Reservaion: Interest of Urban-Upper halves

The fire of reservation issue has caught the imagination of the public over the past few weeks and India is witnessing unprecedented style of protests across its topography. Streets and roads of all Indian metros are polluted by the boisterous crowds clad in white coats and making a physical statement against the implementation of reservation. Executing 27 percent reservation for Other Backward Classes in the premier educational institutions is by heart not acceptable to a ‘large and educated’ section of the society as ‘the implementation will pour scorn on the standard of the top class institutions which have a gigantic reputation in the international competitive market’. Government policy and the 93rd amendment of the constitution is visualised as a strategically measure for vote bank politics and appease the minority sections of the society.

It is for the first time that India witnessing a massive protest movement by the people in medical profession. The very next moment Mr. Arjun Singh, minister of Human Resources Development announced the implementation of the reservation in Central Universities, IIMs and IITs, which are funded by the upper caste and urban elites in the metros whooshed their acrimony towards it. Never in the memory of free India have they appeared on the streets, be it against fraud, lack of moral principles in the medical field, communal violence, maladministration and so on. Hence it is well understood that the maligning and hatred campaign of these ‘people of equality’ is not against deteriorating standards of the premier institutions but against the very principles of reservation which guaranties some amount of social justice and equality to the down trodden and vulnerable section of the Indian populace who need to be uplifted.

One of the major arguments put forward by the anti-reservation group is that implementation of 27 percent will dilute the merit and standard of the higher educational systems. Here the anti-reservation camp is accountable to answer some of the questions raised in the mind of larger public at this juncture. Where do we as a nation which was always ruled by the so called upper class echelon of the country, in the sphere of, administration, politics, economics and social, stand even after 59 years of independence. And we all know that there was no actual reservation in any of these fields for the past five decades, still considered to be ‘developing’, ‘corrupt’ ‘violator of human rights’, ‘land of social injustice’, ‘not better than any Sub-Saharan countries regarding poverty, hunger and starvation’. Would any of these groups take the responsibility of the above mentioned state of affairs which is a result of the bad governance and maladministration persisted in this country, by the so called meritorious sections of the country who is so self centred and use media as a tool for their hegemonic and authoritarian dominance at decision and policy making as well as implementation.

If one looks at the composition of the anti-reservation congregation it can clearly be seen that all of them belong to the urban middle class and with very naïve practical experience in the existing social realities of this country where people die with acute hunger and malnutrition. The philosophy and the world view of these strata are evolved in the confinement of the urban shelters which do not have much access to the rural realities which they always want to detach from. Even though this section forms a microscopic minority, since they based in the urban conglomeration their view points have been high lightened and visualised by the so-called national and international media.

The framers of the constitution understood the reservation as a tool to emancipate the socially and educationally backward strata of the society with a time framework. But the never happened implementation part by the successive governments destroyed the very sole and meaning of it and naturally became the fuel for the propaganda politics in different hands. Notwithstanding this, can we find any rationale behind the argument states that reservation nullifies the standard and merit of the higher education systems in the country? And what is merit how we define it. The existing admission tests to the higher education centres do not actually test and explore the level of intelligence and the interest of the students in any form. Merit in competition is a direct consequence of available resources and memorisation of concepts, easily provided by coaching centres in urban areas. Most of the coaching centres in the metros under the thick black clouds of corruption and malpractices. Many of them are associated with question papers leak which had been proven in judicial enquiries. For example Sachdeva coaching centre in Delhi, considered the most reputed centre which use to produce many a so called meritorious toppers, was caught in its involvement by the court itself. Various academic Pandits have questioned present entrance tests which can easily managed by joining a coaching centre or two which breeding a generation of by hearting and time management with the help of varied set of question banks and professional tutors. Here the basic criteria of the merit are to have affluent parents who can afford huge money for coaching institutions. In short, the economical background and not the high intelligence becomes the driving force to get in to the premier institutions.

Interestingly, the whole gamut of the anti-reservation stir gets sharpened and took shape in the northern side of Vindhya where the reservation for OBC and other socially backward sections have had no prior experience. And implementing reservation for scheduled castes and tribes in these states remains as it never solemnized there. Captivating part in whole picture is that in the down south where OBC and other classes enjoy the benefits of reservation in the state run institutions, had not witnessed the spiteful campaigning of urban middle class with upper caste lineage. Most of universities in the southern states of especially Osmania Univeristy of Hyderabad, Annamali and Bharathi Dasan Univeristies of Tamil Nadu, Calicut and M.G Universities of Kerala had implemented reservation for backward sections. States like Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala where OBC reservation have been implemented partially stand far ahead of other states in terms literacy, education and grass root level economic development.

