The clock was ticking. So was Rajneesh’s pen. With limited time, negative marking and enough calculations to last a lifetime, every dotted answer was either one step closer or quarter step farther from his dream college – the IIMs. Stepping out of the exam hall, there was something unusual about Rajneesh’s face, it was unexpected and disconcerting to most examinees at his centre – it was a smile.
Commenting on his possible outcome in the November 2007 CAT exams, Rajneesh shrugged as he strolled out of the main gate, “Oh there was nothing to it, and with all the mocks I was well prepared. Two years of hard study have paid off; I can tell you this right now - I’m guaranteed a 99 percentile.” The smile never leaving his face he confidently set himself back preparing for the myriad XATs, MATs and all others out there.
Cut to six months later. The smile is gone and so is the promise of an IIM secured position. Rajneesh stands forlornly in the line to submit his application form in a not so satisfactory institute (well, nothing is satisfactory when your dream is IIM, right?) When questioned on his marks, he gives a defeated look and simply responds, “It’s the system. What can I say? I secured the required 99 percentile as I knew I would. I just don’t understand it. They say it’s an issue of insufficient seats. But that’s just bull-shit!” he forces on, clearly aggravated, “It’s because of the bloody OBC quotas! It’s all politics! Merit is dead!”
The youth’s concern towards the issue of quota seats has always been one of fury and discontentment but with rising global competitiveness and premier placements, it’s not hard to see how Rajneesh can so vehemently say that “Merit is DEAD!” This cry broke new ground when early last year a student made music video of Pentagram’s song ‘Voice’ (http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=aCgIdKt43Dk) was released online. It served as a tombstone on the idea of fairness and equity – not towards the minorities but towards the idea of an education system as anything but a meritocracy. The video fashioned on the issue of merit and the rising vote bank appeasement, with respect to quota system, displayed images of the student’s anti-quota marches in Delhi juxtaposed against the aspirations and achievements of a young student. The irony was palpable.
The government has responded to such concerns by promising more seats in new institutions but many consider it “too little too late”. These ‘promises’ are made under the guise of bringing about more ‘equitable’ opportunities for minorities but isn’t it forgotten that this unfair practice of reduced number of general seats (along with rising fees costs and lacking infrastructure) is inevitably driving students towards a certain sense of apathy in the system as a whole.
The day is not far when merit itself will become a minority and then we shall shake our heads with shame as we ponder…what percentile quota should we allot it?
Commenting on his possible outcome in the November 2007 CAT exams, Rajneesh shrugged as he strolled out of the main gate, “Oh there was nothing to it, and with all the mocks I was well prepared. Two years of hard study have paid off; I can tell you this right now - I’m guaranteed a 99 percentile.” The smile never leaving his face he confidently set himself back preparing for the myriad XATs, MATs and all others out there.
Cut to six months later. The smile is gone and so is the promise of an IIM secured position. Rajneesh stands forlornly in the line to submit his application form in a not so satisfactory institute (well, nothing is satisfactory when your dream is IIM, right?) When questioned on his marks, he gives a defeated look and simply responds, “It’s the system. What can I say? I secured the required 99 percentile as I knew I would. I just don’t understand it. They say it’s an issue of insufficient seats. But that’s just bull-shit!” he forces on, clearly aggravated, “It’s because of the bloody OBC quotas! It’s all politics! Merit is dead!”
The youth’s concern towards the issue of quota seats has always been one of fury and discontentment but with rising global competitiveness and premier placements, it’s not hard to see how Rajneesh can so vehemently say that “Merit is DEAD!” This cry broke new ground when early last year a student made music video of Pentagram’s song ‘Voice’ (http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=aCgIdKt43Dk) was released online. It served as a tombstone on the idea of fairness and equity – not towards the minorities but towards the idea of an education system as anything but a meritocracy. The video fashioned on the issue of merit and the rising vote bank appeasement, with respect to quota system, displayed images of the student’s anti-quota marches in Delhi juxtaposed against the aspirations and achievements of a young student. The irony was palpable.
The government has responded to such concerns by promising more seats in new institutions but many consider it “too little too late”. These ‘promises’ are made under the guise of bringing about more ‘equitable’ opportunities for minorities but isn’t it forgotten that this unfair practice of reduced number of general seats (along with rising fees costs and lacking infrastructure) is inevitably driving students towards a certain sense of apathy in the system as a whole.
The day is not far when merit itself will become a minority and then we shall shake our heads with shame as we ponder…what percentile quota should we allot it?
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