[Reader-list] Divided as ever, quota lobbies mouth familiar lines

[radhikarajen at vsnl.net]

Hi, after some thoughts over your expressions here are few of my thoughts for you to ponder:

  When free India ensured in its constitution, and the very constitution assured that this reservation and quota is for a temporary period of only 10 years, it is really absurd to have these quotas and reservations which started only for scheduled tribes and scheduled castes with the sole aim of giving them an opportunity to be equal among the citizens. But later, the OTHER Backward CASTES, this wording is really discriminatory, is a list compiled by those in power to favour their castes and the cake which was shrinking was to be cornered at any cost.
 Reservation and quota is required for funds of the national exchequer to extend basic education at every village level, improve the quality of education, to impart life skills to each child from village to every level of dwelling, but in reality it is the private schools who are selling education and it is business now.
  What is the point in reservation and quotas at higher education when 80 % of the oppressed irrespective of castes and faiths do not get even basic education, life skills. ?
  It is imperative of the system of governance to facilitate each child of the nation, irrespective of the caste, faith, region to impart good education, atleast basic skills in life to enable him/her of the opprtunities in life., to earn in life with dignity. This discrimination of favouring a few castes at the cost of others is neither democratic, not social justice. 

----- Original Message -----
From: Aditya Raj Kaul <kauladityaraj at gmail.com>
Date: Friday, April 11, 2008 12:02 pm
Subject: [Reader-list] Divided as ever, quota lobbies mouth familiar lines
To: sarai list <reader-list at sarai.net>

> *Divided as ever, quota lobbies mouth familiar lines-**The Times 
> Of India
> (Page-2)
> 11 Apr 2008*
> 
> *NEW DELHI:* The Supreme Court's stamp of approval on OBC 
> reservations in
> educational institutes on Thursday elicited mixed reactions from 
> studentsand teachers. From infrastructure problems to 
> implementation of the creamy
> layer clause, they, however, sounded a note of caution.
> 
> "We are happy that the creamy layer is kept out. It is a victory 
> for all
> those students who stood up against it. But we are disappointed 
> that the
> seats in the general category are not increased," asked Dr 
> Abhishek Bansal,
> president, Azad Medicos Association (AMA), Maulana Azad Medical 
> College.
> Youth for Equality (YFE), which was formed in the wake of the OBC
> reservation, debate is ecstatic. "It is the most balanced judgement.
> Reservation should have been rationalised and now we are satisfied 
> that the
> government has been asked to come out with a list of 
> beneficiaries. It is
> the time to celebrate," said Anup Awasthi from YFE.
> 
> Pro-reservation groups though are unhappy about the creamy layer 
> exclusion."It will just make the process more difficult. The Rs 
> 2.5-lakh limit is not
> justified, as it will disqualify a lot of needy people, especially 
> after the
> sixth pay commission, which has raised the salaries of government 
> servants,"said a senior faculty member of Lady Hardinge Medical 
> College (LHMC).
> 
> In some quarters, apprehensions were raised about the ability of 
> institutesto build infrastructure that will be required to 
> accommodate additional
> students so that the number of seats for the general category remains
> unchanged. "There are not enough lecture theatres, laboratories, 
> hostels to
> accommodate the existing students. Where would the additional 54% 
> studentsgo?" asked Dr Dilpreet Kaur, active member of the Lady 
> Hardinge Students'
> Association.
> 
> The concerns are similar in other technical institutes. "IIT Delhi 
> is the
> smallest of the seven IITs. How will extra hostels, labs and 
> classrooms come
> up? We got through IIT after competing with almost 3 lakh students 
> in the
> entrance exam. Reserving seats for a set of students is unfair to 
> us. If 40
> students have to be stuffed in the same space which now houses 25, 
> imaginethe way experiments would be done," said Nikita Mathur, 
> final-year student
> of chemical engineering in IIT Delhi.
> 
> "It should not be implemented. It's the doing of politicians. 
> Admissionsshould be conducted on the basis of merit, not caste. 
> IIT is known for
> taking in only the best of minds. This will not be said after the 
> quota is
> implemented," said Manali Kapoor, who is doing her PhD in 
> Chemistry atIITD.
> 
> Neighbouring JNU, meanwhile, lived up to its "Leftist" reputation 
> with most
> people welcoming the quota. "Social justice was long due. If OBCs get
> educated, it will create more skilled workforce. Many reserved 
> seats that
> are never filled because of shortage of skilled OBCs and Dalits 
> will now be
> up for grabs. Universities should be given funds and time to 
> implement the
> quota," said Kamal Mitra Chenoy, president, JNU Teachers' Association.
> 
> Infrastructure, meanwhile, tops the list of students' concerns in 
> DelhiUniversity too. Said Tisha Sehdev, a second-year student at 
> Hindu College,
> "There's already a fight for space in colleges. Labs don't have enough
> equipment and classrooms are over-crowded. How will the colleges 
> manage to
> take in more students within the next two months?"
> 
> Said DUTA president Aditya Narayan Misra: "It's a welcome move, 
> which will
> only be realised if the government also ensures that lack of 
> infrastructureis addressed while implementing the quota."
> 
> For many like Vasudha, the very word reservation reeked of inequality.
> "Competition matters. If you're good, you'll get admission no 
> matter where
> you're from." Uday Raj Anand, however, had a different take. 
> "Meritocracy is
> between equals. When a section of people have not enjoyed basic 
> amenities,how can they be judged on the same level? Reservations 
> are needed to bring
> this section of people at par with the rest of the population."
> 
> *Said Aditya Raj Kaul of the United Students: "It's a step in the 
> rightdirection. But the government* *needs to ensure that 
> implementation takes
> place properly."* Added SFI spokesperson, Rohit from JNU, "It's a 
> historicjudgment that will pave the way for social justice and 
> affirmative action in
> educational institutions for the deprived sections in our society."
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