24 April 2007

Supreme Court rules out Quota for the coming academic year

One good news

SC said, “The Central Government could not justify quotas for the creamy layer.”

Dismissing the plea in the harshest of tones, the apex court categorically stated the government had no data to support quota and had not come up with any new facts to support its case.

The Supreme Court on Monday in an acerbic response to Government’s plea on the OBC quota case flatly refused to allow 27 per cent reservation in Centrally-funded institutes for the academic year 2007-2008.

And the aftermath :
  • “This is just the beginning for our victory. We have already shown how wrong their (Government’s) basis is. They are considering the 1931Census and that is wrong. And now, it’s been proved even by the Supreme Court. We will prove it too and this illegal, illogical reservation policy will uprooted,” said a student.
  • “We think the SC order is unfortunate. If we go by simple mathematics, Constitutionally, there can’t be more than 50 per cent in Central universities. While 22.5 per cent already exists due to SC/ST reservations and so in that way, the remaining 27 per cent seems to be a pretty rational proposition. People talk of 1931 Census, but 27 per cent anyway happens to be lesser than the least. So, why this debate over the number?” said one student.
  • “If the government, by the way of quota, wants to defend the creamy layer and extend some benefits to the rich and is forgetting the poor people, it’s shameful,” said an anti-reservationist.
  • When reservation was being given in jobs, there was no need for and OBCs should rather be given education. “Now today when an overwhelming percentage of India’s backward students are given reservations in Central institutions, why are you opposing it,” asked a student.
  • “The criteria of identifying OBC people is very biased towards ‘social backwardness’ because the methodology to select is biased. There is a 22-point criteria and there’s an index of 11 points. Those who cross the 11-point index are included in OBCs. Twelve points are awarded for social backwardness, six points for educational backwardness and four for economic backwardness. They are only considering social backwardness right now and including all castes with that framework. It’s not fine,”
  • “It’s a big victory for us and the entire nation. It vindicates our stand as politicians want to divide our country and this is a slap on their face,” said a student.“I have seen my colleagues who benefit from reservations. Most of them are not exactly downtrodden, poor or economically backward and they can easily afford education in or abroad. Let reservation be more on economic basis and let’s abolish caste altogether as a concept,”

And from politicos

  • “I think government has given enough explanation to the court because the creamy layer issue was settled at the time of Mandal case. Supreme Court had agreed upon certain criteria for creamy layer and that’s being followed. It’s nothing new. Now the policy has to be implemented. Again raising the issue of creamy layer is nothing but an effort to scuttle the very issue of reservation for the OBCs. How long can such a thing continue? Some people are making ridiculous argument that politicians are dividing the society, it’s absolutely stupid,” CPI-M leader D Raja defended.
  • “Absolutely not. Thank god for the Supreme Court. This policy was always a bad one and it has exposed the political class. It’s a political ploy and always had a lot of problems. Forget the creamy layer which Mr Raja has not spoken about at all. The question remains as to who is an OBC. I am an OBC, earn in lakhs and get my son an admission to a college despite him scoring less than a poor Brahmin from Ghaziabad. So it’s a ridiculous policy,” said economist Gurcharan Das.
  • Says OBC Convenor, Hyderabad, Hanumanthappa, "It's like serving food and then taking the plate away."
  • M Karunanidhi addressed the Centre in his speech in the state Assembly saying, "Democracy would be badly affected if the faith of 100 core people is determined by the two or three men."
  • "The Goverment is planning to approach the Chief Justice over the quota issue on Tuesday. We will ask for the constitution of a larger bench to decide on the issue. Meanwhile, the Government directives to IIMs to hold the admissions still stand"— Arjun Singh, April 24, 2007

    The road ahead
    So, what do you think is the solution to the quota conundrum? Is a caste-based census an option?

Compiled with inputs from CNN-IBN.

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10 comments:

Anonymous said...

i would like say "hurraah"

reborn said...

It s tough to give one final verdict in this matter , as to reservations is needed or not as of now.

It s true that reservation system is misused many a times... and it s unfair...especially in higher education and promotions.
But at the same time , when I see some sectors of the society , they need some upliftment also,and knowingly the prospers shouldnt ignore them.

As long as we have this , we will not progress, and thanks to the politicians, who made sure independent India will be a slave to caste system even after 60 years of independence.

Srik said...

Bach,
I join you in the celebration.

reborn,
I understand we need to support the socially and economically backward people. They need some upliftment.
Does that mean only those people who are born in a 'supposedly' lower caste are entitled to it?

I know a few Brahmins(as an example) who does the scavenging work, for they have and know nothing else to do, and dont they need any support from us?
And there are people, one family that is as rich as any other upper-middle class Bangalorean family, but it belongs to a 'lower' caste person, that family is our family friend here, they too study, attend to religious functions, festivities, just like any other normal family. But their children are still getting student scholarship(based on the caste tag), their fees has been provided by the Govt, from day 1 till they became doctors/engineers. Is it not a mockery of the system?

I firmly believe reservation system, if it is 'the' means to bring in equality and a social revolution, then that must be crafted by eligible thinkers, educationists, wise people, not by those idiotic politicians.

How can a politician decide what the young men/women be doing in the country? That sounds rediculous. I appreciate, at least SC has some spine to go behind these politicians asking for explainations.

mouna said...

i too know brahmins who are 'poor', as one would put it. but these people have had some form of learning before, be it the religious text, or something similar. so, even if they are given books(be it any other subject), they perform the job.

on the other hand, when it comes to 'the lower class'. forget learning, they were/are not allowed to even allow their shadows to fall on learning material. and this has been the practise since centuries. they need pushing, persuasion, before they can even attain the courage to see/touch a book.

it takes time for changes to take place. yes, we've been independant for 60 years now, but, the same treatment continued uptill say for 3 more decades. that leaves us with 30 years. 30 years is kind-of short to bring a change, that too, in a country like ours. it takes time.

the census, that we are talking about is really old. but, can we really be sure that such practises have stopped. i don't think we can take 'no' as a reply.

i see reservations as a means by which people can actually learn. though we know that some of the the reserved class are pretty sufficient. it is their duty to remain honest and make way for others.

ps: most of it is a repitition, please bear. :)

Srik said...

mouna,
You end up commenting, and I end up posting, repeatedly, the same thing ;)

LOL.. Your points are considered. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

matte matte adanne helodu yenu antha comment madlilla adru ondu presence hakbeku nodi attendance shortage agbardu alva!!!!!!!!!!!!

Srik said...

Praneshachar,
Thats too much ha ;-)

Attendance shortage??
Neevu heLabekaddella aa munchina post nalle ide. Mathe adanna odikonde. Thanks.

-Srik.

Anonymous said...

anthu, jaathi annodu ella kaDe estu important antha examples gaLu heLthaa ive..!

I think we had such discussion in MB section earlier, No point in convincing...! Lets see how it goes.

Srik said...

veena,
Nim hatra mathadi prayojanawilla. :-( ;) :D

Good that u chose to wait and watch!!

unfuel the planet said...

//So, what do you think is the solution to the quota conundrum? Is a caste-based census an option?///

have u heard about quota in primary education?
No, but why? because there are more schools/seats than students enrolling for them.

so now u know what the solution is.
http://shocking.wordpress.com/2007/02/07/higher-education/