Reserved Writing.

This post would deal with the amount of reservation and the means of implemention. As I had said earlier providing a helping hand to a significant portion of the population in the form of allocation of a certain part of the common pie to them is not a certain death of quality of education.

However the means of the implementation have to be devised in such a manner that the existing system is able to adjust in a positive manner for the good of all. This brings us to the issue of the amount of reservation. I believe it should be based on the following ideas.
1) The number should be based on a broad idea of a community, which should necessarily have caste and regional diversity, the current idea of OBC is good.
2) It should not be in direct proportion of population of the community.
3) The numbers should ensure representation, without bringing in a sense of complacency.


The basic thread among the above ideas are to provide a healthy atmosphere and enpower weaker sections in a dignified manner, rather than doling out extravagant quotas. The first point is to prevent the fragmentation of the quota with many castes figting over it. Smaller and specific quotas are difficult to implement as well as ill suited to large diversity that is present in the deprived communities. The second and third points are related. The system should provide a motivation for the community to move towards the ideal statistical distribution based on population, rather than providing it through means like quotas.

Talking of implementation,
1) A staggered implementation over few years is required.
2) The list of deprived communities should be dynamic and require movement outside the list, based on well defined criteria.
3) Increase in number of seats should follow the realities of each institute and quota implementation should be independent of seat increases.

Staggering of the implementation is suggested so that the academic community is able to deal with the change in demographic profile. A sudden change can sow seeds of mistrust and suspicion which would take a far larger time to go away. It would also make the benefitting community ready to send spirited students in numbers that are required.

A long term problem is the monopolisation of the advantages by sections within the deprived community. Sufficiently advanced communites (judged on number of students admitted) should be required to be removed from the the list.

The macro problem that we are dealing here is the shortage of good educational facilities and their equitable distribution. A long term solution would be the improvement of higher education facilities and reducing extra hype over certain institutions.