Editor,
I am writing in response to Sujit De’s letter on the issue of caste-based reservations, published recently. While I understand and respect the arguments presented in favour of reservation policies, I believe comparing state quotas in parliamentary seats to caste-based reservations in higher education and government jobs overlooks the nuances of both systems. State quotas are designed to ensure equitable representation and development of the entire state, while caste-based reservations, in their current form, primarily benefit certain groups without taking economic conditions into account.
I am not suggesting that caste-based discrimination is not a reality. As the author rightly points out, discrimination still exists in various forms, and addressing this should remain a priority. However, many people from financially disadvantaged backgrounds—regardless of caste—are being deprived of opportunities. These individuals may be scoring well despite having fewer resources and limited access to quality education, yet they often miss out on opportunities because they belong to the general category. Conversely, others from reserved categories who may have more financial stability or better educational resources are given preference, even when their scores are comparatively lower. This creates an imbalance, where merit is often overshadowed by caste alone.
To clarify, I am not saying that all individuals from lower castes are financially well-off. There are still many who need support, and reservation has played a key role in helping uplift them. But I believe the time has come to shift the focus towards considering economic status alongside caste, ensuring that those who genuinely need assistance receive it, regardless of their caste. This would allow for fairer representation and address the deeper issue of poverty, which affects all communities.
While caste-based discrimination remains a harsh reality, we need to question whether simply providing reservations is the best way to end it. True change will come from education, awareness, and a shift in mindset. Since independence, our efforts to address caste issues have largely centered on reservations, but we have not done enough to address the root cause—our societal attitudes. For example, how many school books teach children about the importance of social equality or the dangers of untouchability? This should have been a part of our curriculum from the very start, not just in higher grades, but from the earliest years of education. If we invest in quality education and ensure that every child, regardless of caste, has access to the same opportunities, the need for reservations will diminish over time. Instead, we have relied on reservation as a tool to address inequality, which has inadvertently created new divisions.
We should focus on lifting up all those who are economically disadvantaged, not just those from specific castes. By continuing the current system, we risk fostering resentment between communities and perpetuating a divide that reservations were meant to heal.
It is not about caste; it is about an individual’s access to facilities and their ability to excel. A reservation system based on economic status would ensure that both general and lower-caste individuals receive their fair share of representation based on merit and effort. By keeping reservations caste-based, we risk perpetuating the mentality that caste alone defines one’s worth, leading to resentment among those who work hard but are denied opportunities.
As we think about the future, it’s important to ask ourselves: Are we creating a society that fosters unity and equality, or are we unintentionally deepening divides? This is not about undermining the struggles of those who have faced discrimination; it’s about ensuring that our policies evolve to reflect the changing needs of our society.
We should have taken steps post-independence to break free from casteism through education and awareness. Instead, we have fueled division through reservations, creating a new kind of inequality. Education is the only solution to end this cycle of discrimination, not reservations based on caste.I want to clarify that I am not voicing these concerns out of personal bias towards the general category. In fact, I belong to the OBC category myself. However, my personal experience has shown me that the reservation policy doesn’t always help those who truly need it. My family migrated from our home state to another in search of better educational opportunities. We live in a single room, striving to provide me with the best chance at education. Yet, despite being OBC, I am considered part of the general category in this new state because we couldn’t obtain the necessary caste certificate. All our documents are from this state, and we cannot apply for an OBC certificate back in our home state.
This experience highlights a major flaw in the reservation system—it is dependent more on bureaucracy and the ability to obtain certain documents than on genuine need. There are countless others in a similar situation, living difficult lives in new states without access to the benefits they need simply because of technicalities. This system, which is supposed to uplift the underprivileged, sometimes leaves them behind while benefiting others who may not need the help as urgently. With such inconsistencies, how can we expect this policy to truly eliminate caste-based discrimination or foster a spirit of equality and service towards rural or underserved communities? It often creates more division than unity, and this is something we must address if we are to move forward as a society.
Yours etc.,
Name withheld on request
Via email
Human sacrifice in this day and age, regressive
Editor,
It is a crying shame that the life of a student was sacrificed by his teachers in his alma mater, and that a public school has turned out to be a breeding ground for superstitions. A class II student was killed on the premises of DL Public School in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras in a black magic ritual for the institute’s prosperity on September 23. According to police, the school director, his father, and three teachers were involved in the murder. Ironically, it happens when we are going to celebrate 75 years of Independence. Above all the Constitution mandates that education should help develop the scientific temper of the citizens of this country. This is the fundamental duty of every citizen of India. So are we regressing into a superstitious nation of unscientific temperament?
Yours etc.,
Sujit De,
Kolkata