Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Reservation is IN; Merit is OUT

It came as a surprise, but it was not unexpected. I am not sure what made the UPA government to announce the 27.5% reservation for the OBC’s in the government and central aided institutes in the country. This is in addition to the existing 22% reservation for the SC/ST, leaving just 50.5% seats for the meritorious students. This rule, if passed by the parliament, would come into effect from the next academic session, starting from June 2007.

Since I am from the General category, this decision by the government does affect me as well as my near and dear ones. So, whom should I blame? Whom should I lash out at? Is there any hope for people like me or is it all over?

Firstly, there’s noone to blame, but ourselves. There is a growing feeling amongst people in the General category that politics is a dirty game, and we don’t need to get our hands dirty by voting. Hardly 30% of the General category people go to the polls. Since they form such a small fraction, political parties are not interested in bringing out policies that would help the General category people. On the other hand, people from the so called backward castes vote. I have seen instances, where people, who work in other states, take leave and go to their native, cast their vote and come back to work. It is people like these that the political parties would bring our policies, not for those who sit back at home, stretch in their sofas, sipping a cup of tea, watching football or cricket and comment about politics.

If you have to fight a pig, you need to enter muddy waters and fight. You will get dirty, would require hours to clean yourselves. But entering muddy waters and fighting the pig is better than standing at the bank and crying out loud to the world that the pig is eating your vegetable plantation. Politics is very similar to that. We need to cast our votes, we need to elect people who would make policies that suit us. We need to show the politicians that its worth making policies for us, since we are a huge vote bank, and we have to muscle power to decide our government.

But I feel it’s a bit too late now. Once the bill comes up in the parliament for approval and its approved, no political party of this country would dare to change the rule. Once the bill is passed, the rule remains in this country for ever.

Something which I still cannot come to terms in how could the government could turn a blind eye to the reality and go ahead with such a decision. Its illogical to give reservations based solely on caste. It should be on socio-economic parameters. Moreover the reservation is extended to the children to people who have already reaped the benefits and moved to a better position in society, they are not backward in any terms, but still continue to be benefited by the rule.

Dr. Ambedkar, who first proposed reservation for the backward communities, was very clear in the way reservation should be used. He had said that reservation should be for a fixed time frame, and should be withdrawn immediately after that time frame. But our power intoxicated politicians, chose reservation as an instrument to stay in power, and have never taken steps to go forward in the manner suggested by Dr. Ambedkar.

Pandit Nehru also was quoted that the day reservation is implemented, and the first class students are sidelined for the second and third class, our country is doomed. Its shameful that our politicians, in their move to gather votes to stay in power, turn a deaf ear to the words of such statesmen.

The decision also came as a shock to the medical students who had been protesting against the reservation for the past 11 days. They were beaten up by police, water cannoned, intimidated and threatened, but they stood their ground. Their demand was that an independent committee be set up to study the effect of reservation and to change the rule if the study found that the existing rule was effective/ineffective. To any sane person, their demands were just, but not to the politicians. I am not sure, how the doctors are planning to react to the decision by the government.

The government had earlier stated that they would be looking at increasing the number of seats in the institutions, as well as implementing quotas in a phased manner, but nothing of that sort has happened. The government has decided to implement quotas in one go and there has been no indication of any increase in the number of seats.

The future looks very dim for people of General category. With this new rule, there would be many students, who would have to return home empty handed inspite of their best efforts to gain admission to prestigious colleges. Families who are well off, have an option of sending their students to private colleges or to universities abroad. What about an ordinary middle class General category human? Does the government believe that all the General category people are well off, with ample money to sponsor their children’s education?

The government is not ready to sit back after this. They are planning to implement reservations for the backward class in private jobs also. All this one sided policies are making me feel that it’s a curse to have been born in the General category. No admission to colleges and now no jobs.

I wouldn’t want to run away from the situation, which is the easiest way out. I would love to fight, to cast my vote and try to bring in a government or party who would fight for equality of human beings, a government who works for the betterment for the nation. I would love to throw out government or parties, who divide people on the basis of caste. I would love to fight.

