I’m Against Reservations!

I must confess that I was taken aback - at the unexpected sense of sympathy that I felt for the Gabberment on the present reservation crisis. In an inspired moment, I named it Resurrect, a small deviation from Reservation-gate. Surrogate would work equally well I suppose, but Resurrect has a sense of exhumation about it, which gives a better flavor and smell!

Sympathy for the present GoI establishment? Took me completely aback I must confess. Persona-13 got the undivided attention that it was looking for. And having got the stage, he presented the case: imagine the consequences of focusing on anything other than prost-graduate education? For instance, on primary education and then vocational education. What would you do with the aspirations of all those who would then get educated and want better prospects for themselves?

Think Kerala here - enormous numbers of educated unemployed! Best not to take any chances with social re-engineering, stay with the tried and trusted - those institutions that have established themselves for quality.

And persona-13 exited the stage.

In my view, caste-based reservation should not be allowed under any circumstances; we should be working towards a phasing out of even the present caste-based reservations, not talking of more.

The point about increasing the overall number of seats in no way mitigates the damage of reservations - to me it becomes insult on injury. We need the additional capacity any which way and urgently, and this has always taken back seat. So permitting it to accomodate the additional reservations is a perversion.

The one lesson that we seem to have learnt well from our colonial masters - divide to rule!

Reservations based on economic criteria, certainly and intensely. Catch them young and nurture them well. Instead of the reverse, which is what happens now.

But then, tinkering with the school system would show results only a couple of decades later. Way too late for the next elections!

I’m proud of our medicos! If there’s any way in which I could support them, do let me know.