Dear JP,
I appreciate your concern for the rural poor, and thank you for bringup some ideas (either good or bad).
I loathe 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.
Sincerely,
Venkateswara Chowdary Penumuchu.
Dr. JP's Reply
Dear Sri Venkateswara Chowdary garu,
Thank you for the email. I agree with you on the need for quality education; but I disagree on the merits of a Weightage system as opposed to quotas.
1. Lok Satta Party is strongly and irrevocably committed to quality education upto 12th grade to all children, and higher education to all deserving students irrespective of means. Ultimately that is the solution to backwardness.
2. In the interim, there is a problem we need to address. Among groups included in affirmative action, only the better off are benefited. The result is caste wars: Gujjars vs Meenas; Malas vs Madigas etc. We need a policy framework to address this. A promise of eventual improvement of school education cannot put out these fires today. Equally, the rural and poor children from OCs are both angry and disillusioned. They need Weightage today.
3. Weightage, as opposed to quotas, encourages people to meet certain benchmarks. It is indeed hypocritical not to acknowledge that a rural or poor kid who may be brighter than a rich urban kid gets poor scores on account of poor schooling. And many such kids bloom later, if given a chance. They need both opportunity and hope. They cannot wait indefinitely in the hope that the next generation will have greater access to good schooling.
The 10% Weightage is arbitrary. Any number is bound to be arbitrary, and it needs to be decided on the basis of scientific surveys, and periodically revised. But Lok Satta is a political party; and in political communication you need tangible solutions for debate. The issue is not nitpicking on detail, but radically altering public and political attitudes on affirmative action.
With warm regards,
Jayaprakash Narayan
President
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Dear JP garu,
ReplyDeleteThankyou for the reply. I appreciate loksatta's commitment and hope to take part in it's commitment(If anything I can do).
But I am not able to agree the weightage is the correct approach for meeting loksatta's commitments.
Start giving the scholarships to the rural poor do not take ages. It is faster than enacting a law for weightage.
Giving the rural poor the choice of their school(either governement or private with the scholarship money given to them) do not take much time than enacting a law for weightage.
No one try to meet the benchmarks just because of weightage system. All the students try to meet the benchmarks wether there is a weightage system or not. The weightage system can even bring resentment from the urban students towards rural students!!.
All it takes is money and commitment not shortcuts like weightage. I am not suggesting to make promises to the rural poor the education for the next generation but concrete actions (not shortcuts) starting on day 1 if loksatta comes to power. The current governments are not allocating enough budget for the education which it deserves. The current government have zero commitment for the education (so there are no new ideas). I hope loksatta corrects that and utilize the budjet efficiently if it comes to power.
Sincerely,
Venkateswara Chowdary Penumuchu
Hey,
ReplyDeleteGreetings to the Dignitaries!
I have some questions on the reply posted by Mr.Politician.JP sir.
1.Does the proposed weightage system
apply to the beneficiaries of the
affirmative action policy, if they
are the rural lot?Or Is it only for
the disheartened and angry sections
from the rural upper caste students?
2.Is Mr.JP sympathising with the anger of the rural upper caste youth despite their psychological supremacy over their fellow-beings from the marginalized sections by wearing caste tags?
3.Will the dream of casteless and Reservation-free India be an Utopia?
4."As long as the Caste hierarchies continue,there should be reservations and as long as the reservations continue,the caste system will be consolidated more and more".Isin't it True?
Thank you for giving space to one's voice.
SAM REDDY
Hello Venkateshwara garu,
ReplyDeleteI have read your comments on the "weightage" and wanted to share my thoughts.
I don't 100% agree with you or with JP garu.
We need a policy of "weightage" that fades off eventually (probably in a decade or so)
JP wants to have this "weightage" policy as economically strong, urban living, better schooling and so on(Let's call him "A") has an added advantage over the Poor, rural living and so on ("B")... The advantage is that A could have more marks not necessary that A is more smarter than B. The 10% weightage would compensate to get him an opportunity to out shine
My concern is why 10%? What is the rationale behind it?
Eventually in the long run this weightage should be removed - because whether it is urban or rural - the facilities (life style, communication, free information and other amenities)will be almost equal to A and B
There should definitely be a study as to how much should be weightage considering all the factors that A and B would face.