But if I fail, then I would want to move out of this country. It’s hopeless to stay in a country, where you pay taxes and still end up at the receiving end. I would not like to let my children grow in a place, where merit and hard work has lesser importance that the caste one belongs to.

Finally, I hope Arjun Singh is might pleased after having engraved his name in the political history of the country. I also hope that the pro-reservation lobby is overjoyed by the implementation of the new rule. I sincerely hope that the standards of the colleges do not fall. India is still regarded highly by the world for the high caliber of students that the top colleges of our country churn out, I hope that the new rule does not dent that belief of the world.

At the end of the day, I cannot do anything, but take things with a pinch of salt. Indeed, merit has been sacrificed at the altar.

16 Comments:

At May 24, 2006 4:57 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm an OBC myself. The fundamental flaw in this whole issue is that it is cast based. We are perpetuating an evil, dividing the society on caste lines and giving an open invitation to people who want to exploit the caste system to draw people away from hinduism. Can you be sure its not a perfect plan? I'm convinced it is.

Its not the complete design though, religion based quota is just a matter of time. This present move is also for preparing a landing area for that proposal. who gets benefitted from a weak, regressive, uncompetitive India which is also not united? I don't and you don't. Then who is running this show? think for yourself.

 
At May 24, 2006 6:46 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I seem to be a little lost but I didn't think I'd miss the day when 50% was decreed to be a minority...Anyway I agree with you. I would surely, given the opportunity, leave this country but not without a great deal of sorrow and though it is shameful for a country so great as ours, pity. Oh I say without an iota of pride that I have, till this time given little heed to any reservation. I have just looked upon it as just another challenge - endeavouring to stay high above the cut offs and I have succeeded till this time too but there is limit. This is not about you or me or even all of us students.It is aout the future of our beloved India.This is not to say that people form the reserved class lack in any quality but a sword goes blunt without war. Few of those who have always lived with the comfortable assurance of a reserved berth will ever try too hard, quality will plummet and we will be trapped in vicious circle. Seven to eight years on the the 2007 batch will pass out with increased reservation in place. Assuredly atleast 40% of the whole batch will be rejected by industry. This evil will lead to the absolute doom...a law that will enforce caste based reservation in the prvate sectors for jobs...What then will be the image of this now resurgent India in the eyes of the world?

 
At May 24, 2006 9:04 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dude, the fact is simple. India is still a poor country with lot of uneducated guys capable of moving political establishment. So things like this are bound to happen.

 
At May 25, 2006 4:23 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

can we teach this government a lesson?

we would need the help of all sane people including those from the sc/st/obc who see through this divisive tactic!!

How about refusal of healthcare support by all non quota medical practicioners (any one who has not availed of quota including sc/st/obc's who have slogged it out) for all the members of the present government and their immediate families?

 
At May 25, 2006 6:50 AM, Blogger  ProfAshok said...

One thing that the professional doctors and engineers are forgetting is that the politicians have to look after their own interests first. This OBC reservation is good for them so thats it. A politicians view is that they struggle in a difficult political arena whereas professionals enjoy a cushy life. So why should the politicians listen to them

The political process in India was started by professionals who became politicians a long time ago. But since then the professionals have stayed away from politics.
If the professionals feel they are so talented why dont they organise, form their own party and win elections. If they are not willing to do that hard work, they should just shut up and accept whatever is dished out to them. The present politicians owe them nothing. They are merely looking after their own interests just as the professionals are.
If some politicians are unethical one can mention doctors too who have lead to high male-female ratio in the country,sky rocketing charges, and lawyers who let a case drag on for years, and engineers like those of MCD that will let a city like Delhi go to ruin just to fill their pockets, industrialists who will play games in the stock market the first chance they get and so on.

Why blame the politicians then. If professionals have any guts they should leave their air conditioned offices, serve people, fight elections and implement their own agenda. If they cant it is best they just shut up.

