You can read full Arjun Singh's interview here. More information was provided about this.

Sandeep
www.gleez.com

Today the reservation system in india is misused for the sake of vote bank

example: our former president Mr. k.r.narayanan's children has all the reservations...but not the children of a poor man in the forward castes.

india will never become a developed country untill the reservation system is shifted from caste basis to rich and poor basis.

To All Indians Worldwide, this is a call; a call to all self respecting Indians who think that reservation is divisive, reservation is unjust. Most of the points I make in this essay is just a comment on how bad our political system is, how unjust it is. Every year thousands of graduates from this so called ‘booming’ economy bring more repute,businesses, growth to India. The so called ‘elitist’ workforce comprises mainly of hardworking qualified NON RESERVATION candidates who use their intellect rather than their religion to bring honor to the Indian ‘brand’ name. Every day an Indian in the world makes a mark NOT BECAUSE OF HIS RELIGION OR SOCIAL STATUS but because of the excellent and robust education system which grooms him to be the best in the playing field. This breath taking growth that India has witnessed is only due to such minds. When I look at this growth I used to feel a sense of pride, a sense of belonging that Indians are making their presence felt in a highly competitive environment which does not look at ‘third world’ contributions in a good light.
But today (or yesterday rather) I feel a sense of pain, anger, sadness that India would always remain in the abyss of hate, religious politics, promotion of a sect of people who wouldn’t stand a chance in the International playing field. Reservation would continue in the form of ‘minority’ community benefits and the percentages would slowly rise. India would again go back to the olden days where jobs were hard to come by. Coz without rewarding intellect and intellectual pursuits a country is Nothing. We don’t stand a chance against our counterparts in China, Korea, and other third world countries who want to take away the Indian juggernaut. It is not hard to foresee that there would come a time when all the corruption, pollution, lack of infrastructure, reservation, greed, politics, religious hatred would manifest into a country with no soul with little contribution from people of a ‘lesser’ religion (whose only fault remains in being part of a caste which does not have a voice). The so called ‘children’ of India would try to escape from all that would make India in the future! Hope they are successful in their endeavors!
I end this passage with a brief toast to all those Arjun Singhs and VP Singhs and the spineless political parties who don’t have the strength to stand up against what is morally wrong and reprehensible and who give birth to newer generations disillusioned more and more of our great democratic country that is India! India, I love you but I also hate you for being the breeding ground for all that is inhumane, corrupt, greedy, bureaucratic, and morally bankrupt!
This raving and ranting I presume would go into unread pages but I go back to my work with a feeling of having shared what it feels to be an Indian ‘open’ caste person who saw many of his friends never making it into science/medicine streams even after scoring a gargantuan 95 percent in the HSSC board syllabus! All you people who take the time to read and contemplate and do something to get out of the RUT we are in I salute you! Adios!

How do you explain VVS Laxman, Ganguly (both Brahmins) being given several chances despite of their miserable failure? That is what Merit is all about?

· Though Tendulkar ( another Brahmin) plays for himself and his records and as a result country lost several times, been ensured a place in the team. Is this Merit?

· Did you forget Jarkhand dynamite Dhoni is OBC? Does bowlers do slow bowling for him?

· When Vinod Kambli hit two double centuries in a row, do you mean bowlers helped him and boundaries redefined?

· How many OC players got medals to our country in Olympics? (Leave about Gold any medal)

· You people have no right to talk about merit

· If Merit is the criteria Farming is also merit based activity. Hand over all cultivable lands to labor working there due to their merit

· Are you ready?

An optimist sees an opportunity in every calamity; a pessimist sees a calamity in every opportunity. 张家界旅游

The above observation, I could notice only now. I am attaching herebelow my ideas on reservation & minority rights being misused in our country. The articles were published in 2002 in my book 'Musings of a Raja'. Believe this will not be out of place.
P.R.V.Raja.

Reservation.

