Every year, millions of economically disadvantaged students and job seekers across India - regardless of their caste - struggle to access education and employment opportunities. A meritorious student from a poor general category family often gets left behind due to the rigid caste-based reservation system, while someone from a more affluent background but belonging to a reserved caste benefits. This creates a deep sense of injustice, demoralizing deserving individuals who have no social or financial safety net.

If this continues, India risks deepening social divisions and losing talented minds simply because help is not reaching the truly needy. On the other hand, transitioning to an economic-based reservation system (as partially implemented through the EWS quota) will ensure that support reaches the genuinely underprivileged—irrespective of caste. It will uplift all economically weaker sections and create a more inclusive, fair society.

Now is the time to act. With the youth demanding fairness, and the judiciary and policymakers already acknowledging economic inequality, we must push for a complete shift in reservation policy. We call on our leaders to replace caste-based quotas with a comprehensive economic-based system that ensures equal opportunity for all.