Sunday, June 04, 2006

Reservations....... Keep them Reserved


The hell lot of fuss being made about the OBC Reservations is the topic, i would have been least interested to speak about(for obvious reasons), at any time in the day. But, its a sensible urge from the general public and also my acquaintances in particular that made me visit this topic. Moreover, suddenly i even started to feel that its the moral responsibility of every citizen to think about, and put forward their opinion on such topics.
Here's my stand

What reservations mean??
Reservation means providing additional facilities or a special access to some facilities mostly based on a mechanism based on "First-come-first-served".
In Todays context reservation has no such meaning, and even if someone uses the term to such a broader meaning, no one percieves it that way.
According to me, Instead of showering solodarity towards what has happened in long held past, its high time we as a nation rise to the occation to understand and do what needs to be to uplift the so called BACKWARD Society.
The barriers are gone, long back. I don't know in which part of india is still racial discrimination being done. i don't know why, even today, we bind ourselves to these insidious issues of social discrimination rather than re-thinking about the ways of providing better facilities to the real poor and needy, rather than these so called Socially-backward classes of people.


What does being Socially -Backward mean??
To my reckoning, it is just about being born in a family that has faced the evil of the people of ages beyond our knowledge & And at the time when none of our great grand father's were born. How can today's man be held resoponsibile ( or given previlages) due to what had been done by (or done to) their ancestors over 5-10 generations behind them. It doesn't make any sense to give a special privilage to a person, based on his falmily of birth. Where it could so be, that he hails from a family that is financially sound, and was in no where being humiliated either socially, physically or even economically. Where as, We know numerous number of young bright students who leave their education half-way through, just in order to support their family or as their parents can no more sponser his/her education. Life is already tough for these young aspirants to have all odds stocked against them, financially. And if ~50% of the seats are reserved to those who do not come to a higher education learning center through merit, where would these young talent be going.
As a student i would acknowledge these Schools of Higher Education as temples of Learning and most people i know, do agree with me. Here we are talking about the best institutions in the nation. IIT's, IISc, IIM's , ISI, The Central universities,... and what not. These are just few of those universities in the nation, that have at least some name through out the world, Unlike an university in which i have done my graduation, which anyways i ain't proud off.
India is known for its quality of minds, it is said to have produced the best technical & business brains in the world. No further reasoning required as to why all the countries are turning upto india for investment.
I always believed that temples' shouldn't be restricting on the kind of traffic comming in. Temples are sacred places of learning and should be open for one and all. It is of high relevance here to mention the fact that we do provide additional benefit in temples to people with disability, that is a mark of compassion towards the under-privileged and not a necessity anyway. Do we have a Reservation policy for enterance into a temple, a church or mosque. Then, why do people want reservations in the Holy Temples of Education.
Today, India's fate is determined by the bunch-of-jokers, whom we elect through the presidential elections. We could bare an illiterate MP but, what about ill-minded moron's produced by the nation being the rulers of the nation's dirty politics. Worst, these people keep their Vow's in their back pockets the day the elections are done.
And see these enthusiastic people of the LokSabha, Who want to increase their Vote Bank in the comming Assembly elections for 7 states and in the process have proposed to increase Reservation % of OBC's. Instead, had the central Govt. functioned properly for the past 2 yrs from the time they have taken up the throne, their party could have easily been the top choice of any state. But, Not to be. Work was never their choice to get the good will. Unfortunately, though, i must admit, our nation of varying masses has always been a top choice for exploitations from many external sources. Right from the british colonization to till date, the principle of "Divide & Conquer" has been by far the most successful Nuclear-Warhead ever produced in the real world.
Today had Dr.Ambedkar been alive. I'm sorry but, he would have opted to suicide. He introduced this reservations to the backward class people for a period of 10 yrs. But, the dirty indian politics has shown its face on the issue and no Political party wants it to be removed. If someone touches the topic, anywhere, They fear losing lives apart from losing throne. Dr.Ambedkar's vision of an equal india was never to be fulfilled.
The biggest catch lies here, if we couldn't achieve any progress over 60 yrs by providing reservations to the weaker sections of the society, then, is there not a reason to re-think of what and how to be done to solve this problem. It is just a plain political melodrama, by the dirty men of indian representation. And even the people of these sections would support them b'cos they are getting benefitted ultimately. The point that is missing is the fact that it is not giving any benefit either to the society or nation.
There are several ways of improving this system, provided by many educationalists, jounalists , etc. but no!!! The political melodrama had to continue and the brightest in the nation would now require solidarity of people being benefitted. This way, we all know, the day is not far when There would be reservations for people from Open Category. And believe me this open joke by many anti-reservation activists could soon be a reality. And what was one of our great leader speaking about the same issue 10-15% reservation for Open Category ??? Alas, But y reservations ?? why can't it be all open, Open to All.
There can be simple solutions to these problems for which no body can have any problems. My solution would be something like this : The government shall bear the Tuition fees of the students and also provide them with scholarships, as is being done even today. But, Admission to the institutes would be purely based on merit. Efforts must be made to improve the quality of basic education(primary & secondary) rather than giving them entry into institutes of national importance without being capable of either producing the desired results nor do they have the attitude to work harder to succeed.
I also remember one more live-in situation that happend almost 4yrs ago. I once had been called by principal of the college to give a reminder to the parents of one of my coleague, who was abstaining from classes for a prolonged period over a month. I preferred a personal talk with him rather than humiliating him by taking the matter to his parents. One fine evening we met, and as we had started the discussion, I told him what i was asked to do by the principal. I tried to explain him saying, " May be you are least interested in studies, but your parents are struggling hard to send you to college, you do know that how much of a burden it is for them!! So why are you wasting your parents efforts, & money....... Its not worth it. Do come to college regularly you will automatically get interested..." I tried to say. His immidiate reply was "Why do you bother about me, when i myself don't. You don't know about me..... As soon as i complete B.Tech, I would be on a Govt. Job. you better think about your self."
What can one say to such a person, of such attitude. I remember, his father was indeed burning midnight oil for earning extra bucks for his education. He was spending sleepless nights over his dreams of a successful son. while, son being a ruthless character.