Our Constitution provides for ‘reservation’ in admission to educational institutions and in enrolment to Govt. jobs for certain sections of people. This essentially takes the form of relaxation in the qualifications generally prescribed for the purpose and/or allotment of definite percentages of total seats to different reserved categories. Primarily reservation aims at the uplift of these people who are ‘backward’. This backwardness is the result of denial of opportunities to them by those in power before Independence. The system of Administration at that time discriminated among different sections of people, which ultimately led to the financial, educational and social backwardness of some groups. It is as a means of eradicating this backwardness that the method of ‘reservation’ was adopted. It was (and is) expected that this would help to bring the poorer sections on par with others in course of time. There is also provision for the evaluation of the system at intervals.
What has been happening since then? Though originally intended for five years, the scheme of reservation continues even after fifty years. Moreover, the number of reserved sections and the percentage of reserved accommodation have increased many-fold. The quota is fixed based on factors like religion, caste, language, place of birth, place of residence, financial status of guardian etc. Repatriates’ quota, ex-servicemen’s quota, management quota and community quota are other forms of reservation. Slogan of ‘son of the soil’ is menacingly growing in many States. With the setting up of Navodaya schools, reservation is extended to the school sector also. A new category, called ‘rural children’ is added to the already long list of reserved sections. Seats are reserved for participation in sports & games, performance in arts and memberships in NCC & NSS, irrespective of the course or job to which selection is being made. The percentage of reservation has gone even up to about 70% in certain States. In the sphere of employment, reservation is applicable to promotions as well. There is still a growing demand for expansion of the scheme to more areas and for higher quantum.
What do all these indicate?
Two points merit our consideration here. Reservation was a short-term measure. Even after ten times the expected duration, if it continues, that itself is an indication of its failure. Moreover it has expanded in all directions. The second point is that reservation is intended to bring the poorer sections on par with others. If the results were on the expected lines, the size of reservation should have been gradually reduced. But that is not happening. This again shows that the scheme is a failure. Thus it is high time for a revised approach. There are also other reasons why a re-thinking is necessary. The Central and State governments have erred in the method of laying down the provision of reservation and formulating the rules and in implementing the same. No thought has ever been bestowed on the disadvantageous position in which the unreserved sections of people are placed. It is clear that reservation denies opportunities to the so-called forward sections. Thus it is essentially discrimination between one citizen and another at the level of the Govt. In a democratic and socialistic set-up like ours, there is no justification for punishing individuals for whatever happened even before they were born. This does not mean that the weaker sections of people shall remain weak always. Since the system of reservation has failed to deliver the expected results, it is only logical to go for a more effective and justifiable alternative. Another glaring drawback of the quota system is that it directly reduces the merit element in the selection process, thereby adversely affecting the quality of the output.
Why has the system failed?
In the beginning, many people even among the unreserved category found ‘some’ justice and necessity for reservation for the weaker sections. But when the period of reservation is extended again and again, the areas of reservation widened and the percentage of reservation increased progressively, it created doubts in the minds of the un-reserved sections of people. They naturally fear that there are attempts to perpetuate the provision of reservation. They felt they are being exploited and punished for no fault of theirs. The political power in the country has always been concerned with ‘vote banks’. No effort has ever been made to ascertain the efficacy of the system of reservation. With facts and figures, the Government should have convinced those who do not enjoy the benefit, that reservation is a necessity for the uplift of the communities identified