Thursday, April 06, 2006

Reservation for OBCs in IIM

Natural ability without education has more often attained to glory and virtue than education without natural ability.
Cicero
Roman author, orator, & politician (106 BC - 43 BC)



Imagine this; you are locked in fierce combat with your opponent in deadly boxing fight. In every round you outscore him only to find out you end up as a loser. When you question the verdict, the judges say this; your opponent belongs to a backward cast and therefore he is eligible for 30% of your marks!
In somewhat similar fashion, the government is planning to bring reservation for OBC (other backward caste) in IIMs and IITs. These two institutions are the torch bearers of India’s march towards the future. The very names evoke respect in any country, is going to be politicized just to garner a few votes.
Reservation for financially backward people is justified. Those who are brilliant in studies but can’t afford higher education should be given a chance. But reservation for people in the name of their religion / caste? What if he/she doesn’t have what it takes to make it? This move will definitely erode the credibility of our premier institutes. The congress have always been adopted this backward community appeasement and in that process, they forgot there are a majority living below poverty line but they can’t claim any of the benefits these backward castes enjoy. Their crime? They belong to a higher caste. I still remember my college days. That time in Kerala, +2 was in colleges and there were 4 groups. 1st (Maths), 2nd (science), 3rd (arts) and 4th (commerce). 1st and 2 were considered superior and 3rd was the last choice. One of my friends who have secured about 70% in 10th Final exam had to be content with 4th(his third choice), while his classmate who have secured just 43% got admission to his prime choice, 2nd group. Eventually the 70% guy passed with high marks and become a very good accountant. The other one, after failing +2, earns his daily wages by working in the farms. A waste, won’t you say?
The criteria for selection should always be merit. All other criterion will just be injustice to others who are meritorious. Caste, creed and tribe should not be a decisive factor in at least this premier institutes. The school and college education is already taken a beating by the politicization.
The only reservation should be for financially backward. This way, more brilliant students get a chance to make it big and, no doubt, our country will be benefiting from it.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

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Nero said...

Vote bank politics cannot get filthier.. It is bad enough giving up close to quarter of the seats gratis but going a step higher and making it 49% will, in my opinion widen the rift in society rather than help bridge it. Your example citing the accountant friend of yours brings it out beautifully. I anticipate things to come to such a pass that being of the 'upper' caste translates into competence and academic excellence.

Nero said...

and then the so called 'defenders of social equality' will realise they've shot themselves in the foot. Reservation is acceptable, but 50 years into a free nation, I am of the firm opinion that the quotas should be going DOWN rather than up. The absence of this clearly indicates the pathetic failure of the plan, and the intent behind the plan. And guess who gets hit by pathetic attempts at a cover-up?

Nero said...

(sorry about the vitriol, but I am of the firm belief that the concept of reserving 50% based on castes defies logic, and is capable of spoiling the futures of untold thousands)

barbarindian said...

Your math is right but the propagandists are saying this:
http://nanopolitan.wordpress.com/2006/05/12/quotas-are-economically-efficient/

I am going to post an analysis soon in my blog.