Indra’s Drishtikona (Viewpoint)

Reservation for OBC Basically Wrong

Posted : May 25, 2006 at 10:14 am [IST]

How are OBCs different from other so-called upper castes? Were OBCs oppressed by the so-called upper castes or were they also the oppressors of SCs or STs? How are they underprivileged?

In 1957, I competed for IIT, Kharagpur and joined the mechanical engineering that used to be most sought after branch in those days as the computer science is today in the only IIT of the time. In our batch, IIT had some 10 or so students from Bihar. As I remember, at least three of them were OBCs-Srikant Singh, Prakash Singh, and Meghnath Shaw. Though they were all in mining engineering, I came to know them, as they were in our section in the first year. I don’t remember if there was any reservation in those days. They were all so in studies. OBCs’ number was quite representative.

In December 1966, I was in Noor Sarai near Nalanda for a social service assignment of an institution of Jai Prakash Narayan. The farmers in the belt even in those days were very rich. The land is fertile and highly priced. The crops were commercial-potato, and tobacco. The farmers or call them landholders were all of OBCs and they were pretty rich. I never found them any way underprivileged.

I know about the villages around my own, my maternal one, and my wife’s in Bihar. The major landholders in many villages are of OBC categories, and they behave with other castes in similar manner. If they give respect to so-called upper castes it is because of the old traditon, which is dieing very fast.

Educationwise, all these OBCs and so-called upper castes are equally placed. Basically, it depends on the respective family. The family with members serving outside the village in cities and towns takes more interest in education.

I shall agree with Pratap Bhanu Singh, the member of National Knowledge commission. He writes in his resignation letter to the Prime Minister, “The historical claims of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and the nature of the deprivations SCs/STs face are qualitatively of a different order than those faced by Other Backward Castes, at least in North India.”

Why was then the reservation for OBCs essential? Perhaps it was some politicians who wanted to create some sort of differentiation by bringing the bill to change the Constitution. Arjun unknowingly came to tell the facts to Karan Thapar, “A whole Act was made, the Constitution was amended and the Prime Minister was fully aware of what this is going to mean. Actually, he had a meeting in which OBC leaders were called to convince them that this would give them the desired advantage. And they should, therefore, support this resolution. And at that meeting, he himself talked to them. Now, how do you say that he was unaware?” What was ‘the desired advantage’? Naturally, it was to gain the support of this populous group. Unfortunately, no one talks of those in OBCs who are still deprived, as they were labour class. If some one will grow as political leader in those categories, they will demand their pie too, and then the OBCs will face the music. Will the OBCs not fight to have reservation based on sub-classification one day as Andhra dalits are seeking?

I am not the supporter of caste system. I wish the society got rid of it, though many don’t think so. I am sure the younger generation will go for it. The dropping of titles or using double names as South Indians such as Arati Niranjan, Piyush Prahalad or just Vikas and with expanding education and increasing inter-caste marriages, are new features that one observe in younger generation.

Why should the younger generation agree to follow politicians who are trying to divide the society on caste line? The long-term consequences will be real dangerous so far the integrity of the country is concerned.

Some Readings
Reservations and society
Reservations: the shortcut to nowhere
IIT-K has many reservations on quota issue
Now, striking medicos get ’sponsors’
Keep caste a secret: Plan panel
There’s more to affirmative action
Lack of knowledge by D Raja
The Other India

- Indra

Category: Religious/Social issues |