Whether it be for a job opportunity or admitting someone into a school, Affirmative Action is a practice that is commonly used across the world. Affirmative Action is the practice of taking an individuals’ race, sex, religion, or national origin into account when hiring or admitting them into a school. However, Affirmative Action is more prominently used by universities and colleges when they are during the admission process. This practice has been considered discriminatory among many people as admitting based off race may provide advantages or disadvantages to many groups. There are many arguments against Affirmative Action such as reverse discrimination, meritocracy concerns, and stigmatization.
Reverse Discrimination: Critics argue that affirmative action policies may lead to “reverse discrimination,” where individuals from historically privileged groups might face disadvantages or be excluded from opportunities solely based on their race or ethnicity.
Meritocracy Concerns: Some argue that affirmative action compromises the principle of a meritocracy, where individuals should be rewarded based on their abilities and qualifications. They believe that admitting individuals based on factors other than merit undermines the quality and fairness of the selection process.
Stigmatization: Critics claim that affirmative action can stigmatize the beneficiaries, implying that they are less competent or deserving than others. This can lead to negative perceptions and stereotypes about the abilities of the affected individuals, perpetuating a cycle of inequality.
These are just some of the many arguments against Affirmative Action. This widespread disproval from the people has led this to be brought up to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court ruled it unlawful for colleges and universities to take race into consideration as a specific factor in admissions. This is a major change in the admission process through admitting based on race has been eliminated.
However, there are many arguments still being made that colleges and universities will find a way out of this ruling. Since this case is so new, it is hard to tell what the major effects are going to be and if this ruling is completely effective. This ruling poses the question- is it fair for colleges to try to diversify their student representation by admitting based off race or, is it unethical?
Ayan Kumar's Blog 