Editor,
Equality can only be translated into reality by adopting a policy of positive discrimination in favour of the oppressed. This is the very essence of a welfare state. And this is the reason why many countries like the United States of America provide the unemployed with handsome allowance. Without such positive discrimination, equality will become as ludicrous as ~ in the words of Anatole France ~ “The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor, to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread.”
Unfortunately , in our country, instead of protecting the poor with positive discrimination, is actually dishing out those privileges to the rich thus making this tool a negative one. As for example, the lion’s share of subsidy is enjoyed by the creamy layer of our country. Amartya Sen had said, “Reading the papers and hearing broadcasts, you would think that it is subsidy for the poor ~ food and employment ~ that strains India’s public resources, even though more than twice as much public funds are spent in subsidiziing the better off.” In India, the money does not trickle down from the rich but pumps up to the rich until they vomit it to some foreign banks.
Management quota reservation in educational institutions is another example of negative discrimination. Surprisingly, there is so much noise in India against caste quota reservation (a positive discrimination in favour of the oppressed), but not that kind of uproar can be heard against management quota reservation (an utterly negative discrimination)! When the largest bank defaulters in India are the big business; debt-driven micro-defaulters are made to suffer up to the hilt. According to National Crime Records Bureau’s recent report, there was 42 per cent increase in farmers’ suicides in just one year from 2014 to 2015. But many rich individuals are roaming freely even after defaulting astronomical bank loan amounts. Perhaps, the present scenario would have made Anatole France to say, ~”For the sake of majestic equality, the rich is provided with subsidy and management quota and the poor with occasional freebies.”
Yours etc.,
Sujit De,
Kolkata
Unexpected turn of events!
Editor,
Our State seems to be witnessing doomsday. Unexpected incidents are taking place at any hour (as per the Bible says). The state has not even completely digested the heinous incidents in the past few weeks when another one has popped out – the allegations against the Governor of the state. While it is understood that his personal activities are something nobody should interfere with but he is forgetting that he is a constitutional head – basically he is the cap of a bottle protecting the citizens. He is mixing up his personal and professional life and hence has blotted the serene image of the Raj Bhavan. He is allegedly partial with the employees and this has compelled them to write to the Prime Minister. The haphazard situation of the Raj Bhawan employees (as per the letter) is a pitiful scenario. As citizens of this state we cannot allow any undesirable activities taking place in a place that houses an integral figure vide the Constitution. But now we can heave a sigh of relief that all these matters have come to the fore sooner than later.
Yours etc.,
Bracy Nongrum,
Via email
Admission to Delhi University
Editor,
It may not be known to all and sundry in the State that Delhi University (DU), one of the most prestigious and sought-after central institutions in the country is mulling over conducting an all-India entrance exam for admissions to under graduate courses ahead of the 2017-18 academic session in place of the persisting traditional system of considering class XII Board marks as the sole criterion. Of course, some colleges such as St. Stephen’s, Jesus & Mary already have their own admission policies.
With an excess of qualified students and a limited number of seats, the University is famous for its stringent exam-score requirements. While it is likely that students from the central school boards (CBSE, ISE) – generous in their allotment of marks (in Humanities too) – would not welcome these reforms with open arms (for obvious reasons), I personally feel that students studying in schools affiliated to our State Board would relish this opportunity should it materialise. Over the years, State Boards of School Education across the nation have had to increase their exam-score generosity to keep up with the rising cut-offs in central universities. MBOSE however, surprisingly (or unsurprisingly), does not seem to comply with this trend which is why very few or no students (even the toppers in Humanities) studying in schools affiliated to the board get admitted into DU colleges.
I feel privileged to be studying in one of the best colleges in the country and I owe all of it to having passed from CBSE in high school.
Yours etc.,
Mirbin WB Syiem
St. Stephen’s College, New Delhi