Caste based reservation system is an affirmative action program for protecting the oppressed castes

of India from caste based discrimination. It is important to understand the background of the caste
system to understand what it is and why it is required in the form it is now.

History of Indian caste system

Indian caste system is one of oldest surviving form of segregation present in the world. This system
is claimed to be a fallout of the Aryan invasion of India. In Sanskrit it is called the Chatur (four)
varna (color) system. It literally means four color system. The colors refers to the skin color of the
Aryans (white) and Dravidians (dark skinned). Since there was intermixing between these races in
the past, there were more shades.

The Chaturvarna system divided people in to 4 + 1 categories and Brahmins (clergy), Kshatriyas
(kings/warriors), Vaishyas (traders/landowners), Shudras (workers) and outcastes (tribals). The
top 3 - Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vaishaya were the 'purer' ones called the twice-born castes. Only
the 'purer' ones who were allowed to learn to read/write and prosper. Much of Indian history and
mythology describes the life and times of the twice-borns.

The Shudras were sort of like bonded laborers. The caste system assigned 'jobs' to castes by
birth. They were not allowed to change their jobs. Their jobs were usually the 'dirty jobs' to clean
dead animals, manual scavenging, farm labor. They were considered dirty and impure because of
their karma (sins) of in their past birth. These were the untouchables - Refer Untouchability.

Shudras were not allowed own land, own money or learn to read and write. Shudras were not
allowed enter the cities, villages where upper-castes live. Shudras lived at the out skirts of the city
or village.

Shudras were the most oppressed people of India. They are the poorest, most illiterate people of
India.

Outcastes lived in the forests and were isolated from the rest of civilized population. They had their
own traditions and gods.

The Shudras and the Outcastes were discriminated people of India.

Current status
Over the period of time, India broke in several kingdoms, languages and the caste system was more
finely divided into specific work based endogamous groups. But the basic frame work survived.

Demographics
Upper-castes (GC/FC)- (Brahmins, Kshtriyas, Vaishyas) Forward Castes (FC) or General Category
(GC) are the wealthiest, educated, politcally powerful in India. They are about 31% of Indian
population but represent about 95% of India in any non-governmental organization. They
dominate any where between 60-75% of government positions.

Scheduled Tribes (ST) - About 9% of population - amongst the poorest Indians living in remote tribal
areas with practically no modern facilities like electricity are available. Their tribal land are of
interest for their mineral wealth.

Scheduled Castes (SC) - These are the untouchable class - they are the landless people - socially
segregated, illiterate, ignorant and poor pepole of India. They are about 19% of Indian population.

Note: SC/STs are also known as Dalits (meaning the oppressed).

Other backward classes (OBC) - These people were the Shudras who in some parts of the country
allowed to farm on leased land. Eventually they were allowed to own the land they tilled. They
occupy about 41% of Indian population. These people were educationally, economically and socially
backward people but were not segregated as much.