The Group of Ministers going into the reservation issue has come up with the idea of increasing the number of seats in institutions of higher learning, as a solution to the ongoing protest against reservations for OBCs. This is putting the cart before the horse.

Instead, the Government should make available increased facilities to enable children of OBCs acquire quality primary and secondary education so that they may compete on a level playing field for admission to the IIMs, IITs and medical colleges.

Since Independence, successive governments have failed to address this vital problem. Had it been attended to, the present crisis posed by reservation would not have arisen.

The urgent task before the government, therefore, is to see that all children from the underprivileged sections are ensured a sound primary and secondary education, so that the practice of reservation can be eliminated gradually.

C. V. K. Moorthy

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