Merit is the only natural path to have a just competition for selection of few out of many available.
Historically, govts have its own policies to tinker with this natural path of justice by going for quotas or creation of separate compartments within a room. They go for the Merit within the separate quotas or compartments.
There are many kinds of quotas like
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Sports Quota- sports men/women who devote a lot of time & hard work to excel in sports and bring laurels to their city/state/country are given preference in job so that they can earn a livelihood. Promoting sports is a policy of not only govt organisations like IR, but of many corporates too.
Cultural Quota- cultural artists who devote a lot of time & hard work to master arts like singing, acting etc and entertain the public. They are given an opportunity to earn livelihood as it is felt that not enough opportunity of livelihood exists in the field of art & culture.
Physically handicapped-To help a small section of unfortunate and physically disadvantaged to survive in the world of competition.
Caste Based Quota(SC,ST,OBC) - as an attempt to help the people of castes which are considered as backward as per the govt. norms.
Freedom Fighter Quota- As recognition to the sacrifices made by persons to in the path of independence of our nation against British Rule
etc
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There are separate associations of the beneficiaries of the various quotas and they more or less act as a vote bank to politicians. So it is extremely difficult (if not impossible) to abolish a quota once created as no politician/ political party want/dare to lose these vote banks. So irrespective of the fact that it serves purpose or not, quotas are most likely be an integral part of Indian governance in future, and shall continue to remind Indians that they are destined to get divided and ruled. Earlier it was done by the Foreign invaders & Britishers, and now by our own leaders, for fulfilling their vested interests.