Reserved about RESERVATION!

I am, by birth and unfortunately so, from upper caste. A Brahmin to be precise and I dislike and oppose caste based reservation system. I dislike this caste system and reservation because it is fragmenting and it is violation of human rights. Rest assured, this dislike does not emanate from the fact that I am a Brahmin. For the records, I don't wear the sacred thread, not because I am a rebel but because I can not follow some rules which come along with the sacred thread. And I feel guilty about it.

Having said so, it is time to understand the entire basis of job reservation and for doing the same, we have to rewind to our past to two specific periods of history. But it is going to be little tough.

Period 1 - We need to rewind centuries back when the ‘present system of caste’ was introduced i.e caste by birth. As we all know, earlier it was vocation based divide and the son of a shudra could become a Brahmin also but that was further long time back.

Anyways, so the caste system, basis the birth, got introduced centuries back and of course people belonging to the higher caste (or all the caste except the shudras) naturally enjoyed some privileges and did not want to give it up. The privileges was kind of reservation.

Now let us rewind to period 2. This is more recent. I am talking  about early 90s when under the sudden political pressure presented by a massive rally of Chaudhray Devil Lal, the then PM Mr. V P Singh, under the influence of Mr. Ram Vilas Paswan & Mr Sharad Yadav, suddenly introduced Mandal Commission. I am sure we are all aware that mandal commission report is very old (in fact if I am not wrong, it was presented to Nehru) but it was closeted. So in the 90s a political crisis resulted in what we can see an eternal social crisis.

What happened after that? Of course the lower caste or rather the new beneficiaries got privileges and naturally were in no mood to give it up…

Herein I would like to raise, in my view is very pertinent, some questions.

• What is the difference between the rulers centuries ago and the ones ruling now?
• Haven’t both in essence continues to divide the society rather than uniting it?
• Was the intent or rather does the intent of modern rulers continue to be guided by social upliftment?

At least we can give a benefit of doubts to those so called high caste people in the early centuries who introduced this divide. At least they were all illiterate, uneducated & were living in a dark age. Can we apply the same logic to the modern day rulers. At least my answer is big NO.

Moreover, the modern rulers took their “concern for social equality” one step further by bringing in other religions namely the socalled minority religions. So social upliftment became “socio-religio upliftment”.

So was the objective of the modern rulers achieved? What is the result of this reservation in the last two decades? Has the reservation reached out to the needy?

The answer again, though unfortunately, is a big NO.  The desired results of reservation has not reached out to the actually who are in need for it.  Moreover, in today’s times a poor Brahmin boy is as needy as a poor SC ST boy but both have not benefited.

A recent example is that fact that Central Govt has ordered states to fill up SC,ST & OBC vacancies amounting to over 50000 by March 2012. Again two questions-

A) Why did not the vacancies get filled up? Answer is because none of the people from the quota were perhaps able to qualify

B) Now by 2012, will we get deserving candidates? Answer is when we did not get candidates for so long, then what is the guarantee that we will get now in a span of three months

The reservation bill loses its essence when it’s benefits doesn’t reach out to the needy people. And this is because the needy, the real poor people from the backward caste are NOT YET prepared for any exams? So what is the point? Where and how has the bill created social equality?

Now there is another angle of religious quota within the quota or over and above the quota. Though liberals have attached the cause of inequality in this demand too but what is important is to notice what caused the inequality.

Muslims are being promised quota & soon Christians too would be getting reservation at least some political party will take upon itself the task of providing them reservation.

Talking of muslims, Sachar committee gave a very dismal picture on the poor representation of muslims in jobs etc. True, they are misrepresented but who is responsible? The muslims themselves? Few personal observations-

• Why do they go to Madrasa? What kind of education will they get there? Will education at Madrasa prepare them for an enterance test for medical/ engineering course or for government jobs?
• Does study of Arabic help in any way in their development
• Can the entire ethos of muslims, being governed and influenced by religion , develops more holistic view on the current affairs
• In today’s time with high cost & low income model of common life, can a family having 5-6 kids afford their education?
• Has any government or any community or any political party stopped poor Muslims from sending their children to government school? Surely, it would have created a better level playing field for them

Above are the points that need to be considered before the intellectuals and Mr Sachar(s) of the world start blaming the government and society of inaction.

The same theory applies for the back ward class amongst the Hindus. What needs to be seen is that whether any pro active action been taken to bring them to level playing grounds. I guess, not.

The first and the only step in this direction is to enable the poor people, across caste & religion, to get free education, free scholarship.

• This should be supported by a change in the basic education system. Only one board should be introduced. This will be a step in the right direction and will be well meaning for the poor students too

Rest assured, if this caste based reservation continues, then I feel there is no difference between society that persisted centuries ago and our modern one. We go in for more fragmentation. The initiative has to come from social thinkers, intellectuals and politicians. A common ground has to be arrived at and very fast.

I have had feeling of animosity, during my college days, when I saw an undeserving student getting a prestigious seat because of reservation rather than talent but then I accepted it. But the feeling of animosity completely go away, may be but yet a feeling of resentment persists within me. This feeling has to be eroded for building a stronger society.

Some years ago I remember a backward class quota student getting only 2 marks in his medical enterance test in MP and getting admission. I, for one, would not like to be treated by this student when he becomes a doctor, if he sodes. But I , the so-called upper caste, will not have any problem in getting treated by a Sc/St /OBC quota doctor as long as he is deserving.

on the question of deserving candidates, i will always reiterate that in our country, only the family members of defence forces (those who have martyred/ vaterans/injured) should get reservation in both colleges and jobs. this is because, unlike any other class & caste, the defence people have earned it

This call to set the undeserving apart from the deserving has to be taken by all of us.