Kavya always wanted to be a doctor. From her childhood, it was an all-encompassing thing in her life. She was a good student, she really was.
Always an A-grader, she had many achievements to her credit. In preparation for her entrance to get a medical seat, she left no stone unturned. She joined a good coaching centre, like many of her friends. In the first year she just missed the mark for ‘general category’. She could have joined private medical colleges with a much higher fee, which was of course out of question because of her financial background.
Many fellow students with much lower mark got into medical colleges under ‘quota’. She thought she will try another year, to break into the higher cut off point for general category. In spite of much higher mark, she would not be given a seat because she is in a particular category of caste. While she tries another year, she wonders, ‘is this not discrimination?Does her country discriminate some of its subjects on the lines of caste!’
In a different part of the same city, Murthy got MBBS through a reservation or ‘quota’; then his seat for postgraduate studies, and even his entry as a faculty to a medical college. He would not forget for a day that his being in the profession is more to do with his caste rather than his talent at least that is what people around him continue to believe.
It is difficult for him to shake this feeling. He knows nobody would mention that openly, but the idea never leaves him alone.
Many times he thinks, ‘should he put his daughter with similar mental strain of being selected through a reserved seat, all her life’. But when the time comes to filling up the form, he does not resist, does not want to take the chance; even if his daughter is confident and has got better facilities for training than many of her competitors; they go for a reserved seat, based on their caste. So another generation opts for a lifelong negative self-image.
These stories are probably not generalisations, but they are not new. These are common place and people know this. People also know that the society, the country needs no divisions, no discriminations amongst its subjects. To compete and to be successful, the societies need appropriate talent and resources.
Any current discrimination and bias are expected to be dealt by appropriate laws and effective implementation of those; rather than fuelling further discrimination.
Argument that some groups were discriminated against in the past should not lead to discrimination for other groups at present. To right a wrong, you cannot wrong to make it right.
That is not a progress towards equality. Equality for all its subjects is the State’s responsibility; but it should also be the approach of the subjects to think and work for it. To that effect, those who do not have resources should be supported for that; but not for their caste or religion, and certainly no one should be discriminated on those lines.
Creating resources, facilities and a level playing field for all concerned are more helpful than dividing people into discriminatory categories and depending upon charitable efforts to sort out an ever growing social and psychological problem.
There is a need for a deeper understanding and intervention by everyone; to create a society where all are equal and they believe so. Names of ‘Kavya’ and ‘Murthy’ are given for illustration purposes; they are fictional characters; any resemblance is purely coincidental.
(The writer is a consultant psychiatrist)