Year: 2025 | Month: September | Volume 14 | Issue 3
From Campus to Policy Debate: The Role of Students in Challenging Bangladesh’s Reservation Quota System
Chandan Kumar Dan
DOI:10.46852/2249-6637.02.2025.6
Abstract:
This study explores the critical role of student activism in challenging the reservation quota system in Bangladesh, a policy originally designed to ensure representation for marginalized communities in government jobs and educational institutions. Despite its intended purpose, the quota system has sparked widespread discontent among students, who argue that it perpetuates inequality and undermines meritocracy. This research investigates how student-led movements have not only mobilized large-scale protests but also influenced national policy debates and public opinion. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, this study draws on qualitative interviews with student leaders, analysis of protest speeches, and media coverage, alongside quantitative data from surveys of public opinion. The findings reveal that the student movement, characterized by its grassroots organization and strategic use of social media, has successfully brought the issue into the national spotlight, forcing policymakers to re-evaluate the existing quota system. The movement has also highlighted the broader implications of youth activism in shaping public policy, demonstrating that student voices can serve as a powerful catalyst for social change. This paper contributes to the literature on social movements and public policy by providing empirical evidence of the impact of student activism on policy reform in Bangladesh. It also offers insights into the dynamics of youth-led protests in a developing country context, emphasizing the importance of civic engagement in democratic societies. The study concludes with a discussion of potential reforms to the quota system and suggestions for future research on the long-term effects of student movements on policy outcomes.
Highlights
- Student activism challenged the quota system: The study shows student movements directly contested Bangladesh’s reservation quota for government jobs and education, arguing it undermines merit and perpetuates inequality.
- Protests had real policy influence: Through grassroots mobilization and large-scale demonstrations, students brought the issue to national attention and pushed policymakers to re-evaluate the existing quota system.
- m Strategic use of media and organization: The movement’s success was driven by grassroots organization and strategic use of social media, which helped shape public opinion and amplify protest messages.
- Evidence on youth impact in policy: Using speech analysis, media coverage, and survey data, the paper provides empirical evidence that youth-led activism can be a powerful catalyst for social change and policy reform in a developing country context.
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