Ghosts of Mandal haunt again

Shashwat Chaturvedi

History has an uncanny tendency to repeat itself. Ever so often in life one

comes across events and incidents and it all seems so very familiar; so very

tragically familiar. The French even have a term for it: déjà vu.

And that is how one felt, seeing all those medical students in Delhi,

shouting slogans, holding banners, breaking police barricades and got lathi-charged

while protesting against human resource development minister Arjun Singh's

proposal to increase the reservation quota by 27 per cent for other backward

classes (OBCs) in educational institutes like IITs (Indian Institute of

Technology), IIMs (Indian Institute of Management) and Central Universities.

Some 16 years back, a student from Delhi University, Rajiv Goswami, took to

the streets against the implementation of the Mandal Commission recommendations

by the then VP Singh-led National Front government. He doused himself in petrol

and attempted to immolate himself. His self-immolation bid had a domino effect;

students across the nation made similar self-immolation attempts against the

introduction of caste-based quota system in the public and education sector. The

numbers grew by the day, and finally the prime minister himself was forced to

make a statement on the national channel. The protests ended, sadly, the die was

cast.






British to blame

Most of the evils in India are often attributed to the two century long

British rule, at times fairly, and most of the times rather unfairly. But the

seeds of current troubles were indeed sown by the British. In 1932, British

prime minister James Ramsay Macdonald had promulgated a division of electorate

based on caste and religious considerations, favored by a few national leaders

like Babasaheb Ambedkar. Mahatma Gandhi went on an indefinite fast unto death

against the move. The leaders relented, and signed the Poona Pact. The decision

by the British premier was overturned.

Independent India committed itself to ideals of greater good. The

Constitution of India stated that 15 per cent of civil service and education

seats should be reserved for scheduled castes and 7.5 per cent for scheduled

tribes. The move was meant to be a palliative, to help the community that had

been tormented for centuries by a system of discrimination based on caste.

Significantly, the Supreme Court in 1963 had decreed that reservations should

not exceed the 50 per cent mark.






Mandalisation of education

The Janata Party government headed by Morarji Desai in 1979 set up a

commission to formulate a report under the chairmanship of parliamentarian B P

Mandal. Mandal commission submitted its report to prime minister Indira Gandhi

in 1980. The recommendations were lost to the world for the next nine years --

till another prime minister VP Singh, trying to boost his sagging fortunes,

introduced reservations in government jobs and education sector to 22.5 per

cent.

In spite of all the brouhaha, reservations were here to stay. State

governments could also increase reservations in state-funded institutes, etc.

based on demographical realities. For instance, the state of Tamil Nadu has

close to 69 per cent of reservations for scheduled caste (SCs)/ scheduled tribes

(STs) and OBCs.






From one Singh to another

Current union human resource development minister Arjun Singh decided he

would go one step further. He introduced a draft bill that proposed 27 per cent

reservations to OBCs in premier institutes over and above the current 22.5 per

cent, bringing it to a total of 49.5 per cent! The move naturally stoked up a

storm of protest from all quarters of the country.

Singh's move is widely seen as a follow-up to the 93rd Amendment Act, 2005.

The Act was enacted to sideline the Supreme Court decision in the Inamdar case.

The apex court had on August 12 last year upheld that the right to run

educational institutions was a fundamental right to occupation, as envisaged by

Article 19 (1)(g) of the Constitution.

The amendment says: “Nothing in this article or in sub-clause (g) of clause

(1) of article 19 shall prevent the State from making any special provision, by

law, for the advancement of any socially and educationally backward classes of

citizens or for the Scheduled Castes or the Scheduled Tribes in so far as such

special provisions relate to their admission to educational institutions

including private educational institutions, whether aided or unaided by the

State, other than the minority educational institutions referred to in clause

(1) of article 30."

The amendment was brought in to bypass the Supreme Court decision, which it

successfully did. Thus, Singh's excuse falls flat, as there is no real need for

him to 'follow up' on the amendment.






IT People speak

The fastest growing sector in the Indian economy, namely the IT sector, is

already reeling under a shortage of “quality” workforce. The industry is

unsurprisingly concerned on the latest moves.

