The quota conundrum

Reservations in IITs, IIMs and other institutions of higher learning are vital

While opposing the HRD ministry8217;s policy to bring in 49.5 per cent reservations for our institutions of higher learning, some argue that such reservations should be on the basis of economic backwardness, irrespective of caste or creed. According to them, there is no justification for caste-based reservations after 59 years of independence. Another argument being put forward is that the children of well-to-do SC/ST/OBC families are taking undue advantage of the caste-based quotas and that would have adverse impact on the economic development of the country.

People who hold this view are oblivious of the oppression, suppression, social ostracisation and discrimination of the SC/ST/OBC community over the millennia. Why don8217;t the protagonists of merit compare themselves with the strides being made by the US and other Western countries in the field of science and technology? Until now, 77.5 per cent of seats in the IITs/IIMs have been filled on the basis of merit only. Yet, look at our the record. Even the smallest gadget of everyday use 8212; from toothbrushes to mobile phones 8212; have simply been copied/adopted from the West.

Somehow there is a feeling among certain people that if the poor and Dalits are given admission into IITs/IIMs on the basis of reservations, it will bring down the academic standards of these institutions. Let us see if this premise holds good in similar situations elsewhere.

Harvard University is considered to be one of the world8217;s most reputed institutions of higher learning. The university decided to identify women, non-Whites and others belonging to minority communities and give them admission into the medical faculty and also provide jobs in this faculty. At present, there are 8,402 teachers in the medical department, out of which 1,150 are non-whites. They constitute 13.68 per cent of the staff. Similarly, there are now 2,747 women teachers 8212; or 32 per cent of staff.

Incidentally, the petition of a White student filed before America8217;s Supreme Court, stating that he had scored more marks in the qualifying examination than a non-White student and yet was not given admission to the law course at Michigan University, was discharged. The admission of the non-White student was upheld on the basis of affirmative action.

The reservations policy may not solve the basic problems facing the country but it will certainly help in bringing the ST/SC/OBC community into the mainstream of society. It is all the more essential to do this because of suppression, oppression and discrimination against the SC/ST/OBC people over the millennia and we cannot expect any miracles in this area in a short span of 60 years of reservations and other measures.

The writer is national chairman, All India Confederation of SC/ST Organisations 038; Indian Justice Party