(This is the second part of the article ‘The compulsive need to oppose reservations’, continued from here) Kuffir What does Pratap Bhanu Mehta really want? He wants ‘alternative paradigms‘ other than caste based reservations to be considered. Why? To build a sense of ‘common citizenship’. His worry is ‘we are also about to do that to …
Some ‘Non-Meritorious’ Reflections: Reservation Policy and Its Side Effects
Anoop Kumar (This article was first published in INSIGHT in its November 2004 issue on ‘Reservations’. Anoop Kumar is one of the founder-members of the magazine) 1. Why India continuously gets outwitted by Pakistan in diplomacy at various international fora? Can any of the readers guess? No? Let me explain to you. It is because …
Mockery of Reservation at the University of Delhi
Academic Forum for Social Justice The University of Delhi is a fully funded Central University established under an Act of Parliament. As per the provisions of the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admissions) Act of 2006 (CEI Act), the University should reserve its seats as follows: 15% for Scheduled Castes, 7.5% for Scheduled Tribes, and …
Indefinite Relay Hunger Strike for the Implementation of SC, ST, and OBC Reservation
Indefinite Relay Hunger Strike (from 11.00 am, 30th July, 2012) for the Implementation of SC, ST, and OBC Reservation in Delhi University [Via Hany Babu] In the garb of protecting seats reserved for SC/ST from fraudulent certificates, and providing free registration forms, which is freely available to the general candidates online, the DU Administration has instituted …
Name of God, wealth of Brahmins
Dr. K. Jamanadas Dr. Ambedkar asked to use temple money for public good In a special editorial in Mahanayak of 14th July 2012, titled, ‘Name of God, wealth of Brahmins’, the author has given interesting statistics. The following is the gist of it. Mr. Sharad Yadav has recently demanded that the money collected in the …
Critical Reading of NCERT text ‘Indian Constitution at Work’
Lalit Khandare The National Curriculum Framework 2005 for social sciences states: “In the social sciences, the approach proposed in the NCF recognises disciplinary markers while emphasising integration on significant themes, such as water. A paradigm shift is recommended, proposing the study of the social sciences from the perspective of marginalised groups. Gender justice and a …
Twin blows to OBCs
Kancha Ilaiah The backward class politicians failed in forcing the government to undertake a caste-wise census of all sections. The Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in the country have had two setbacks in the recent political manoeuvring of Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh. The pushing of the Women’s Reservation Bill in the Rajya Sabha and also …
‘Twice-Born’ Riot against Democracy
Gail Omvedt (First published in September 1990) Any caste based reservation system, in this case the Mandal Commission, has to be judged in terms of what it can do and not in terms of what it is not supposed to do—and in this case its goal is the limited but important one of ending caste …
On Reservation Policy for Private Sector
Sukhadeo Thorat (First published in June 2004) Given the range of economic discrimination against marginalised groups like SCs, STs and OBCs the reservation policy for the private sector ought to cover not only employment, but also markets, agricultural land, capital, consumer goods, education, housing, government contracts, etc. Faced with caste related discrimination against and deprivation of marginalised …