Creamy layer or Sour Cream?

Yet another controversy over reservation for the "backward classes".

Though the verdict by the five judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Balakrishnan is astounding in itself because of it's fairness,(anyway, I think it is a criminal offence in my country to criticize the decision of the courts, but that, I assure you, has nothing to do with my reaction), it is the implementation of the whole thing that brings on the jeepers creepers.

The judgement withheld the 93rd Amendment to the Constitution providing a reservation of 27% for the socially and educationally backward classes or the so called OBCs in all centrally funded educational institutions, taking the percentage of reserved seats to a whopping 49.5%! But the proverbial icing comes in the form of the caveat which fundamentally excludes those who have already managed to climb out of the OBC category and remain so only on papers.

Thought the courts have laid down clear rules as to who can claim the reservation and who cannot, in a country of more than a billion people and over half of them hungry for everything, getting on top by trampling on everybody below is not exactly a difficult task.

Even worse, try explaining it to the occasional survey that decides to include the IIMs and the IITs in it's global rankings. Who would, in his right mind, like to believe that an institution where about a half of the students are there because of reservation and not merit, can have the balls enough to hold it's head high and say "I can be the best"?

Though the reservation system might be required according to the greater good for the greater numbers, it would have been wiser if the whole thing was chalked out more thoughtfully by either incorporating an exit time line or by first revamping the infra available and then getting hunky dory about the increase in intakes which are inevitable to calm down everybody

Though in a country of a pantheon of 13 million Gods, it might be best,as they say,to "Swalpa Adjust Maadi" and get along with it.