What is the historical purpose of India's reservation system?

The historical purpose of India’s reservation system is primarily to rectify centuries of social injustice, discrimination, and exploitation faced by marginalised sections of society. It is fundamentally described as a “programme of historical compensation” rather than a measure of simple economic reform or poverty alleviation. The system was designed to provide adequate representation in the apparatus of government for classes that had been historically excluded from administration. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, who pioneered and formalised the policy, justified it on the grounds of human and citizen rights violations, seeking to protect backward classes from social injustice.

The evolution of this purpose involves several critical historical stages:

• Pre-Independence Empowerment: Reservation measures first emerged in princely states such as Kolhapur (1902) and Mysore (1918) to counteract Brahmin domination in administration and support educationally deprived communities. The British Raj also utilised quotas for "depressed classes" as a mechanism for societal control, which led to the Poona Pact, reserving seats for backward classes within a single Hindu electorate.

Ultimately, the reservation system serves as a tool for affirmative action, ensuring that the state promotes the educational and economic interests of the weaker sections of the people with special care.