Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Reservation debate

Reservation is nothing but a legal declaration that some Indians will be denied their fundamental rights — equal opportunity in education and employment — and treated as second-class citizens because of their birth in a community. Reservation has already deprived the so-called forward communities, whose concerns have never been represented in the political arena, of their opportunities in education and employment.

The Government should address the issue of 27 per cent reservation to OBCs in higher education carefully, rather than circumvent the Supreme Court's interim stay order by constitutional amendments.

M. Elamurugan,
Chennai

It is social stratification and inequality that are at the root of poverty, not the behaviour of the poor.

America's ambitious programme War on Poverty in the 1960s failed because it sought to remove the culture of poverty among the poor rather than uplift them by resolving the problem of social inequality. Quota is one of the most tested, proved and effective means of attaining social equality.

The Government must take constitutional and legal steps to implement the 27 per cent reservation.

Virendra Kumar,
Varanasi

By making it compulsory for all educational institutions to furnish socio-economic data pertaining to their students and by collecting such data at the time of taking the Census, policymakers can obtain an excellent insight into the changes effected by affirmative action programmes such as reservation.

Such data will not only provide a tangible base for arguments but also identify pitfalls in our education system and help us address the root causes of widespread illiteracy.

Anand Muralidharan,
San Diego, California

Reservation may not affect efficiency. But one should remember that candidates belonging to the reserved categories enjoy the dual benefit of competing in the open as well as reserved categories. A forward caste student, whose merit is sandwiched between two OBC students, is thrown out of the race.

Is it not denial of equal opportunity? Is it proper to punish the present generation of forward caste students for the sins of its forefathers?

B. Balasubramanian,
Puducherry

Bandhs and other acts of protest are organised by parties against the actions of the ruling party. Now, even ruling parties have participated in protests against a Supreme Court ruling to exhibit their concern for the OBCs. This is a dangerous trend.

L. Pulloji Rao,
Dhone, A.P.

By observing bandhs against the stay order and mounting pressure on the judiciary, the elected governments are making a mockery of the system.

R.S. Shanmuganathan,
Sriharikota

If only our politicians were really as concerned about the welfare of the poor and the backward as they claim, how corruption-free and strife-free our nation would be!

The major clientele in government schools is the socially and economically backward section. Why do these schools not improve the quality of education and develop the we-can-do-it attitude in their students?

Malathy Devanathan,
Chennai

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