The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to examine a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking an overhaul of the reservation system in government jobs to incorporate income-based prioritisation within the Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) categories.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi issued notice to the Centre, directing it to file a response by October 10. The bench cautioned the petitioner’s counsel to be prepared for “a lot of opposition” as the matter could have far-reaching implications.
The PIL, filed by Ramashankar Prajapati and Yamuna Prasad through advocate Sandeep Singh, argues that despite decades of reservation, the benefits have disproportionately accrued to the relatively well-off within the SC and ST communities, leaving the most economically deprived behind.
“The petitioners, who themselves belong to Scheduled Caste and Other Backward Classes categories, seek to highlight economic disparities within these communities which have resulted in an inequitable distribution of benefits,” the plea states.
According to the petition, the present caste-based reservation framework — originally designed to uplift historically disadvantaged groups — now risks perpetuating inequality within these communities. It says that integrating an income-based prioritisation mechanism into the SC/ST quota system would better align with the constitutional principles of equality under Articles 14, 15, and 16.
The plea clarifies that it does not seek to abolish caste-based reservations but to refine them, ensuring that opportunities reach those “who genuinely require state support.” The petitioners argue that over the past 75 years, reservations have disproportionately benefited a select segment within the reserved categories, creating intra-community economic disparities and undermining holistic upliftment.
The court will next take up the matter after the Centre files its reply.
