In the shadow of India's constitutional dream of equality, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) stands as a litmus test for social justice. As we hit December 2025, fresh data from the latest civil services allocation reveals a stark reality: reservations exist on paper, but true representation? It's a distant mirage for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC).
With SC at just 7.65% in elite services like IAS, IFS, and IPS—far below the 15% quota—ST at 3.8% against 7.5%, and OBC scraping 15.92% versus 27%, the numbers scream underutilization. Why? It's not laziness or lack of talent; it's a web of invisible barriers that keep the bureaucracy a playground for privileged castes.
Picture this: A 2020 personality test analysis showed marginalized candidates averaging lower interview scores than general category peers. Top 10 interview ranks with 200+ marks? Zero from reserved categories. It's not overt discrimination—no panelist whispers, "Cut points for SC."
But biases simmer beneath: cultural, linguistic, and caste-driven. Hindi-medium aspirants, often from underprivileged backgrounds, score medians 10-15 points below English speakers. Remember Suraj Singh Parihar? He bombed his 2013 Hindi interview but soared in 2014 switching to English. Same candidate, same prep—different language, different fate. English isn't just a skill; it's a privilege proxy, tied to elite schools, urban networks, and family legacies.
This isn't entry-level alone. Promotions hit a "glass ceiling." In 2011, zero SC secretaries among 149 top posts—a stat that's improved marginally by 2025, but not enough. SC/ST officers enter services but rarely climb to DG or ambassador roles.
Age relaxations mean they start later, with less ladder time. Worse, empanelments turn merit into a farce: influence, referrals, and old boys' clubs rule. Chat with officers at India Habitat Centre; you'll hear whispers of generational networks favoring upper castes.
Tina Dabi, 2015's Dalit topper, celebrated as a breakthrough, soon became "the Dalit IAS officer"—a label that boxed her, limiting endorsements for plum projects.
Meritocracy? It's a myth peddled to mask inequities. True merit blooms from resources: coaching ecosystems in Delhi favor affluent, English-fluent networks. Post-selection, institutional support tilts toward the familiar.
Lateral entries—UPSC-approved shortcuts to joint secretary—boast zero reserved candidates. Scholarships for SC/ST/OBC? Shrinking, as JNU protests in 2025 highlight delays and cuts.
The fix isn't slashing quotas; it's expanding justice. Beyond seats, invest in scholarships, anti-bias training, and capacity-building for marginalized officers. Make interviews multilingual, blind merit assessments.
Republic Day 2026 looms—will we honor Ambedkar's vision or perpetuate caste silos? Exceptions like Dabi prove the rule: systemic change, not token wins, unlocks democracy's promise. Share your take: Is merit anti-Dalit, or can we redefine it?
