With no reservation, very few women had a chance

How important is women’s reservation?

Going by the candidates put up by the Big 3, reservation seems to play a very important role if a woman is to be given a ticket. In 2010, reservation was 33 per cent. This time, it is 50 per cent. It has resulted in an increase in women in the fray.

An analysis of non-reserved seats reveals that just nine women candidates have been given tickets in 101 wards. That is, in perspective, women representation is less than 3 per cent in wards not reserved for women.

Reservations also saw political parties scrambling for women faces. The Hindu ’s analysis reveals that 83 per cent of these candidates are fresh faces (that is, contesting for the first time). As reported in these columns, many of the candidates are either wives or daughters of ex-councillors.

In comparison, nearly 40 per cent of candidates in the non-reserved wards have had past experience, with many long-time corporators and former mayors in the fray.

Education

Roughly 30 per cent of the candidates have an SSLC as their basic qualification. Barely 7 per cent have a post-graduate degree or diploma while 15 per cent have under-graduate degrees.

Around one-fifth of the candidates do not even have an SSLC and the analysis points that a majority of these are women.

The average candidate

The portrait that emerged on analysis of over 550 candidates from the Big 3 — Congress, BJP and JD(S) — revealed that the average candidate is aged around 40, contesting for the first time and has an SSLC.