| Caste system in modern India has divided the | | | | made the sole criteria and seats for the |
| nation into different communities with different | | | | underprivileged or back ward classes and children |
| perceptions and the most divisive factor. While | | | | of such parents must be given choice to admit |
| the majority adheres to Hinduism as their faith, | | | | their child in any school or college of their choice |
| caste divides them for wrong reasons often. | | | | and the government should reimburse the entire |
| We have to have a re look at the failed social | | | | expenses for education to the economically dis |
| engineering experiment of reservations, since | | | | advantaged families. Those rich and powerful, to |
| even after 50 years the number of people under | | | | which ever caste they may belong to must be |
| privileged and disadvantaged keeps growing only | | | | asked to pay for the education on their own. |
| due to faulty delivery mechanisms. | | | | This ensures that quality education is made |
| There is a theory that the caste system has | | | | available to deserving children without financial |
| denied equality to many and gave opportunities to | | | | burden for those families that can hardly afford |
| a few. Caste system has been perceived as being | | | | quality education. |
| practiced by the front line castes to the | | | | This financial backing must continue for the |
| disadvantage of the other communities. It is also | | | | economically under privileged classes till they get a |
| said that caste system led to the oppression of | | | | reasonable job with good salary. |
| disadvantaged caste groups. But the matter of | | | | Then such family must be removed from the list |
| fact is that India was ruled prior to independence | | | | of beneficiaries irrespective of caste affiliations so |
| for hundreds of years by the Muslim and British | | | | that the benefits will go to deserving candidates. |
| rulers who invaded the nation and governed the | | | | Caring for education must include health care of |
| destinies. | | | | children, their dress requirement and their food |
| Caste system has led to reservations of every | | | | expenses. Quality must be the watch word and |
| kind among the citizens. The focus is not on | | | | the delivery system must be made accountable |
| helping the less privileged or under privileged to | | | | with prominent citizens playing watch dog role. If |
| compete with the so called forward castes. The | | | | this is done there will be no need for reservation |
| political system only perpetuated the continuance | | | | in jobs as equal opportunities arise for all based on |
| of the caste system and succeeded in creating | | | | competence and merit. This will eradicate the |
| vote banks on the strength of which rulers are | | | | inequities and social engineering will give way to |
| elected. It is agreed by one and all that equal | | | | economic well being. This is the bounden duty of a |
| opportunities be given to all its citizens irrespective | | | | welfare state. |
| of caste, creed, race and religion. Those people | | | | When such generation joins main stream with a |
| who used the benefits of reservation continue to | | | | feeling that they are not disadvantaged on the |
| enjoy the reservation facilities for their progeny | | | | basis of caste, the vote bank politics will vanish |
| though they are no longer under privileged or | | | | and the merit and talent will find their rightful place. |
| under developed. The creamy layer that benefited | | | | Such drastic re look only will help Indian |
| the most from the caste reservation system | | | | democracy qualify as not only the largest |
| continues to claim the rights and privileges that | | | | democracy but also best quality democracy. |
| are no longer needed by them. They appear to | | | | Otherwise it will be mobocracy, castocracy and |
| be expressing their loyalty to the caste from | | | | divisive and harmful to the nation and its citizens. |
| which they came and benefited, and there by | | | | If we are unable to judge what is good for us |
| attracting other still to be befitted people to flock | | | | and ensure governance that is responsive, |
| round them only to benefit the already privileged | | | | responsible, and continue to dabble in caste vote |
| among those oppressed castes. | | | | banks, one day it may lead to social upheavals |
| If we have to stop this divide within this great | | | | since the delivery mechanism for helping the |
| nation, the only way is to categorize people as | | | | under privileged and oppressed sections is so |
| haves and have nots and make economic | | | | faulty that the number keeps growing despite |
| condition as the sole criteria for judging whether a | | | | billions and billions are spent for that cause. |
| particular person is privileged or under privileged. | | | | What the underprivileged want is eradication of |
| All the financially backward people must be | | | | hurdles that continue to create inequities mainly on |
| treated equally and benefits be made available to | | | | account of economic reasons. |
| them so that they equip themselves to compete | | | | Why to add cream to cream? It is better to |
| with the haves in the society. | | | | identify constantly and transparently those who |
| It must start with education system. Income be | | | | really need cream to sweeten their fortunes. |