India has the longest history of affirmative action programs in the world and they have become the center of heated controversy between two clashing viewpoints. On one hand are followers of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, who was responsible for making an affirmative action program targeting the untouchable castes legally enshrined in the constitution. On the other hand, there is the viewpoint of those who advocate the abolition of these caste-based quotas in government jobs without advocating for other reforms that a libertarian would advocate to ensure the minimization of caste-based atrocities and fair treatment of all citizens under the law.

Moreover, involvement of the state in the selection process for educational candidates and career opportunities creates perverse incentives and leaves the door wide open for corruption. Is there a better way?

Yes, there is. Charitable schools for educating the disadvantaged, but hard-working and talented individuals. Vocational training may be offered to unskilled workers in return for a service term, abolishing copyright laws, etc. The possibilities multiply as one uses one’s imagination. Overall, whenever there is a healthy amount of competition among employers for prospective employees, irrational criteria like race and caste are set aside in favor of efficiency and revenue-generation because disgruntled but able employees may easily find a fairer and more generous employer.

We now move to the proportional representation argument. There are better ways to achieve proportional representation than quotas. One could decentralize decision-making power down to the village level and allow individual villages to frame their own policies. Villages with high proportions of untouchable population will be able to set their own policies and would thereby not be excluded from the political decision-making process. …

India needs a strong dose of free-market or voluntary/charitable solutions for its social problems. The problem of untouchability is no different.