Press Release - May 2nd

PRESS RELEASE – MAY 2nd, 2006

Youth For Equality are a group of students from different educational streams who have come together to peacefully protest against the proposed change in the reservation policy by Mr. Arjun Singh, which will lead to the reduction of open merit seats. It is now possible for the Central and State governments to enforce up to 49.5% reservation in public and private institutions across the nation.

Students all over India have decided to hold a nation-wide protest against any implementation of the 93^rd Amendment Act and express their opinion of this Act being un-constitutional on May 2^nd, 2006. We have initiated signature campaigns across the country against this increase in reservation.

The IITs have an intake of around 5000 students. Increasing reservations by 27% would cause 1350 deserving students from the general category to lose out on IIT education. Similar effects would filter down to all educational institutions in India. This would leave deserving students no option but to either seek undergraduate education abroad or in the absence of adequate monetary resources settle for a lot less than they deserve. We are in strong opposition to any such move.

Reservation exists at every level of education in India. The government has neglected the implementation of existing policies to promote social equality. Primary education is neglected. Facilities for education at the school level are both insufficient and poor. It is only through a strengthening of the grass root educational infrastructure that the needy sections of society can adequately avail of higher education and benefit. Rather than pursue these existing initiatives, the Government of India has chosen to take the easier option of changing policy.

The existing system needs to be objectively reviewed and its effect statistically proven before suggesting or implementing any new policy changes. Such policy changes will benefit only the ‘creamy layers’ of the reserved categories and will not reach the intended beneficiaries. It allows affluent families to exploit reservation generation after generation. It is these families that have no need for reservation that will continue to benefit from the 93^rd Amendment Act. The Government of India is lulling the poor into a false sense of security and subjecting able and deserving candidates from ALL classes and castes to undue competition, frustration and stress. 49.5% reservation will NOT benefit the needy. We assert that the 93^rd Amendment Act is an attempt to mislead the nation’s people and vehemently oppose it.

It is time that the Government of India stop using petty ‘vote bank politics’ and realizes its responsibility to empower these marginalized communities with good primary education, better infrastructure and opportunities so they may compete with the so called ‘upper castes’ and not against them. As members of the student community we urge the nation to raise its voice so it may be heard above the din of political hogwash and their attempt to divide us on the grounds of casteism.

Contact Us at : yfemumbai@gmail.com