The Hindu Business Line : Knowledge panel on reservation

It is unfortunate that this issue should crop up every now and then. Even after 59 years of Independence neither the political system nor the government could uplift the downtrodden. It is more appropriate to help the economically backward/weaker sections, irrespective of their caste or creed.

S. Krithivasan, email

Holistic study of the reservation issue can be had provided the results are available within a reasonably short period.

More IITs are good. But how will it ensure admission of more OBCs? Why should there be a difference at all? Why not take steps to upgrade the syllabus in our engineering colleges and raise them to the standard of the IITs?

They could be linked to foreign universities for faculty service. It could also give more employment opportunity for the OBCs and make reservation in the private sector irrelevant.

A. Jacob Sahayam, Thiruvananthapura

What will happen to premier institutions? Quotas are not the answer.

Bikash Ghose, Mohali

Two actions an average politician in India revels in are — keeping the caste issue and the debate on economic differences alive .

No politician has ever been seriously questioned and punished for amassing wealth, making issues of non-issues, and getting away even with the worst criminal record.

If a sizeable population of India is poor or uneducated after almost six decades of Independence, there has to be action at the grassroots level to improve standards, make education free for the economically weaker sections and provide better teachers. .

Reservation, if at all, should be for the economically weaker sections and not be caste based.

While the world moves forward and is pushing for meritocracy our politicians are failing us.

Deepak Razdan, email

With India in the fast track of development in many fields, and soon to be among the leaders in the world there should not be any speed-breakers in the way.

Reservation should not be allowed to pave way for sectarianism, groupism and internal quarrels.

In order to make the downtrodden capable of facing the world, emphasis should be on imparting free or cheap higher education in specialised institutions.

What is necessary is a long-sighted approach that will provide a permanent remedy. A group comprising industrialists, the educated and the eminent should be formed to study the pros and cons, taking an unbiased opinion. Such a panel should be made permanent and independent of any political party.

This is a very sensitive issue and should be handled with care by the government and not be allowed to cause unrest.

Formation of a separate panel is most welcome and all its observations and recommendations should be followed by the Centre and States.

C. Mahesh, Madurai

Though the knowledge panel desires an in-depth study of the quota issue, both Mr Sam Pitroda and Mr Montek Singh Ahluwalia declare that more IITs should be opened. The declaration is welcome in order to universalise, both quality and access.

The citadels of excellence will not only expand higher education across disciplines but also increase the skilled labour force available along with quality of production and speed in delivery schedule in the industry. It is also felt that the quality of education in higher secondary schools should be improved. There are certain hurdles such as lack of quality teachers for the expanded institutions.

Nearly 80 per cent of the country's population are denied the privilege of studying in good schools and opportunities to climb up the merit ladders. Political leaders are only interested in the numbers game.

We do not know how far the present and proposed extension of reservation has reduced the rich-poor gap. As our resources are limited, the government should initiate steps to ensure that "creamy layer" does not swallow all the privileges to the exclusion of the needy BPL families in rural areas.

T. S. Sundareswaran, New Delhi

Every year we come across the plight of deserving applicants who are unable to seek admissions into the IITs. Hence more IITs are to be opened. Since Independence, the reservation quotas have been gaining importance.

On the progressive implementation, the lifestyle of those who have benefited have changed and their economic situation improved. But still poor parents and students for want of supportive attitudes could not seek admission into the premier institutions.

What is needed is a unique identification number for the economically weaker sector at the secondary school level.

The school teachers at the secondary schools should educate deserving students to seek admissions in the IITs and other such institutions. Mr Sam Pitroda's views require immediate attention of this ruling government.

S. Sivasankaran, Salem

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