Editor,
There is no doubt that nothing has been more regressive for India than its policy of caste-based reservations. This policy is nothing but a means of reverse discrimination. Often an individual belonging to a ‘backward’ class supersedes his ‘privileged’ counterpart in the sphere of education or service, despite having an inferior track record. In the process, not only does the criterion of eligibility gets relegated to the background, the pernicious practice also gives rise to a class of ‘neo-Brahmins’. Social justice and equality cannot be achieved through such policies. Rather, it only gives rise to resentment and ill-feeling.
Reserving seats for the ‘deprived’ is as ridiculous as reserving berths in the Indian cricket team for players of Ranji teams like Uttarakhand or Tripura because they fail to make it to the national side. Not only would the performance of the team suffer, it would also mean gross injustice to the eligible players )who would have to make room for the reserved ones). Similarly, national interests indeed get assaulted when ineligible personnel are allowed to don responsible posts at the expense of eligible ones, ie, who have scored higher marks in various examinations.
Thus, irrespective of caste affiliation, people deprived of proper education due to financial constraints should be given free access to schools and colleges and books. Also, stringent punishment needs to be awarded to those who insult or discriminate against citizens on the basis of caste. But this is where the positive action should end. Admission to higher education and employment should be based solely on merit, ie, percentages scored in relevant examinations, ranking in merit list, or performance in interviews.
Kajal Chatterjee,
D-2/403,
Peerless Nagar, Kolkata