Anti-Reservations Blogroll.

Just when we thought it was time to give the reservation quotas the boot, the Centre declares that 49.5 percent of the total seats in IITs, IIMs and Central Universities will be reserved for the Backward Classes. And weren't we all geared up to abolish the caste system?

Does anybody see the fallouts of having a caste-based reservation system? Do you fathom the number of drop-outs? They weren't good enough to get in on their own merit, will they be able to keep up? Who takes the responsibility for the empty seats after an OBC candidate drops out because he wasn't good enough to get in, in the first place? Who takes the responsibility for the inferior quality of graduates from premier institutions? Who takes the responsibility for the losses the nation suffers when we place our trust in inferior graduates? And who takes responsibility for the distressed student who didn't make it to these schools because a backward class student with lesser marks took his seat?

Mr. Arjun Singh, will you be around when we so want to kick your ass?

***

The order to implement the reservation for OBCs will be announced after the elections in five states. Another ploy to win the upcoming elections or a genuine attempt to uplift the backward classes? You decide.

Don't stay quiet, Blogosphere. Raise hell.

And now is the time to declare the Anti 'Caste-Based Reservations' Blogroll:

The problem is that the fruits of this policy never reach the section of the society that really needs it. It is always enjoyed by the richer section of the reserved class which has the capability to earn bread on its own. The poorer class is always deprived of the yields of this policy and thus, its condition never changes. In fact, it always shifts from bad to worse. [more]


I do not dispute the need for reservation however the task of identifying the privileged among those people should be completed before any future policy is announced.The reservation policy needs to be rationalised in the light of fact that many identified as backward have ceased to be backward in the last 15 years. [more]

Once these quotas are in place be assured that a parallel industry of sorts will rise up from the earth for fake OBC certificates etc, which are available even today. There is absolutely no way of checking the autheticity of these certificates and that itself should discredit the introduction of such a quota based system at these institutes. [more]

This is not another post about how the reservation should be opposed. I have lost all faith in our PM, after he allowed another 27% OBC reservation, making the total reservation 49%, in all IITs and IIMs. If an economist of such repute can agree to be part of such a decision, then I have no words to say. [more]


Other checks and balances like one reservation in one life time - be it college, job or some entrance exam; one-reservation-per-family - so if father got it for job, then no more for son/daughter etc; creamy layer exclusion; reservations for all poor people are some solutions that are needed. [more]


If the main idea is to remove disparity why should we even cnosider that something called OBC/SC/ST exists or for that matter why should one want to mingle religion with academics? By segragating them from society what we are doing is accepting their inferiority ( which actually does not exist) and creating a rift between ALL the sections of society. [more]


Had there been no reservations, people would actually have fought to get into the prestigious colleges, compete in equal terms and naturally would have done well in the class. [more]


There is no doubt in my mind that casteism is still prevelant, and that it obstructs the growth of millions in the country. But reservations, that too in higher education, are not an answer to the problem. It can only make the 'normal quota' students feel more enstranged. It can only encourage them to search for options in education and profession outside India. [more]

*

I am not about to make a moral judgement here, neither do I intend to use this post as a direct anti-reservation argument. I am writing this in response to several loony Dalit leaders who claim that the general category students go abroad anyway, therefore waste the resources of the country. [more]


On MBCs: Traditional artisan and service provider castes called MBCs (Most Backward Classes) form more than 50 per cent of the OBC population. With the disappearance of their trades, most of them turned agricultural labourers. In most indices of development, they often fare worse than Dalits. How can the country treat MBCs as social orphans just because they are not a political force? [more]


The current reservation convulsion is not new. There was a violent one in 1990. We missed a chance to set things right. We just had spirited debates, agitations and a few lives lost. Unlike then, today we have technocrats and professionals at the helm of even our political establishment. Today, as history repeats not so much in all its ferocity, we have a chance, yet again, to redeem the situation; for the benefit of all of us; for the benefit of India. [more]

*

The question, therefore, is not of quality but of fairness. A lot of forward caste people are complaining and there is truth in their reasoning that the lower castes will gain at their expense. But you must realize that by increasing the reservation to the lower castes, they didnt shut the door entirely to you. You can still qualify... only that the competition will be 25% tougher. This argument of mine doesnt not, however, mean that I support this hike in reservation [more]


