Shift the focus

Sir, - Ms. Gail Omvedt's articles on reservations in the corporate sector (May 31, June 1): There must be elementary changes in the implementation of reservation as such. Rather than sticking to the 50-year-old system of more and more reservation (which has not worked), I suggest directing attention to crisper, education-oriented programmes with entrance and exit criteria well defined and adhered to. This will instil greater self- respect among Dalits and assimilate them into the mainstream.

The so-called higher castes should also get educated about the untenability of their perception about the `lower' castes; we must pull ourselves out of the belief that the Dalits cannot match the rest of the society. The exit criteria will make the programme more meaningful in that it will bring the services to the really needy and focus more on the final goal of an egalitarian society. Needless to say, this can only result from political vision which can see beyond the next election.

M.R. Raghuraj,

Bangalore

Sir, - Even after 50 years of reservation, it is an accepted fact that there is no improvement in the lives of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Castes. The situation can be improved only by providing the right educational facilities to the poor. Rather than emphasising the need for universalisation of education she wrongly assumes that reservation in the corporate sector will improve matters.

Vivek,

Hyderabad

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