 
At May 25, 2006 10:52 AM, Blogger Arun R said...

@ Trok:

Well, I don’t believe that there is any conspiracy to draw people away from Hinduism, but I do agree with you that religion based reservation is soon bound to happen in our country.

Just like how the SC/ST/OBC’s claim that they have been “suffering” for the past thousand odd years, even religious minorities can claim that they also have been “suffering” for the past thousand years in our country. After a few decades, I’m hope even the General Category people are also able to say that they have been “suffering” for the past few decades.

Also, I read in today’s papers that Tamilnadu is planning to introduce reservation for Christians and Muslims in all educational institutes across the state. The state already has 69% reservation for backward castes, now with the added reservation, I don’t know where the General Category people will go!!!

@ Jay Pagnis:

People who can afford a payment seat in colleges or a seat in universities outside the country can easily get through this dilemma, but what about ordinary middle class general category? What would happen to them?

Its sad that the government are behaving as if such a category of population does not exist at all.

@ CJ:

May be this is high time that we should stop taking things as they happen. Its time to stand up against things which you feel is unjust. Coz, if you don’t, then its your near and dear ones as well as your future generation who are bound to suffer.

@ Anonymous:

I don’t think that would be a good solution. We need the help and support of our politicians. We need to make them work for us, not alienate them any further. They already feel that the General Category people are of no use for them in terms of votes, we need to make them think otherwise.

@ Amalh:

I agree with the first paragraph of your comment. Today’s politician do not feel the need to bring out policies in favour of the General Category, since this section of the population do not have any role in bringing our politicians into power. So you cannot expect politicians to do good for the General Category.

I totally disagree with the rest of your comment.

I believe that if each and every member of General Category realizes their mistake and exercises his basic right of vote, we can find a solution to this predicament. If politicians are made to believe that its worth bringing out policies in favour of the General Category, I think one sided policies like the reservation bill will no longer be brought into the system.

Its stupid to ask people to shut up and accept things as they are, just because you are not a part of it. We are citizens of this country, we pay taxes, and we have a right to equality in this country. Hence, if policies are brought about which would affect us, I feel its perfectly right for us to protest. Its our birthright, just because we are not in the center of things, it does not mean that we need to keep quiet.

Lastly, I think you are aware of how corrupt each and every system in our country is. Right from the post of a primary school teacher to being the chief justice of the country, you have to pay bribes. For an application to move from one desk to another, you need to grease many a palms. In a nation like this, you need a thick hide to survive as a politician.

If you are aware, a set of students from IIT had started a new political party, Lok Paritran. The party has already split. Its highly impossible to stand against the system, and since many of the present generation are busy settling, the support against the system would be less.

But there will be a time, when people would have had enough. If the present state of affairs continues, the day is not very far away. That day, I’m sure that there would be thousands of voices against the system, and these voices would change the system.

 
At May 26, 2006 6:32 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I AGREE WITH YOU RESERVATION IS BAD AND IT MUAT BE PROTESTED.I AM WITH YOU FRIEND.

 
At May 26, 2006 8:04 PM, Blogger Lost in Translation said...

Well lets look out if some Mr Ambedkar exist in General category as well...
Well i wish we had a person in general category like him who cud help us save those seats for a deserving candidate.
Well he had set this reservation for some 20 yrs i guess..
bt look its passed 50yrs now we still breathing in between acute racism in the name of reservation. Thanx to our politicians, well greedy that they are by breed, doesnt seem that nything in front of money matters them at at all...
hope.

 
At May 29, 2006 5:53 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Reservation without cut in general quota: That is no solution.
It is high time we reconsider our Reservation Policies.
Teach them to FISH – Feeding fish any further is no solution.

But, unfortunately, our leaders don’t want them to learn and be independent. The leaders, across all the party lines, want to keep them always suppressed and under their mercy – assured vote banks!

