Thinking Loudly

Q. What makes you oppose the reservation so strongly?
A. One word - its unfair.
Q. Which part of it is unfair? There are people who suffered long for being born in the wrong caste...
A. Sure they did. But you and me neither created nor propagated the discrimination.
Q. Well - but may be our forefathers did...
A. How can I be accountable for the action of someone else?
Q. But something needs to be done. See how many of these people are in the big posts?
A. I guess that is because they did not do as well in academics.
Q. You can not compare them with us. They had so less infrastructure to show off their true merit.
A. Its impossible to define merit I guess. Every kid wont be born or raised equal. But when you have a system in place to judge something ( whether you call it merit or zebra is not the point), you got to respect the system.
Q.But the system is flawed...
A. Change the system then. Don't bother conducting farces in name of entrance tests. Hold a lottery may be?
Q. Now you are being sarcastic. This is the only way they can make progress.
A Looking around - I mostly see progress made by kids who are equally affluent.
Q. Every system has loopholes - that does not mean its not working.
A. If it was working - you would not have needed to have it after fifty years. And make sure a kid does not get the benefits if his parents availed them. Dont let someone use this multiple times.
Q. You can not rectify the hundreds years of abuse In fifty years.
A. The answer to abuse can not be more abuse. Giving a special treatment once should ensure realistically level playing fields. It should be a priviledge, not a right.
Q. So what other suggestions do you have?
A. If a kid gets through via reservation - mark his or her degree likewise.
Q. What? that's separating them from mainstream.
A. Precisely. If you have two separate intake modes - that's what makes sense. If you are getting advantage for having a last name - you can not ignore it conveniently later.
Q. You are making it sound like reservation is a bad thing.
A. Now you get the point huh!
Q. Be realistic. There has to be a way to improve their status.
A. None is doubting that. That's what governments are for. Rather than taking the easy way out - when they are going to do some real social welfare?