There is a strange practice of reservation of seats for students coming from backward communities in India. This is done to give them a chance in higher studies in renowned universities and colleges. There is nothing wrong in giving equal opportunities to students of all communities, but the problem lies elsewhere.
These reservations are done on the basis of percentage marks obtained in board or university examinations. Normally students from backward areas or communities are given relaxation in the cut-off marks for admission. For instance, if the cut off marks for admission to a study course is 60 percent for general students, it would be 50 percent for candidates belonging to the backward classes. This also happens in case of competitive exams also.
Instead of giving relaxation in cut off marks, government departments should make serious efforts in training up and nurturing students of retarded communities and prepare them at par with general students. Not only would this improve the overall standard of education, but also raise the efficiency level of students pursuing professionals and technical courses. The number of standard schools in rural India is limited, and there are innumerable locations without even a standard primary school.
It is a pity that students in many tribal or remote areas remain largely uneducated because of lack of any type of educational setup. The foundation requires to be strengthened by setting up schools at each and every village. Investment in education should be one of the primary objectives of central and all state governments, apart from investments in health and poverty alleviation.
