It is the day long awaited for. It was the morning, when her son, would opt for the college of his dreams! They had always aspired of he being an alum of that esteemed institution; they faced all hurdles with courage and succeeded; almost. He had managed a pretty good score in the entrance test. All that was left was to sign off a few papers, and pay the fees. He would join the A-1 college in the city!
Three hours down, disappointment flashed through the eyes of her son; more, in those of herself. She had always dreamt of having her son join the ace university in town. And, now all she could do was blame the government for reserving most seats for the so-called-backward and underprivileged. They wouldn’t have dreamt of having seen this day. After all the efforts, they had lost to fate. Fate; strangely had attacked in the form of reservation.
They take the bus to travel back home. It is crowded, with people of various sorts. She could find many broken dreams, some sharp eyes, some cheerful, some dull and some just blank and tired. She sees a man in the fourth row; and glows with temporary satisfaction. She at least has a seat to travel back home. She could grab a nap. She wasn’t all that tired, but yeah, when she has a chance to sit, why does she need to stand? She might as well fight for the seat. It is reserved for her. She deserves it.
With that word in the title box… everyone knows exactly what this is about. You know what you are thinking is right. Whichever way it is; you have a reason to justify it to yourself. Everything has to do with the one word.
Reservation!
Some categories of people have been ignored and suppressed for ages. Reservation was a procedure for such classes to expect justice. The whole abstraction was to lead them to believing, that their ancestors were deprived of some vague rights in the past, to make up for which they are given higher opportunities. They are right.
And then, when a few forward class boys feel deprived of their fundamental rights that they claim in ‘equality’ with their fellows of the ‘reservation’ species, they are right too.
I am not bolstering either the reservation supporting or the opposing groups here.
Only, I find this third class of people annoying; several times, at several places. People, who do not belong to either one of these groups completely, and would die to take advantages of both, if and whenever possible, disturb me.
It is important that one knows exactly what it is, that he is supporting/ opposing. It is more responsibility than just a bunch of facilities to grab. It costs in some form to get served. And it is better people stop being senseless opportunists, trying to loot the world of the same equality that they often keep demanding.
Not to be forgotten behind the color and cover, is the design of ‘reservation’. Its prime and primary cause is that classes of people that need access to a service more than the rest be provided with chances to utilize it; and the law of the state supports it. ‘Needs’ are to be met, even if it is at the cost of spreading inequality, because these needs are considered basic.
If economically backward students get scholarships for higher education, it surely attends to their needs. Getting into a better college, gives them better opportunities than otherwise, which financially sound students can afford to pay for, or can wait without being victims of starvation. Women are physically weaker than men, and might require a place secured with better convenience.But the after-effects of these schemes are far from the results expected and predicted.
People, whose families for very long in the past, have been rich and blessed with comfort and opportunity, still seem keen to claim ‘reservation seats’ in the university only because they belong to a particular caste/ creed. They have the chance, why not demand?
Ladies, who are hale and healthy, claim for seats in public buses, all because those are ‘reserved’ for females that are considered weak and delicate. They have the chance, why not demand?
Families that do not give up free rice/ sugar/ oils… at the ration-store that terms them as ‘backward’, even when it has incomes of several thousands every month. They have the chance, why not demand?
When they have a chance, they demand. And, when they face the effects, they despise it and find faults.
Reservation is a process; an idea. If you abet it in the true sense, you will need to respect it in every way. If you don’t, stand against it, come what may.If you think it is your right to grab a seat in college, under the reservation band, you should also be ready to give up a seat for the ladies in the bus, without hesitation.And if you blame the government for being unjust in allocating seats for backward castes, also be ready to stand on your word and for your cause, when travelling in a public bus. Do not ask for the ‘ladies’ seat. If you are strong enough, stand. Don’t beg.
When people say, they are anti-reservation; they hardly even realize what they mean; they approve or disapprove of it with a bias of what the situation demands. These are people terribly infected with opportunism-syndrome. They tend to use all that is in their good, and accuse when a product of the same system troubles them. They want everything right, without foregoing anything. And when they don’t get them, they blame.
I myself joined my under-graduation college in the reserved quota for girls. I had not realized that another girl, of my sort had been instrumental in stealing off a pretty chance from my brother, without ever knowing it. I know what it means, now. I stand against it. I will not beg for ‘ladies’ seats in the bus. I wouldn’t do anything that could rob another worthy person of good. These might be petty issues compared to those which could change careers; but they are just as important as the cause is.
Isn't it necessary that we know our causes, than merely our comforts?
Period
10 comments:
opportunism-syndrome... exactly the point....u got it.... ppl try to encourage the feeling of rage in one or other side... just to satisfy there needs of popularity or watever... the ppl speaking against it... will they ever send thr children to government schools....u argue if thr is a reservation it should be based on economic backwardness... but can u ppl ensure that none u will bribe to get the fake certis and ppl who are supporting are second genration idiots who already hav used thr right and hav already gained their rightful place in society..... U ppl can afford to send ur children to gud schools... if u have any morals??..think that ur brothers or sisters deserve this right... u r the ppl competing with them...just think about it...
