Golu: Victim of Distorted Democracy
Posted : July 21, 2009 at 8:12 pm [IST]
Golu was with me on Sunday. He has already entered IIT, Delhi. His story is good enough to start a rebellion. At least, it makes me a rebel at this age of 70. I read about the ill-effects of reservations particularly when Arjun Singh got the OBC (Other Backward Class) reservation in the institutes of excellence. However, I could only appreciate the dangerous consequences of the reservation better today after hearing the case of Golu.
Golu got 209 rank in IIT-JEE. Naturally he as well as his well-wishers thought that he would easily get the computer science (CS) in IIT Delhi, Bombay or Kanpur with that rank.
I was shocked when I heard that he couldn’t do that. Finally he opted for Electrical engineering in IIT, Delhi.
But surprisingly his friend Yadav who ranked 610 could get CS in IIT, Delhi itself. Yadav got the benefit of being in OBC category and so got promoted to the effective rank of 61. Golu knows another student who was at 6534, but got promoted to the effective rank 16 and got CS in IIT, Delhi as he came from SC category.
Interestingly the fathers of these two students from the reserved categories draw much higher salaries than what Golu’s father gets and are better off in every respect.
Golu, 17, had his schooling in a small place Ramnagar near Varanasi. He went for Central Hindu School, affiliated to BHU for Higher Secondary. He did attend a hardly known coaching institute JRS in Varanasi almost free partly because of his merit and more because of the kindness shown by the director. But Golu with all that couldn’t make to CS in IIT, Delhi, as he is from general category as defined by the political leaders of this country. Naturally it makes me angry and forces me to ask questions from the system and the countrymen including those who are getting benefitted.
Is the system doing a justice to young minds like Golu? Should Golus not feel punished for no reasons to his knowledge? Should Golus not become revengeful when they come to decision making positions? Why should Golus be denied the right that their merit deserved? Did Golus’ ancestors harm any way the ancestors of the other boys? The answer is just a BIG NO.
Is this system imposed by political leadership of the country aimed at vote bank in the name of the right of democracy not divisive? Will it not cause a question about the justice of the system that the constitution makers provided? Will Golu think great about this nation that couldn’t make him study what he wanted and what his merit deserved? Will he adore India as nation? Will not one day these Golus revolt and turn into difficult citizens for the country? Does the system integrates the citizens or divide them forever? Will the nation be benefited by pushing Golus behind and bringing less meritorious on the top? Will the system breed a future generation of innovators and entrepreneurs? Can the institute keep its brand high and compete with other global ranking institutes of excellence with this sort of birth based differentiation? Can the best of the scientific brains of India prove that the development of brains capability depend on the caste one is born and so the deprived ones be given reservations?
And this is the reasons that many who have left India for US or other countries, don’t want to return. This is also the reason that many who can afford leave the country even today and will keep on doing that?
I am with Narayana Murthy and Infosys who have proved with actual experiments that the boys and girls of so called deprived families are as good as the ones from the higher castes. Why can’t on the same line the government and the system provide all the resources at their disposal to such boys to gain the equal levels before the qualifying entrance examination without damaging the merit based final selection? Let the system not do injustice to these young minds as they were born in a particular caste?
I wonder one day even after getting all the top hundred ranks in the toughest entrance examination of the world, the boy from general categories will not get the departments of their choices.
Revelations about IITs are unfortunate and shocking. The government has totally failed in providing the class of infrastructure that IITs must have. Three students are to share a small room in IIT, Delhi, when in 1957 and then even in 1985 I myself and Rakesh respectively got single room accommodation. Narayana Murthy has narrated the story how IIT, Bombay had to answer awkward questions from HRD ministry when a modern hostel was constructed by a NRI alumni.
Mr. Sibal must correct these anomalies in these institutes of excellence and national importance. If government can’t fund the building of hostels and other student facilities, let it outsource it to private entrepreneurs or beg IIT alumni to help it.
It is unfortunate but with Golu’s story I am losing hope about this global power of tomorrow. How long one will have to live with these injustices? How long the merit will not get rewarded rightly? How long the politicians and the leaders with vested interests keep the Indians divided with so many identities?
