The issue of reservation in India’s educational and employment sectors has sparked longstanding debates, especially within the general or unreserved category, where many feel that the system disadvantages them despite merit. In India's competitive landscape, even students who achieve scores as high as 99.9% may find themselves at a disadvantage due to the reservation quotas, which allocate seats based on social and economic backgrounds rather than strictly on academic performance.

These reservations, aimed at rectifying historic injustices and ensuring representation for marginalized communities, often create frustration among the general category, who feel that their hard work and merit are overlooked. For families within this category, the reservation system can feel like a barrier to accessing quality education and employment, leading to increased emigration in search of fair opportunities.

Adding to the sense of inequality, the perception is that many affluent political figures in india often send their children abroad for higher education. This creates a situation where the very policymakers who implement and defend the reservation policies do not experience their direct impacts on educational access and job placements in India.


As a result, while the majority of indian families navigate competitive exams, quotas, and high fees, some of the wealthiest politicians and business families can bypass these pressures altogether by leveraging overseas education options. This widening divide only intensifies the sentiment among the general category that policies are selectively beneficial, especially when influential families choose for their children to work or establish careers abroad rather than invest back into the indian economy or workforce.

Given these challenges, many in the general category consider emigration as a viable path, hoping for greater fairness and opportunities abroad. The combination of high taxation perceived unequal representation in academia and employment, and the mounting cost of living without proportional benefits can feel restrictive for those who are unable to take advantage of reserved seats. Emigration offers not only the promise of merit-based opportunities but also a chance to escape what some view as a policy framework that undervalues their contributions. While emigration has its own challenges, for a growing number of indians in the general category, it is increasingly seen as a way to gain financial and professional independence, as well as to find a merit-based system that aligns more closely with their aspirations and hard work.

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