A Policy Reversed — And A Debate Reignited

Twelve years after it was first introduced, Maharashtra’s 5% reservation for Muslims in education has officially been scrapped. The decision, announced on february 18, 2026, by the BJP-led Mahayuti government, has reopened an old and deeply polarising debate — one that sits at the intersection of law, politics, and social justice.

This isn’t just about a government order.

It’s about what reservation policies mean, who they are meant to serve, and how easily they can be undone.

1️⃣ How It Began: The 2014 Ordinance

Back in 2014, when the Congress–NCP alliance governed maharashtra, an ordinance granted 5% reservation to Muslims in education and government jobs.

The move was pitched as a measure to address backwardness within sections of the Muslim community.

Supporters called it corrective justice.
Critics called it religion-based appeasement.

The battle moved swiftly to the courts.

2️⃣ The bombay High Court’s Split Decision

The bombay high court examined the legality of the policy.

Its verdict drew a clear distinction:

• Reservation in government jobs was stayed.

• Reservation in education was allowed to continue at 5%, subject to certain conditions.
  
  
  

That judgment shaped the next decade. While employment quotas were halted, the educational reservation remained in force.

Until now.

3️⃣ The 2026 Reversal

On february 18, 2026, the BJP-led Mahayuti government in maharashtra issued an official government order cancelling the 5% educational reservation for Muslims.

The coalition, data-aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party, framed the decision as part of its broader stance on reservation policies.

Predictably, reactions were immediate and intense.

For some, it was a long-overdue correction.
For others, it was a rollback of an inclusion measure affecting educational access.

4️⃣ Politics, Perception, and Polarisation

Reservation policies in india have never been just administrative decisions. They are political flashpoints.

This move is already being interpreted through ideological lenses:

• Supporters argue that reservations must be rooted strictly in constitutional categories and judicial scrutiny.
  
  
  

• Critics argue that removing educational access mechanisms disproportionately affects already vulnerable communities.

And beyond maharashtra, the debate has spilled into broader political narratives — including sharp criticism aimed at regional leaders and parties seen as data-aligned with or supportive of the decision.

5️⃣ The Core Question: Who Is Impacted?

Strip away the slogans, and one fundamental question remains:

Who is affected by the removal of a 5% educational quota?

For students who previously qualified under the policy, the immediate impact is tangible — fewer reserved seats, altered admission prospects, and heightened competition.

For policymakers, the issue becomes constitutional interpretation versus social equity.

For political parties, it becomes ammunition.

The Larger Context

India’s reservation framework has always been legally complex and politically sensitive. Courts have repeatedly emphasised the need for empirical data and constitutional backing when extending quotas.

Maharashtra’s latest decision doesn’t end the debate.

If anything, it intensifies it.

Because in india, reservation is never just about percentages.

It’s about power, representation, and the meaning of equality in a diverse democracy.