Caste based reservation/classification – is it still relevant??

We in India have been following a caste based reservation system for the past 61 years. The question which arises now is:

• has it really been effective? If it has, does it still hold any relevance? If it hasn’t, what’s the point in continuing with it?

For centuries the so called lower castes in the Hindu community received ill treatment (to say the least) from the hands of the so called upper castes. When you couldn’t behave in a humane manner with a fellow human being how could you still be ‘upper’!!! When we became an independent country the gentlemen who framed the constitution brought in the concept of reservation so that it could benefit the people who were oppressed for centuries and bring about social equality. Now 61 years later I feel that the concept has lost its value and significance. It definitely helped a re-born India find its feet but the same has also been misused and abused which has resulted in creation of more castes and jatis and most them asking to be recognized as backward.

It is a really humorous situation now to see people of many castes and jatis resorting to protests to declare themselves backward or tribes just to benefit from reservation. It has also resulted in the creation of small groups with vested interests in supporting their own community across all states at the cost of endangering this species called Indian. The way our country is moving this species will become rare or extinct in 50-60 years time.

The time has come now to move from a caste based reservation system to an economic criteria based reservation system. How can we achieve equality when caste is everywhere, even on the forms you fill in!!!! In recent times, maybe with the exception of rural areas, there is no longer a domination of a particular caste over another caste. Its money and muscle power which determines who dominates whom!!. Also there is no clear trend that people belonging to a certain caste are totally downtrodden/poor. In every caste you find poor people. This is definitely the time to move away from caste based reservation to economic criteria based reservation system and this will also help us in slowly abusing the caste system to get things done.

All this requires a solid political will and also the willingness of the citizens of this country to accept such a change. I’m very sure the current crop of politicians will never make a step in that direction as it means that all these parties which thrive on this caste system won’t have a reason to exist. It is definetly going to take another social revolution to move away from the caste based system.......Should I even hope for such a change?????