional and Intersectional Inequalities

  • Tribal and remote regions continue to suffer from inadequate infrastructure, poor connectivity, weak healthcare systems, and low educational access.

  • Women belonging to SC/ST communities face multiple layers of discrimination based on caste, gender, and poverty.

  • Minority women and persons with disabilities often experience compounded disadvantages in accessing opportunities and state support.

  • Development outcomes remain uneven across states and regions, limiting the universal effectiveness of affirmative action policies.

  • Inadequate Economic Empowerment

  • Many affirmative action measures focus primarily on welfare support rather than long-term asset creation and economic transformation.

  • Landlessness, indebtedness, lack of market access, and inadequate credit facilities continue to affect marginalized communities.

  • Entrepreneurial schemes often face implementation bottlenecks and low institutional support.

  • Dependence on subsidies without structural economic reforms limits sustainable empowerment.

Conclusion

Affirmative action remains an essential instrument for achieving constitutional goals of justice, equality, and dignity in India. While it has enabled significant progress in representation and empowerment, deep-rooted social and economic inequalities continue to prevent the most underprivileged sections from fully benefiting from these measures. Therefore, affirmative action must evolve from a narrow quota-centric approach to a broader framework of inclusive development, quality education, economic empowerment, and social transformation.