Why would political leaders care about the general people, when they know here is a vote bank that will never vote. That here is a set of people who will never ever want to get their hands "dirty" by being in politics. Still if all this does not motivate people to take an active interest in this game, and be a part of it, for their own betterment, I do not know what else can! [more]

India badly needs primary schools and high schools which we can proudly say as the top educational institutes. They don’t cost as much as building IITs and IIMs. Just make sure SC/STs study in such schools. I can assure you, once they study in such schools, they will not ask for reservation at IITs and IIMs. They will crack the entrance exams in general category and get there. [more]

I popped the question about the morality of the whole thing casually. Pat came the reply, like he'd been rehearsing all the while for this one question to be asked. "What's wrong? I'm just buying the opportunity.Not the degree as such". [more]


The year I got through JEE, the 9th ranker in reserved category was 1900th rank in general category. That was when I felt that reservation was “justice denied” to hundreds of deserving candidates. [more]


Robin Hood stole from the rich to give to the poor. Our govt is doing something similar. Only, they are not even targeting the rich, but the middle class, who often have only merit to fall back on. [more]

*

Just to put things in perspective. An student who is classified as belonging to OBC would have had to finish Class XII or graduation as the case may be. So as to apply for IIT or IIM. The school or college he or she would hail from may or may not be noteworthy but the fact is that there has to be one. So, we are not talking about people who’ve been denied primary or basic education. That’s a different lot altogether. [more]


A lot has been said, and written. And blogged, too. Without letting the cat run amok among the pigeons, it must be mentioned that one social group that needs government's new found word ,"affirmative action", is the Muslims. But ironically, though not strangely, it is politically incorrect to talk about it. [more]


All I can say is that, if this has anything to do with the so called social upliftment, the step that is being taken is only going to ruin the nation even more! Because, when a school boy gets newly admitted, before his classmates can know his name or where he lives, they will spread this news - "Hey, this new brahmin has joined our class" or " Oh! that girl? shes new and Im quite sure she is a Dalit " [more]


When I look back at this, I wonder why I staunchly support reservations on the basis of sex but not cast. I think it is so because I fear that these concessions will not be used by those who actually need them, but by those who are already empowered. This is why I would strongly support reservation based on economic status. I believe that once you become rich enough [how rich is a different question] you should stop being a burden on the government and society. [more]


The basic purpose of quotas in institutes should be to support and further those who have no other means… not a political issue used by various parties to pick votes by trying to appease certain sects, thus leading to segregation of the people of this country which end up taking the form of riots (Mandal Commission of 1990 isn’t all that old and just validates my point) [more]

*

We have to admit that a certain inequity exists in life and that economic inequity influences all parameters of life. It is true that wealth brings with it access and exposure to education, information and influences that take place outside the classroom. Unless, we address the vast economic disparity that exist in India, we cannot solve the problem by diluting the quality of our educational standards. [more]


There is already a great mismatch between the number of seats and applications for admission in DU. Students of Delhi do not enjoy the privileges enjoyed by their counterparts in Mumbai, Chennai or Kolkatta. They have to compete with students from all over India to secure a seat in a college of their choice. I am appalled to think of the situation of students in Delhi seeking admission in college when a further 27% seats will be reserved for OBC category. [more]

*

The FM on one hand wants to improve the countries GDP, but Mr. Chidambaram, if you do not have a pool of efficient & talented engineers, doctors & managers, who is going to run tomorrow’s industries & offices which are mushrooming today in the wake of the markets blooming. It is said that instead of giving alms to the poor & adding to unemployment, give them work, make them self sufficient so they can stand on their own feet & earn their daily bread. [more]


This is an infringement of our rights, and the day won’t be far when us, the general public will have to fight for reservations, and the backward castes will be the dominant demographical force in the country. With this, not only is it harder for people to get into the colleges that they deserve to study in, the overall quality of education in the country will fall drastically as the quality of students will depreciate. [more]

Beating up students by using the police and then deny it on record to the media is blatant hypocrisy. The champion of quotas the Communists have joined other parties like the BJP, NCP and others to condemn the completely uncalled for violent reprisals against peaceful marches by medical students. [more]

*

But forcing reservations on privately owned independent entities is barbaric. It is a massive attack on freedom and rights of individuals. And the fact that the amendment was passed 379-2 in the Lok Sabha shows the scant respect that our supposed representatives have for individual rights and freedom. [more]

(continued)The ultimate sufferers are the Dalits, i.e the SC/STs. I think the biggest losers in the "rise" of the concept of OBCs are the Dalits. Mandal's biggest victims have been Dalits. [more]

