Do we still need caste based reservation system in India ?

Do we still need caste based reservation system in India ?

The History of Reservations:

  Caste Based Reservation in India Started in 2nd Century BC. In Manusmriti -the law book of Brahmins all the laws were based on Caste and no Merit was ever considered. It divided people into High and Low Castes on the basis of their birth and not on the basis of Merit. Wealth, Political power, Spiritual leadership, Education, Ownership of Land, Trade and all lucrative aspects were reserved purely to the higher castes.  

        As we are living in the progressive 21st century, reservation/quota system is still a big question in India. Reservation in the constitution states that Part 16 having articles 330-342 deals with special provisions relates to reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes and Schedule Tribes in Lok Sabha, state assemblies, reservation in a job and educational institution. There are other reservations like the reservation for women, reservation for physically challenged, reservation for economically backward class etc. When we talk about backward it may be financially backward or from a backward caste. There may be a category of people who have been subjugated for ages, who have been both mentally and physically challenged for ages or there may be groups of people who are not financially competent in leading a standard quality of life. Reservation is given in the form of age relaxation or fee relaxation or reserving certain seats for them. 

           A Educated minds do not need caste system in India. Caste started corrupting our civilization long ago and still it's persisting in our country. Following that, lower castes people were not allowed to do certain tasks starting from as high as reciting prayers in temple ,walking without slippers and shirts in the area where upper castes are dominant. Our government has understood long ago and created this reservation system such that, a lower caste guy may or may not be allowed in or out in a locality but in order to earn his self respect.  he should not only forced to clean sewage, wash laundry, cut hairs, but also he/should have the opportunity to prove his equality among all castes individual in our society by performing same tasks as them. Even though, many were hesitant to enjoy these reservations initially, govt. had taken necessary steps to implement. 

     One should clearly note that "if there is no reservation initially, monopoly of people from dominant castes would have been practiced in all the government schools and institutions" 

       Now here the actual trouble started, not immediately but after couple of decades, where lower castes utilized this reservation quota, studied well, got jobs in government/private sector and well settled. So, kids from these families though above poverty line (ABL)  started enjoying these privileges. Addition to that, in many states, words like "reservation" and "quota" politicized much more for power and fame.  

         Now, people (including students) started yelling "stop reservation", "they are grabbing our opportunities and jobs", "they became rich and our kids are still poor" etc., removing caste system might be really a good idea, but what are the consequences...... 

1. Eventhough you say that you do not follow caste, it got firmly rooted in our minds. 

E.g: Less then 5% of indian marriages are inter-caste. 

2. If suppose equality treatment being forced in our society. In many places, A lower caste individual can never equally dine with higher caste at his home, if not public. 

E.g. "Madurai villages still practising the two-tumbler system" (Google it)

3. Poor people in lower castes will face even more brunt than they are actually facing now.

4. Inequality being followed by school kids some states in India, where different plates should be kept for kids from higher caste, food (served by govt. free of cost) must be served using different utensils to lower & higher castes, higher caste kid should not sit down on the floor provided a lower kid sit on a chair. Being educated some teachers initially resisted,  however, people from higher caste gathered and started quarreling in the school premises. So, they asked all the kids to bring their own plates, and bought enough chairs with their salary. How does a school kid know that the other guy sitting beside is from a different caste, unless his/her parents his/her mind with this discrimination filth. 

5. How do you think political parties will allow to do that in the first place, because they are enjoying well by allowing these people face several discriminates in the society. 

     To answer the question, castes must be removed from our system, not for the sake of jobs or privileges but for harmony and  equality. Privileges  and reservations should be given for people who are below the poverty line (BPL), irrespective of their castes. Similarly, An intellectual mind should keenly observe that, removing caste system in our country "as of now" will bring more chaos but not prosperity. Caste discrimination will not or cannot be stopped overnight, even though if you uproot it from our system. It is the citizen's responsibility to make sure such practices are abolished. For that to achieve, every citizen of our country  must be educated, they should be made aware that discrimination based on caste, job, disability is a heinous offence and should be tried as per law.

The Real Scenario Of India:

  If you think the reservation system should be removed from India then you must have to watched these following videos:

Untouchability & Casteism Video:1

Untouchability & Casteism Video:2

Untouchability & Casteism Video:3

Untouchability & Casteism Video:4

Note:

1.Only because of such laws, lower caste people are still thriving in our country without facing much problems.

2. There are only 2% jobs in India where cast based reservation systems are applicable.

Dipankar Choudhury

Assam, India.