More on Reservation


This is especially in response to Chella's comments. Maybe I did not make it very clear in my blog - I am not against reservation!

But I am certainly opposed to the current heuristic system. I agree that OBC's and Dalits are currently socially backward. But, when implementing reservation, how are we going to check if they have come out of their backwardness? Indeed, how are we going to check if their situation is improving at all? That's where the need for quantifiable targets arises.

Your priority is to give backward classes a level playing field. But that is not good enough. We have to remove their 'backwardness' for good. Within a reasonable timeframe, we should bring them to a stage where they don't need any further concessions/reservations.

We need to set ourselves quantifiable time-bound targets in terms of literacy, average income, percentage of workforce, etc. We could then take many more measures apart from reservation. At the end of the target period, we can always reevaluate the setup and see if there is need for further action.

And as regards IITs/IIMs/PG seats in medicine, I think that OBC candidates who can effectively compete for these seats have already overcome their social backwardness!! Honestly, do you think that an MBBS doctor applying for an MD seat can be 'socially backward'?

If you say 'yes', I can only say that the doctor and his descendants will always remain backward! A qualified doctor/engineer should be confident enough to shrug away any 'backward' tag. What is the use of reservation in MBBS/BE otherwise?

And likewise, if an SC/ST candidate competitively appears for the IIT entrance exam and does not make it, he is certainly good enough to get a seat in other big engineering colleges. Increasing reservation will only hurt the reputation of the IITs. We should make IITs centres of excellence, not social tools!

A sanskrit saying says "You learn a quarter from your teacher, a quarter by your own intellect, a quarter from your companions and quarter by the passage of time". By allowing only the best students into the IITs, we create an environment in which outstanding students learn and derive inspiration from each other! Thus, the IITs produce excellent students who have an edge over others from India and abroad. Why should we compromise on this advantage, when we have enough colleges to further our social objectives?

And in my opinion, it is harmful and unethical to impose reservation on the private sector. Forcing private companies is not in the spirit of privatization. But, of course, the government can encourage companies to discount social disabilities/backwardness/imbalances while recruiting employees. But dissenting entrepreneurs, who are not for reservation, should be given the freedom to adhere to their principles.