I also happened to catch a glimpse on the TV of students( who have spent their parents earnings trying to get a degree and a good career for themselves), being caught in our very own Arjun Singh's penchant to go for reservations. They have a right to protest in a democracy, but then getting whipped by lathis without the slightest hint of violence is something they did not bargain for. [more]

*

The fact is that these premier institutions give admissions only the basis of merit and it would be untrue to state that backward community students are denied admissions here. Then where is the room for caste based reservation where only merit and not caste or religion is the criteria. [more]



If you are an OBC or any one of the strata of society that has been awarded the reservation, and feel that it is not justified, and that you can achieve whatever it is that the reservations are going to help you achieve by your talent and hardwork alone, do not accept the reservation. [more]

*

You’re going to create generations of degree bearing, yet unemployed people, simply cause they may have the knowledge, but definitely don’t have the capability to hold positions in the companies that offer job ops to students from these institutes. [more]


Ditto for social inequities. No one disputes that there is a serious problem of caste discrimination in India, and that this is not something that happened in the past, but continues to this day. But are reservations the right way to counter this? If so, are reservations in higher education the way forward? [more]



Reservations have done good to Indians and they should continue for a decade or so at a sanely permissible level of around 25%. They they should be gradually dealt away with and replaced with “Affirmative action” where when two candidates are of equal merit, the one from a socially-deprived background is given preference. [more]

*

The worst insult you can heap on a people is labeling them “Backward” as part of OBC. It is the biggest failure of the quota/reservation scheme that 59 years post independence the concept of backward classes still exists. The very existence of a political party based on class lines belies any progress in the direction of an uplifted tomorrow. [more]

*

It is amazing that the some ministers in the govt. of India are introducing a legislature, to provide for Reservations in the Higher Education. Its nothing less than a fraud, being perpetrated on citizens. [more]



Let the government reserve seats for financially backward. Let the government support those who go to night schools and work during the day and help them get admissions into the best colleges. Let the government first make school education for all a reality. Let the government first open more secondary and higher schools. Let the government then implement reservation policy for these deserving candidates. [more]

*

It is clear what the ulterior motive is. Numbers. Five more years at the Centre. More money to hoard. Of the Other Backward Classes, By the Other Backward Classes, For the Other Backward Classes. Quite a process going on there. [more]


So, If our politicians can think ahead of votes…they can get much better solutions to solve this problem rather than the Reservation. But the problem is…..WHO wants to solve the problem? Its all about votes, notes and minister-posts! [more]


And as far as the IITs/IIMs are concerned scrap reservations completely. These institutes represent the best Indian talent and should not be allowed to sacrifice quality under any conditions. [more]


Is there really a need for reservation? Definitely, there is. But for people who are financially backward in this generation and not because someone’s great grandfather was a poor man. Why should I pay because of my great-great-grandpa refusing to touch yours when you wear the same brand of jeans I do? [more]

*



Don't favour me because I am a woman. Favour me because I am smarter, more intelligent and more capable. If I am as smart as the man. Treat me as an equal. Give me the same opportunity. Give me a loan to set up my business, don't bloody walk into my shop and tell me that you are going to run it for me because I can't do it for myself. [more]

The next time you hear a Judge pronounce, "Judgement Reserved", please understand that it can carry a whole new meaning and there is only a 50% chance that you get a fair judgement. [more]

*

The politicians want to woo the backward classes, as they form a sizeable chunk of the electorate, hence the complete silence from the Congress and the BJP on the issue (especially in a election year). [more]


So finally the mentally bankrupt Arjun Singh who should by now be resting his old bones in some restchair has excercised his by-now defunct gray cell and come up with a plan to introduce 49.5% reservations in IIT/IIMs. One of his old friend Mr. Natwar Singh was shown the door not many days ago because, inspite of numerous requests, the old man wouldnot rest his gray cells landing India in embarassing situations everytime he opened his mouth. [more]


Don't get me wrong; I'm not saying that students among the SC/ST/OBCs are not capable. I'm saying that they should be provided support at primary and secondary levels. Tremendous support. I'm all for it. However, should we do it at the expense of other students? Probably not. [more]

*

Instead of giving a burden on its exchequer its playing with the future of thousands of students belonging to the General Category. Instead of giving them economic support, fee waivers and scholarships it wants to appease them with something that will cost students their future. [more]