Our The Great Grand Constitution
How democratic is our setup!!!! ?? how secular ?? And how indiscriminate??
We never thought ever before, but, indeed we don't even have the right to fight against the things that happen against us !! you have to face the music, thats it. No If's , No But's. This, is what it is called a Democratic setup, May be.
Our almost 60yr old constitution, is the longest written constitution of any independent nation in the world. Despite the fact, if somebody rarely does remember atleast the PREAMBLE it engraves the following :

EQUALITY of status and of opportunity;

as part of the Preamble.

Equality??? where do you find it?? Through out the length and depth of the constitution, it peaks of being Equal to all people and there would be no discrimination based on Caste, Creed or sex. But, despite the painful efforts taken 60yrs ago. Till date, every other day we find the news channels flashing alert in universities or otherwise, and they all call for a strike for providing them better facilities because they are backward( As they say).
Oh, Baba!! how much backward are you people. It feels like they have been left ages behind the current society, And if it is so, Then let them be. Why do we have to lose today's meritorious students, to the solidarity of centuries ??
I would like to showcase one particular example here, Though very small is relevant here. This is based on the current reservations system that we have. I have 2 friends A & B who have got good ranks in GATE; The standard test one has to clear to go for M.Tech in india. A has got AIR 30 & B has got AIR 2000+. There is one subtle difference between the two of them, A belongs to Open Category & B belongs to Backward Class, though B is not financially weak. With much difficulty and after a bunch full of anxious moments A got Admission into IISc(banglore) into M.Tech; Despite his 30th rank, he got admission into a course of his Second Choice. Wheareas, B got admitted into the Same IIsc with no hurdles.He got admitted into his first choice (VLSI) which is also first choice for any other who applies there!!!

I don't know if iam clear or not !!! but, it really doesn't matter to me, now!! I have felt the urge to put down these words and if a knowledgeable audience indeed exists then they would realize what is happening in our society today.
Woman Won't get my nod As well !!! Ask a woman if she is in any way less than a man; She would very pleasantly Offer 'A Strict NO'. But, she would fight for the 33% reservation for woman. I don't understand, if there has not been a political upliftment of the woman. Then, how come today ....................... Well probably no further comments on Woman!!! Those who should think about this... should think.. not me.
I in no way disagree to the mishandling of woman taking place or rather those that took place in history, at certain or rather most places in the society. But, miscreants are always there. It doesn't mean that " There shall be 33% seats reserved for women in a university of higher education, because, Their parents, husbands, inlaws, etc... don't treat them well !!!!." Its almost that kind of situation today. DAMM!!! Foolish reservation ...it is... Where you have Seats reserved even in a City Bus. Where a young 21 yr old female would be hesitant to stand & to give her seat to an ageing, Old, Senior Citizen aged 80 odd.

Iam not, and even can't be, against any of these people. Some other day, I wouldn't have Cared about it, not even for a moment either. But, today its my responsibility, i feel. And Moreover, I realize my freedom of speech, thought & Expression.