India Underestimating the Importance of Merit
In about a year the Indian cricket team will participate in the next world cup. This event will obviously be followed by millions of Indians all over the world. But let us assume that the selection of the Indian team will be based on the following formula: The starters should include at least three women. The wicketkeeper should be the immediate
family member of a former wicketkeeper who was disabled in an accident.
Of the two opening fast bowlers one should be a Hindu and the other a Muslim. 80% of the remaining players will be from the backward community. The rest of the players will be from the forward community. The substitute fielders will be selected based only on merit.
Does the imaginary Indian cricket team selected based on the above formula stand any chance of winning the tournament? Should we even bother to send this team to the world cup? Human beings instinctively know the value of merit when it comes to sports. We want to win and we know that in order to win we have to put the best players on the field.
Cricket is after all a sport and winning and losing in the grand scheme of things does not mean that much (as long as we do not lose to Pakistan!!). So what is wrong with applying all the different types of reservation that we have in India to the Indian cricket team as well? The simple reason is that we all know what will happen if the quota system is applied to Indian cricket team. The results will be immediate and we can all see it unfolding live on national television.
If we cannot allow for reservation in an inconsequential area like sport how is that we are fine with reservation in critical areas like education, politics, employment and government? The reason is very simple. It is very difficult for us to measure the damage these policies have on the system. The damage itself happens very slowly and takes decades for it to manifest itself in a big way.
The definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over again and then expecting different results. Reservation as a system to improve the Indian society was actually implemented by the British over a hundred years ago. We have very good set of data to analyze whether this system has worked for us. Clearly it has not. If it did we would not have reservation today.
We cannot change the lot of the millions of Indians who fall under the category of Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribe (SC/ST) simply by giving them preferential treatment in schools, universities and government employment. Similarly we cannot change the fate of women in India by offering them a 33% quota in Panchayat seats. A couple of thousand Panchayat seats and college seats are not enough to change these deep rooted issues.
So why is the government doing this? Quota system is a simple way to divide society. The more the division the better it is for politicians, religious, caste and gender groups and their leaders. This “divide and rule” policy is something that the Indian central and state governments have learnt very well from the British.
Second the quota system is a way for the government to show that it is doing something about the serious issues facing the nation. We have a major HIV epidemic in India. The government’s response might be to create a quota for all people who are infected with HIV. That should solve the problem shouldn’t it?
Social issues are complicated and generalizing (which is what the quota system is) will not address the problem. For example treatment of women and women’s rights are major issues that we have to address. But are the specific womens issues the same in Bihar as it is in West Bengal or Kerala? In Tamil Nadu the “forward community” constitutes about 5 to 10% of the population. Yet about 75% of the college seats are reserved for backward community and the SC/ST. Does this scenario make sense?
We cannot look at a group of human beings and then make a decision on whether they are forward or backward and whether they are or not eligible for preferential treatment. We have to look at the individual and help those who really need help. The Indian government is increasingly becoming an entity that most Indians (particularly the middle class) do not connect with. The government goes about doing things as if it exists in a surreal world. It is true that India keeps chugging along in spite of our government.
Anyway if you are an Indian women you have reasons to be happy. The Prime Minister will announce 33% quota for women in Panchayat assembly on March 8th (International Women’s Day). So female infanticide, spousal abuse, rape and eve teasing that have dogged Indian women for decades will be a thing of the past!!
Related posts:
- India’s Obsession With Amending Its Constitution
- Reservation Policy is Lowering Indian Standards
- Is Caste System In India A Hindu Issue Alone?
- New Brahmins of Tamil Nadu
- What is Wrong With Indian Cricket?
Category: News & Government
I agree 33% reservation for women is not going to resolve any of the problems Indian women face. The bill does not guarantee that the women elected to parliament thanks to the reservation will become champions of women’s issues. Instead this has the makings of another loophole for the politicians to install “puppet representatives” in the parliament.
Right on the money. Instead of the Lalu’s you will have Rabri Devi’s.