Date:14/04/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/04/14/stories/2008041454891001.htm

Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Creamy layer

The judgment leaves the OBCs belonging to the creamy layer high and dry as they can compete neither with the forward castes on account of their social backwardness nor with their OBC brethren due to the disability clause of the creamy layer. Those who complain that merit is sacrificed at the altar of reservation surprisingly have no hesitation in killing merit using the creamy layer argument.

D.S. Naidu,

Visakhapatnam

* * *

While it is commendable that the creamy layer will not be able to garner the benefits of the 27 per cent reservation for the OBCs which, in any case, it does not require, reservation is not the answer to backwardness. On the other hand, financial support to all deserving students could lead us towards progress.

Nidhi Kumari,

Patna

* * *

Even though reservation for the economically backward among the so-called forward castes sounds politically correct, the replacement of the social criterion with that of the economic will end up penalising success. Social backwardness is not a matter of choice and hence needs support. But those who have had equal opportunities but have been unsuccessful because of their ineptness cannot be rewarded. Reservation for the poor among them will close the door on many middle class OBCs. They will find that their hard-earned moderate success is a curse for their children.

Bency John,

Thiruvalla