Reservation in Education ! Is it the right way ?
Sixty years ago, when my nation was starting to breathe free air, the leaders of the new-born nation had to fight untouchability, an evil spirit feeding on the Unity among the people. Nine out of ten literates were Brahmins. Ten out of ten government employees belonged to forward class. Backward class (including SC, ST) people were destined to third class jobs. They were rag pickers, shoe menders, undertakers, animal cleaners, laundry labours, house servants and worse, beggars. So, the leaders came up with a solution(0f course, a short term one) to help these people to top positions. Reservation. Be it Job, education and what not, reservation is in place, 63 years after Independence. Is it Good?
Well, it is in fact, good in some sense. Village students, who are not exposed to brilliant training, rich schools and the outside world, get a chance to explore. Poor kids, who do not have money to undertake extensive coaching before an entrance, get a chance to see college. For a moment, it looks good, helping the under-privileged, until we decide to dig deep.
The system has definitely compromised the quality of education being offered. In a class where, students of mixed knowledge levels sit together, the teacher is definitely confused as to what level of knowledge sharing he must do. He lowers his standards to reach out to the bottom stack of the class. So gradually, education quality had gone down. In today's economic situation, the only thing trailing even the very economy, is the quality of education. Also, the value of merit gets overridden by reservation. A student, who outscored another student have to sit out, because he belonged to forward class. This is simply unacceptable. The situation gets worse, if that student was poor. So our reservation system overlooks both merit and economic status.
But the worse is yet to come. This reservation system has divided the society into classes which fight each other over jobs and education. Every caste wants to be an SC or ST, to get some more social advantages. This leads to a divided society.
Moreover, the reservation system, fails to achieve what it intended to do. It never provides equal opportunities to UNDER-PRIVILEGED. Caste is no more a criteria to identify the under-privileged. Today's India has rich SC's as well poor Brahmins. In such a situation, reservation based on caste is next to foolishness.
Then, Is a reservation system based on financial status, the need of the hour? Again it is one more step towards our suicide. It does take much to show a poor man as a rich one, but not the other way. The need of the hour is reservation based on merit. You will get a job or a seat in college when you are qualified, not simply your caste is said to be under-privileged.
But is this possible in India? I am a bit skeptical. Our wonderful politicians, the gem of human-kind, will not let go this reservation system, to keep their vote banks intact. Until then, India will Shine, but only with a lesser Glow !
Well, it is in fact, good in some sense. Village students, who are not exposed to brilliant training, rich schools and the outside world, get a chance to explore. Poor kids, who do not have money to undertake extensive coaching before an entrance, get a chance to see college. For a moment, it looks good, helping the under-privileged, until we decide to dig deep.
The system has definitely compromised the quality of education being offered. In a class where, students of mixed knowledge levels sit together, the teacher is definitely confused as to what level of knowledge sharing he must do. He lowers his standards to reach out to the bottom stack of the class. So gradually, education quality had gone down. In today's economic situation, the only thing trailing even the very economy, is the quality of education. Also, the value of merit gets overridden by reservation. A student, who outscored another student have to sit out, because he belonged to forward class. This is simply unacceptable. The situation gets worse, if that student was poor. So our reservation system overlooks both merit and economic status.
But the worse is yet to come. This reservation system has divided the society into classes which fight each other over jobs and education. Every caste wants to be an SC or ST, to get some more social advantages. This leads to a divided society.
Moreover, the reservation system, fails to achieve what it intended to do. It never provides equal opportunities to UNDER-PRIVILEGED. Caste is no more a criteria to identify the under-privileged. Today's India has rich SC's as well poor Brahmins. In such a situation, reservation based on caste is next to foolishness.
Then, Is a reservation system based on financial status, the need of the hour? Again it is one more step towards our suicide. It does take much to show a poor man as a rich one, but not the other way. The need of the hour is reservation based on merit. You will get a job or a seat in college when you are qualified, not simply your caste is said to be under-privileged.
But is this possible in India? I am a bit skeptical. Our wonderful politicians, the gem of human-kind, will not let go this reservation system, to keep their vote banks intact. Until then, India will Shine, but only with a lesser Glow !
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