My first question to Mr. Sunil is whom he calls underprivileged? If at all the answer is one who "lacks the rights and advantages of other members of society", then I think it is the financial condition of an individual that would make him underpriviliged and not his Caste. A financially weak person, from a so called Upper Caste is equally underprvileged. So we have Economically Backward Class.(EBC).
Mr. Sunil did cite an example that even today at some places Indian Dalits 'continue to be denied access to the village well and village temple and often to the local school and jobs'. I do agree with him. What do you think is the solution: (a) to reserve some temples and wells for Dalits? or (b) to make sure that everyone gets an equal access to them?
If your answer is (b) then you better rethink about having reservation for anyone in any organisation be it private or government. We have to tackle the root problem of why still there has been no development among the SC/STs and the OBCs. I dont think it is the caste that bars development of any individual. I really admire Mr. Azim Premji for taking a firm stand against present Reservation Proposal.
Reservation of jobs in pvt sector is definitely a major issue which needs to be handled with utmost responsibility and concern. "Responsibility" because with an overall of 49.5% reservation in pvt sector,the major Indian players in corporate world would be teeming with a sub-standard workforce which is bound to lead to the dilution of their performance.It is needless to point out that our IT sector will be the worst hit since it thrives on high quality proffessionals most of whom hail from the countries' most prestigious educational institutions. Again, there is "concern" too because until we open all the doors for everyone,the word "minorities" will forever remain an integral part of all our economic issues and problems. So it is preferred if we restrict reservation only upto educational institutions and give everyone an equal platform regarding employment in pvt sector.
Government in almost all countries have miserably failed for uplift of backword class people.
Now only big private sector (beyond certain defined turnover)can help the society for uplift of backward class people.
Here backward class does not mean backward by caste.
Those who are meritorious and who need financial help should be given preference while selecting the candidates by big Private Sector.
Here Government can not fix certain quota of reservation.
Rather than this while auditing the balance sheet weightage should be given for what action has been taken by big Private Sector for upliftment of society.
What is meant by upliftment of Society should be clearly defined by the government.If required public opinion should be taken .
Here since it is private sector corruption will be comparatively less.
I cant believe what I read. Does anyone who has seen School and College, still need a reservation to get him job. The govt can only get people to the river, but only people should drink. Even, I have used reservation to get into college. But, once we get into college, it is upto me to make it big. The society cant bear me till the end of my life. The same applies to reservation in IIT/IIM. If somebody has gone thro' college (for IIM), he should be aware of competition and work for that. If somebody is aware of IITs( beleive me I didnt know that IIT exists till I entered college), he shud work for that. Nobody can and shouldn't pull people up indefinitely. Even, the reservation should reduce from caste based to location based like people from rural should get reservation. I have seen students studying in high-class schools in metro getting reservation. Who is the loser? The other people who are in the same reservation net are the losers. Somebody in metro, of his same caste is going to steel his chance. Am not against reservation, but it shouldnt be caste based but on location and economical situation of the student. Else, we are going to lose-out.
The author seems to be afflicted with some kind of bias for reservation. If I were an employer, I'd never want to throw my money as waste on someone just because he was from some 'caste'. The author gives examples of other countries to prove his point...but he forgets that the countries he is referring to are having 100% literacy and are far more capable of handling the situation than India. India is a different country with a different sets of problems. India is at a knifes edge...if we loose our competitive edge today...we will be nothing in the times to come. Lets our childrens and our childrens children not curse us for being myopic. Mr. Sethi...begin the reservation at ur home, think urself from an employers perspective...dont let others be dragged into this mess. I have seen many of my utterly dumb friends who got through to the IITs and other schools even when they were finanicially very sound...just because they belonged to some so called backward classes. Give priority to financially backward people...not to socially backward ones...some reservations in schools is acceptable...but dont make this a habit for them!!!
I fully endorse the authors view on the spirit of reservation.But i must say it ends with that.A lot of novel ideas to bridge disparities amongst man had come up and reservation is hitherto the most expedient of them all.History just keeps on repeating itself and yet people dont learn.All these systems were plagued by misuse and abuse of the benevelonce. To cut short Every body would be happy if a person who still has to study beneath the street light or earn his way through the day, get a job or admission.Iam sure the vast majority of indians are not that unconscionable.Bu is that the case now.definitely not! What "social justice " is there when every member of a family is given a job or admission or when people continue to enjoy the fruits generations after generations.To be honest the government has not yet taken the step to identify the weaker sections of the society.To it any organised caste ( wronged decades back)constitute that .At ambedkars times the classification was more or less evident but does it hold any good now. It is time when people who(emotionally)speak on such issues do a lot of soul searching.Let the reservations be implemented but only to the "needy"
Mr Sethi, you just see one side of the story. I wonder why the government only talks about increasing quotas after quotas. before imposing something on the public, the government should first answer where is the money collected from the 2 percent education cess being used. the answer- its going in the fat pockets of our own beloved politicians. why doesnt the gvernment say that the reservations will only be for the economically backward OBCs and SC/STs which is the real objective of this law. Why doesn't the government talk about the economically backward classes be they from any caste? if the government was so true hearted about this initiative. and even you dont talk about this side of the story. you know why, because people like you don't have an idea about solving this problem bt just want to acquire political mileage from it. And last but not the least, why does India always have to follow the way of other countries ike Japan or USA as you so mention in your article. why cant we Indians think about a different approach to solve tis problem rather than just aping somebody else. That is because it never occurs to the policy makers here..
N.Delhi. Monday, the 24th April,2006. Sri sethi 's note etches the interesting Toofers mode of escaping the US affirmative action in work-place ,by engaging a A Black girl they get credit for double engagement of a gender and race person in work force,shows resourcefulness of the entrenched prejudices of all estt. However to eliminate all these social crinkles and snarls of perverted Dalit Reality in sorry land that is Bharat,we ought to systematically add to the skill-capabilities of the the bottom 40%of India's shirtless ones,by dedicated ITIS /Polytechniques to be credibly run by trainers from the private Business Houses and Business Managers instead of effete AICTE and State Govts.,or local communities, whose work leaves their products not sufficiently trained or employment -worthy.In case this real value-added skill is imparted functionally, I am sure much of this despair about Dalits Angst could be considerably reduced...D. Goel
I think we should have job reservations in all the fields. I completely support the PM and all the politicians for promoting this. Let's start the reservation with our cricket team. We should have 10 percent reservation for muslims. 30 percent for OBC, SC/ST like that. Cricket rules should be modified accordingly. The boundary circle should be reduced for an SC/ST player. The four hit by an OBC player should be considered as a six and a six hit by a OBC player should be counted as 8 runs. An OBC player scoring 60 runs should be declared as a century.
We should influence ICC and make rules so that the pace bowlers like Shoaib Akhtar should not bowl fast balls to our OBC player. Bowlers should bowl maximum speed of 80 kilometer per hour to an OBC player. Any delivery above this speed should be made illegal.
Also we should have reservation in Olympics. In the 100 meters race, an OBC player should be given a gold medal if he runs 80 meters.
There can be reservation in Government jobs also. Let's recruit SC/ST and OBC pilots for aircrafts which are carrying the ministers and politicians (that can really help the country.. )
Ensure that only SC/ST and OBC doctors do the operations for the ministers and other politicians. (Another way of saving the country..)
Let's be creative and think of ways and means to guide INDIA forward... Let's show the world that INDIA is a GREAT country. Let's be proud of being an INDIAN..
May the good breed of politicans like ARJUN SINGH long live...
