Communism, Reservation, Justice, Upliftment

In my previous blog, I suggested the voice of the meritorious must rise, specifically addressing why it is important to use merit as sole criterion for selection in IIT, IIM, private sector, medicine and elsewhere. There were few interesting responses and a number of other blogs and comments speaking about the same issue. I will try to summarize how and why I think the ideal of social justice cannot be used as an excuse for reservation, and how such political choices are motivated by communist, pro-mediocre mentalities.

An economic upliftment argument is always cited as prime reason for continuing reservation. How can one define economic upliftment, and how many series of reserved position does a person require to really have his share of social justice? A simple example: The caste allows the kid to get free education, followed by "easier" access to a position in medical or engineering college based on the quota. Now that person has all the requisite qualification, he is after all a graduate, he should be capable enough of earning a living. But no, it seems he is not. Then he will get the job through the quota, say he becomes a doctor or engineer or enters the State Civil Services. His "unreserved" classmate, who comes from a caste that was "priviliged" for hundreds of years, must work much harder at each stage to get the same appointment. Now both "should" have gained some equality, for they start with same education and have got the same job. But alas no! The reserved category allows the person to rise faster and higher. The capability, the work ethic, the economic condition of both employees has no bearing on promotion: the qouta person always holds an advantage. Now that he is able to earn better and rise higher, his son is atleast as "priviliged" in terms of economic condition and education as son of his counterpart, YET HIS SON FINDS THE SAME HIERARCHY OF BENEFITS waiting for him.

Someone pointed out that I have no statistics to support my claim that IITs have a large share of students like me who come from middle class and whose parents had to struggle to get us through the education regime. Perhaps one can check that. I do remember that most people of "quota" that I knew in IIT were sons of high ranking officials, and most of them relied on "reservation" to get them their next appointment, so IIT degree, that was "subsidized" to a greater degree for them, did not cause them to became quite as capable as aimed. So is true for all IAS officers selected through quota.

There is no denying that many people coming out of the quotas are absolutely brilliant, and if they are brilliant the reservation is redundant. Not all who DON'T get selected in entrance examination are less inteliigent or less worthy than who get through, many factors control that. But those who get through have a bare minimum intelligence, have put in the requisite effort (for luck loves effort), share some capabilities: we ought to respect that. A smart student will make his way, irrespective of whether he clears a particular exam after tenth or not. An Ambani or Anil Aggarwal will become a billionare, without any clutches to prop him. Even higher education is "not that important".

The whole hue and cry about "how we are unaware of village conditions" is more celebrated by my city friends. I grew up in small towns and spent a fair amount of times in villages. I have worked in slums too. For extremely poor, reservation is of less value than food and education. For middle class, reservation is important for it affects not simply their employment opportunities, but each stage of their career. For rich, there are infinite routes to employment and more money.

We have fallen into a communist mindset, where we believe all need to earn equally well, all need equal amount of luxuries and all deserve same quality of life. Everyone is not Tendulkar to be inducted into the list of cricketing legends. Everyone cannot run as fast as PT Usha. You can teach someone to read and write, but you cannot make him into Tagore or Premchand. Being Dhyan Chand requires both talent and effort, and no matter how you justify induction of a player into hockey team based on his economic status or caste, he is a bad choice if he is not the best. In government service or bureaucracy mediocricity is celebrated (one may exclude many extremely smart and motivated people, but I am talking about the majority who are not perhaps the best hires). A mediocre officer requires the political support to stay in good books, is prone to corruption and waits for his time for every promotion. A good officer bites his lip, is bitter about his having to work hard, lives poorly for he cannot accept bribes like others and dies after years of hard work. Of course, reservation for many of these jobs may not alter the quality of work that is expected from the employee. In competitive environment, one needs more than just knowledge, one needs motivation that tell him that his best effort will be rewarded and recognized.

A smart student or employee does not require a last name or family name for every admission and promotion at each level of his career.

Is the son of a Member of Parliament or an IAS officer or a big businessman or a rich farmer "under priviliged"?

I don't buy the argument about "discriminated for years, hence need reservation either." I do not consider myself responsible for the historical misgivings. Mughals mistreated Sikhs and Hindus in north does not mean I avenge that. The British and European discriminated against us (and Asians and Africans) for centuries does not mean they open their country to us and give us a quota in jobs or education there.
ONE WRONG CANNOT BE UNDONE BY ANOTHER WRONG.
ONE INJUSTICE IS NOT A JUSTIFICATION FOR ANOTHER INJUSTICE.

We have to compete with China, where decisions are taken promptly and even their communism does not require "reservation policy". We need to compete with US that attracts the most motivated workforce from everywhere. We need to compete with Japan and France that certainly rely on use of best workforce available.

I agree our education system and selection system have their own flaws. I agree much needs to be done to alter the social and economic status of most people belonging to poorer classes. I agree the effort needs to be active. I agree that if one person gets a good job, he inspires his whole family to rise. I agree that upliftment is necessary. I agree with these ends, NOT THE MEANS.

JUSTICE MUST MEAN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY. By some effort, one can strive to provide equal "capability", allow special coaching for poorer people appearing for entrance examinations or for job interviews. Once each is trained and provided for in preparation time, MERITORIOUS WILL SELECT THEMSELVES. There is no lack of opportunity for EDUCATED AND RICH, then why do we need reservation for them who already have GRADUATE AND POST GRADUATE DEGREES? Once you have obtained a job, you have gone through the door, you earn quite well, why do you need reservation at every subsequent step as well? Why does your son and grandson require quota seats, if you have benefitted from it for thirty years of your own career?

You cannot make everyone rich by distributing money to the poor. Unless you teach a man how to best use his funds, he will squander them. Unless he is forced to earn something through his own labor, a provided for beggar would love being a beggar. It requires less labor, and if you call his profession a dignified way of existance, he will have no motivation to strive for changing his status. ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITY AND CAPABILITY IS MORE IMPORTANT (and surely more dignified) THAN PROVIDING A "RESERVED JOB." Quality, my friends, is paramount. If my life is in danger, I will want treatment from the best qualified doctor, and my sense of social justice demands that the best is selected. If I am going to spend a billion dollars on research, my sense of social justice demands the smartest, irrespective of how rich or poor his father was, makes use of my money.
CREATE OPPORTUNITIES, INCREASE CAPABILITY
BUT PRAY PLEASE NEVER COMPROMISE ON QUALITY.