Education and technology has been globally recognised as the major forces for convergence, progress in technology eventually reinforced with the progress in education, a nation cannot progress in production and technology without substantial progress in education and the progress in education cannot be accomplished by any particular section; it is a process of coordination. Education has its unique role in the development and growth regardless of societies. India is now a country with a literacy rate of 78%. which has a dreadful history concerning access to education which has been restricted by a particular section of society to the rest of the society for more than 2000 years in the name of caste, religion, culture, tradition and literature. After a long history of struggles the constitution of India has ensured the education to all and further progressive steps are being taken by successive governments to democratise education remarkably by the former chief minister of Tamil Nadu K.Kamaraj a crusader of free education and a pioneer of mid day meal program which has been preceding outset from free breakfast to schools in Chennai by justice party then ruling part of Madras presidency State in 1920 the initiation was transformed and adapted by different governments in different states as a attempt of benefitting all the socially, economically, educationally backward societies.
All these material supportive attempts are not enough to keep out the permeating tenacious prejudices over the marginalized communities in the education sector it can be illustrated by three unpleasant events in three distinct parts of the nation in three different fields of education sector and failed to prevent the persecution and suicidal murders of the under privileged students with aspiration of education.
Education as a only means towards a decent future for those who have been oppressed for generations inherited near to nothing other than the shackles of caste with many future aspirations are abruptly aborted in earlier stages. A boy from marginalized section of class 11 in u.p. was allegedly beaten up by the principal for drinking water from his bottle. Strikingly this incident provokes the nostalgia of discrimination faced by our forefathers centuries ago.
Another instance of The deep rooted casteism manifest in the pioneering mid-day meal program which is in interest of all especially for economically deprived students from all societies has been demeaned when a cook from a socially marginalized section was restrained from performing her duty in coimbatore allegedly in the name of caste this event which is strikingly hostile with the Dr. Ambedkar’s vision of annihilation of caste where social dining involves the contribution of all in performing various actions without any indifferences will be an important means in construction of better society.
Confining in search of better education Irrespective of marks secured in the higher secondary examination or junior college examination by spending an enormous hard earned valuable parental resources (at times debted resources) at coaching centres and invaluable years of time excluding the sleep hours, penance with the reading and writing materials, self isolation in midst of social activities, concentration amidst distraction, all this physical and mental toils in the process of preparing to succeed in an all India level competitive entrance examination after learning and adapting to its evolving techniques, aptitudes,theories, logics,codes and complying with the required grades to secure a admission in the premier institutions are nevertheless similar pre-admission difficulties to all thereafter comes certain unprecedented post-admission riddles equipped with demeaning and discrimination in the name of hollow casteist structure waiting exclusively for socially marginalized students with the dreams of prospering future. Reciting more than a decade old data “Nearly 80percent of students suicide in IIT’S till 2011 were of socially marginalized community students” pertaining to have its relevance today which has been ignored forever has started to gain meagre attention aftermath of Rohit vemula suicide an tragedy took place in 2016 as a nexus trajectory of tragedies continues allegation in the name of Darshan Solanki in 2023.
All the above mentioned events emphasize the significance of reservation in the education sector in multiple dimensions of Reservation in student admissions, reservation in teaching and non- teaching faculty recruitment. Educational institutions lethargicness in filling the backlog vacancies turning to be lethal year after year. It is a need in dual aspects, first in accordance with providing equal opportunity and next in accordance with ensuring the functioning or utilisation to the best provided opportunity. If the prestigious institutions had enough staff from obc, sc, st communities the culmination of Rohit vemula would have been different.
Necessary proceedings must be taken to ensure the filling up of the backlog vacancies and following by guaranteed reservation in promotions as 80 colleges under the delhi university do not have even one Dalit principal.
IIT Bombay has admitted the two campus based surveys to end the existence of “culture of exclusion”. It is a high time to extend solidarity irrespective of all the indifferences and adhering to the humanity. In spite of appointing inactive committees as a customary practice Affirmative action must be taken to ensure the equal treatment of students and stringent action must be taken against caste based crime preparators.
It must not be tolerated by any society that The dream destinations are turning into deathbeds for the upcoming generations in hope of upliftment not for dominance or hegemony but for decency, dignity, equality, emancipation and liberation.
S.Vijayakrishna
Launched on December 3, 1990. Nagaland Post is the first and highest circulated newspaper of Nagaland state. Nagaland Post is also the first newspaper in Nagaland to be published in multi-colour.