Merit is not ones individual property.Brainy could be in reserved category and a dunce in forward category.Caste cannot be a determinant for allotment of seats in prestigious institutions where merit alone should count.It is not that all forward class people are affluent and intelligent and vice versa.The basis for enshrining reservations in the constitution when we adopted it was the state of things prevalent at that time and should not hold good for eternity;much water has flown since then.Reservation for the downtrodden and oppressed is not bad till certain time,but not forever.Continuous extension of reservations by successive govts for their own political reasons-not out of love for such classes has, in fact, relegated/pushed the FC to backwardness and the reserved class to forwardness.The children of an IAS selected under reservation continue to get the benefit of reservation while those of a FC peon,unable to secure even a seat in good college-leave alone employment- moan in pain.The spirit of reservation to help the needy is being misquoted,misinterpreted and misused by the politicians for their own survival and continuance in power.We have allowed reservation for more than 60 years;it is time to make an introspection of the entire gamut and rethink about their continuance as a matter of routine and treat all equally.Constitution is meant to safeguard interests of all people irrespective of caste,creed or religion. "Survival of the fittest" should be the criterion.