Best Regards,
Bala Bhaskar
Dear JP sir,
ReplyDeleteBefore we decide on merits of existing system, i feel, we need fundamental reapproach to why and for what education is needed. We need to weigh education based on how it serves the society, and not on how an individual can prosper.
In today's education system, i feel, it paves way for an individual to use his degree and secure job. But, how much does he contributes back to society?
Let's look back at how our education system was few hundred years before.
I dont know if you already knew this.. But, i would like to recommend Dharampal's works on finding out some facts about indian education from british archivals.
This can be found in the book "The beautiful tree" that can be downloaded from www.dharampal.net
You can reply to me at senthil.nkkl@yahoo.com
Dear All,
ReplyDeleteWith a hope that all those who posted their comments see this I would like to pen few lines.
The question of resentment. Now it is between different castes, it can be with new face as "resentment from the urban students towards rural students"
May be this can be lessened if a fixed time is laid down say 5 years people may not have so much resentment. I am not sure whether the same system was existing now but when I was in college, this weitage to rural community was present for admissions to AP Agriculture Colleges and Home Science college.
But will there be an end? There can be a poor village and rich village. Rural scene in many Tellangana or few Rayalaseema districts not same as villages of East and West Godavari or Guntur. Visakapatnam is not same as interior Srikakulam
LSP should make efforts to study how much weitage is needed and public should be notified about it. The initiation can boost confidence in what LSP is saying.
Coming to Sam's response I think, even caste is also given some weitage according to LSP agenda if I am not wrong. It also takes the Parental education into account
To reduce the misuse in the immediate present may be to some extent the PAN and occupation of Parents also can play a role.
Also the local bodies getting more powers which is one of the points in the LSP agenda can ameliorate the divide between rural and urban.
MAy be the tax payer who pays the education cess should have the right of questioning the teachers in rural areas or there can be a scheme where the educated youth or person volunteering to serve the rural to get a waiver in the tax.
Lastly, Mr Senthil's comment is most important. All the measures and thinking is going to make some one materailly rich but as he pointed out what is the individual's contribution to society? Only paying Tax?
We see Loksatta as a real relief from this suffocating system provided its people and policies are not mere sugar coating to the existing system.
We wait for the day when we can see all these in practice
Thanks
Ramadevi Godugula
I personally feel the LSP's position on weightage is an excellent idea in the short term as long as it is kept short term. As Dr. JP explained it should only exist till everyone catches up and sufficient timeline is established.
ReplyDeleteAlong with it the education system has to be revamped. While merit based education has its advantages, there is too much focus on percentages and the fields that will give a better work oppurtunity. But at the grass roots, the education focus can be a lot different which helps one's ability to think, distinguish between right and wrong and a lot more. How many of us have a decent general knowledge? This can be incorporated into the basic education system and that will eliminate the need for weightage eventually.
But short term, it is an excellent idea to give oppurtunity to the under previliged rather than by the caste system. It will not be easy to implement because of the resistance from the ones that are taking advantage of that.
Dear All
ReplyDeleteI read all the comments posted with interest. It is heartening to see that an alternative to reservation is at least being debated. However it is my understanding (and I am subject to correction) that the problem has deeper roots.
I have completed my undergrad degree at NLS, Bangalore, and the student body is testimony to the fact that reservation has failed to remedy the ills it was designed to redress. The benefit only accrues to the urban elite how have been educated in elite urban schools. Unless we address the quality of teaching (and get committed teachers) for the rural schools no amount to weightage or reservation will help.
Without the advantage of having looked at figures, it is impossible to suggest a solution – but is it not even conceivable that we persuade graduates from the villages to go back and teach in their respective villages. This will obviously require financial commitment from the government (but will also generate employment and have a positive trickle down effect on the rural economy) – as in order to persuade youngsters to teach the government has to pay them competitive remuneration.
Dr. JP – I also read your manifesto regarding your plans for education, and wholeheartedly support your idea of introducing English as a language from standard I – however going back to my earlier point – the success of this (or any measure in imparting primary education) will depend on the quality of teachers.
Regards
Avirup