In an almost historic decision today, the Yogi Adityanath government has decided to completely withdraw the reservation system in all private medical and dental colleges in Uttar Pradesh. The UP government today passed a bill decreeing the withdrawal of all Scheduled Tribes (ST), Scheduled Castes (SC) and Other Backward Class (OBC) from all private medical and dental colleges in UP.
Why is this important?
There has been rising discontent regarding the caste based reservation system throughout India. Students and job applicants probably wear the worst brunt of it. To be fair, it does feel extremely frustrating when you see someone far inferior to you rushing past to the zenith while you are left floundering.
How much will it really help?
This is surely a welcome move. But let’s go a little deeper.He has banned the reservation system I’m PRIVATE colleges and NOT IN GOVERNMENT colleges. It is completely fair to make education easier for backward students. What is not okay is the fact that so many students who are so much well off get undue advantage just because of their surnames. Unfortunately, a significant percentage of students in any government college belong to reserved category. Also, not all general category students have the potential to pay for sky-high private education. So, unless this ban is employed in government colleges too, it is difficult to say how much help this might actually be.
How is this decree important in the stream of medicine?
Medical and dental colleges create doctors. It requires no telling that doctors probably deal with the most sensitive subject under the sun: human lives. Given the circumstance, it is almost ridiculous if a student of lower merit qualifies JEE while a better student is unable to do so just because the former has a lucky surname. There are certain fields where there should be admission based strictly on merit and medicine is certainly one of them. A low merited student WILL make a poor grade doctor which will be harmful to the society at large.
Also read: Reservation Policy – The Lurking Devil
One important question remains. What is the point of banning reservation only in private medical and dental colleges? Studying medicine in a private setup involves hefty expenditure which is impossible for an average person. Unless the government is controlling their fees structure too, this selective ban on reservation will only mean that rich general category students will be favored.
According to Yogi, as told to a website,
“The traditional and modern should blend. We should have an education system which promotes nationalism but is modern.”
We don’t know how impactful this might be yet, but this is surely a bold move. A lot has been said about abolishing the reservation system in India but very less has actually been done.
Maybe this is the first step of a series of better actions. Or maybe this could just be limited to the private colleges which would be somewhat pointless. Only time will tell.
As of now, Yogi seems to be on the zenith of his popularity. At this rate he could soon give Modi a run for his money.
No, Just kidding.
Or maybe not. You never know.
