India, a country with 5000 years of history, won its freedom almost 60 years back. 60 years is quite a long time indeed. India embraced constitution with great fervour. Democracy became our new religion. India became a self-proclaimed secular country. In pretext of helping backward classes, a demon was made to enter the pages of India constitution. It is the notorious ‘Reservation’ concept.
We all believe in our talent, our skills and our abilities to accomplish things. But it is a painful feeling to see someone with far lesser abilities securing admissions in premium institutes and other arenas based on one’s caste. What can be more infuriating, frustrating and agonizing than this? I agree that oppressed classes should be helped. But to what extent? In 60 years many nations have re-written history (India has also done so but in a pathetic manner). In our country, the privilege of reservation is being enjoyed as a legacy. People are not trying to utilize it as a stepping stone to success but are using it as a trump card to trample the talented and worthy category of the society.
Economic health of a family is a major hindrance in education. That should be made as a criteria to offer free seats and scholarships. I feel terrible when I see someone who could not secure a seat because of his financial limitations (even though he had scored better). We see students with 25000+ rank in CET (an entrance test for professional courses in Karnataka) getting free seats in good colleges only because of their caste. Many of my own classmates’ parents earn handsome salaries, have occupied high offices. Their children come to college in sedans but get their calculator, drafter, books etc… free of cost, all in the name of their caste. These people are not only enjoying what they don’t deserve but also snatching the opportunities from the truly deserved categories. Government is playing a major role in stoking this fire.
I also want to share a personal observation. We do not realize the value of something when we have not put any effort to earn it. I know the value of my education, value of many things I own because I have earned them. My degree was not a gift from the government. But these over-privileged people have started taking things for granted. Many students don’t try to utilize the golden opportunity that has been knocking their door ever since they are born (you are tagged to a particular caste the moment you are born). They end up burning it to ashes. Parents get into good government jobs based on their caste; send their children to very good colleges. Children somehow struggle to get a degree, but fail to get a government job. Reason is, many of these don’t like government jobs (who wants to sit under a leaky roof when u can work in great offices) and hence struggle to get into private companies. Private companies are not charitable institutions to hire incompetent people based on caste. Result? Frustration. These people go through the same emotion as that of a student of non-privileged class trying to get into a good college based on merit. Now these frustrated people want reservations in private sector. Government cannot push for it. But it can definitely increase the limit of reservation in its own institutions like IITs and IIMs. India is a true secular nation.
Reservation has forced talented people to move out of India in search of a more equitable society. An equitable society is not based on gender, caste, disability, sexual orientation etc… A true secular nation will never have privileges dedicated to certain section of the society. If someone has talent, let one earn and win everything on this earth. Government may enforce reservation in IITs and IIMs. But these people may not always cope up with the programs and may not come out of the programs as successful engineers or entrepreneurs.
I vehemently condemn the government’s move to introduce reservation and keep us divided under our bitter feelings for these castes/people. UPA is the only winner in the game. Both OBCs and other castes (including non-privileged castes) are at the losing end as this move will surely wound India deeper than our perception.
Note: All that is mentioned here in this write-up is my personal opinion. I have not referred to any magazine nor any book for any statistics. I refer to people who are not covered under reservation as non-privileged. They are the true warriors in the society of India.