Appraisal of Reservations Policy - Anay Joglekar

Protests against OBC quota in professional courses/ institutions are getting stronger and spreading in lengths and breadths of country. If we accept that – it is Vote Bank politics then we have to admit that – we are fighting a lost battle as far as outcome is concerned.

Also there shouldn’t be any doubt about our commitment for uplifting standard of living of economically and socially backward communities. But there is a feeling in my mind that protesters are losing their direction. As the current democratic system has failed to deliver and improve standard of living of masses, we have to offer sincere answers and raise serious questions when we oppose further reservations or reservations at all in education system.

I would like to raise a few questions which I think were missed by the protesters-

Performance Appraisal of Reservation Policy of Government of India- which I believe will tare the masks of so called Messiahs of Oppressed.

Like what is the expenditure on education and creating equal opportunities as per five year plans?

How much of it was actually provided and spent?

How much of it actually reached to projects for which it was allocated?

We should compare the amount provided for and work done – like number of schools started, facilities provided in school, efforts to bring kids to school etc.

How many students have benefited from the policy of reservations up till now?

Are there any particular castes – groups among backward castes that have benefited and castes which have marginally benefited?

Are there any particular regions that have done well through it?

Is there intra group discrimination – like backward and most backward among OBC, SC and ST?

How many people have actually benefited from reservations and whether their wards also continue to take support of these reserved seats?

There is Creamy Layer – for OBC and I guess it is like annual income of family less than INR 250000.

So questions are – How many upper caste families are below 250000 p.a. limit?

Is that Creamy Layer taken seriously- It is alleged that many beneficiaries of OBC quotas are from creamy layer but they simply don't disclose their correct family income and that goes unchecked.

Most important question is – If less than 10 % of Indian population is University Educated- it shows number of total seats available in our Universities. So even if 100 % of seats in professional institutions are reserved, how many years it will take to educate the students from backward castes?

Does government posses any road map about increase in number of seats in our Public Universities only which can be afforded by backward caste people?

Can we demand that Government should publish a White Paper on this issue which will help policy makers to decide course ahead.

Please help me to reach out with these points to protesting students. If you have email addresses of their organizations, do mail me at anayj@rediffmail.com