Even after five decades of rule by these leaders, who sheds crocodile tears now, how many poor children in our country get education at least up to matriculation? And how many starvation deaths of poor children (call it mal-nutrition deaths) take place in India? Who all had pocketed the very huge funds already spent for the uplift of the downtrodden? Yes, five decades of our democracy had created so many crore-pathies in all castes and creeds. A glance through the assets filed by many champions of the poor to the election commission will reveal at least some truths – assets of OBC leaders running to multi-crores! How long these leaders want to milk this poor class?

Millions of our poor citizens are now being exploited by labour contractors, in the name of ‘service providers’. Their conditions of work are worse than slavery. There are very stringent Laws in our country banning/ controlling Contract Labour. But none of our leaders are bothered about the plight of these poor labourers - They are unorganised - no vote bank.

The poor and the oppressed deserve extra considerations – an assured helping hand in terms of financial aids. And it should be continued till the purpose is served. But, no more reservation in admissions or employments. All admissions, employments and promotions should be purely on the basis of merit. In democratic India no talented youngster should be denied opportunities on the basis of caste or creed.

Please don’t divide this country any further on caste lines. That was perhaps the declared policy adopted by our late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Also, Jawaharlal Nehru, in unequivocal terms, had opposed reservations on any basis as it will promote mediocrity and hamper EFFICIENCY and EXCELLENCE.

It is ridiculous that the government does not realize its responsibility to the common man and allow this impasse. The government should agree to continue the status quo for the time being and appoint a proper wide based committee to review the reservation issues in its totality in such a way that it brings hope and prosperity for all.
NBNair@gmail.com

 
At May 30, 2006 2:22 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I read what U wrote about these reservations.I absolutely agree with you.

 
At May 31, 2006 12:44 AM, Blogger kb said...

Hey,
I've designed this image at http://weedwanderer.blogspot.com/ in support of protestors against reservation....please do chk it out and feel free to post it on your blog.

Thanks,
KB

 
At June 10, 2006 8:32 AM, Blogger Riot said...

Reservation has its benefits. It is atleast a small step to compensate for years of caste injustice. America after all these years still has Affirmative Action which is similar in ways to reservations.

Having said all that, I am not happy with the way politicians are cutting up present day Indian society into vote banks and caste grids.

I agree with you in that the so called "General" category folks and the educated folks need to start voting. In Kerala's assembly election a majority of the educated IT folks did not vote. Knowing fully well that the Left wing cared less about IT.

Apathy is indeed lethal. Youth & the educated middle class need to get out and vote.

 
At June 26, 2006 7:30 PM, Blogger pm said...

very well written arun... just came to ur site from another link...u have written exactly what i and rest other sane persons feel...
i wish to show this article to those 70% Gen categor people who sit on their sofas and are ready to comment on politics at any hour.. but are not interested in casting their votes to choose a party of their liking but the fault is not totally theirs'.. the problem is whom to vote!! whoever comes to power turns crazy for money.. may be basic human instinct of greed empowers 'care for country and humanity' when you have all the power...they are really power-intoxicated...

they can make their education free but what logic does it stand to compromise merit of the highest ranked institutions of our country..
dont know about the future standards of our institutions.. neither do i know what should we do...
a serious problem of today's India is poverty rather than SC/ST ... but none cares for that.. after 50 yrs of reservation, do we need another era of reservation to create more discrimination among countrymen?????

 
At August 11, 2006 2:53 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am agreeing with you. Now the general category people are the least considered. Most of the general category people are not casting their votes. This is because they don't know to whom they will vote. They think that whoever will come their situation will be unchanged.

 
At August 31, 2006 4:09 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

caste based reservations shouldbe stopped. reservations can be given to the poorer sectionsof the society, that too some 10%.

 
At November 11, 2006 10:23 PM, Blogger mynameisnobody said...

Actually the fault lies with the Constitution Assembly at the time of Indepedence. In a fit of absent mindedness they introduced universal adult franchise. This is nowhere recommended in the scripture. Actually it should have been dharmic rule where king ruled with the help of brahmans.These are bad modern times !

 

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