‘If the strategy doesn’t work, rethink your premises’
I don’t remember where I have read this line (think it was a Ludlum). But I just wish that Arjun Singh has heard of this. Before you groan, I promise this is my last blog on this topic. Its basically a refinement and remixing of the previous blogs, based on the feedback I received.
What I basically still want to say is that 33%, 50%, 70%, even 90% reservation will never change the current scenario. Because the premise on which it is based itself is flawed. I won’t waste space stating the same points again. But the fact that reservations haven’t worked as they should have indicates the same.
Besides the long term objective of improving primary education, I had said that there should be a cut-off for the RC too. Here’s presenting how.
The effect of reservations is like a bell-shaped curve. There is an optimum level, beyond which it defeats its very purpose, by causing the selection of a candidate who cannot cope up with the seat and its requirements. Hence the cut-off.
The problem is, how to decide the cut-off. Simple stats. Determine the peak of the curve. Get the data about the performances of the RCs of the past say 10 years, and check upto what rank or marks have the students proved successful (passing without grace in Med, getting a minimum 5 pointer score in IIT). Keep that as the cut-off. This way you can optimize reservations. Not that tough na.
Remember, reservations are supposed to be a temporary measure to restore social equality and opportunity, to achieve what Marx had said – From each according to his capacity to each according to his need. If we ignore the capacity part, they obviously can’t work.
PS: I love the title phrase. In fact, the main purpose of the blog is to introduce that phrase. Because I sincerely believe that this is one of the many areas where our politicians go wrong. They don’t go back and check their premises. If things don’t work they simply implement the flawed plan to an even greater extent. Reservations is a classical example. The flyover controversy is another, so that they never realize that flyovers will only Increase traffic and not Improve it, and try to solve the problem by building more and more of them.
What I basically still want to say is that 33%, 50%, 70%, even 90% reservation will never change the current scenario. Because the premise on which it is based itself is flawed. I won’t waste space stating the same points again. But the fact that reservations haven’t worked as they should have indicates the same.
Besides the long term objective of improving primary education, I had said that there should be a cut-off for the RC too. Here’s presenting how.
The effect of reservations is like a bell-shaped curve. There is an optimum level, beyond which it defeats its very purpose, by causing the selection of a candidate who cannot cope up with the seat and its requirements. Hence the cut-off.
The problem is, how to decide the cut-off. Simple stats. Determine the peak of the curve. Get the data about the performances of the RCs of the past say 10 years, and check upto what rank or marks have the students proved successful (passing without grace in Med, getting a minimum 5 pointer score in IIT). Keep that as the cut-off. This way you can optimize reservations. Not that tough na.
Remember, reservations are supposed to be a temporary measure to restore social equality and opportunity, to achieve what Marx had said – From each according to his capacity to each according to his need. If we ignore the capacity part, they obviously can’t work.
PS: I love the title phrase. In fact, the main purpose of the blog is to introduce that phrase. Because I sincerely believe that this is one of the many areas where our politicians go wrong. They don’t go back and check their premises. If things don’t work they simply implement the flawed plan to an even greater extent. Reservations is a classical example. The flyover controversy is another, so that they never realize that flyovers will only Increase traffic and not Improve it, and try to solve the problem by building more and more of them.
posted by Akshay at 1:26 PM
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