Says Krishan Dhawan, managing director, Oracle (India), (IIM-Ahmedabad

alumni), “Personally, I am against the proposal as it compromises on quality

and dilutes the value of education provided by these institutions. We need to

focus our energies on the education provided at the grass root level rather than

increasing the quota on the tertiary level.”

It is a thought evoked by many. “We need to invest heavily in the primary

and secondary level of education, so that each and every individual is

empowered. After all education is an important foundation on which a person's

career is built and also a nation's,” says Sunil Mehta, vice president,

national association of software and service companies (NASSCOM), (IIM-Ahmedabad

alumni).

Dittos Ashank Desai, chairman, Mastek, (IIT-Mumbai and IIM-Ahmedabad alumni).

“My argument is simple. Merit should be the first criterion when students are

being admitted to such premier institutes. The idea of empowering the socially

disadvantaged is good, but this is not the best way to do it. IITs and IIMs are

renowned for the quality of education they provide and this move will comprise

on that quality,” he says.






A question of image

IITs and IIMs are globally respected for their quality of education. Will not

the latest move impair that image? Agrees Anand Deshpande, chairman and managing

director, Persistent Systems, (IIT-Kharagpur alumni). “Indeed, the move could

affect the image. Every year scores of multinational companies flock to these

institutions for campus recruitment, that could be affected,” he warns.









Do means impinge on the ends?

According to a research done, close to 50 per cent of the seats reserved for

SC and ST candidates at the IITs remained vacant over the years, as applicants

were unable to clear the entry marks required, lower than the rest. Close to 25

per cent were forced to quit midway, as they were unable to cope up with the

syllabus.

“During my days at the IIM, there were a few students coming from the quota

system, who were completely unable to cope up with the education levels at the

institute. Therefore, we should be strengthening the foundations,” recollects

Krishan Dhawan.

Ashank Desai points out, “There is no empirical data available on the

subject. How has reservations helped the socially disadvantaged group in the

past 15 years or so? There needs to be a proper study done to evaluate the

benefits or the possible fallouts.”






Future imperfect

So what will be the most likely repercussion? Namely, more and more parents

that can afford to send their wards abroad will do so. Desai goes on to mention

a study done by an NGO that he chanced upon: every year, Indians spend close to

$9 billion on overseas education, enough to create and sustain 40 IIMs and 20

IITs!

He also cautions that these steps are irrevocable and one needs to tread with

caution. “A move like this can have a repercussion affecting a whole

generation. Education is a critical factor in any nation, it will affect

millions,” he warns.

Subrat Mohanty, CEO, Hurix Systems (IIT-Kharagpur and IIM-Ahmedabad alumni)

sums up the argument eloquently, “To make matters worse, the way reservations

are structured now, it seems to me that with every passing generation, the

chances of the benefits going to the truly deserving among the disenfranchised

are bound to diminish.”






Present tense

A former student of Birla Institute of Technology (Ranchi), Sarsij Nayanam,

launched an online petition on April 7, 2006. At the time of writing this

article, 1,19062 people, largely comprising students from premier institutes,

have signed up this petition imploring the government of India from desisting

from the move to increase the quota.

Meanwhile, the medical students have deferred their strike till May 11

following Arjun Singh's promise that he will hold discussions in this matter

after the ongoing elections in five states.

Interestingly, Singh's proposal has led to a face off within the union

cabinet itself with ministers Kamal Nath and Kapil Sibal raising concern over

the proposed move. Science and Technology minister Sibal has warned against any

policy that would dilute the competitiveness of Indian companies and the

excellence of R&D and educational institutions, according to reports.

A question remains: Will the proposed increase in quota for students from

backward classes would meet the desired end if it is implemented. Take into

consideration the mushrooming private entrance coaching classes across the

country. Take into account the fee they charge per head.

On the other hand, consider the president APJ Abdul Kalam's recommendation

to increase the number of seats in the premier institutions. "I am on a

mission to increase the number of seats in higher educational institutions so

that these problems are solved," the president told the media in response

to a query on the proposed increase in quota.

So will the government get away again, like it did some 16 years back. Or

will it pay heed to the rising public opposition to the move. Time will tell and

history will judge.

There is an oft-quoted line from George Santayana: “Those who do not learn

from history are doomed to repeat it.” VP Singh could never again take center

stage in Indian politics, surely Arjun Singh must realize that, or does he?

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