The Right Reservation Formula

  Today, India stands divided. On one hand is the Central Government going ahead with implementing caste Based reservations in institutes of Excellence like IIT, IIM etc; a brainchild of the myopic Human Resource Minister, Mr. Arjun Singh. On the other hand stands the student community, the future of India, dreaming of making a Progressive Developed India, united in cause, completely against dividing India on basis of Caste.
But the main question that matters is- Is there a way out? Yes, there is one. And one which both- the Government keen on introducing "Reservation" in any form as well as the students who do not want their hard work to go down the drain with their seats going to 'Reserved' students. Here is the plan in short-

   The Government introduces 50% reservation for Backward Class students in all schools, public as well as the private ones, at entry level ie at standard 1. This will ensure that all students from deprived sections also get equla opportunity to get into the so-called prestigious private schools. After having access to same infrastructure, same teachers and same crowd as the richer students, at the end of ten years when the entire batch clears SSC/ICSE exams, there will be no way to identify which student is 'open' and which is 'reserved'.

   If the Government's argument that for preparing for competitive exams like CET/IIT JEE/CAT, the backward class students dont get access to private tution classes which the 'privileged' students get, the Government should start specialised training classes only for SC/ST/OBC students to prepare them to take on the prestigious entrance exams. This move will certainly cost only a fraction of the cost the Government is doing on increasing seats and the result of this move will be that all students- open or reserved, will have a level playing field to show their strength at the entrance exams. After this, there is absolutely no need to reserve any seat for any category of student as no one is "under-privileged" at this stage. All seats can be filled purely on merit and all those 'reserved' students who have got their basics right will be able to secure a seat for themselves.

   This move will ensure that only the capable 'Reserved' students get into IIT/IIM. This move is about giving the weaker section students the right weapons in their hands and preparing them for the fight and win over the enemy rather than giving them backdoor entry into enemy territory. This will also ensure that the Best Institutes have only the Best students in their campuses thereby creating a positive environment for the teachers as well as the students. Also, it will save the lives of scores of students who get into these high-profile institutes just because they have an easy access available inspite of knowing that they are not ready to face the tough times ahead, get entangled in the stress accompanying the life at prestigious instititutes, lose interest in life and end up committing suicides, thereby ruining their own and their family's lives.

   How we all wish that our Government had the kind of people who could think in a similar fashion and foresee the overall growth and progress of India that is dependent to a great extent on the bright students of India rather than just wasting their time in votebank politics trying to pacify their vote-banks and in the process leading India to an impending disaster!