- Indra
Category: Employment/Education |
8 Comments »
Dear Sir,
I read your piece with great interest and agree to most of your observation. There are many Golu(s) who have suffered due to the quota politics and many more will in days to come. I like your style of narrating the events and raising socially relevant issues through your blog. I also appreciate your activeness at this age,which is a source of inspiration for many of us who are preparing for their life after retirement from their current jobs.
Thanks and please keep it up.
Warm regards
Krishna
Posted by: Dr.K.M.Singh at July 21, 2009 @ 9:09 pm
Hi Sharma Ji:
This is something completely unacceptable. I got my engineering degree from IIT Delhi in 2001 and I can see the inside out picture here. It is becoming increasingly hard to believe that IIT system is completely based on Merit now a days. What will be more painful at the end of 4 years from now is, the one who will go on to become a compute engineer from IIT D, would even struggle to find a decent job. He would struggle right through his life in IIT to make a decent grade.
We can blame all this to Reservation for sure and it is a no brainier that reservation hardly helps. I saw many who availed such facilities were from better families. There is no check on this. But then the question remains, what can be done? What we can do as common citizen?
Majority of Indian population remains uneducated and unaware and that is why the politicians lead them the way they want. They show them small benefits so that they could reap the larger benefits. The politics based on caste and religion is bound to lead to such injustices.
The so called educated lot of small in number and it would take years for us to outnumber the other big lot. Untill then, sadly the picture looks gloomy. Afterall, what difference can a small fragment of educated people make even if we do decide to vote. The most painful thing is, WE DONT EVEN CARE to vote. We think that voting is for the lowly people and make fun of those who do that. If we let people rule us and we do not become a part of the decision making in whatsoever way we can, then we are bound to be ruled.
This is not a question directed to you at all. I am with you as far as this pain is concerned, but sadly, I do not see any solution to all this in near future.
Posted by: Indra at July 22, 2009 @ 6:25 am
Sarvesh Upadhyay made a comment about your note “Golu: Victim of Distorted Democracy”:
Thats why Man Mohan was called weak PM as he was trying to prove that he doesn’t have any control on his ministers and they are working independently or may be someone else behest like Arjun, Ramdoss, Shivraj, Lalu etc…
Posted by: Indra at July 22, 2009 @ 6:26 am
Respected Sir,
The story is disheartening, it’s not unique though. Because of re-designed reservation system, mere achieving a good rank is not a guarantee of getting the department/ zone/ cadre/ service of your choice. Reservation is intervening at every stage, at the time of application, at the time of examination/ evaluation and also at the time of seat/ zone/ department allocation. In a progressive society reservation is an epidemic.
In our country there are innumerable casts and socities which are totally untouched from development, and they are too weak to reap the benefits of this reservation policy. The fruits of reservation are taken by those who are already ahead in the society, and get benefit simply because of belonging to a particular caste. This is the point where our reservation policy fails, and doesn’t reach the desired category/class of the society.
The meenas in Rajasthan are a glowing example who override all the ST quota seats in most of the examinations.
The situation is disheartening, but a changing society and nation has to find solution from the problems. So far as politicians are concerned, they are still following the policy of ‘devide and rule’.
sincere regards,
Sameer Shahi.
Posted by: Indra at July 22, 2009 @ 11:12 am
comments from bihartimes.com…
This article by Mr. I.R. Sharma is simply a truth being faced by numerous people in day to day life. What is required immediately may be, a solution for changing the system.
C.S. Sreeram
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Very eloquent story by I R Sharma. I can understand the pain of Golu as I had also gone through this crippled system. I and one of my friend had applied for REC Kurukshetra(now NIT) in 2002. I got 30 marks higher and thousands rank better than my friend. I was not called for counseling while my friend got the admission in same REC. My only fault was my ancestors were of General category and his was SC. Although both were in the same school. My father’s income was no where comparable than his father’s income. ( a normal peasant vs bank manager). But his caste was given more importance than my merit. My father just laughed and said ,” yadi tumhare pas kawliyat hai to tumhe aage badhne se koi nahi rok sakta”. Today I am working In MNC in Bangkok and my friend is struggling to pass his supplementary papers.
