Mandal Commission: Equality and Liberty

Stratification on the basis of caste, class and religion is a very significant aspect of life in India and its impact on the people of the country has been deep and lasting. Equality and liberty – elements which are very important for giving people a chance to lead a happy and meaningful life, have constantly come under threat because of these institutions which have divided the nation and afflicted large sections of the population for a very long time. The Mandal Commission, headed by Bindheshwari Prasad Mandal (M.P.) was established in India, in 1979, by the Janata Party government under Prime Minister Morarji Desai with a mandate to identify the socially or educationally backward. It considered the question of seat reservations and quotas for people to redress caste discrimination, by using eleven social, economic, and educational indicators to determine backwardness. This essay is a critical examination of the Mandal commission report, its intent, execution and aftermath with respect to the values of equality and liberty.