DEI: Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater

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Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. On 29 June 2023, the US Supreme Court ended the use of affirmative action, ruling that race could no longer be considered a factor in university admissions. This order reversed a two-decade-old Supreme Court decision that upheld the University of Michigan Law School’s policy of giving weightage to race as a factor in assembling a diverse student body.

The US Supreme Court's decision was in some way a reflection of the growing sentiment against affirmative action that emphasized, and advocated factors other than merit as serious consideration for access to opportunities. The decision also triggered a backlash against diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies, as reflected in the recent decision by Walmart to join a growing list of companies to roll back their DEI policies. Affirmative action has been controversial, not just when it comes to diversity but in everything else, too.

Governments in several countries have taken steps to create a sort of level playing field for historically disadvantaged groups by giving them special rights and benefits. The intent is to obviously compensate for the discrimination these groups have suffered in the past. The belief, and quite rightly so, is that in the absence of affirmative action, the gap would only continue to widen.