As I had opposed women reservation bill also in this forum, this true story of Golu is eye washing. Why a young boy like Golu should be denied what he deserved? Now a days reservation has become tool for every political party to secure the vote bank. Recently we had seen that there was a competition to implement the reservation in various institution, parliament, judicial system etc. for various communities. We have some visionary political leaders also in every party. I fail to understand why don’t they raise their voice in parliament? We know that this way we are making our young generation mentally handicapped. Free education till 12th class should be provided to all communities and this will be enough to bring them at competent level. After this let the merit win, not the caste. If we will not focus on these issue today, our dream of becoming super power and developed nation will remain dream only.
Jitender Kumar Singh
Bangkok
Posted by: Indra at July 25, 2009 @ 7:11 pm
comments from bihartimes.com…
OBC reservation is farce. Particualrlry inclusion of certain castes like Yadav and Kurmi. Whichever way you look at people from these castes are placed equally with any socalled upper caste on socio economic ladder. Wonder why these people get reservation.
As far as historical persecution is concerned even a brief perusal of history would tell you 67% of ruling class came froom what today we call OBC. All the great ruklers of India came from OBC be it Chandragupta Marya or Porus. IF at all there was persecution then it was from ruling class to lowest of lower caste that is SC/ST and tribals. Even on the basis of historical wrong to be righted OBCs do nto deserve reservation. Even today just look at dalit persecution incidents in 99% of cases some OBC member is the perpetrtators of the crime. In recent times one minister form LalooJee’s cabinet peeing in his driver’s mouth was one fo the most talked about story. Minster sahebe cam from Yadaav communisty and ppor drive was SC/ST.
My poitn being whichever way you look at you can not justify the reservation for OBC. Look for UPSC merit list difference between GC and OBC percentage marks is never more than 1-2%. Meaning then don’t need crrutch. It’s another matetr I don;t support this crutch theory altogether government should start schools at primary and secondary level dedicatedto these unfortunate kids from SC/ST , OBC are anythign but backward they are capable enough to compete in general category.
Anil
Posted by: Indra at July 26, 2009 @ 12:05 pm
e-mail:
Nothing new has happended but having said that the agony doesnt diminishes.. Guess its a trouble at the macro level of politico-socio structure of our country and the policy of appeasement is something which has a disasterous effect on each one of us.
There will be Golus who might not crack JEE but can certainly go to a decent engineering college. But they cant make it as their economic dynamics doesnt allow them for it. IIT & other government colleges subsidise the education but what about other colleges. We also need to note, Pvt engineering colleges are giving employement opportunities but to students of better off economic condition.
Ranjan da has a point when he says, think for your own venture. But lets pause and have a look at our socio-economic situation. I have worked with Rashesh (From Rashmi Bansal’s book) at Edelweiss and I have immense respect for entrepreueners. But this a mantra very few have heart to follow. The larger section still looks for a decent job and a secured money-flow. And unfortunately the cost of education doesnt allow it to lots of them. I know arguements will come taht education loans can be arranged. Most of the masses is in villages and we all are aware how friendly our SBI/PNB/BOB etc guys are??? I will apologise if I am hurting anyone here as this a statement for the attitude of larger segement not for any individual. I went to an IIM and I got it from my college campus’s bank because local SBI guy from Barh was so habituated of flattering that he couldnt take my straight words. I know some other similar cases too..
So the poor guys son doesnt go toa engineering college while people with mony have their kids in engineering colleges across Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamilnadu etc.. Will share a data here, TCS in Chennai employs more than 35000 Associates. Do you think they all are IIT or NIT graduates.. We know where do they come from.. Why cant the same opportunity could have been given to a Golu whose father is a landless hawker in Bihar. Caste doesnt matter.. I know Bhumihar kids who could do something because people chipped in to support but there are very few incidents like this where ppl came together.
Reservation is something which will actually take blood to get straighted out. Cheaper education and a better loan-facilitation is something which can be done at the ground level. Lets pursue both the battles but will be great if we can play to our strengths.
Regards
Gaurav
Posted by: Indra at August 2, 2009 @ 10:09 am
from Vipin Rai
http://vipinrai.blogspot.com/2008/05/blog-post_5005.html
Posted by: Indra at August 6, 2009 @ 6:09 am
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