We live in a country whose diversity is its identity. A country where people celebrate hundreds of festivals together regardless of differences of religion, region, caste or economic status. However, when it comes to our education system, this diversity becomes a curse rather than a blessing. This curse is labelled as “Reservation System” where one’s talent is irrelevant and the only thing that matters is whether one is born in the category of General, OBC, SC or ST.
Our government justifies it as support for the people who are financially backward and cannot afford education. Really? I mean not every General is born with a silver spoon and not all Dalits are born into poverty. I do not say I am against the system of reservation in educational institutions, neither am I saying that I support it. I am just wondering that we live in a country where our caste matters more than our education and career. This system would never allow us to think beyond castes and religions, as the constitution itself is forcing the common citizen to participate in the development (or not) of the country on the basis of such divisions. If you are a General category candidate you have to perform at 105% (5% as penalty for being born into a caste that is perceived privileged for something your ancestors did or had in 2000 BC) while for an OBC/SC/ST candidate the bar of expectations is lowered to 45% because of how his/her ancestors lived or what they did a long long time ago, or how his/her ancestors were treated by the ancestors of the General category candidates. What an OBC/ ST/ SC category candidate himself is or does is not relevant, his talent is not relevant, history has allowed him ready made opportunities that he can pluck when he desires and nurture to mediocrity. This is the only reason why the first class talent of our country is contributing to foreign development, because it doesn’t get opportunity to develop its own.
Article 14 of the Constitution of India guarantees equality before law and equal protection of law, implying ‘Equality of Treatment in Equal Circumstances’, that is, equals to be treated equally and unequals, unequally, which perhaps leads to the granting of special privileges and opportunities to certain sections of society.
Today, the reservation policy is a highly misunderstood one and often seen from a disguised point of view of one’s own caste. No proper debate is seen in the parliament, media, or even the society, which has made it a taboo. It is argued that reservations have compromised merit over caste in Government jobs and educational institutions. Such a compromise is said to further divide the society. It is also debated that well-off or developed people belonging to backward castes often get the maximum share of reservation, thus further widening the economic gulf in our country. There is also a question as to why there is reservation on the basis of caste and not on economic status alone.
Before ending this article I just want to say, whether General or any other category, please support reservation, but not on the basis of caste.
Note : The above is my personal opinion.
