Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Right policy

The reservation issue has caught the imagination of the public over the past few weeks. To label 27 per cent reservation in IITs and IIMs as a "populist measure or vote bank politics" is a naive generalisation by those who advocate merit as the sole criterion for selection. Why should these institutions which enjoy a great deal of state patronage and funding be run like private companies and corporate houses whose ultimate objective is to maximise profit? The IITs and IIMs have a broader social responsibility than just churning out merit-based technocrats. The bigger challenge, of course, would be to integrate and harness the talent drawn from a wider pool of society — without compromising on the standard of the institution.

Ravinder Kumar Banyal,
Boston, Massachusetts,

Those who are against the government's reservation policy forget that the backward classes have not received justice and equality for centuries. A proper reservation policy is the right means to compensate such discrimination.

Ankur Singh,
Varanasi, U.P.

In the context of reservation for OBCs, the CPI (M)'s stance that the policy must exclude the creamy layer is welcome. If the government's intention is to support the needy, why does it not introduce reservation on the basis of income? Why not try and provide the benefits to people below the poverty line?

Rohini Mehta,
Mysore

I agree with Infosys chief N.R. Narayana Murthy that the decision to increase seats must be left to the institutions themselves. Only they know if they can accommodate more students. And as a principle this is not a solution. Today, the government will increase seats and tomorrow it will increase the reservation percentage as well. When will the cycle end?

Srikanth J.,
Sanford, Florida

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