If you really want to give reservation then include on more policy that only one generation will be given reservation. Any generation after that generation should not be eligible for reservations. Sounds good? [more]


Firstly, the very concept that the reservations would uplift the under priviledged class is skewed and wrong. If that be so, then in this 50 years, we would have reaped it's benefit. But it has not been the case. The reason being the target audience is wrong. The law was formulated so that the backward classes who lack money and means should develop. [more]


I think I should also clarify my stance over here. I am not against the upliftment of any section of society. I am fortunate enough to have friends belonging to OBC who refused to avail this quota and secured admissions in colleges on their merit and I am really proud of them. But I sincerely don’t believe that reserving seats like this is the way to do it because I don’t think this will shorten the bridge between classes but only throw the future of this country into a chasm from which it will be impossible to recover. [more]

*

This quiz is dedicated to the Minister of Generosity - Shri Arjun Singh. For those who came in late, this quiz has been structured in such a way that 49.5% of the questions are really, really easy. If you answer less than 50% of these questions, consider yourself lucky. Arjun Singh may help you get to the stage (in quiz shows) with some reservations. [more]

*

I have seen the images on T.V. last Saturday. They were shocking and scandalous, to say the least. The medical student were protestesting against 27 per cent raise in reservation for OBC in the higher education institutions. The medical students wanted to meet Governor at the Raj Bhavan and submit their list of demands which included roll-back of reservations. And they got lathis from the police posted at the Raj Bhavan. [more]

On old inland letter cards, there used to be a quote by Mahathma Gandhi printed below the address space: "Untouchability is a Crime Against God and Man". This referred to the caste based discriminations prevalent in India for thousands of years. Hundreds of generations of people, lower in the caste order, suffered from this, and this resulted in their entire community becoming backward - socially, financially, educationally - in many aspects. [more]


If I happen to recruit from these campuses any time in the future, I will make sure the candidate who gets through to my company is not a student who got in because of his caste certificate. Reservation candidates who can afford not to use the reservations can live in their own little world and work and thrive with their kind, I don’t want them around me. [more]

Thus our current law not only lets them get a concession to enter, but also gives them life long benefits and allows them to get promoted before others even if they are not as competent or skilled as the other people. Isn't this a case of undue fortification of one section of society? [more]

Lastly one of the funniest things is if you are meritorious student who is capable of getting the seat based solely on merit but belong to the caste which comes in the quota you can take admission in the open category and not through quota. So, not just the percentage of quota but the whole system itself is completely biased against the open category. [more]

But why should i be bothered? Im working in one of the best MNC in the world. Option to sattle abroad any day. Hey its not affecting me. Okay. But in India if you don't oppose that means you agree. Here the loudest voice will have its way. Because if we wont oppose they will come up with another thing like reservations in private sector. [more]

*

Sir, it is said that seats will be increased so that the open category students are not affected. I must congratulate you on your wisdom here sir. Only a far thinking person could have come up with this idea. But as you must be aware, more students mean more requirements on infrastructure. More hostels, more classrooms and more quality faculty. [more]


I think that the reservation advantage should be limited to two generations in the same family. A guy from a backward caste uses the system, comes upto to some point in his life, then his son may go ahead and use the system. After this, having a grand parent and a parent educated from a reputable institute should in all ways indicate to a balanced growth of any person. A person who grows up like this, shouldnt be allowed to use the reservation system. [more]


These reservations have the potential of creating a caste system within these institutes. Right now, there is perfect harmony and accord between students but once the quotas come in place, then 'groupism' is likely to surface again. [more]


Today my son is playing his first match in international cricket. Since I was a NSF(not so forward) category and my wife a NSB(not so backward) category, he was NSF-NSB category. [more]


It is true that a major part of the Indian population is Below Poverty Line. It is true that 75% of Indian population is rural. And this bare truth is what comes to the politicians' rescue whenever they have to fare well in elections. [more]

*

It is a pity that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, as reported in newspapers, remained non-committal through his meeting with Knowledge Commission Chairman Sam Pitroda on the question of jobs reservation. But even if Dr Singh is willing to ignore the don’t-kill-excellence argument that Mr Pitroda and his colleagues made, there is enough hard evidence to show that the kind of reservations he is in favour of will serve no real purpose. [more]

