Debunking the Lies: Upper Caste Myths on Reservations Exposed

For decades, the upper castes have peddled the same tired myths to justify their privilege and undermine the struggles of marginalized communities. From crying "meritocracy" to whining about "reverse discrimination," their arguments crumble under the slightest scrutiny. The truth? Reservations aren’t about charity—they’re about justice. They’re an attempt to balance centuries of oppression, exclusion, and systemic denial of opportunity. Yet, the privileged continue to gaslight the oppressed, dismissing their struggles while clinging to unearned advantages.

This article dismantles the most common upper-caste myths with hard facts and unapologetic truth. If you’ve ever heard, "Reservation destroys merit!" or "Rich Dalits don’t need quotas!"—it’s time to set the record straight. The game has been rigged for too long. Now, the oppressed are speaking up, and the excuses of the privileged won’t hold up anymore.

Let’s begin.

Merit has been destroyed by reservations!

Oh, really? If merit was really destroyed, then how come your community still fills up 90% of the top positions in the country? You think it’s merit that got your great-grandfather his post in the British army, or your family’s decades-old monopoly on top educational institutions? Let’s be honest, you’re not all competing on a level playing field. Your family had centuries to establish itself as “meritorious” while the rest of us were buried in oppression and deprivation. If merit had any real role, it would show in the numbers, not in your unfounded claims.

We are being discriminated against now!

Discriminated against? Seriously? Maybe you should try being born into a caste that’s been so oppressed for centuries that we still can't even drink water from the same well without getting the stink-eye. For you, “discrimination” is being told you can't sit in the front row of the school bus. For us, it’s being denied the opportunity to even get on the bus in the first place. How about you check your privilege before complaining about a few percentage points in a government job?

Why can’t you rich Dalits be satisfied? You’ve had it good!

Oh, we’ve had it good, alright. You’ve heard of the “one in a million” story where a Dalit rises to stardom? Well, that's not the norm, my friend, that’s the exception, and even then, we're constantly reminded of our place. When a Dalit makes a little bit of progress, you’re quick to point out how we're "rich." But the rest of us are still waiting for that mythical treasure chest of wealth that you think we’ve discovered. Guess what? We still can’t even own land without running into a thousand barriers, and you think we’re rolling in gold? Try again.

Reservation is reverse discrimination!

Reverse discrimination? Oh, the irony is delicious. For centuries, the same people who held the power and wealth are now whining about reverse discrimination because for once, their positions are threatened by the idea of equality. Imagine if the tables were turned and suddenly, you were denied access to basic rights and opportunities for a few hundred years. Would you still call it reverse discrimination, or would you cry for justice? And, by the way, the reservation isn’t a free pass; it’s an attempt to level a playing field that has been tilted against us since time immemorial. If anything, it’s a long-overdue compensation.

You’re just using reservation as an excuse for not working hard

I’m sorry, but last I checked, we are the ones who’ve had to work twice as hard just to get in the door. It’s cute when you claim it’s all about hard work, but remember: hard work is a privilege when the path ahead is clear, and the door is unlocked. We’ve been dealing with locked doors and unlevel ground since forever. The fact that we still manage to enter, to rise, to succeed, is proof of tenacity, not an excuse.

There are no real ‘poor’ Dalits anymore!

Well, tell that to the millions of us still stuck in villages where the toilets don’t flush, the water doesn’t run, and the jobs are worse than slavery. Oh, but sure, there are no real poor Dalits anymore. The rich Dalit family you know—does that represent the entire community? Let’s look beyond your anecdotal "evidence" and examine reality: 45% of SCs still own no land. Compare that to your cozy little inherited piece of real estate. Don’t get me started on the stifling bureaucracy that ensures that SCs can’t access capital. The struggle is real. The only thing that’s changed is that we no longer need to pretend we’re content with the crumbs thrown at us.

Stop crying and start integrating! The system is fine!

You know what? If the system was “fine,” we wouldn’t be here, still fighting for our right to be treated as equals. Let’s face it—if the system had worked, we wouldn’t still be facing systemic atrocities and caste-based violence every other day. And as for integrating? How about you first stop making it impossible for us to integrate by clinging to the caste system like a safety blanket? Integration doesn’t happen with empty words; it happens when the roots of caste discrimination are pulled out and replaced with something called equality.

- A finance graduate and certified researcher, the author examines contemporary caste dynamics through empirical and policy-based insights.