Many OBCs feel that people who post against reservations are against the upliftment of OBCs. That is not true. I can take an oath on this. There are people like me who genuinely believe that reservation will hurt the OBCs. Will my son study if I tell him I will get him admission without studying. I want my son to learn. Not just get a degree. If I give money to a beggar, I will be doing him dis-service since he will remain a beggar. People talk about reservation. Howcome no one talks about pulling the OBCs up so that they can compete and even beat the so-called upper castes?
I am Neither Brahmin Nor OBC. I am a Maratha, Open category. Grandparents were petty farmers. Yet we are 6 engineers (including me and first cousins). All on merit. I have written several posts on this issue. I do not wish to repeat. The key points that I made are that social justice should be done to everyone. All backward classes (social and economic) should be given free schooling and financial assitance for higher education.
But now I make a new point and that is the definition of OBC. Let us say that OBCs get admission in IITs and IIMs. However who exactly will enter these insitutions ? Let us find out.
The OBCs cover a wide range from caste standpoint and even wider range of economic standpoint. eg Both the Sonar (Gold Smith) and Lohar (Iron Smith) are considered OBCs. The Sonar are close to Brahmins in rituals and economic status. The Lohars are on the other end of the spectrum. The Sonars have economic clout and can even beat Brahmins in competitive exams. Guess who is getting in to IIT/IIM ? Sonar or Lohar even if the reservation is 90% ?
The Lohar is asking for reservation. Does he know who he will compete with ? Had the Sonar been removed from the OBC list, the Lohar had a good chance of getting in even if the reservation is 20% !
However if the reservation was based on economic criteria, the Lohar would have got admission due to his poor economic status. Plus no one would complain since kids in higher economic cetegory will pay donations to get admission! Once the Lohar's community improves, it will automatically get removed from the quota list making way for other deprived communities.
So dear OBC brothers and sisters, instead of just asking for a % in reservation, try to increase the chances of deserving OBC candidates.
There are 4 categories of OBCs: 1. OBCs genuinely needing support from society. We need to provide for their schooling, guidance and financial assitance for higher education. 2. OBCs who got admission on merit and are proud of it. They need to encourage others in doing the same. They should be future leaders! 3. OBCs who mis-used the quota system inspite of their good economic status and feel guilty. Dont repeat the mistake. Dont let your children mis-use it. Give other OBCs a chance. 4. OBCs who just want to get it free without any guilt. They cannot survive in a competitive environment. They will work in Government jobs with dusty files and waste their lives in government job culture. What do they know about MNCs, Programming, Project Management, International experience. They are like frogs in the Pond.
Only OBCs can solve their own problem. Others tring convincing them only causes more hatred. Infact it irritates me when people from the so-called upper caste pass derogatory comments against the OBCs who are asking for reservation. They make matters worse. If you cant debate logically, just shut up.
This doesnt have to be a fight between OBCs and non-OBCs. This should be a discussion about how genuine OBCs/SC/ST can be pulled up so that they can compete with the rest.
How How How ? Let us discuss how we can achieve this. Can we have more schools ? Provide financial assistance. How do we review that genuine OBCs are getting the benifits that they are fighting for. We need to improve our strategy so that more and more people from the so called OBC community can compete with the rest. Let us keep a target to achieve this within 3 generations.
Now regarding the caste system. Because of job opportunities, younger generation is already going out of city, state and country. They will mingle with the opposite sex and inter-caste marriages are inevitable. Few of my cousins have married Brahmins and OBCs. I dont mind if my son/daughter marries anyone as long as that person has not misused the quota system. How can I allow my child to marry someone who is not competent ? Would an OBC father allow his daughter to marry a Brahmin who is a drunkard and uneducated just because he is a Brahmin ? If we are fair in our expectations, inter-caste marriages will help eliminate this problem and reservation will be a non-issue.
RE:OBC upliftment
by a a on May 11, 2007 12:19 AM Permalink
You have raised good points however , after 60 years of independence we still cant wait and figure out aperfect system to start off. what is needed is to let the current reservation go and figure out a new list of who is OBC and who is not , but putting procedural roadblocks to delay the implementation of a well intentioned social justice passed by the will of the people by the judiciary and preventing admission for the whole academeic year is unacceptable . Clearly the judiciary with an oer dominant brahmin representation looks biased . This will defintely be a litmus test for the judiciary . If the judiciary lets the admission continue provisionalyy for 1 or 2 year and order a correct nationwide survey that will be justice.
