'Reservation': Oxford Dictionary defines the word as 1. the act of reserving something or 2. an arrangement whereby something, especially a seat or room, is reserved for a particular person. Now then what makes the title of this article entertain an involvement of the word 'WHY?' following the above word 'Reservation!'. Quite obvious we are not dealing here with that common word reservation of the English dictionary but rather about a system which is deep-rooted in our society and has influenced it in much effectual and impinging ways.
Almost all of us know about this system in our country "India". So let us take a closer look at what all it is? How is it affecting our society? What are its pre-eminence benefits? What are its real disadvantages? What effects it makes in present scenario and many more things.
First of all, let us describe this system. According to Wikipedia, "Reservation in India is the process of setting aside a certain percentage of seats (vacancies) in government institutions for members of backward and under-represented communities (defined primarily by caste and tribe). Reservation is a form of quota-based affirmative action. Reservation is governed by constitutional laws, statutory laws, and local rules and regulations. Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) ( and in some states Backward Classes among Muslims under a category called BC(M) ) are the primary beneficiaries of the reservation politics under the Constitution - with the object of ensuring a "level" playing field." So in simple words, it's a process of giving some special powers to low social groups of the society so that they don't feel inferior and can stand shoulder to shoulder with high-class people which think of themselves as the potentates of the civilization from the ancient times. Is this so? I don't think the same way but!
Yes, I do believe and admit that in the antediluvian times society was divided between two classes: upper and lower. Upper class regarded themselves as the superior group and lower class was considered as inferior and was supposed to do menial jobs which upper class thought as beneath their dignity. Therefore the upper class was opulent and flourishing while on the other hand, their counterpart was a pauper. So obviously after we entered a generation where technology is on boom we ought to provide everyone equality without being biased to any caste or religion. So we evolved with an idea of so-called reservation that would provide equal and fair opportunities to these suppressed people of ancient times to showcase their abilities and prove themselves valuable to the nation.
Indeed a great idea and B.R. Ambedkar must be given due credits to accolade his true works. Yes, there was a time when the reservation was necessary for these people. They were deprived of resources, they didn't have the knowledge, and they lacked the basic adept know-how. In order to uplift them and utilize their full potential to the nation the step was a major break-through to build ourselves as a superpower but this was the time of pre-independence to the time of Indira Gandhi ruling the nation. Is reservation still required by Indians? Obviously answer is no and there are a plethora of reasons so as to why we don't need this anymore
First, the foremost, and obvious reason of all is that today we are way better than we were in the midst of the 20th century and by 'we' it means the whole nation as one without considering gender, caste, religion or race etc. Surely as the nation developed, so does its inhabitants and yes these inferior groups too. Then what makes them liable and eligible for reservation now? They have garnered much-required resources, they have skills, they are adept and they do have knowledge either. Then why is reservation still prevailing, why?
Secondly, reservation completely deteriorates the true competition. There is 49.5% reservation in India today. That simply means that out of 1000 seats available General category would fight for only 505; almost half of the total and the special category can fight on all 1000. Bewildering in fact! They were suppressed in earlier times that don't mean the conditions are the same till date. These people know their rights and if anyone tries to deprive them of these, there are certain laws to protect their individuality. The reservation has made the competition twice harder for General category and twice easier for the reservation beneficiaries.
Thirdly to prove yourself you need opportunities, not things for granted. I can still recall the procedure for selection to IITs/IIMs/NITs and all other government funded prestigious institutes. Students from general category scoring far better than a category student don't get selected to prime institutes of the country just because he belongs to the general category. No one knows by birth, who he is? Which category does he belong to? It's only us who had made these things occur to him but just because he is not a category student doesn't make him ineligible or doubtful of his skillful assets.
See I am neither against category people nor reservation. In fact, people who have skills and abilities, and have the courage to prove themselves doesn't stand in need of reservation to prove themselves whether they belong to a category or not. Problem is with the system that we ought to and has to change in order to have an unbiased selection of true talent.
All these reasons are self-explanatory why reservation should be banned in India now and if at all it has to be given then it should be more meaningful in its definition. Instead of setting the basis for it as category keep it on income or person's disabilities that is actually worthy of it.
Succinctly problem is not with reservation, the problem is with the way it is propagating and used as an advantage in place of requirements. The true meaning of reservation has limited itself to dictionaries such as Oxford and to emanate its actual meaning once again only we have to realize our responsibilities and do the needful so that talent can be felicitated as it should be.
