Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

On reservation

This refers to Infosys chief N.R. Narayana Murthy's contention that quotas in IITs and IIMs will not help the disadvantaged. It is nobody's argument that reserving a handful of seats in higher education is a panacea for backwardness. But in India, a job not just helps the individual but also benefits his family.

The solution offered by Mr. Murthy, though ideal, will take years to realise. Can the backward sections wait till extra coaching, nutrition and financial support are provided to them to compete with the forward castes at a time when government spending is being governed by fiscal prudence?

K. Uttam,
New Delhi

* * *

Can two wrongs make a right? How can indefinite reservation for some sections be justified on the ground that they were discriminated against ages ago? The Government is actually running away from its responsibility of addressing backwardness by implementing short-term measures such as reservation. It would do well to take concrete steps as suggested by Mr. Murthy.

M.N. Vishnu Dev,
Thrissur, Kerala

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Distress compounded
Now a development agenda for WIPO
Europe and Israel's acts of unilateralism
You cannot kill ideas with guns
Corrections and clarifications
Racism by other means
Keeping a watch for the big one
Let us join hands to reclaim feminism
Pathak report
Overdue indeed
Neglect of schools
On reservation

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu