The caste system in India - Caste system in modern India has divided the nation into different communities with different perceptions and the most divisive factor. While the majority adheres to Hinduism as their faith, caste divides them for wrong reasons often.

We have to have a re look at the failed social engineering experiment of reservations, since even after 50 years the number of people under privileged and disadvantaged keeps growing only due to faulty delivery mechanisms.

The caste system in India - There is a theory that the caste system has denied equality to many and gave opportunities to a few. Caste system has been perceived as being practiced by the front line castes to the disadvantage of the other communities. It is also said that caste system led to the oppression of disadvantaged caste groups. But the matter of fact is that India was ruled prior to independence for hundreds of years by the Muslim and British rulers who invaded the nation and governed the destinies.

Caste system has led to reservations of every kind among the citizens. The focus is not on helping the less privileged or under privileged to compete with the so called forward castes. The political system only perpetuated the continuance of the caste system and succeeded in creating vote banks on the strength of which rulers are elected. It is agreed by one and all that equal opportunities be given to all its citizens irrespective of caste, creed, race and religion. Those people who used the benefits of reservation continue to enjoy the reservation facilities for their progeny though they are no longer under privileged or under developed. The creamy layer that benefited the most from the caste reservation system continues to claim the rights and privileges that are no longer needed by them. They appear to be expressing their loyalty to the caste from which they came and benefited, and there by attracting other still to be befitted people to flock round them only to benefit the already privileged among those oppressed castes.

If we have to stop this divide within this great nation, the only way is to categorize people as haves and have nots and make economic condition as the sole criteria for judging whether a particular person is privileged or under privileged. All the financially backward people must be treated equally and benefits be made available to them so that they equip themselves to compete with the haves in the society.

It must start with education system. Income be made the sole criteria and seats for the underprivileged or back ward classes and children of such parents must be given choice to admit their child in any school or college of their choice and the government should reimburse the entire expenses for education to the economically dis advantaged families. Those rich and powerful, to which ever caste they may belong to must be asked to pay for the education on their own.

This ensures that quality education is made available to deserving children without financial burden for those families that can hardly afford quality education.
This financial backing must continue for the economically under privileged classes till they get a reasonable job with good salary.

Then such family must be removed from the list of beneficiaries irrespective of caste affiliations so that the benefits will go to deserving candidates. Caring for education must include health care of children, their dress requirement and their food expenses. Quality must be the watch word and the delivery system must be made accountable with prominent citizens playing watch dog role. If this is done there will be no need for reservation in jobs as equal opportunities arise for all based on competence and merit. This will eradicate the inequities and social engineering will give way to economic well being. This is the bounden duty of a welfare state.

When such generation joins main stream with a feeling that they are not disadvantaged on the basis of caste, the vote bank politics will vanish and the merit and talent will find their rightful place.

Such drastic re look only will help Indian democracy qualify as not only the largest democracy but also best quality democracy. Otherwise it will be mobocracy, castocracy and divisive and harmful to the nation and its citizens.

If we are unable to judge what is good for us and ensure governance that is responsive, responsible, and continue to dabble in caste vote banks, one day it may lead to social upheavals since the delivery mechanism for helping the under privileged and oppressed sections is so faulty that the number keeps growing despite billions and billions are spent for that cause.

What the underprivileged want is eradication of hurdles that continue to create inequities mainly on account of economic reasons.

Why to add cream to cream? It is better to identify constantly and transparently those who really need cream to sweeten their fortunes.

Till India finds real solution to the caste problem and take steps for eradicating caste factor from politics, India will continue to be a divided house where the energies of the nation are wasted without real gain for the people at large.