equal by law, unequal by caste - International Dalit Solidarity Network

318 Wisconsin International Law Journal3. RESERVATIONS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOREconomic liberalization in India—with its underlying philosophyof increased reliance on market forces, a dismantling of controls, and adrastically reduced role of the state—has resulted in a shrinking of thepublic sector. The reservations model is therefore affecting—and able toassist—fewer people, inasmuch as government-related jobs are beingdrastically reduced. 345 Though poorly monitored and enforced, there is,as noted above, evidence to support the notion that Dalits have benefitedfrom the quota system. 346 Substantial divestment in the public sector,including the proliferation of joint ventures formed between public sectorundertakings and private companies, both domestic and foreign, serves toseverely undercut the reach of the reservations policy. 347 According toDalit theorist Dr. Anand Teltumbde,even if such entities technically remains a PSU [Public SectorUndertaking] and follows the reservation policy sincerely, it wouldstill have little or no scope to absorb the dalits in its staff. Whatevermay be the strategic considerations, the fall out of this processpractically amounted to shutting the doors of these new agecompanies to the dalits and to potential neutralization of thereservation policy. 348Reservations in educational institutions and scholarships forDalit students represent a critical component in Dalit socio-economicdevelopment. Economic reforms have, however, led to a freezing ingrants to many institutions. 349 The privatization of social services isturning education and health services into commodities only affordableto the rich. 350 A blind faith adherence to privatization as the lone paththat India must take, combined with the pretext that reservations345 Jogdand notes the loss of over 350,000 public sector employment opportunities between 1992–99 as a result of the downsizing of the state. Jogdand, supra note 317, at 328.346 See Teltumbde, supra note 152, at 13 (arguing that reservations in public sector employmenthave had positive effects, albeit limited ones, on the situation of Dalits, providing a degree ofbureaucratic influence to some, and providing hope of advancement to many).347 Id. at 13.348 Id.349 Id. at 12.350 Narula & Macwan, supra note 156; Teltumbde, supra note 152, at 12 (noting that spending oneducation has decreased while foreign universities increasingly partner with corporations to offerpricy outpost courses. Prestigious institutions have had to raise their fees while the new evenmore competitive job market is made harder to access for people who cannot afford to attendthose schools. Children in village schools especially lose out from an early age because theylack the ability to speak English, which business has turned into a hot commodity.). See alsoThorat & Macwan, supra note 158, at 260.