I belong to OBC class. I am from a place where discrimination based on caste was very common. I grew hearing I am inferior because I am from back ward class. I had regretted in my childhood why was I born in backward class. I worked real hard and got through IIT JEE 2000. I got a place in B-Tech chemical engg at IIT KGP. I was feeling freedom from boundaries of caste and creed. But suddenly our leaders asked me to feel that I am a backward. They made me remember my childhood days. [more]


Correct me but I don’t see any national integration. I see a historical mistake in the making. You are getting casteism back with a vengeance. Only that the oppressor now is the oppressed. Which does not help coz getting them together was the original idea that got lost somewhere down the Mandal lane. [more]


I know you have difficulty in walking, but maybe your fleet of cars can take you around Delhi and you can have a first hand look at the state of most of the primary and secondary schools run by the Govt. While there, you may also like to look at the pass percentage of these schools. If the reality sucks in the national capital, you can imagine the plight of students in smaller towns. [more]


I study in NIT Calicut. Yesterday, we wrote our Computer Networks Exams. We didn't try hard because we knew it was sure that we will pass. This, because the pass mark in our class is a measly 28. Why? Because our department does not flunk more than 4 guys in our class. So what? Well, if I know four guys who will not reach the "critical marks" am I mad to try hard? and yes, we are blessed with the four guys we need. And do I need to say where they come from? [more]


I also don't forgive the guy who came to college in a chauffeur driven car, wore only GAPs and Nikes, owned a cell phone when only a few thousand people in the country could afford one and said he was an ST candidate and I still don't forgive his father who was an ST candidate in the Civil Services exams 20 years ago. You already used reservation once. How the hell are you underprivileged and what right do you have to bring up the issue of moral obligation of a nation? [more]

*


And thats why I have referred it as death energy. It would just take the spirit of achievement out of so called OBC people. And it would lead to frustration among the non-OBCs. Many of us were not at all aware of which castes we belonged to. But now everyone is suddenly aware wether he is a Jaat or Brahmin or Baniya. [more]


Reservations, my friends, are not a system of poverty alleviation; they are a system of compensation for historical wrongs, just as in Hindu law, we have a rule that a father's debts must descend upon the son, and the son is under a pious obligation to discharge the debts of his father. [more]

In our country, we discriminate against our own people for discrimination carried out in previous centuries, we as kids are supposed to understand that our high birth means we need to strive harder than others to achieve something, because our forefathers were unwilling to allow some castes access to certain professions. [more]

*

The problem of the widening disparity is very real and needs addressing without any further delay. Attack the cause. Go back to the drawing board. Revamp primary and secondary education and make sure it is available to everyone across caste and class boundaries. Spend taxpayers' money on that. [more]

We all need to struggle in our lives, and the challenge lies in overcoming our limitations and come out shining. There are no short-cuts to success then why a concessional entry to her, while I am still trying to find out the right gate. So my call- reservations for all! [more]

Why are we still focusing on reservation and quota systems when it has not helped us much since 1978, during Morarji Desai's regime? We should ideally be focusing on quality primary and secondary education rather than giving freebies to some. [more]

*

There would definitely be a huge void created. The quality of students would be hit. There would be tremendous pressure on each student trying to get into any government funded university at an undergraduate or post graduate level. People with 80-85% marks would be denied admission for no fault theirs. People would prefer to leave the country and study abroad. Why are we sending our best to the rest of the world?[more]


I certainly don't think reservation at PG level is an answer to uplifting backward castes. Access to quality education at the primary level is far more important. As are other factors such as personal drive and ambition, role models and family support. [more]


As we all know, reservations were initially recommended for a period of 10 years.Now they are in force for close to 50. Has any social scientist tracked the results of this policy? And I am talking purely of a sociologist or economist doing their job - uncoloured by any ideological agenda. [more]


But, do not miss the other side.

We protest:

From this analysis, the conclusion drawn is that the government has been extremely thoughtless and unjust in its decision.
The youth of Bangalore will express their voice through a demonstration in front of Raj Bhavan on 17th April. [more]

We have decided to protest against this unjust move which clearly intends to disturb the balance of the student fraternity. A protest meet has been organised in the Quad on Monday, 17th April between 1-2 pm . This meet will essentially be a silent one, which means that there won't be any slogans or speeches. [more]

What do we want? We want the government to immediately scrap the proposal for 27% reservation for OBC's. [more]


More voices against reservation.

{Leave me a message if I haven't linked you}

***

Read this, Arjun Singh. Sign this, reader.

Say No to Quota in Higher Education Petition.

Petition against proposed reservation in premeir educational institutes.