In one of my past classes, my students initiated a discussion about Reservation system in India. The latest inclusion of Jains being included in the reservation by the central government. The discussion was obviously about whether it is right or wrong.
They posed questions to me as to why should there be reservation? and do Jains need it? etc. Overall the gist of their questions, statement and arguments was that reservation is an achievement. Every one wants to get under that umbrella. This forced me to think whether it is really an achievement. I think otherwise. I feel getting under the quota means your clan is in the category which cannot develop itself on its own. Your people are not self-sufficient, neither are they capable enough to move ahead inn life. Isn't it belittling your intellect, your capacity, YOURSELF?
So while talking to students I got some ideas about how should reservation be. Reservation was for the under-priviledged, for the poor. Initially an entire class "Shudra" came under this poor category.Reservation at that time, was justified. But shouldn't there be some liimit to the number of reserved category people in the country? I can explain this better with an example.
Suppose there's a Mr.X who comes under quota because he is literally poor and has very less privileges. He gets education at cheaper fees. Admission in higher education even with lesser grades. He gets a job even though there are other general category candidates with better merit. Now this Mr.X gets a government job with sixth pay commission (soon to be seventh). He starts earning a handsome five-six figure salary per month. Now isn't the purpose of bringing up Mr. X's family,solved?
With such good income and immense job security, he can admit his children in a better school. He can provide his children with better infrastructure at home. Shouldn't these children now apply for competitive exams from the general category? Do they? Most of them don't. So even they get all those benefits which actually should have gone to someone like Mr.X who may still be very poor. Mr.X didn't have the exposure, he went through all the hardships of living a minority life. Did his children go through the same?
Every Mr.X must understand that when he asks his son/daughter to appear under quota, he is doing two blunders. First, he is belittling their intellect. He is making his own daughter/son feel, believe, and understand that they are lesser than the general category students. Second, he is taking away the chance of another really needy student who needs that quota seat because he is facing all those difficulties that Mr. X once faced.
Wouldn't Mr.X be proud, if his children cracked competitive exams from the general category? And if every such Mr.X doesn't understand his moral duty, isn't it time for the leaders to think?
They posed questions to me as to why should there be reservation? and do Jains need it? etc. Overall the gist of their questions, statement and arguments was that reservation is an achievement. Every one wants to get under that umbrella. This forced me to think whether it is really an achievement. I think otherwise. I feel getting under the quota means your clan is in the category which cannot develop itself on its own. Your people are not self-sufficient, neither are they capable enough to move ahead inn life. Isn't it belittling your intellect, your capacity, YOURSELF?
So while talking to students I got some ideas about how should reservation be. Reservation was for the under-priviledged, for the poor. Initially an entire class "Shudra" came under this poor category.Reservation at that time, was justified. But shouldn't there be some liimit to the number of reserved category people in the country? I can explain this better with an example.
Suppose there's a Mr.X who comes under quota because he is literally poor and has very less privileges. He gets education at cheaper fees. Admission in higher education even with lesser grades. He gets a job even though there are other general category candidates with better merit. Now this Mr.X gets a government job with sixth pay commission (soon to be seventh). He starts earning a handsome five-six figure salary per month. Now isn't the purpose of bringing up Mr. X's family,solved?
With such good income and immense job security, he can admit his children in a better school. He can provide his children with better infrastructure at home. Shouldn't these children now apply for competitive exams from the general category? Do they? Most of them don't. So even they get all those benefits which actually should have gone to someone like Mr.X who may still be very poor. Mr.X didn't have the exposure, he went through all the hardships of living a minority life. Did his children go through the same?
Every Mr.X must understand that when he asks his son/daughter to appear under quota, he is doing two blunders. First, he is belittling their intellect. He is making his own daughter/son feel, believe, and understand that they are lesser than the general category students. Second, he is taking away the chance of another really needy student who needs that quota seat because he is facing all those difficulties that Mr. X once faced.
Wouldn't Mr.X be proud, if his children cracked competitive exams from the general category? And if every such Mr.X doesn't understand his moral duty, isn't it time for the leaders to think?
