From: sundar@cis.ohio-state.edu (N Sundar)
Subject: reservation
Originator: sundar@golf.cis.ohio-state.edu
Organization: The Ohio State University, Department of Computer and Information Science
Distribution: na
Date: Sat, 22 Aug 1992 01:06:02 GMT


In article <1992Aug19.230603.11426@syd.dit.CSIRO.AU>
kumar@syd.dit.CSIRO.AU (V.R.Kumar) writes:
>  There are still a very large number of community who are
>  unable to go even to school mate
and
>  Take for example, the poor agriculturists who work for us. How many
>  of their sons or daughters have entered professional colleges ?

Valid point. But then, if 40 years of reservation has not bettered their 
condition, why still stick to it? It seems to me that merely reserving seats
in colleges without 
a. giving opportunity to and implanting a desire in the poor people 
   to study, and
b. giving them scholarships and other economic incentives at the PRIMARY 
   SCHOOL level 

is entirely futile. 

> How many of the so called FC community are poor agriculturists ???

Many may not be agriculturists but lots of them are definitely poor. I hope
you are aware of this reality.

> In article <l93cr2INN2om@nunki.usc.edu> nraju@usc.edu (Narayanan Raju) writes:
> > If what Mr. V.R Kumar says is true, the BC's have caught up with the
> > FC's in terms of education. Then why have reservation at all.

>  Do u mean to say that BC guys are not intelligent as FC guys

I don't see how the above post implies any such thing.

> REservation was formed to give opportunities to those who are economically
> poor. Just because some BC guys are doing well in wealth and studies, it 
> does not mean that the entire India has changed.

At one time, it used to be the case that so-called backward castes were also
economically poor. With the situation changed now, how can it be said that 
reservation benefits only the economically backward? If you believe the 
situation has not changed, why do people oppose economic criteria for reserving?

India is a avowedly socialist country and one of the aims of socialism is to 
ensure an equal income distribution. Given the economic truth that higher 
education does lead to higher incomes, why should it be denied to some poor 
people just by accident of birth?

>  Those who talk in this net about this FC and BC etc....
> will not be against the reservations if they know what poverty is and
> have lived in poverty.

Yes, I have seen poverty in both so-called FC and BC families. In my opinion,
both are equally degrading and poverty is blind to caste. And I oppose 
reservations based on CASTE but not on income basis.

BEFORE YOU SEND FLAMES, PLEASE READ THIS:
The fundamental questions as I see them are:
1. There is certainly a need to bring up the poor people of the society. Govt.
is probably in the best position to do this. But what is the best method to
achieve this? IMHO, generous scholarships based on economic criteria at the
PRIMARY SCHOOL level and propaganda about the long-term benefits of schooling
are better methods. Caste-based methods do not necessarily benefit the poor.


2. There has undoubtedly been dominance on the part of the so-called upper
castes (not just Brahmins). How does the present generation share the blame?
It has paid for the sins of its forefathers over decades and, this is the 
worst part, the average poor man is still not literate, let alone have higher
education.

Constructive flames will be replied to; destructive/abusive flames ignored.
Sundar.
-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
N. S. Sundar          |    I am ardently against all awkward, affected
GTA, CIS, OSU         |    and artificial alliteration.
Off. ph: 292-4029     |
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