Thumbs Down for 90:10

Yesterday Mumbai High Court ruled against Maharashtra Govt. 90:10 quota for admission in FYJC. The ruling was hailed as victory for merit against reservation by state. I feel sorry for SSC students. For long time they are denied admission in top colleges because the Examination system, subjective form of quation paper and more subjects-which includes 3 languages- resulted in their percentage being less than percentage of students from ICSC/CBSC /IB boards. State Govt. wants to play politics,hence does nothing for 10 months. Come May,State wakes up and pulls out different schemes to favour SSC students, who form majority. State wants to show that it is really concerned about injustice done to SSC students and wants to correct it. Of course the schemes like Percentile system last year and 90:10 quota this year were doomed right from inception and everyone knew that it would not stand legal scrutiny by High Court. But Congress politician can claim that they tried but this rich,urban kid's parents managed to get Court's order to stop it.

How can one insist on Merit when examinations are different. One can compare Apple to Apple. Many argue that SSC board should improve and modernise SSC curriculum. They forget that large majority of 3-4 Lacs student are from underprivileged,rural,dalit and BPL families. To keep them in school is major task.For them passing SSC is ticket to better paying jobs. Many find difficult to clear this exam. If it is modernised and made same as ICSC/CBSC then there will be more failures. As such we have huge number of SSC fail students in state. They have very few job opportunities. They can't join Technical Courses as well. Their plight is really miserable.

High Court has asked State to have Entrance Exam. to level Field for students from different Boards.This means one more CET!!. But there is a way out of this mess. Mr.Kapil Sibal has proposed that SSC exams should be done away with. All the students should get SSC/ICSC/CBSC Cert. if they have certain grade. The curriculum should be one which can prepare them for job at lower level. Those who desire to join FYJC should give CET and take admission. majority will opt out-esp.from SSC stream- and will enter job market or join tech.course. In US situation is same. Majority opt out after High School and take jobs.few join College. This is something worth trying. There are so many jobs that doesn't require College degree and this will be real employment generating scheme.