Quota Politics

After supreme court's historical verdict last week,it is now clear that 27 % OBC Quota will be implemented across all state run educational institutes from this year itself.
However one thing which is not clear to me is,when the supreme court categorically told that a bachelor's degree is enough proof that the candidate is not "backward",then how come the quota will be applicable to PG institutes like IIM?

Secondly,while the idea of creamy layer is being debated across all the forums these days,it is largely contained to reserved class candidates!No politician (surprisingly except Mayawati) talks about the "economically backard" criteria!Why can't we have a common criteria for all..the needy and poor students,no matter if they are brahmins or Dalit,should be provided with assistance.Also here are certain aspects of this whole debate I am putting across for larger review.Your comments are most welcome:

1.While it is true that Congress had been a strong supporter of quota politics,have they forgotten the historical speach given by Late PM Mr.Rajeev Gandhi in Loksabha while opposing the Mandal commission report implementation in 1989?

2.How many politicians actually send their children to state run educational institutes?Why all young MPs today including Scions from The Sindhias, The Pilots,The Gandhis and The Deoras are all MBA s from US universities?Were they not accepted at IIM s or just because they were "elite",they could afford the foreign education?

3.The reservations are applied for past 60 years,but still why we really can not bring the backward classes and minorities in the main stream of social India?Are reservations really effctive in building the "social bridge" ?While there was a study published in Hindustan Times which concludes that the reservations are helping the Backward communities to earn a decent livelyhood by earning professional degrees ,it has no mention about the "social divide" we still have in our society!

4.Why there are "successive" reservations?If a deserving dalit candidate is provided with assistance in his education and he attains the professional degree,then why still he has the privilage of being selected in state run corporations and PSU s under the quota system?

The quota should make the candidate worthy enough to earn his colours in his course and then compete with all in open.

5.Till what date we are extending the reservations?Forever????
It was only for 10 years after independence,but now every government for votes,extends it always!Will it stop somewhere?

RTI is a big tool to avoid corruption

Hi All,

This message is to let you all know that,as citizens of India,we can get
our work done through the government with simple tools like Right to
Information Act (RTI).

Here is a personal example:

I was inspired by the Right to Information campaign from Mr.Shailesh Gandhi
and decided to use the act for getting the status of my Income Tax Return.

My case was pretty simple:I received my refund order cheque for assessment
year 2003-04 very late in Jan 2005 (The cheque was dated Oct 2004 and it
was valid only for 3 months).So by the time actually I received the
cheque,it was the last date of the validity.

Still I deposited the same in my bank account and somehow it went for
clearing on the last minute.The problem occurred when the bank returned the
cheque to me next week saying that they did not receive the "payment
advice" from the Income Tax department.

Frustrated by the same I went to my CA who in turn told me to pay 10 % of
the refund amount as bribe to the income tax officer through him as "it was
usual practice by IT officers "..he claimed!

I did not pursue it that time as in principle I am against paying any
bribes.

However after studying the RTI Act 2005,I decided to use the RTI Act
myself for this case after 3 years !

I drafted an application on simple paper with all my details and the
information wanted.(Format is attached here),and submitted in the GPO's
(Post office ) RTI Desk after attaching a Rs 10 Indian Postal Order.(It is
Post's responsibility to accept such applications pertaining to central
govt departments and forward the same to concerned department at their own
expense and give you acknowledgement.)

I was not expecting a prompt response anyway knowing how government reacts
! (as I anyway handle Govt accounts for TCS).

But to my surprise,within 5 days I received a call from Income Tax officer
concerned and he apologized for the delay in processing my refund.He also
assured me that he will process my refund cheque within 1-2 days .

And I really received my cheque at home by registered post.!!!!!

My expenses for the same was just Rs 10 for fee as per RTI act.I did not
have to grease any palms in Income Tax office.Also I never had to go
personally to anyone and request.


Please be a responsible citizen and do not give bribes to Govt officers.Use
RTI as a tool in your hand.

You may call/write to me in case you need any help in using the act.