Dr. JP Advocates 10% Weightage to Poor
Hyderabad, Dec. 20 - Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan (Dr. JP) today came down heavily on the Andhra Pradesh Government's "insincere and cynical" decision to constitute a commission to go into the inclusion of Kapus and 17 other castes among backward castes.
Addressing a media conference, Dr. JP said "the manipulative decision is meant to drive a wedge between Kapus and other backward castes to derive short-term political gains."
There is indeed backwardness and deprivation among Kapus and for long they have demanded that they be included among backward castes. But the timing and manner of the decision makes it amply clear that the Government is motivated not by a genuine desire to help those suffering from deprivation and discrimination, it has all of a sudden resurrected the long ignored demand apparently in the light of the changing political firmament in Andhra Pradesh.
The decision will merely spark another 'kula kurusketra' (caste war of epic proportion) like the ones between Malas and Madigas in Andhra Pradesh and Gujjars and Meenas in Rajasthan.
Need for scientific study
Dr. JP said that several disadvantaged communities have genuine grievances about their non-inclusion in reservations, or wrong classification of BCs, SCs or STs. He demanded that all such communities should be carefully considered and included among categories eligible for various reservations only after a scientific, independent, objective and credible analysis of their economic, social, cultural and anthropological background. Without such a study, the Mandal Commission had included Kamma, Reddy and Telaga castes among other backward castes. Any unscientific effort will merely trigger irresistible demands for inclusion of every community as in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
But pending a scientific study, the Lok Satta Party believes, that justice can be rendered by awarding 10 per cent weightage in marks to children from poor families and with rural background irrespective of their community in both admissions to educational institutions and Government jobs. If a qualifying exam has total marks of 1000, children from poor and rural backgrounds shall be added 100 marks to their score. Then they too will be in a position to compete with their wealthy, urban counterparts.
"The Lok Satta Party is irrevocably committed to such a weightage in all competitive examinations for higher education including in MBBS, engineering and other professional courses and for Government jobs for all poor and rural children. Dr. JP said such a formula will once and for all guarantee justice to all communities and ensure that the Government does not exceed the 50 per cent ceiling on reservations mandated by the Supreme Court". Existing reservations can thus be continued that yet justice can be done to all deserving, underprivileged children irrespective of caste.
Free quality education to all
Dr. JP demanded that the Government provide at its cost quality education in English medium up to the 12th class to all children and higher education to all deserving and desirous students irrespective of their means. "The Lok Satta Party has, therefore, made quality school education to all children and free higher education to deserving students of all castes the centerpiece of its political and social agenda. Eventually caste should be abolished over a generation and our children should grow up with their heads held high, untainted by caste and parochialism, Only then will the dream of Dr. Ambedkar be realized".
At present only seven per cent of all children pursue higher education while 93 per cent do not go to school or pursue higher education. Even the seven per cent in the 11-14 age group that attend school are victims of poor quality education. Thirty per cent of them cannot read a single passage in any language while 70 per cent cannot answer even a simple arithmetic problem like division.
Dr. JP also called for the establishment of schools and hostels and provision of scholarships to children of EBCs (economically backward castes). Government apathy towards education of SC and ST children was evident from its failure to spend Rs.342 crore, as pointed out by CAG in its latest report.
Dear JP,
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your concern for the rural poor, and thank you for bringup some ideas (either good or bad).
I lothe the YSR's true intentions of granting 4% reservation to muslims, and kcr braggings of 12%
reservations to muslims. I absolutely agree with you that tinkering the reservation system for political gains trigger "kula kurukshetra" without a scientific study.
I see your commitment of adding 100 marks on a 1000 marks scale is hypocritical. You on one hand calls for a scientific study and on the other hand brings a random figure of 100 without any scientific study. Without stopping at that You are also suggesting the 100 marks idea as a panacea (gaurantees justice to all communities).
I see the other way. This 100 marks idea, further degrades/dilutes the amount of talent available in the country. Ambedkar has good intentions about the reservations, but failed to see in the long run it not good for any community (even to those who enjoy the reservations). I think your idea is not a better one than Dr Ambedkar has envisioned.
I think we have to address the issue at the cause not at the outcome. If rural poor is not getting good grades due to insufficient money provide them with scholarships. If the rural poor do not have access to the schools expand the education system and provide the access to schools. If the rural poor do not have good teachers recruit good teachers. If the teachers in rural area are not working well, then think of the ways how to make them accountable and think of ways to how to create competition among the schools, expand the private education system and create competing system that try to attract its customers (students).
I think 100 marks idea brings identical results of the ambedkar idea.
Sincerely,
Venkateswara Chowdary Penumuchu.
Dear JP sir,
ReplyDeleteGovernment gives reservation for Muslim,BC,SC,St.Then what about
OC students who are economically backward students?????
If a person(belongs backward cast)to got government job & settled well.Then government doesn't give scholarship to his son/daughter & assign pink Ration Card to his family.Why doesn't assign his family to OC ??
If government assign his family to OC then a student(s)(belongs to backward card) may get best opportunity in place of them.Is it correct?? or not??
♥♥♥i WANT ANSWER FROM U ♥♥♥
Sincerely,
G.Pradeep Kumar
Hi,
ReplyDeleteSo much you talk about social justice, secularism.
But what about you.
you are kamma and you have fully kamma caste feeling