Is increasing the number of seats the solution to OBC Quota

Today, fifty-nine years after Independence, caste is still prevalent in one form or the other in all societies in India. Though it has got deep roots structurally and culturally it is believed and found that castes occupying the top position in the hierarchy are more sankritised and advanced than others. Caste plays a dominant and significant role in our elections, and in the process of democratic functioning of our society. Politicians are playing with the rights of the citizens of the country and the recent dilemma which has occurred has further deteriorated the picture of politicians in the youth's mind.

Increasing the number of seats is definitely not the solution to OBC Quota. Our HRD Minister, Mr. Arjun Singh, has changed his party's manifesto for the sake of votes. Every time the elections come near, parties release manifestoes that promise the impossible, like television set for every family, free electricity to all farmers. Not to be outwitted, our HRD Minister has proposed 27% reservation for OBCs in the IITs and IIMs. This is a new footstep, towards where nobody knows the fate of this grand idea of justice to all.

On the whole, our politicians are fooling the people of the country and taking everybody for a royal ride. Reservation at primary levels can be thought of, but why the Government is keen on giving reservations at the secondary level, is unexplainable. Does the OBC candidate need a walking stick every time all his life?

Close on the heels of this move by the HRD Ministry was to bring a quota in medical educational institutions under it, including AIIMS in Delhi and JIPMER in Pondicherry. Now think! If the OBC quota is implemented, then what type of future Doctor's would we be left with? We would probably have a doctor, who is so used to not excelling that he may not be as diligent a worker as one expects a doctor to be. Such a candidate would probably not study beyond his course and not keep himself abreast with the latest trends in Medicine. What would then be the quality of doctors or engineers or even managers that India produces? Today there is so much demand for our IIT and IIM graduates because they are actually the best. With further reservations we will be left with the second best and the best will be deprived of a fair chance to make India proud. This is not uplifting, this is down grading. This is only a gimmick to have a permanent vote bank. Alas! Our leaders do not realize before sacrificing so much, that there is no such thing as a permanent vote bank.

Reservations, was meant to ensure that everybody in the country gets his share of everything inspite of his caste, not because of it. In today's world one is barely deprived of education because of his caste, it may be so because of economic reasons though. So why harp on caste when the whole world today is ruled by the economic criteria. And once a person has completed school that criteria too does not hold true because after that he simply has to work hard to compete for institutes like the IIMs or IITs.

I think reservations based solely on the caste system are no longer valid in any field and at any level. In fact, for a country that is trying to catch up with developed nations, issues such as these can hinder progress, because the reserved quota students would not match the global standards. This in turn would shift outsourcing to other competing countries such as Brazil, China, Israel, Eastern Europe and South - East Asian countries. The jobs moving to Indian BPOs, KPOs [Knowledge process outsourcing] and global R and D centers in the areas of software development, automobile, pharmaceuticals, gems and jewellery and biotechnology would shift to our competitors.

Reservation should exist but in a different form, say for example based on financial status of a family. If somebody is poor give him some reservation so that he can at least afford to do what he wants. Government has to develop infrastructure like schools, availability of school text books and equipment at prices affordable for poor students, well trained teachers and above all, a curriculum that provides the base for employability.

The truth is that no one wants to push the OBC backwards, we all want upliftment, but not at the cost of merit, not at the cost of development, not at the cost of India. Simply increasing the seats is a dilution in quality and merit and India can barely afford that, no matter under what garb it is used. I think it's time that our revered politicians start thinking rationally and not for their personal benefits. Decisions taken without foresight and hindsight will ruin the country, engineer rift in society and turn back the clock of progress.

- Anita Sagar