to enjoy it. Further, the Government should have revealed what steps it has taken to assess the success or otherwise of the policy since the beginning of the scheme and whether the provision for reservation is being properly used. It should further be explained whether reservation is a time-bound programme or whether it will continue eternally. Is there any tentative date by which time the Government expects all communities to become equal? Instead of giving acceptable answers to such questions, attempts are being made to perpetuate and to increase the quantum of reservation. During the time of the anti-reservation stir of the Ahmedabad students in 1985, the Gujarat Government’s press release contained only the oft-repeated explanation that reservation is a measure for the uplift of backward communities. The statement also contained certain figures about the higher percentages of reservation in some other States. In fact, it is this very approach of taking the people for granted and offering very unconvincing responses to their complaints and demands that often precipitate problems. The leaders of the weaker sections also do not seem to realize the basic purpose of the system and they want it to continue indefinitely. It is a paradox that they want the caste-based reservation to continue even when the caste system is abolished.
It is true that, at times, some leaders in the political and social fields have suggested a review of the system of reservation, but with no results. Some time back, the then Madhya Pradesh Governor, Mr.B.D..Sharma was reported to have said that “the reservation provision should not have been made in the first instance”. This was followed by a demand in the Lok Sabha for the dismissal of the Governor “for criticizing the provision for reservations and thus failing to protect and defend the Constitution”. It was also pointed out in the Lok Sabha that the Governor “had failed to act as a constitutional head”. In 1991, Mrs.Lekshmi N.Menon opined that “the social justice meted out through this (viz. reservation for the backward in educational institutions) only helps perpetuate the caste system”. While speaking at a conference of the Muslim Educational Society, the then Prime Minister, Mr.Rajiv Gandhi declared that minority rights and reservation would continue, “as long as they are required”. He has also emphatically told the audience that “the concessions could not continue indefinitely”. If the Prime Minister really meant what he said, then he should not have stopped at this. Not only that, during the preparation and implementation of the New Education Policy initiated at the instance of Mr.Rajiv Gandhi, the important factor of reservation in the field of education was never discussed.
Meanwhile some experts have made detailed proposals to replace reservation with other methods. But, thanks to lack of political support, those proposals had few takers.
There is also an entirely different face for reservation (though not directly regarding education and employment). The historical Poona pact paved the way for ‘reservation’ of Constituencies for Harijans. This could be treated as one of the forerunners of the present form of reservation in our country. More important, the Poona pact was more or less a result of Dr.Ambedkar’s insistence on separate electorates for ‘dalits’ (which however was not incorporated in the agreement). Separate electorate can mean separate nation. Conceding Dr.Ambedkar’s demand would have ultimately resulted in further subdivision of India and Pakistan. Gandhiji could foresee this and hence his famous Poona satyagraha against the demand. But the forces of the time were too strong for him, and the Poona pact emerged, which Gandhiji signed half-heartedly. Thus it was that the original demand for a separate nation finally resulted in reservation of Constituencies. This subsequently became one of the prime motivations for secessionism. Whatever good intentions were there behind the provision of reservation, they were offset by evil consequences.
The present scenario is that of a sharp division of the people into pro-reservationists and anti-reservationists. Both divisions are dissatisfied and the war against the system by the two groups is getting intensified and has already caused considerable loss of life and property. The events during the last few decades have proved beyond doubt that it is detrimental to the interests of the nation to continue with ‘reservation’. Banking on discriminatory rules and provisions will be suicidal, affecting the very existence and integrity of the Nation. The practice needs a revised approach and a new method, which does not discriminate citizen from citizen.

