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Competing interests

The editorial "Reconciling competing interests" (May 18) was well balanced. But I entirely disagree with the opinion that islands of excellence such as IITs and IIMs should be kept outside the purview of reservation. The sum is always greater than the parts. By making sure that diversity in an institution is maintained, one not only ensures that social justice is done but also helps to increase cultural sensitivity making the institution receptive to innovative ideas. The concept of islands of excellence is a myth. Exclusivity can never lead to excellence.

Venkatram Reddy Sureddy,
Nalgonda, A.P.

* * *

The editorial is a splendid analysis. The islands of excellence should not be violated by any aggressive policy. A policy that originated as social correction for age-long denial of opportunities to the oppressed classes has been hijacked systematically by political parties to create vote-banks.

In the context of inevitability of reservation, the CPI(M)'s stance that the policy must exclude creamy layer is welcome.

R. Vasudevan,
Chennai

* * *

The Government's decision to set up an informal committee of Ministers to study the proposal to reserve 27 per cent seats for OBCs in higher education is eyewash because it is well known that the political establishment is for reservation.

The panel should consist of those who have no political affinity. A group of politicians will surely be guided by considerations other than just the need to resolve the issue.

Konduri Surya Narayana Rao,
Rajahmundry, A.P.

* * *

The concerns of the striking medicos are not without merit. However, the article "The reservation impasse" (May 18) makes an excellent point about the utility of examination scores to assess merit.

While American medical schools are equally selective, their admission process relies on other factors in addition to scores. Prospective students are judged on the basis of their academic, moral, and social aptitude through rigorous essays and interviews. Extensive private coaching thus becomes irrelevant. The current impasse in India can be resolved by formally recognising candidates with a strong desire and commitment to serve rural and underserved communities.

Krishna Raghavan,
Chennai

* * *

The author says "it is well known that most of the youth who are in higher education institutions ... belong to the top 5 or 10 per cent of households." Does he have any statistics to prove this "well known" but very vague statement? My experience tells me this well-known fact is far from true.

Aditya Sahay,
Roorkee, Uttaranchal

* * *

In a society where there are innumerable forms of social injustice, it is futile to protest against reservation for the backward sections who have been exploited for ages by the forward castes.

Narendra Nayak,
Mangalore

* * *

The Government must conduct periodic surveys to ascertain the extent of privileges derived by the beneficiaries and to include genuine, deserving claimants to education and employment excluding those who have already benefited. The concept of merit and the criterion for reservation have to be constantly redefined so as to reconcile them, keeping in view the growth of the nation and social progress.

M. Govindaswamy,
Chennai

* * *

Will reserving a few seats in IIMs and IITs uplift the backward among the OBCs? The country should find more avenues of higher education instead of preventing the meritorious students from pursuing it.

P.G. Neelakandan,
New Delhi

* * *

The means to merit is knowledge. The means to knowledge are opportunity and scope. When opportunity and scope are denied, the intellect is stunted. And stunted intellect can only wallow in ignorance. It cannot compete or aspire for the utopia of merit. A sizable section of the population was socially ostracised and deprived of opportunities to compete until the reservation policy was introduced.

The marginalised tribals and bonded labour communities of India cannot intellectually compete with a minuscule minority that has usurped for itself all avenues of education over the past 2000 years. A concerted reservation policy alone can lead to the emancipation of an intellectually stunted society. The rationale of merit in an intellectually incapacitated environment can only be dubbed as racial superiority and bias.

S. Immanuel,
Chennai

* * *

In a few years, half the applicants for jobs in the private sector will be the ones who used reservation to get into colleges. The private sector may not support such reservation now but it will not have any choice in future.

A.V. Prahnesh,
Rochester, New York

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