Lastly I am student who just made it without reservation... i understand the sentiments but its no reason to get agitated and fall into trap of these idiots...
Reservation was a great concept when the constitution was made as it was for the development of the under-previleged.By under-previleged, they meant those who did not have equal opportunities as the cream of the society(which unfortunately consisted mostly of the so called upper caste people, and a few people from other castes too). The constitution makers wanted to give the others some leverage through reservations, which they did! But now the whole concept is being utilized wrongly for the purpose of getting votes! Now tell me, doesnt a so called backward caste person who lives in the city, studying in a reputed private school have opportunity as the other students? The answer is "YES". But then we see such people utilizing reservations, not giving scope to the rural backward masses. Ironically the whole reservation concept which was supposed to bring equality in our socially unequal society, is creating much more imbalance! Thanks to all the politicians and their vote bank politics!
@Karthik: Generations of so-called-Backward classes, will continue to take advantage of it; generations of so-called-forward caste guys will fall victim; and generations of ladies will claim for their rights in city buses. Think, what if a guy says... yeah! 33% reservation, come on... we ll share the seat; two men, one lady! ;-D
Think!
@Vikranth: Absolutely. But this was more about the philosophy behind it, than the idea itself. I am not against reservation, straight. What I tried to tell is, if someone takes the advantages of reservation in one way, they have no right to talk against it in the next. There are two ways to get something. Either fight for it or beg. Reservation for those who do not NEED it, is begging. I don't beg. If someone does, I don't care.
Thanks for being here.
ppl who deserve a seat in some ace university cant be deprived of their seat juss bcos of the "reservation" nor can any undeservin guy get in into those university juss bcos he belongs to backward class...
the problem is'nt with da reservation as such,as much it is with the implementation of it is...!!as u put it, we have problem with somethng only wen its against us not othr wise...its a tool to ensure equality ,but wen misused it doesnt justify its basic purpose. this in a country like india ,owin to all da corruption,incompetent officials..., is a dangerous proposition. nthng can be done abt it xcpt for hopin da ppl who deserve resevation get it .whos gonna decide who deserves it...?
god knws who...!!!
A good article indeed.. but let me tell u some aspects in society which i observed..
You know.. even today ... in villages..all the backward classes live at the border of the villages...All the upward class people treat them as second class citizens. This is just my personal experience. Even I used to treat them as second class citizens when I was a kid. What about those people??? There are many people in the world who cannot go to schools just because their parents cannot afford it.. What about them? I'm not taking any sides.. whether reservation should be there or not.. i dunno.. but in this world... there are only two kinds of people.. The Stronger and the Weaker.. and The stronger always dominate the weaker..
Interesting!!!
I think here in the discussion we are missing one important thing. The hold idea of reservation is to bring social and economic equality among people. So, our basic ideas are to the upliftment of the under privileged to bring socio-economic equality and over all progress of our country and of course reservation is a tool which was proposed to fulfill it. But, clearly it seems the tool is not working fine especially in education and services and the after effects are regretful because most of the guys( including gals)who got in through reservation were underperforming or even degrading the standards. At the end there having degrees of no value and providing no potential outputs. I don't say all are following these traits but we have a good number. Which overall is reducing the pace at which the country should grow. I my concern is for those who have lost the fruit which indeed was stolen by others and what they would have provided to this world.
If you ask I am against reservation? I would say even though the intentions of the idea were good the outcome is futile. So, I would say yes, I am against it. Because this is who we are we are opportunists we cannot change this over night. I we can clearly this has become a political drama these keeping aside the actual issues. What I suggest is to adopt a system which enables the underprivileged to make them competent enough to become equals. Develop a nature of deserving it by achieving rather them simple begging for it. I seriously think that the system must be corrected which is far more easy than correcting people.
@Jaishu: This is too late to reply, but still i do it. Are we ourselves not enough to judge whether or no we 'need' a reservation? Each individual has got to know for himself. When it roots there, it will grow further pretty soon. :-)
@Satya: Hello there. Thanks for being here.
I do not intend to talk against any kind of reservation. Let it exist if people consider it necessary. I am only against opportunism. :-)
I believe that after a few more years the government will remove the reservation things, just because backward classes will be promoted to be equalize with the rest by that time
To start with....
Nice work!
I really like the way u developed the thought and the way you presented the post. :)
I neither bolster nor stand against so called reservation since either of them have reasonable amount of justification in their own way.
Most of my thoughts have been discussed here. Well, I do agree to the point that Reservations have been created for the uplift of the socially backward classes.In addition,the reservations have been added to the constitution when the status of lower classes was really miserable and the people of these classes have been discriminated.
u said, Many People use reservation or stand against reservation for the purpose of gain behind it...yes, I do agree with u...this is happening since there is a major flaw running behind the law parallely. Ever since the reservations have been introduced the law hasn't been updated much,because of which so called "opportunism" is taking the lead role in prevailing the negative rays of the "reservation" Which is ruining up the genuine cause behind the introduction of reservation.
We cant help it unless,the law/act about the reservation upgrades to an extent that minimizes the opportunistic behavior among the people.
Post a Comment