There are a lot of misconceptions about reservations in India. Unsurprisingly none of them is about the EWS reservations but they have all been about caste. Well, we thought we could clear that up, since the internet is a tricky place to navigate,
1. Reservation in education kills merit.
That’s not how any of this works. People from the upper castes have benefitted from exploiting the DBA community for centuries. That brings insurmountable social capital. As such, you start your life with greater privilege than most kids from the DBA communities. All reservation in education does, it give them a little nudge. Besides, once you’re in college, we all have to appear the same exams to pass.
2. Reservation should be given on the basis of financial status, not caste.
This is a common misconception that reservation is a poverty alleviation scheme. It isn’t. It’s about representation. People from the backward castes and tribes makeup majority of our population but are seldom represented in government or in the workforce.
3. Reservation is casteism of sorts.
Reservation exists to write the wrongs of the upper caste people in the country, to some extent at least. Caste came first, and it still exists and is rampant, no matter how blind we might be towards it. Saying reservation is casteism is on the same wavelength of buffoonery as ‘Black Lives Matter is reverse racism’.
4. Reservation was only meant to be for 10 years.
No. It wasn’t. Stop believing anything and everything that appeals to your prejudices. That’s literally the best way to fight fake news and generic made up crap like this.
5. Casteism only exists in villages so why should we have reservations everywhere?
Yeah, no. See casteism exists in cities as well. You might even have been casteist without realising it. That’s your privilege.
6. “I know this rich Dalit person”….
No, you don’t. The ‘rich Dalit’ is a much-fabled person that every upper caste person who hates reservations, uses as an argument. This person is generally made up of money, will own an iPhone but will always be a friend of a friend. Besides, it doesn’t matter. A rich Dalit person still faces unimaginable amounts of casteist abuses all their life in this country, irrespective of their financial status.
7. How will casteism end if reservation keeps going on?
Casteism will never end till people keep taking pride in their castes. And since caste came first and reservation as a result of it, caste/casteism must end first and reservation will follow.
8. How do we go to SC/ST doctors knowing they only got here by QuOtA?
I hope you understand that choosing a professional on the basis of their caste is the literal definition of casteism. Besides, we already discussed this. They might have gotten due to reservations, but once they are in the college, not only do they have to study the same books, appear the same exams, they also have to go through casteist abuses throughout. Case in point, Dr Payal Tadvi, who died by suicide.
9. Reservations are what is keeping us from being developed.
According to a 2015 census, only 4% of SC/ST families had one member in a government job. So, no, not only are you wrong but you’re wrong by a long long shot.
10. Reservations should only be given to those who are first generation beneficiaries.
Most upper caste people have generations of their family in positions of power in society and their kids compete with SC/ST children who maybe are 2nd generation learners. It takes much much longer than one generation to even begin to write the wrongs and find a semblence of equity.
11. But those who avail reservations should not waste money on stupid subjects or going abraod.
Nobody can stop anybody from doing anything they want. Reservations are not here as a favour. They are peoples’ rights and what they do with them is completely their choice.
Not that, this will change your mind but if it were to, today is as good a day as any. Read, my dudes. Read about all your privileges and then, maybe we can get better as a society.