The author has been so critical of reservation policy but does not bother to discuss a practical solution for uplifing backward classes. The ideal solution is to provide SC/ST students quality education right from their childhood and make sure that they dont drop out of the school to earn bread and butter. But that would require huge money which India do not have. Given the current economics of India, reservation is the MOST PRACTICAL SOLUTION. Reservation is only a part of solution and not a solution in itself and needs more support in the system to make it more successful. SC+ST account for 24% of India's population as per Census of India 2001. OBCs account for something around 52% of India's population. And forward caste accounts merely 12% if India's population! These 12% people are ruling every sector of India. These figures themseleves reveal the grave INEQUALITY that is existing in India. Given the gap between the grooming of an SC/ST child and a general category child, the opportunities are unequal for them. Reservation is a level playing field. How backward SC/STs really are is clear from the fact that even after 50 years of reservation the situation is not very good.