When we have a close look at international universities it found that reservation of seats for racial and socially backward sections is an official policy. University of Rio, Brazil considered to be one of the best in the Latin American Continent follows strong policy of affirmative action to implement quotas under new government policies to address the cavernous socio-economic gaps in college admissions by 40 % reservation for blacks. The University of Brasília recently adopted a 20%- for blacks. In US, California University and Michigan University follow a comprehensive affirmative action in order to accommodate African-American, Hispanic and Native American students. At the Universities of Georgia and Berkeley, race balancing is official policy and implemented properly. None of the students from India who mostly belong to the elite section of the society had ever restrained from joining these institutions of higher studies for the deteriorating standard of education. These universities still remains the dream of Indian students who are ready for spending every pie for it.
Here I would like to ask a question. Where were the people of merit, proficiency and equal opportunity when private medical colleges made widespread inroads across the length breadth of the country without any standardised norm of admission and merit? How many of them have raised protest against the capitation fee system in private professional colleges, which promotes backdoor entry of the privileged class and urban haves. Any body, with minimum qualification and enough money could able to enrol to these profit making buildings without really bothering about the merit and hefty task of entrance test. Frankly speaking the strident opposition is a disguised resentment against social justice and equality and precisely against the spirit of the very constitution itself which guarantee special constitutional rights to the unprivileged and underprivileged.

Almost all parties across the board agreed to the idea and principles of the reservation and had a great consensus in the implementation of the same in the coming years at the time of the passing of the bill. But for a greater contradiction most of the same parties shut their animated mouth fearing the fury of the urban middle class vote bank. The initiation and the continuum of the protest and the rage can be seen as an actual replica of anti-Mandal movements in 90s. By rejecting the fundamentality of the equal opportunity and societal equilibrium, the people of protest show a non discoursing attitude towards reservation.

There has been a constant simplification persistent in the entire length of the discussion saying that the policy of reservation will somehow lead the way to resentment and anguish to certain set of people and the scope of physical violence can not be dismissed. The whole history and the composition of the Indian society do not buy this adolescent way of looking at the things. The interest and emancipation of the Scheduled Cast, Scheduled Tribes, and OBC which consists of 16.2, 8.2, 52 percents respectively, are being buried alive by the interest of the 23.6 percent population in all sphere of the life for centuries. The magnanimous representation and presence of the upper caste sections in the premier institutions like IITs, NITs, IIMs, Central Universities, is a loud and clear substantiation to the above mentioned arguments.

The violent and physical mode of agitation of anti-reservation should be given a very serious thought. Simplifying the entire historicity of Indian social situation and realities by saying that reservation would enhance the existing caste and religious divide in society is a wrong understanding by itself. By theorizing this non historical reason for massive protest rallies, anti-reservation groups adamantly deny to look at India as reality from their ivory tower existence. These deceptive arguments have gotten strong and subjective support of all national media which always catered the vested interest of urban middle class. The pro-reservation rallies and demonstration in Indian universities and other educational institutions have been completely overlooked or if at all otherwise confined to the page 3rd of daily news papers and sub stories of electronic media.

Rejection of opportunity and equality became a big mockery of the very concept of democracy. Coupled with massive privatisation in all educational and employment establishments and favourable judiciary happened to be the biggest obstacles in the path of economically and socially backward community. Even the very dream of making a presence in these institutions is becoming harder and some times impossible for second and even third generation of underprivileged even after half century of the independence. Due to these reasons there arouse an essential constitutional amendment which seems to be capable of getting rid of the centuries long suppression and subordination. When Mr. Arjun Singh came with some comprehensive plans to implement the reservation, the upper and urban echelon of the society have come up with the protest not for the loss of the standard and efficiency but a sheer fear psychosis of losing their monopoly and hegemonic control over the educational institutions and administration.

Better mode of education and occupational opportunities, combined with a sense of confidence would help the marginalised sections to climb the socio-economic ladders. Felonious sense of superiority, pride of higher intellectuality, hidden feeling of superior complexity of upper and urban should be dismissed for a better society with progressive outlook. Provided the marginalised and backward classes are given the same opportunity in education and administration, getting along at par with forward communities is not miles away. The IITs and IIMs and centres of high learning have a wider social responsibility than just chiselling out merit-based technocrats and professionals. The greater challenge lies ahead of course is to incorporate and strap up the undetected talent from a wider pool of society in bigger canvas, without compromising on the standard of the institution. Right for reservation should not be seen as strategy to nullify some body’s chance or opportunity. It is not advisable to argue that quotas are ‘good’ or ‘bad’ regarding the educational institutions. It should be seen in a wider context of social justice, and empowerment of backward classes. Correcting the under-representation of marginalised and back ward sections of the Indian population is historical duty of any government in power. Criticism against quotas as undemocratic and dividing is not relevant in a country like India where caste, religious and economic differences are obvious. Asking for reservation is not a fight between merit and social justice. It is right in due and getting implemented later than it should have been.