Minority rights.

Our Constitution provides for ‘minority rights’. By this, the ‘religious minorities’ are granted certain rights in addition to what the majority is granted in the matter of establishing and running of ‘general and technical’ educational institutions. It may be remembered that no religion is in any manner specially connected with general & technical education. In fact religious authorities need be concerned only with religious educational institutions. But in India various religious groups are managing a number of schools and colleges, professional as also non-professional. Since these institutions are not imparting religious education, all religions should have equal rights and similar access to them. Religious study is distinct for each religion. So each religious group may run its own religious institution. Even here no religion justifiably deserves additional rights. Majority and minorities shall be treated equally. Thus these special privileges, namely minority rights bear no scientific, logical or moral foundation.
While incorporating the provision of minority rights in the Constitution, was the proficiency in the field of general and technical education assessed religion-wise? No. Were the religious minorities found inferior to the majority in this aspect? No. Is there any difference, in so far as the benefits to be gained out of education are concerned, between members of the religious minorities and the majority? No. Why then was the provision included in the Constitution at all? Some leaders explain that the minorities shall not act as internal enemies to the Administration at the time of any foreign invasion! This is a sort of bribing. The strength and security of the country is not to be ensured in this fashion. Love for the country and pride of nationality cannot be purchased, whether from majority group or minority. Perhaps the series of Hindu-Muslim clashes that followed the Independence of India and Pakistan might have prompted the lawmakers to offer special rights to minorities so that they could gain sufficient confidence. This argument has no relevance now. The provision should have been scrapped years back. Moreover in a democracy like ours, majority and minorities should have been treated equally, even at the first instance. In any case, no authority has ever cared to offer a convincing explanation as to why the special provision was incorporated and why it is continuing.
Thus this is a clear case of discrimination. The majority always stands to lose. The minorities are exploiting the situation to gain more material benefits. More and more groups of people are demanding their inclusion in the list of minorities. Only recently, the Rajasthan High Court ruled that the Jains do not constitute a minority community, rejecting a request by a certain Private Educational Trust to recognize it as a minority institution. But we do not know what the political authorities would decide finally. There is concerted attempt to perpetuate the system. The politicians refuse to see the discriminatory nature of the special provision. They have discovered a ‘vote bank’ in it and are after wooing the various minority groups. While speaking at a conference of the Muslim Educational Society, the then Prime Minister, Mr.Rajiv Gandhi declared that minority rights and reservation would continue, “as long as they are required”. He has also emphatically told the audience that “the concessions could not continue indefinitely”. Though he made it clear that the special rights form a short- term measure and are essentially ‘concessions’, no steps were taken to implement his assurances. Not only that, during the preparation and implementation of the New Education Policy initiated at the instance of Mr.Rajiv Gandhi, the important factor of minority rights in the field of education was never discussed. No assessment has been made as to whether the minorities any longer needed the concessions. No study has gone into whether these special rights served any cause of the Nation.
Minority rights aid, directly and indirectly, a process of lowering of educational standards and commercialization of education. Corruption is rampant in almost all areas of private sector education, right from sanctioning of new institutions up to their routine administration. More important is the discriminatory nature and perpetual looks of the special benefits, which has already created discontentment among the majority. Those who enjoy special benefits want more benefits while the majority people want equality with the minorities. Sort of hatred and rift have come to exist among various religious groups. There is genuine doubt as to the usefulness of the provisions as well as the propriety of the same in a socialistic democracy. I do not know whether there is any other country in the world where the minority is granted more rights than the majority. Demand for special rights is also expanding to other areas and now we have almost everything in our country being decided upon the basis of religion and caste. The Governments discriminating the citizens on the basis of their religious faiths is unjust. The growth and development of secessionist tendencies is a direct outcome of various written rules and practicing habits, which discriminate citizen from citizen.
Solutions to the present problems are talked about rather than put into practice. However, a sincere, long and concerted attempt on the part of our leaders can surely bring about a welcome change. Discrimination of people in the name of religion has to be ended. For this, the first step is a re-thinking on the minority rights. It has to be decided that the practice would be discontinued, at least in a phased manner. In this matter, since the majority is in a handicap, it is for the minorities to take the initiative for a peaceful transformation. In fact, a section of the minorities themselves do not approve of the practice. Hence it is primarily the duty of the leaders of the minorities to enlighten their followers about the necessity to scrap the provision. Once, addressing a function organized by the youth in New Delhi, Pope John Paul II stressed the need for a struggle to eliminate, among other things, discrimination in the name of religion. Though many people have pointed this out earlier, it was all the more significant to hear it from the noble and important person of the Pope. The question involved is very important in a country like ours where most people are god-fearing and religious-minded and where we have a large number of religions. A grave point of discrimination lies in the minority rights, which have the Constitutional backing also. Incidentally, the religious followers of the Pope in our country are among the minorities who have actually unduly benefited by these special rights. Hence, it will be easier, if they come forward, as per the advice of the Pope, and accept abolition of this discrimination between religions. Moreover, this will put an end to the demands from different sections for more and more special rights. Instead, keeping the majority at a disadvantage will only increase the discontentment among them.

I really appreciate the views of Premji. We do not need caste based reservation system. If someone is poor regardless of his caste, religion and faiths he should be given all the assist to study.
We do not want in-efficient people to get into wrong jobs due to reservation and spoil the productivity.
This creates the problem to the whole nation.
The political parties those devide people based on various issues should be rejected by educated people like us.

Thank you Mr.Premjee.

Anyone, with little commonsense can say Reservation is not going to uplift any community , in no way.
It needs a mentality to grow up, class to grow up and unbiased class is a Poor class which covers from every Cste , every religion.
Hindu, Muslim< sikh, Christian etc.