II

After 58 years of Independence, reservations have become totally irrelevant today. The government may help the poor, brilliant students irrespective of their caste and creed with necessary coaching, guidance, scholarships, books and 
tuition fee etc.

However, in the competitive examination, merit should be the sole criterion for selection. Otherwise, it will breed discontent among the youth against the system.

Capt K.D. SHARMA (retd), Ambala

III

Quotas for IIMs, IITs and Central Universities will affect the interests of general category students very badly. Brilliant students among upper castes will lose their interest in the professional courses.

The intelligence quotient needs to be raised among the reserved castes through coaching and other facilities and not by reservation. Otherwise, professional excellence will become the first casualty. Is this the Centre’s formula for social justice or a mere political gimmick to woo votes in the elections?

C. LALL S. CHANDER, Nangal

IV

The proposal will throw India once again into turmoil as witnessed in the late eighties against the Mandal Commission report. In no case, caste should be the criterion for admission in institutions of higher education.

Quota will compromise talent and merit in the IIMs and IITs. It may even lead to a deep chasm in the social fabric, turning higher education into a breeding ground for casteism, besides putting our students at a disadvantage vis-à-vis those in foreign countries where they are currently valued for their merit.

DEEPAK TANDON, Panchkula

V

In India, most low caste communities live in the rural areas with meagre income. These have been socially neglected and ruled by upper classes for thousand of years. History shows how the upper castes created many barriers in the development of the low castes. Majority of upper caste people became rich at the cost of low caste communities.

How can these socially neglected communities compete with others? Today, only the rich classes (most of whom belong to upper castes) can join the IIMs, IITs etc. They can send their wards to private coaching institutes in big cities. But what about the OBCs and others? How will they enter into the IIMs?

NIRANJAN SINGH, Ropar

VI

What will happen to the industry if we introduce quotas in IIMs and IITs? It will be a big setback to the industry. The industry has to recruit the personnel purely on merit. A factory has to run with skilled professionals and not by those educated on the basis of their caste.

Those belonging to SC, ST and OBCs can be helped financially to educate themselves, to develop the skills and make themselves employable. It is time to scrap reservation in every sphere, specially in educational institutions.