Is SC's verdict on reservation good for our development ?

[app_engine]

Without getting into emprical studies and all such that satisfies some intellectuals often without seeing "ground reality", I know personally what education has done to my father and his family compared to 100's of his relatives in the same village, ECONOMICALLY.

It's very difficult to convince me in this point that "education won't lead to economical prosperity.". Then why so much of uproar on these reservations? ellAm "future paNam" sir)

[podalangai]

I'm definitely interested in seeing those criteria. Remember, it's not about some who are backward NOW by statistics, but who have been "socially suppressed historically and hence became backward".

I can give you the Mandal commission criteria:

Social factors (given a weighting of 3)
(i) Castes/classes considered as socially backward by others.
(ii) Castes/classes which mainly depend on manual labour for their livelihood.
(iii) Castes/classes where at least 25 per cent females and 10 per cent males above the state average get married at an age below 17 years in rural areas and at least 10 per cent females and5 per cent males do so in urban areas.
(iv) Castes/classes where participation of females in work is at least 2 per cent above the state average.

Educational factors (given a weighting of 2)
(v) Castes/classes where the number of children in the age group of’ 5-15 years who never attended school is at least 25 per cent above the state average.
(vi) Castes/classes where the rate of student drop-out in the age group of 5-15 years is at least 25 per cent above the state average.
(vii) Castes/classes amongst whom the proportion of matriculates is at least 25 per cent below the state average.

Economic (given a weighting of 1)
(viii) Castes/classes where the average value of family assets is at least 25 per cent below the state average.
(ix) Castes/classes where the number of families living in kuccha houses is at least 25 per cent above the state average.
(x) Castes/classes where the source of drinking water is beyond half a kilometer for more than 50 per cent of the households.
(xi) Castes/classes where the number of households having taken consumption loans is at least 25 per cent above the state average.

[podalangai]

It's very difficult to convince me in this point that "education won't lead to economical prosperity.". Then why so much of uproar on these reservations? ellAm "future paNam" sir)

Did you read my post earlier in this thread?
The issue is not that education won't lead to economic prosperity - it will - but that we can't lift all our fellow countrymen out of poverty by reserving places for them in colleges because, amongst other things (1) there are too many of them and nowhere near enough colleges and (2) the vast majority of them don't even make it anywhere near college level because the schools they attend are so bad.

As a result, reserving places in colleges can never be an effective tool for alleviating poverty in general - obviously, those who benefit from it will be less poor, but it'll not even make a dent in the numbers of the poor. Reservations serve a very different purpose, as I explained some time ago.

[app_engine]

Thanks for getting this info, podalangai!

Well, none of those criteria, IMO, can point to "history of oppression" by some other caste group and hence needs to be "compensated".

However, I agree that all these seem to collect "groups of people" that have "below average" living standards. Considering the accuracy of such statistics in a poorly documented / accounted population like ours, the declaration of any group into this could be suspect - even if I accept that those who collect the info are honest and sincere people.

Having said that, evaluation of a student's 'correct economic status' is the best criteria for reservation, IMO.

Of all those criteria above, I liked the educational factors, and agree that reservations could be a motivation for many from such castes to complete schooling instead of dropping out.

[Roshan]

Podalai

I got many things clarified from your posts. Thanks a ton

[app_engine]

>>As a result, reserving places in colleges can never be an effective tool for alleviating poverty in general <<

If we continue to do the reservation based on caste alone, this is true. However, if the schooling is 100% funded by Govt for all, and then have college reservation based on eco-status, won't it serve as an equalizing tool? (IMO, we're not talking about elimination of poverty here and I know not much can be done to eliminate poverty by any human Govt. and that is not the point of discussion here. We're only focussing on why reservation in colleges. If it's not for ensuring some underprivileged to become eligible "to get better jobs and prosper", then what they are for? Are they to make sure of getting some caste votes? )

[joe]

இட ஒதுக்கீடு குறித்த அடிப்படை விடயங்களை அறிந்து கொள்ள விழைவோருக்கு.

இட ஒதுக்கீடு பற்றிய ஒரு வரலாற்று குறிப்பு

http://dharumi.blogspot.com/2006/08/168.html

[joe]

ஏன் வேண்டும் இட ஒதுக்கீடு -கட்டுரைகளின் தொகுப்பு

http://kuzhali.blogspot.com/2007/03/blog-post_30.html

[crazy]

saathigal irukkaathadi paappa ...very interesting


jaadhigal illaiyadi paappa

[Punnaimaran]

Thank you joe for the valuable links.