First All-India Survey on AYUSH

Introduction to Reservation and AYUSH

This content explores two distinct but important areas for the UPSC Civil Services Exam: the ongoing debates and judicial pronouncements concerning reservation policy in India, particularly regarding the creamy layer and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), and the findings of the First All-India Survey on AYUSH systems of medicine.

Creamy Layer Exclusion Principle

The concept of the 'creamy layer' refers to the affluent and advanced sections within Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs). The principle dictates that these individuals should be excluded from the benefits of reservation.

The rationale behind this exclusion is to ensure that reservation benefits reach the truly disadvantaged members of these communities, preventing their monopolization by the already well-off.

Maintaining Administrative Efficiency

A key consideration in implementing reservation policies is to ensure they do not adversely affect overall administrative efficiency. This balance is often debated in the context of promotions and appointments.

Jarnail Singh v. Union of India (2018) Verdict

In this landmark case, the Supreme Court significantly altered its previous stance on the requirement for data collection in reservation for promotions. This verdict has major implications for states.

• The SC reversed its stance on the necessity of collecting quantifiable data.
• States are no longer required to collect quantifiable data to prove the backwardness of a class or community when implementing reservation quotas for promotion.
• This ruling facilitated the government's ability to implement 'accelerated promotion with consequential seniority' for SC/ST members more easily.

103rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2019 (EWS Reservation)

The 103rd Constitution (Amendment) Act, 2019, introduced a new category for reservation based on economic criteria, known as Economically Weaker Sections (EWS).

• It provides for reservation to EWS in jobs in central government and government educational institutions.
• The amendment was introduced by amending Articles 15 and 16 of the Constitution.
• It specifically inserted Article 15 (6) and Article 16 (6) to enable this reservation.

The Act aims to promote the welfare of the poor who are not covered by the existing 50% reservation policy for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBCs).

Janhit Abhiyan v. Union of India (2022) Verdict

The constitutional validity of the 103rd Constitutional Amendment Act was challenged in the Supreme Court in the case of Janhit Abhiyan v. Union of India, 2022.

In a significant 3-2 verdict, the Court ultimately upheld the amendment. This ruling affirmed the government's power to provide reservation benefits based on economic standing.

First All-India Survey on AYUSH Systems

Moving to a different but equally important social issue, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) recently released the findings of a national survey on AYUSH systems of medicine.

This survey represents a significant step towards understanding the prevalence, infrastructure, and utilization of these traditional healthcare systems across the country. The findings are crucial for policy formulation in the health sector.